Celina To Finalize Budget With Water Rate Hike
Celina officials will move forward this fiscal year with a new budget that includes a 30 percent increase in water rates and no pay raises for city employees. Mayor Luke Collins said the budget passed its first reading in July and will face a final vote in August. “You always hate for the rates to […]
Clay Officials Encourage Simple Practices To Avoid Drowning
Clay County officials said simple water safety practices on Dale Hollow Lake can help you avoid a late summer incident. Clay County Emergency Management Director Kyle Haney said safety guidelines from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers encourage smarter decision-making on the water. Haney said the initiative aims to ensure that everyone utilizing the county’s […]
Blood Assurance Supplies Reach Critically Low Levels
Blood Assurance is facing a critical shortage of blood supplies with only a few days of inventory for several major blood types. Cookeville Team Supervisor Ashley Barlow said the organization is currently operating with a limited supply of O-positive, O-negative, A-negative, and B-negative blood. Barlow said the summer months traditionally represent the most difficult time […]
Storm Damage Repairs Force Freehill Road Closure Monday
Cookeville Public Works will close a section of Freehill Road between Fenbrook Way and Choate Cemetery Road Monday and Tuesday to repair storm damage. The department will restrict the section of road to through traffic for the duration of the project. Residents living within the boundaries of the closure will maintain access to their homes. […]
Special Advocates To Support White, Van Buren Fosters
White and Van Buren Counties launching a new Court Appointed Special Advocates program to provide foster children with dedicated volunteers. General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge John Meadows said the non-profit organization recruits and trains community members to serve as representatives for children in state custody and represent their best interests throughout the legal process. […]
Overton 4-H Marksmen Achieve National Success In Year 1
Overton County 4-H marksmen recently achieved national recognition as the air rifle team secured a fourth-place finish at the Nationals in Rogers, Arkansas. Overton County 4-H Agent Alyssa Anderson said the air rifle program was only introduced this year, making the top-five national finish a significant milestone for the new team. Anderson said while the […]
New Stations Spark Record Cookeville Firefighter Applications
The construction of two new fire stations in Cookeville has led to a record-breaking surge in firefighter applications. Battalion Chief Cliff Venters said the department is currently finishing final punch list items for Station 3 and expects Station 2 on North Washington to be completed within the next six weeks. “This last process, we got […]
White County Reverses Course On AI Surveillance Cameras
The White County Commissioners voted Monday to rescind a previous resolution authorizing the use of license plate surveillance cameras throughout the county. Board Chair Derrick Hutchings said the commission decided to reverse course after receiving significant feedback from residents regarding the Flock Safety technology. Hutchings said the board previously approved the cameras in April 2025 […]
Centralized Supply List Saves Putnam Parents Money
Putnam County Schools’ unified school supply lists for elementary and middle school students helping to reduce costs and simplify the back-to-school process for local families. Curriculum Supervisor Bubba Winningham said the district moved to centralized lists for grade bands K-2, 2-4, and 5-8. Winningham said the initiative aims to reduce parental anxiety by providing a […]
Cookeville Expands Food Truck Access On City Property
Cookeville expanding its mobile food unit policy to increase the number of available locations for vendor use. Leisure Services Department Director Chad McDonald said the updated policy aims to manage vendor requests with fairness and consistency across all city-owned parks and parking lots. McDonald said the changesbegan July 1 to better define how mobile food […]
