Fall Creek Falls Rededicates Nature Center During Grand Opening
Tennessee state officials gathered at Fall Creek Falls State Park Friday to rededicate the park’s nature center in honor of former First Lady Betty Dunn. Park Manager Jacob Young said despite multiple delays and additional funding needs, the Betty Dunn Nature Center has finally reopened. “[The project] ended up totaling about $1.2 million in upgrades […]
79-year-old Killed After Being Struck By Car
A 79-year-old Sparta man died after being struck by a vehicle Friday morning. The Tennessee Highway Patrol identified the deceased as Russell G. Giampietro. The incident happened at 9:22 a.m. on West Bockman Way, near Citizens Bank and Hunter Funeral Home. A Tennessee Highway Patrol crash report said Giampietro was struck by a westbound Buick, […]
Dowelltown Man Facing Rape And Incest Charges
A preliminary hearing takes place next week for a Dowelltown man charged with raping his granddaughter. 66-year-old William Kenneth Phillips faces charges of rape and incest. DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray said Phillips performed unlawful sexual penetration on his 13-year-old granddaughter. The incidents allegedly occurred multiple times between March and May 2018. Phillips has not […]
Cookeville Mayor Releases Statement on Playground Lawsuit
Cookeville City Council voted in a rare 3-2 decision Thursday to settle a playground lawsuit with property owners near Dogwood Park. Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton released a statement on the decision Friday morning after voting against the action. “For three years I’ve been clearly opposed to using any amount of the City of Cookeville’s money […]
Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Vehicle In Sparta
A vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in Sparta Friday morning. The Tennessee Highway Patrol confirmed the accident happened on West Bockman Way, near Hunter Funeral Home and Citizens Bank. Authorities have not released the name of the deceased. A full report will be provided by the THP at a later time.
Schools To Use Online Auction For Uffelman Facility
The Putnam County School System will take another shot at trying to sell the former Uffelman Elementary School. Superintendent Jerry Boyd said the school system rejected a single bid for the three-acre property last year. “The one single bid was lower than what we felt was the value of the property,” Boyd said. “We’ve had […]
Cookeville PD Arrests Eight In Human Trafficking Investigation
The Cookeville Police Department arrested eight individuals Thursday as part of a human trafficking investigation. CPD released a statement Friday saying undercover detectives and officers made the arrests after posing as patrons seeking to pay for sexual activity. The individuals arrested range in age from 20 years old to 59. No underage individuals were located […]
Putnam School Board Approves First Budget Draft
The first budget draft for the Putnam County School System includes an $8.8 million gap between projected revenue and expenditures. Superintendent Jerry Boyd said the proposal aligns with the needs and vision of the school system. “So we’re going to continue to be realistic, and since realism to us is… what do we need to […]
Sparta Board Appoints Interim City Administrator
The Sparta Board of Aldermen and Mayor appointed City Recorder Tonya Tindle as Interim City Administrator Thursday night. Mayor Jeff Young said Tindle will have multiple documents to sign before Sparta can hire a full-time administrator. “We do need to appoint, for administrative reasons, someone to on an interim basis to be the city administrator,” […]
Baxter Man Cited For Hitting Crossing Guard With Car
Authorities have cited an elderly Baxter man for hitting a school crossing guard in Cookeville Thursday. The Tennessee Highway Patrol reports 75-year-old Raymond Chambers was cited for failing to maintain his lane and not exercising due care. The THP incident report states Chambers was traveling south on Old Kentucky Road near Northeast Elementary while 41-year-old […]
