Overton County Reallocates Funds To Repair Failing Roads
The Overton County Budget Committee moved to reallocate some $800,000 in debt service funds Thursday to address failing infrastructure. Overton Highway Superintendent Tim Kennedy said if the department’s budget was not increased, some asphalt roads in Overton County would be forced to be converted back to gravel. “We’ve got some roads in every district that […]
Cookeville Approves South Willow Avenue Turn Lane
Cookeville officials approved a resolution Thursday authorizing a partnership with T-DOT to construct a dedicated right turn lane on South Willow Avenue at Interstate Drive. The city committed up to $500,000 to accelerate the construction process. T-DOT has already prepared design plans. The city must manage utility relocation and right-of-way dedication. CIty Manager James Mills […]
Sparta Evaluates Wages To Combat Employee Turnover
Sparta Officials will launch a comprehensive pay study to address rising employee turnover, following a Thursday night vote. City Administrator Tonya Tindle said the city needed the study after several resignations highlighted significant wage gaps between the city and neighboring jurisdictions. Tindle said the analysis will evaluate the current compensation landscape. “That will take our […]
Tech Debuts First Fully Online Agribusiness Program
Tennessee Tech is launching its first fully online undergraduate agriculture degree with the debut of an Agribusiness Management program. Agriculture and Human Ecology Dean Darron Smith said the program is the first of its kind in the state, allowing students to earn an agriculture degree entirely from home. Smith said the curriculum mirrors the traditional […]
New Agency Strategic Plan To Cultivate UC Self-Sufficiency
UCDD/UCHRA implementing a new strategic plan designed to help regional residents achieve self-sufficiency through innovation and leadership. Executive Director Mark Farley said the agency spent approximately six months developing the plan to serve as a guiding document for the combined operations of both agencies. “Our mission is to help the citizens of this region cultivate […]
Crossville Budget Passed With No Property Tax Increase
The Crossville City Council passed a new fiscal year budget Thursday that maintains the current property tax rate while adjusting utility fees to cover the cost of service. Finance Director Nathan Clouse said the city will hold the property tax rate at 0.6059 for the upcoming 2026-2027 fiscal year. Clouse said the rate is effectively […]
DeKalb Coalition Secures Grant To Combat Youth Vaping
The DeKalb Prevention Coalition launching a new initiative to reduce vaping rates among local youth thanks to a multi-year grant from the Tennessee Department of Health. Coalition Director Jennifer Matthews said the organization was one of only ten counties selected to receive the Nicotine-Free Future grant following a competitive application process. Matthews said the funding […]
Cumberland EMS Worker Indicted For Six Figure Theft
A former Cumberland County emergency services employee faces multiple felony indictments after a state investigation found he falsified timesheets Tennessee Comptroller’s Office Adam Johnson accused of stealing more than $117,000 from Cumberland and Wilson counties. That includes more than $112 thousand from Cumberland County. The money came from time he did not actually work. Officials […]
Drought Conditions Shift in Cookeville, Upper Cumberland
The change to a rainy pattern over the last several weeks expected to help alleviate drought conditions across the Upper Cumberland. The latest US Drought Monitor released Thursday said drought conditions should be removed during the period that ends September 30. The region is currently in moderate drought thanks to the rainfall of the last month. The […]
Federal Investigators Analyze Warren Plane Crash Videos
Federal investigators analyzing video evidence after a deadly plane crash in a Warren County cornfield on Wednesday. The evidence shows a Cessna 177RG making contact with an object during takeoff before crashing. NTSB Aviation Accident Investigator Ryan Enders said the aircraft departed from a private airstrip located about seven miles southeast of the crash site. […]
