Cookeville Annexation Plans Underway With City Officials
Cookeville Mayor Laurin Wheaton said city officials are now working on plans for the Dodson Branch annexed area. Wheaton said the plans focus on services to outline how utilities and emergency protection will be delivered to the newly annexed area. “We’re excited to bring another area into Cookeville that we can you know work on […]
Tennessee Tech Students Transform Lives Through Engineering
Tennessee Tech students are providing custom-built assistive devices to Middle Tennessee children with special needs through the Tech Engineering for Kids program. Mechanical engineering professor Stephen Canfield said the program has operated for more than 25 years to provide tailored tools for children at no cost to their families. The press release said the initiative […]
McMinnville VA Clinic To Remain Open, Reversing Fed Decision
The McMinnville VA clinic will remain open following discussions between federal lawmakers and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Congressman Scott DesJarlais said the decision came in coordination with VA Secretary Doug Collins. The facility was previously scheduled to close on May 31 due to staffing challenges and a lack of providers in the area. Veterans […]
Budget Includes $74M In Capital Projects, Road Improvements
Cookeville will spend some $74 million on capital projects under a budget proposal unveiled Thursday. City Manager James Mills said that number is a slight reduction from the $80 million spent in this fiscal year. A new fire training center and two major road projects highlight the list. Mills said that includes the next step […]
Leadership Putnam Now Accepting 2027 Class Applications
Leadership Putnam accepting applications for its class of 2027 as the community-based program prepares to train a new group of local leaders. Director Angie Wells said the program typically selects some 25 applicants for each cycle. Wells said the program can be eye-opening to Putnam County residents as the chamber and its members shed light […]
UC Vets Will Benefit From New State Resource Portal
Tennessee launching a new statewide portal to provide veterans and their families with streamlined access to resources including housing, food, and financial assistance. Putnam County Veteran Service Officer Mark Harris said the Veterans Connect portal allows users to search for specific services by zip code to find immediate help within their local communities. Harris said […]
Cookeville “Safe” Budget: No Property Tax Rise, Salaries Up
Cookeville’s new budget includes no property tax increase and a “safe approach” based on unknowns in the economy. City Manager James Mills presented the budget to the City Council Thursday. The proposed $244 million budget includes a $2,000 market adjustment for all full-time employees and a merit raise of up to two percent based on […]
Cookeville Regional Approves Half-Billion Dollar Budget
The Cookeville Regional Board of Trustees approved a $502 million operational budget for the 2027 fiscal year during a special called meeting Wednesday. Chief Financial Officer Tommye Wells said the facility is budgeting $21.9 million in net income for the upcoming year compared to a projected $10.1 million for the current fiscal year. Wells said […]
Tech Dean Gotcher Retiring, Loves Academic Career
Tech Dean Mike Gotcher set to step down from his post at the College of Emerging and Integrated Studies next month. The lifelong college professor said he has not kept a countdown of his remaining time until retirement. Gotcher said he wants to remain focused on finishing the job. “I am excited, but I think […]
State To Fund Cookeville TVA Tower Relocation Project
The City of Cookeville secured state funding to resolve the traffic bottleneck at Interstate Drive and South Jefferson Avenue. City Manager James Mills said the state expected to provide between $700,000 and $750,000 to replace the TVA tower at the corner with a one pole, cantilever design. Mills said the allocation matches the original cost […]
