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 […]
Cookeville Council To Consider Idea For Housing Change
The Cookeville City Council discussed a proposed zoning amendment Monday that would allow the Fall Creek Inn to transition from a motel into an affordable multi-family housing development. Planning Director Jon Ward said the owners of the facility requested the change to offer more affordable rates through a multi-family designation. Ward said the property located […]
Splash Pad Highly Attended During Cookeville’s Week One
A successful opening week for Cane Creek’s new splash pad, despite a lot of rain and some safety concerns. Vice Mayor Luke Eldridge said the facility has been overwhelmingly well-received by the community. Eldridge said the city is coordinating with installers to evaluate the slide run-out area and determine if additional bumpers or extensions are […]
Seven Pick Up Election Packets For Putnam City Elections
Seven people who plan to run for seats in cities across Putnam County picked up election packets in the first hours for the August 6 elections. Ali Bagci, Luke Eldridge, and Mason Harville have picked up packets to run for Cookeville City Council. Cookeville will have five council seats on the ballot. Algood voters will […]
Salvation Army Still Wants Overton Transitional Housing
The Salvation Army still wants to establish transitional housing in Livingston after initial plans were temporarily put on hold. The Salvation Army and Genesis House flirted with the idea of building transitional housing in Livingston back in 2023, but Salvation Army Outreach Coordinator Luke Eldridge said the process stopped when the Salvation Army had a […]
Eldridge Said Higher Dollar Tax Should Come Back To City
Cookeville Vice-Mayor Luke Eldridge said residents unhappy about property tax increases should pressure legislators to change the sales tax rules on higher-priced items. Eldridge said Tennessee’s Single Article Cap Tax puts a 2.75 percent limit on the sales tax that can be collected by the city on singular items between $1,600- $3,200. Tennessee increased the […]
Work Experience Program Helps Kids Choose Career Path.
The Upper Cumberland Job Center has new work experience funding to place youth part-time at local employers. Executive Director of Workforce Innovation Luke Eldridge said young people have dreams about work they want to do. Eldridge said the work program partners with employers to give the kids a place to test those dreams. Eldridge said […]
Cookeville Swears In Next City Council, Wheaton Officially Second Female Mayor
A packed house celebrated the swearing-in of the members of the next Cookeville City Council Thursday night. Former Vice-Mayor Laurin Wheaton was the highest vote-getter in the August 4th election. Wheaton was officially voted into the role Thursday night, making her the second-ever female Mayor of Cookeville. The only other female mayor was Jean Davis, […]
Cookeville To Extend UCHRA Program To Aid Needy Individuals, Increase Funding
Cookeville City Council approved a new UCHRA and Substance Abuse Solutions contract, adding $5,000 to its fund. The program provides social services to individuals in need located in the city, including housing support, counseling, and medical and mental health care. Police Chief Randy Evans told council members the contract provided the department with a service […]
Three Newcomers, Two Incumbents Set To Serve On Cookeville City Council
Laurin Wheaton earned the most votes in the Cookeville City Council election, making her the prime candidate for the mayorship. Wheaton said that she was excited about the opportunity to take on the challenge. She said that Cookeville is in a great spot, and it’s not only because of her previous work on the council. […]
