Austin Dodson Pledges New Future As Overton Executive
Newly elected Overton County Executive Austin Dodson preparing to take office after voters supported his vision for a new direction for the county. Dodson said the election results reflect a desire from the community to move toward a different future. Dodson said he intends to apply excellence to the daily operations of the executive’s office. […]
UC Early Voting Surges As Early Voting Ends Saturday
Election administrators across the Upper Cumberland reporting strong early voting participation. Putnam County Administrator of Elections Jennifer Murphy said office has processed 7,023 total ballots through early voting and mail-in absentees, surpassing the total numbers seen during the May early voting period. “Early voting for August has been kind of wild,” Murphy said. “We have […]
Chamber Coffee Series Connects Voters With Local Candidates
The Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce launching a “Coffee with a Candidate” series this week to provide residents with direct access to local candidates. Director of Membership Karlyn Reel said the organization prioritizes providing opportunities for citizens to stay informed about local government and politics. Reel said the chamber represents the entire county and felt […]
Putnam Republicans Back Conservative Cookeville Candidates
The Putnam County Republican Party endorsing a slate of five conservative candidates for the Cookeville City Council to promote shared values in the upcoming nonpartisan election. Putnam County Republican Party Chair Charlotte Sanders said the organization is promoting Ali Bagci, Luke Eldridge, Chad Gilbert, Mason Harville and Kelly Parkison as its chosen candidates. Sanders said […]
Hutchings And Golden Appointed To White Beer Board
Derrick Hutchings and Becky Golden will fill two vacancies on the White County Beer Board. Two commissioners resigned from the board last month, upset about other commissioners not changing the rules on the proximity of an establishment selling beer. The board wanted to change the rules in the middle of a discourse about an applicant. […]
Putnam Mayoral Candidates Discuss Growth And Infrastructure
Candidates for Putnam County Mayor discussed the challenges of rapid population growth and the resulting strain on local infrastructure during Wednesday night’s candidate forum. Incumbent Mayor Randy Porter said the county experienced an unexpected surge in residents following the 2020 tornado and the COVID-19 pandemic. Porter said while the county was growing at a steady […]
Putnam Early Voting Upticks, Surrounding Counties Lag
Putnam County seeing a slight uptick in early voting numbers, as other counties across the Upper Cumberland are experiencing a slow down. Putnam County Election Administrator Jennifer Murphy said she predicts nearly 30 percent total voter turnout for this election, compared to just 12 percent back in 2022. “We have more candidates on the ballot […]
