The UC Now

The Van Buren County Commission elected Terry Hickey as chairman and Rip Van Winkle as vice chairman during its meeting Tuesday. The election for vice chairman required multiple rounds of voting after the initial tallies for nominees Terry Hodges and Rip Van Winkle failed to reach the required six-vote majority. Van Buren County Mayor Barry Austin said he consulted with other county mayors to determine the most effective way to structure the legislative committees.

Tennessee Tech Financial Aid Outreach Coordinator Joe Clark said new federal regulations will require the university to adjust student loan payouts based on the specific number of credit hours a student takes each semester. Clark said the 2027-2028 FAFSA will become available October 1 and will utilize tax information from 2025.

Tiffany Anton was sworn in as the new Mayor of Algood during a Tuesday city council meeting following the certification of the August 6 municipal election results. The transition included the swearing-in of new council members Dan Taylor and Brian Payne. “For the next four years, I promise to listen, I promise to work, I promise to ask questions,” Anton said, “I promise to keep showing up, and above all, I promise to remember that this position is not about me.

Overton County School Board elected Ashley Carr to serve as the new board chairman during its meeting Tuesday night. The board also selected Ben Danner to serve as vice chairman and Sheila Phillips to act as the Tennessee legislative representative for the 2026-2027 term. Outgoing Chairman William Abston presided over the election process before the board transitioned into a work session to discuss upcoming retreat dates and policy updates.

Fentress County sharpening its competitive edge for industrial recruitment and workforce retention with the opening of a new $25 million higher education campus. Fentress County Executive Jacob Rosenbaum said TCAT and Roane State Community College serve as active partners in economic development by participating in regular meetings with prospective employers. “It means that our young people do not have to leave Fentress County to attain higher education.

Tennessee Tech Army ROTC hosting its annual Memorial Stair Climb this week to honor the victims and first responders of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Professor of Military Science Benjamin Sweeney said the event serves as a tribute to the people who lost their lives during the 2001 attacks. Sweeney said the climb is designed to simulate the height of the World Trade Center towers by having participants navigate more than 3,000 stairs.

Jackson County Boys Head Basketball Coach Kevin Thomas retiring after 30 years of coaching at the high school level. Thomas said the decision to step away follows a career that included 27 years as a head coach. Thomas said he felt the timing was right to pursue personal interests and provide a chance for his long-time assistant coach BJ Upchurch.

Overton County visitor spending in Overton County increased by 8.4 percent last year, a growth rate that more than tripled the statewide average for Tennessee. Director of Tourism Morgan White said the revitalization of the Livingston Square has played a critical role in the 59 percent growth in visitor spending recorded since 2018.

Tennessee Tech’s fall enrollment reached its highest number since 2015 with some 10,773 students. Director of Undergraduate Admissions Jacob Cutshall said the university welcomed nearly 2,900 new students this fall following the graduation of the largest class in school history. “I think what this shows is that this is really credit to all the individuals on our campus,” Cutshall said.

Putnam County Schools replacing a failing mechanical unit at its central office that has caused leaks and disrupted the district’s administrative staff. Putnam County Schools Deputy Director Tim Martin said the equipment is an interior air handling unit located above the ceiling that connects to the building’s main chiller and boiler system. Martin said the unit is original to the central office building and is more than 30 years old. “It has affected day-to-day,” Martin said.