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Breaking News: Seventeen speakers address Library Board
Breaking News: MORE THAN 75 FILL LIBRARY MEETING AS QUESTIONS MOUNT OVER CHILDREN’S MATERIALS, POLICIES AND REVIEW RECORDS | Crowd spills into hallway as residents debate sexually explicit content, parental authority and library accountability
Breaking News: This week’s Highlands Insider is packed with the stories, people and issues shaping Putnam County.

Charlie Mullen displays illustrations from the Putnam County Library’s copy of It’s Perfectly Normal during public comment at the Aug. 11 Library Board meeting. Residents had raised concerns about the book at board meetings for more than a year before a patron filed the formal reconsideration request that resulted in its relocation from the downstairs children’s library to the upstairs young-adult section. Mullen argued that illustrations depicting nude figures engaged in sexual activity should not be available in sections intended for children or younger readers. Photo by Clarissa Williams | Highlands Insider

Seventeen speakers address Library Board

August 14, 2026

Residents offered sharply different views on sexual content, age restrictions, parental authority and continued access to library materialsEditor’s...

Standing room only: Well over 75 people attended the Aug. 11 Putnam County Library Board meeting. The meeting room, which has a posted capacity of 50, filled before the discussion began, while more than 20 to 25 additional attendees stood in the hallway and nearby spaces at different points during the lengthy meeting. No official attendance count was taken, and people came and went throughout the meeting.

MORE THAN 75 FILL LIBRARY MEETING AS QUESTIONS MOUNT OVER...

August 14, 2026

Also from this meeting: Meet all 17 public speakers | View the complete photo galleryWell over 75 people attended the Putnam County Library Board...

Printed Paper Online

August 14, 2026

The Case for a Completed Policy and Procedure Manual

August 15, 2026

There is something every organization should have, regardless of its size: a completed, approved, and accessible policy and procedure manual.I...

Can the Adults Please Come Back In

August 15, 2026

As I sit here working on this week’s paper, there are so many things on my mind.My dad and my mom. My sister, Angelina, whose birthday is Aug. 15....

The Story Behind the Recipe: Summer Gazpacho Brings the Temperature...

August 13, 2026

When my sons first read Charles Dickens, they said the words felt like Old English. I informed them that Old English would be truly unreadable...

Guide to the Polls 2026

Charlie Mullen displays illustrations from the Putnam County Library’s copy of It’s Perfectly Normal during public comment at the Aug. 11 Library Board meeting. Residents had raised concerns about the book at board meetings for more than a year before a patron filed the formal reconsideration request that resulted in its relocation from the downstairs children’s library to the upstairs young-adult section. Mullen argued that illustrations depicting nude figures engaged in sexual activity should not be available in sections intended for children or younger readers. Photo by Clarissa Williams | Highlands Insider

Seventeen speakers address Library Board

August 14, 2026

Residents offered sharply different views on sexual content, age restrictions, parental authority and continued access to library materialsEditor’s...

County News - Putnam

Standing room only: Well over 75 people attended the Aug. 11 Putnam County Library Board meeting. The meeting room, which has a posted capacity of 50, filled before the discussion began, while more than 20 to 25 additional attendees stood in the hallway and nearby spaces at different points during the lengthy meeting. No official attendance count was taken, and people came and went throughout the meeting.

MORE THAN 75 FILL LIBRARY MEETING AS QUESTIONS MOUNT OVER...

August 14, 2026

Also from this meeting: Meet all 17 public speakers | View the complete photo galleryWell over 75 people attended the Putnam County Library Board...

Warrants this week

August 13, 2026

These warrants are obtained through the Putnam County Circuit Court Clerk’s office and includes arrests from Algood, Cookeville, Baxter and...

Law & Order Report Justice Snapshot: By The Numbers

August 13, 2026

The following information was gathered from the Putnam County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office and includes arrests and citations from Algood,...

Voters reshape Putnam County leadership

August 11, 2026

Gilbert, Anton and Landers set to lead Cookeville, Algood and Monterey as new mayors; new faces on the county commissioners Three current...

All Election Results HERE!

This article will be updated as results come out.Last updated: August 6th, 2026 - 11:43 PMRepublican GovernorMarsha Blackburn: 43.4%Monty Fritts: 23.4%John Rose:...

Election Day Is HERE!

Today is election day in PUTNAM COUNTY!Polls are opened at 9 AM and stay open till 7 PM, so go vote!Vote your values and vote Republican!PAID FOR BY CLARISSA WILLIAMS...

Election Day Is HERE!

Today is election day in PUTNAM COUNTY!Polls are opened at 9 AM and stay open till 7 PM, so go vote!Vote your values and vote Republican!PAID FOR BY CLARISSA WILLIAMS...

Higher Education

Sen. Bill Hagerty speaks with students in Tennessee Tech's Autonomous Robotics Club, including club president Ben Ellithorpe, center, and vice president Caden Reynolds, right.
Photo by Kate Barber

Senator Bill Hagerty visits Tennessee Tech as part of statewide...

August 13, 2026

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) visited Tennessee Tech University as part of his sixth annual Economic Development Tour.During...

New Day Properties

Highland Advertising Request Ad

Warrants this week

August 13, 2026

These warrants are obtained through the Putnam County Circuit Court Clerk’s office and includes arrests from Algood, Cookeville, Baxter and...

Law & Order Report Justice Snapshot: By The Numbers

August 13, 2026

The following information was gathered from the Putnam County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office and includes arrests and citations from Algood,...

Building Permits - New home permits jump as construction activity...

August 13, 2026

New home permits jump as construction activity outpaces July 2025Construction activity in unincorporated Putnam County picked up in July, with 34 building permits...

Charlie Mullen displays illustrations from the Putnam County Library’s copy of It’s Perfectly Normal during public comment at the Aug. 11 Library Board meeting. Residents had raised concerns about the book at board meetings for more than a year before a patron filed the formal reconsideration request that resulted in its relocation from the downstairs children’s library to the upstairs young-adult section. Mullen argued that illustrations depicting nude figures engaged in sexual activity should not be available in sections intended for children or younger readers. Photo by Clarissa Williams | Highlands Insider

Seventeen speakers address Library Board

August 14, 2026

Residents offered sharply different views on sexual content, age restrictions, parental authority and continued access to library materialsEditor’s...

Standing room only: Well over 75 people attended the Aug. 11 Putnam County Library Board meeting. The meeting room, which has a posted capacity of 50, filled before the discussion began, while more than 20 to 25 additional attendees stood in the hallway and nearby spaces at different points during the lengthy meeting. No official attendance count was taken, and people came and went throughout the meeting.

MORE THAN 75 FILL LIBRARY MEETING AS QUESTIONS MOUNT OVER...

August 14, 2026

Also from this meeting: Meet all 17 public speakers | View the complete photo galleryWell over 75 people attended the Putnam County Library Board...

Library meeting photo gallery available online

August 14, 2026

View photo gallery

The Case for a Completed Policy and Procedure Manual

August 15, 2026

There is something every organization should have, regardless of its size: a completed, approved, and accessible policy and procedure manual.I...

Can the Adults Please Come Back In

August 15, 2026

As I sit here working on this week’s paper, there are so many things on my mind.My dad and my mom. My sister, Angelina, whose birthday is Aug. 15....

Voters reshape Putnam County leadership

August 11, 2026

Gilbert, Anton and Landers set to lead Cookeville, Algood and Monterey as new mayors; new faces on the county commissioners Three current...

Election Day Is HERE!

Today is election day in PUTNAM COUNTY!Polls are opened at 9 AM and stay open till 7 PM, so go vote!Vote your values and vote Republican!PAID FOR BY CLARISSA WILLIAMS...

The Story Behind the Recipe: Summer Gazpacho Brings the Temperature...

August 13, 2026

When my sons first read Charles Dickens, they said the words felt like Old English. I informed them that Old English would be truly unreadable...

Drucilla’s Little Helpers - Chicken Pot Pie Cobbler

August 13, 2026

Hello and welcome to my pity party that I was having, but no one came. It’s okay because the food was not good. Instead, I’ll have a joy party and...

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Weekly Smile: Thank You, Poll Workers

August 11, 2026

This week’s Weekly Smile goes to the men and women who quietly make Election Day possible: our poll workers.Long before the first voter walks...

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