For the first time in its history, the official Cookeville Christmas Parade approved an LGBTQ float in its lineup. The decision came after months of controversy with this year’s parade.
Overturning Roe v. Wade, one year later
It’s been nearly a year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade, which triggered Tennessee’s abortion ban. Now, Tennessee residents have to travel out of state for abortion care. This makes it financially and physically challenging for many to receive the healthcare they need. Since then, physicians, activists, and every day people have rallied […]
Neo-Nazis threatened a drag show at a Cookeville bar. Now the bar is facing eviction.
A drag show at a local brewery in Cookeville drew neo-Nazis and right-wing protesters with semi-automatic rifles. Now, the bar that hosted the event is getting evicted, and LGBTQ members say local law enforcement is using them as scapegoats.
Why students at two Tennessee high schools have been fighting to keep the International Baccalaureate program
Students in the IB program say they’ve been challenged and they’ve appreciated being able to earn college credits. But some districts say interest in the accelerated coursework is too low to justify the cost.
Cookeville High School students challenge Putnam County school board to keep IB program
WPLN News education reporter Juliana Kim and Cookeville High junior Quentin Ding joined This Is Nashville to discuss the future of the school’s IB program and the implications for the district if the school board ultimately decides to eliminate it.
Two years later, a small fraction of tornado survivors are still rebuilding
Two years since the Super Tuesday tornadoes, many hard-hit communities have been almost fully rebuilt. Yet work continues for some survivors of the storm that killed 25 people and damaged more than 4,000 buildings.
For Cookeville’s Tornado Rebuild, Some Saw A Blank Canvas And Others Walked Away
Rebuilding after a natural disaster is always more emotional than the typical construction project. And it’s especially hard for those in Putnam County who were traumatized by last year’s destructive and deadly EF-4 tornado.
A Year After The Tornado, Cookeville Residents Are Still Learning From Loss
Like many in Cookeville, Rodney Pitts has been mourning an unimaginable loss: The 2020 tornado claimed his daughter, son-in-law and grandson. Yet Rodney has found that his loss has made him a better counselor as he ministers to his storm-struck community.
Remembering Tennessee’s Hector Black, A Champion For Peace ‘Until His Dying Breath’
Tennessee peace activist Hector Black died recently at the age of 95. He was best known for forgiving the man who murdered his daughter and pleading with a judge not to give him the death penalty. He leaves a legacy of compassion, justice and incredible forgiveness.
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