Van Buren County Taking Action On Illegal Dumping
Van Buren County officials taking action on illegal dumping in Cummingsville. Mayor David Sullivan said the County Commission had voted on a series of steps to correct the issue. Sullivan said the Sheriff went to the Cummingsville Convenience Center Wednesday in northeast Van Buren County in response to the dumping. “Well we had purchased signs […]
Putnam County Jail Receives Accreditation Increasing State Allotment Per Inmate
Putnam County Jail has recently received accreditation by meeting all requirements as set by the Tennessee Corrections Institute. The accreditation will increase the amount of money allotted per inmate from the state without costing Putnam County residents any extra tax dollars. Currently, the jail houses approximately 100 state inmates on felony convictions that were committed […]
Putnam County Emergency Management Director Steps Down
Tyler Smith is stepping down as Putnam County Director of Emergency Management. Smith said he has been thinking about this for a while. He said he has been in emergency services for 38 years. “Should you continue doing this, because you go to bed at night thinking there could be another tornado coming through or […]
UCDD/UCHRA Executive Committees Approve Budget For FY 24
Upper Cumberland Development District and Human Resource Agency Executive Committees approved its budget for the next fiscal year. The Development District is projected to operate with some $10.2 million in expenditures, with a balanced budget after netting out match requirements and revenues. Chair Randy Heady said the new budget includes a cost of living adjustment […]
Cookeville IDB Defers Decision On Amendment Ficosa PILOT Agreement
The Cookeville Industrial Development Board deferred a decision on amending its Ficosa payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement, citing a desire to explore agreements between the city and other companies who might be in the same situation. After having difficulty meeting original requirements due to COVID, Ficosa Attorney Stephen Jasper presented amendments decreasing the number of required employees and […]
Fiddlers Jamboree Partners With Tennessee Tech To Create New Database
Smithville’s Fiddlers Jamboree has partnered with Tennessee Tech to create a new database for registration. Board Member Ethan Shaw said as a Tech Alumnus, he knew the university had a computer science program that could help, so he reached out to professors to create the new database. He said the database is a big improvement […]
Van Buren County High School Advisor Receives Tennessee Teen Institute Award
Van Buren County Leadership Advisor Kelly Lewis received Teen Advisor of the Year award at the 2023 Tennessee Teen Institute (TTI) camp. Lewis works with student leadership to promote healthy choices such as avoiding vaping. She said she was surprised to receive this year’s award and said there were many advisors present who were just […]
Aphena Continuing To Follow Growth Strategy Plan In Positive Direction
Aphena Sales and Marketing Vice President Eric Allen said discussions about new Aphena investors does not mean the company is selling, but is more so a preparation for the future. The Cookeville Industrial Development Board discussed its agreement in regards to the hypothetical idea of selling the company Wednesday. Allen said they continue to entertain […]
White County Sheriff Says Pay Studies Have Fallen On Deaf Ears
White County Sheriff Steve Page said the department has already done salary studies, but the commission failed to notice. Page said he doesn’t know if the commission purposefully ignored the studies or if they just didn’t see them, but studies have been done multiple times of surrounding counties’ pay scales. “We went around to the […]
Potential For Changes At Aphena Spark Discussions At Industrial Development Board Meeting
Officials with Aphena Pharma Solutions approached the attorney for the Cookeville Industrial Development Board about the ramifications of a possible proposal to sell. Attorney Kent Moore reported on the subject to the board at its quarterly meeting Wednesday. Moore said in looking at the agreement with the city and county that there would be a […]
