Tag Archives: Van Buren County

Broods of cicadas are expected to emerge throughout the Upper Cumberland next month after spending 13 years underground. Jackson County Agriculture Extension Agent Dill Hughes said the two separate broods operate on 13 and 17-year cycles respectively. He said due to the Upper Cumberland’s location and climate, we often see the emergence of both. He said despite the bad rap, ... Read More »

Four transitional veteran housing units in Van Buren County are expected to be ready by the end of July. American Legion Post 207 Commander Hansel Moore said the four concrete structures are in place with plumbing installed. He said once electricity is hooked up, interior work will finish up and homeless veterans will be moved in within days. Moore said ... Read More »

Discussions by the Van Buren County School Board about renovating a masonic lodge for use as a daycare, tabled indefinitely Wednesday night. Director of Schools Jared Copeland said the county received a grant from the Upper Cumberland Development District some three years ago to renovate the building. He said he believes that the money remaining from the grant would cover ... Read More »

The Van Buren County Sheriff’s Department has launched a program that will recognize staffers for their impactful work each quarter. Sheriff Michael Brock told the Van Buren County Commission that staffers can be nominated by supervisors, peers, or citizens. He said nominations will be brought to a three-person committee that will select officers for special recognition. Deputy Cameron Clendenon was ... Read More »

Johnny Crain resigned as Van Buren County Veterans Service Officer, effective at the end of the month. In a letter to County Commissioners, Crain informed leadership he planned to retire. His final day of service will be March 28. County Executive David Sullivan said Committee B of the commissioners will begin the process of replacing Crain. The Commission accepted the ... Read More »

Growing concerns in Van Buren County about unfair housing practices from the Sparta Housing Authority, after discussions at Thursday night’s County Commission meeting. White County residents being placed in the Spencer housing, overseen by Sparta Housing Authority, remains the biggest concern. Family Resource Center Director Jill Bouldin alleged the authority said it was not subject to federal rules on homeless ... Read More »

17 Upper Cumberland schools recognized as Reward Schools for outstanding performance and/or improvement in performance during the last school year. The list includes six Putnam County Schools, three in Overton County, two each in Cumberland, Jackson and White Counties, and one each in Dekalb and Van Buren Counties. Some 400 schools statewide received the honor from the State Board of ... Read More »

A new agreement between the Van Buren County Board of Education and the Election Commission ensures future elections will continue to be held in the auxiliary high school gym. The board approved the agreement Wednesday. Director of Schools Jared Copeland said the new agreement contains adjustments and clarifications to ensure the building is properly maintained during elections. “This is the ... Read More »

Van Buren County Sheriff Michael Brock has confirmed the death of a man at Fall Creek Falls State Park earlier this week was directly related to the cold weather. Brock confirmed the cause of death Thursday evening after receiving reports from the medical examiner. Dozens of emergency workers spent almost 17 hours from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday morning searching for ... Read More »

Roads across the Upper Cumberland reported snow covered and slick Monday morning. Most areas received three to four inches of snow from Sunday evening through early Monday morning. After a break, radar shows snowfall filling back in across the region. Emergency management officials urged residents to stay off the road. Fentress County officials reported the holiday has kept people at ... Read More »