Putnam County awaiting a decision from T-DOT regarding a proposed partnership to extend Tennessee Avenue to Gainesboro Grade. Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said the project stems from a joint transportation committee formed in 2017 to identify the top road needs for the area. Porter said the county previously used a...

Putnam County Law enforcement utilizing the Tennessee Organized Retail Crime Prevention Act to target traveling criminal groups that steal thousands of dollars in merchandise from high-end merchants. Cookeville Police Department Sgt. Charlotte Austin said the legislation addresses sophisticated criminal enterprises ins...

The Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce will host its annual spring Bizapalooza Tuesday to foster local business connections and drive regional economic growth. Director of Membership Karlyn Reel said the two-and-a-half-hour event is open to businesses of all sizes to find new resources. Reel said the event se...

Sparta is seeking developers and investors after a comprehensive feasibility study confirmed the city can support a hotel. Sparta City Administrator Tonya Tindle said the study was funded through a state grant to provide the necessary groundwork to attract potential chains. Tindle said the research involved surveying l...

Economic stress, like many are dealing with as gas prices rise, can be a trigger in child abuse. Stephens Center Executive Director Dawn Tidwell said the number of child abuse cases throughout the Upper Cumberland has continued to rise since the COVID pandemic. Tidwell said one of the biggest contributing factors to ch...