INSIDE TODAY: Herald-CitizenSUNDAY,Herald-Citizen FEBRUARY 24, 2019 | COOKEVILLE, TENNESSEE 117TH YEAR | NO. 39 $1.50 Relief from rainfall in forecast BY JIM HERRIN makes it the wettest February Agency, said Saturday after- HERALD-CITIZEN on record,” he said. noon that the fl ooding was not “The previous record was as severe as expected. After four straight days of 10.52 inches in 2003.” “We’ve just had a little bit of rain and fl ooded roads that The weather service issued fl ooding,” she said. closed county schools and a fl ood advisory for Putnam “Actually, not as much as temporarily shut down some County just before 5:30 a.m. we were expecting. Right now, roads, Cookeville will be Saturday, which expired at we’re in monitoring mode.” getting a bit of a respite today 7:15 a.m. Womack said offi cials were from the precipitation. By 9:45 a.m. they had issued watching another line of “It’s going to be drier Sun- another fl ood advisory which potentially dangerous storms day. That’s the good news,” was changed to a fl ash fl ood expected to move through the said meteorologist Brendan warning 10 minutes later, area Saturday night. Schaper with the National JIM HERRIN | HERALD-CITIZEN citing “heavy rain” indicated The rain caused an alter- Weather Service offi ce in Water floods the dock at Cane Creek Park during heavy on Doppler radar. ation to the course for the Nashville. rains Saturday. That warning expired at Cummins Falls Marathon “Going forward, we’re going 1:15 p.m. Saturday, but the races went to be able to dry out for a chance for showers again.” Nashville and Crossville. Despite the warnings, on as scheduled. couple of days, with sunshine Schaper said the rainfall “In Crossville, through Sharon Womack, assistant Some tournament basket- into the day Tuesday. On has already set records at the 7 a.m. Saturday, they had director of the Putnam Count ball games in the area also Wednesday, we’ll start to see a NWS reporting stations in recorded 10.62 inches, which Emergency Management had to be rescheduled. Rainy race for the falls Push to save Celina hospital misleading Several potential off ers raised questions with CRMC offi cials BY KATE COOK HERALD-CITIZEN An online effort to save Cumberland River Hospital appears to be misleading. The Cumberland River Hospital Board of Trustees decided last month to close the hos- pital as of 7 a.m. on March 1. A Facebook notice urges folks to call the Cookeville Regional Medical Center board members and Cookeville City Council mem- bers to ask them to keep CRH open longer. “There is a company that wants to buy Ce- lina’s hospital to save it, and they are asking Cookeville Regional Medical Center’s Board of Directors to extend the time to solidify a deal to #savethehospital.” Paul Korth is CEO of CRMC and CRH. He JIM HERRIN | HERALD-CITIZEN Runners brave the rain Saturday to compete in the 2019 Cummins Falls Marathon. SEE HOSPITAL, PAGE A2 Board debates airport funding BY JIM HERRIN matching funds. “I would. I think it would be HERALD-CITIZEN “Rather than coming to you easier to explain to the county for individual grant match commission,” said Robinson. The Upper Cumberland Re- money each year, we (could) just “We’ve all get councils and gional Airport board is resisting put it into the budget,” Selby commissions that would have to a suggestion that the four county suggested. vote on it,” Porter said. governments which own the own But board members, including Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shel- the airport increase their annu- the mayors of Cookeville, Spar- ton compared the airport to the al contribution. ta, Putnam and White counties, city-owned Cookeville Regional The airport is jointly owned were cool to that idea. Medical Center. and operated by Putnam and “I couldn’t pass an increase,” “This is an asset of the gov- White counties and the cities of said White County Mayor Denny ernments,” he said. “Cookev- Cookeville and Sparta. Wayne Robinson. “I couldn’t ille doesn’t put money into the Airport manager Dean Selby vote for it.” hospital. We get money back in brought up the idea of an in- Putnam County Mayor Randy dividends for owning the asset. creased annual allocation from Porter agreed. I would like for us to look at this those bodies, saying the money “If we’re doing, say, $80,000 budget and try to fi gure out a is needed for necessary repairs worth of grants this year and we way to not put any more money and improvements to the airport each kick in a one-time $20,000 in. We need to fi gure out how to in the upcoming year. match, that’s one thing,” he said. operate the airport with monies Selby said the state and federal “But we don’t need to put it in that are here.” government will supply some of the budget where it’s automatic “I agree 100 percent,” said the funding to repair the air- every time.” Robinson. “But I kind of feel Closed for repairs port’s glide slope system and to “Would you rather me break like we’ve not done that in the Dale Hollow Dam Road in Celina is construct a new fuel island and that out and do a proposed local past. I think we’re building that temporarily closed for repairs. The road will equipment building. But he said contribution on a grant match asset right now. I think we’re reopen once the work has been completed. those grant funds will likely separate (from the budget)?” The area is also closed to pedestrians and require about $110,000 in local Selby asked. SEE AIRPORT, PAGE A2 bicycle traff ic. herald-citizen.com OBITUARIES Page A8, A9 Chuck Smith, Livingston Pamela Mather, Florida Anita Young, Baxter John Robinson, Manchester Jerry Buck, Cookeville Frances Smith, Cookeville Douglas Harvey, Cookeville Eddith Smith, Poplar Springs Dolly Collier, Cookeville Jane Wrede, Algood Myra Rogers, Cookeville John Ensor, Cookeville Kathren Blakewell, Spencer Mertie Jones, Cookeville Glenda Brewington, Cookeville A2 HERALD-CITIZEN FROM PAGE 1 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2019 herald-citizen.com 0LOTTERY0 Friday Severe weather week highlights safety Cash 3 Evening 8-9-8, Lucky Sum: 25 BY PAIGE STANAGE Putnam County EMA Di- er radio and the Emergency tions and warnings in case of Cash 3 Midday 1-6-9, Lucky Sum: 16 HERALD-CITIZEN rector Tyler Smith. “Being Alert System; and Saturday, emergencies. Cash 3 Morning prepared with a plan and the importance of social “Having a NOAA (National 3-2-8, Lucky Sum: 13 Severe Weather Awareness being severe weather-ready media. Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- Cash 4 Evening Week can teach those con- can save lives.” The awareness week comes ministration) weather alert 2-5-5-3, Lucky Sum: 15 cerned about flooding and The week covers the fol- after severe flooding strikes radio with the battery packs Cash 4 Midday storms how to better prepare lowing topics — Sunday the the Upper Cumberland area. is one of the best ways to re- 8-7-5-6, Lucky Sum: 26 for severe weather events. important role of SKYWARN “I hope people really focus ceive warnings to seek shelter Cash 4 Morning The week is scheduled spotters; Monday, flooding on the flooding aspect of the when severe weather strikes,” 3-1-5-4, Lucky Sum: 13 Sunday, Feb. 24 to Saturday, and flash floods; Tuesday, week,” said Smith. “Flooding Smith said. “I encourage ev- Mega Millions March 2. lightning, the underrated is the number one killer asso- erybody to have one.” 18-24-31-34-55, Mega Ball: 4, Megaplier: 4 “People just need to be killer; Wednesday, tornado ciated with severe weather.” To learn more about Severe Estimated jackpot: $224 aware of what to do in se- safety and preparedness; Smith recommends every- Weather Awareness Week, million vere weather situations, like Thursday, severe thunder- one to have a radio to keep up visit https://www.weather. Tennessee Cash tornados and flooding,” said storms; Friday, NOAA weath- with current weather condi- gov/ohx/swaw2019. 03-05-20-26-31, Bonus: 1 Estimated jackpot: $240,000 0READER SERVICES0 UCHRA MyRide celebrates fi rst trip Address: 1300 Neal St. UCHRA — Upper berland, Brown de- starting this program; Cookeville, TN 38501 Cumberland Human scribed her experience it is a blessing to me, Resource Agency’s as “defi nitely positive”. and I’m sure it will be Mailing Address: MyRide Upper Cum- “I am hard of to other senior citi- berland volunteer driv- hearing and legally zens.” P.O. Box 2729 er program recently blind due to macular As UCHRA’s newest Cookeville TN 38502 completed its fi rst trip. degeneration,” she (volunteer) transpor- Despite the rain, Bobby stated. “Although I live tation service, MyRide Phone: 931-526-9715 Steward, MyRide independently, I don’t Upper Cumberland Fax: 931-526-1209 Upper Cumberland drive anymore and allows Putnam County volunteer driver, and have several health seniors the ability to News Phyllis Brown, pro- problems for which lead a more indepen- [email protected] gram participant, took I routinely see my dent life. As the volun- Sports a moment to pause for doctor. Sometimes, it teer program grows, [email protected] a photo commemorat- is really diffi cult to get MyRide UC will expand Advertising ing the occasion. there. Having MyRide throughout the Upper [email protected] Seniors who partic- as an option has given Cumberland Region.