Good morning, Cookeville.

Tonight, a room full of people at Plenty will stay up until midnight to get their hands on a new fairy book. I respect it deeply. I'll be asleep by nine with my reading glasses still on my face.

In today's Cookeville Scoop:

Let's get into it.

Chamber Coffee Club - Start Tuesday with coffee, a light breakfast, and a room full of business neighbors. The Chamber's October Coffee Club is at SouthEast Bank (1065 E 10th St) from 7 to 8:30 AM. It's free for Chamber members and $10 for non-members. If you've been meaning to put some faces to local business names, this is an easy, early way to do it. Register here.

Bowling World Monday Special - Monday is Friends and Family Day at Bowling World (545 Neal St): buy one hour of bowling and get a second hour free from 10 AM to 4 PM. Reserve online or just walk in (it's first come, first served). Grab the kids, the grandparents, or your lunch crew. Details.

Dine out for Child Advocacy Week - Putnam County's Child Advocacy Awareness Week runs October 25 through 31, and two local restaurants are turning dinner into a donation. On Monday, Rib City (1431 Interstate Dr) gives a portion of its sales to the Upper Cumberland Child Advocacy Center and the Family Resource Center of Putnam County. On Tuesday, Texas Roadhouse (1275 Interstate Dr) does the same. A plate of ribs never did so much good! Event listings.

Irrationale Kitchen+Taps has a Tuesday lineup worth planning around: $9 fried green tomatoes or pretzels with cheese, the $15 "Girl Dinner," and $1 wings (sold in fives). Find them at 1227 N Washington Ave. See the specials.

If you're caring for an aging parent, you probably have a running list of questions you only remember at midnight. On Tuesday morning, a lot of the answers will be in one room, and there's free lunch!

The 2026 Upper Cumberland Senior & Caregiver Expo takes over Life Church (2223 N Washington Ave) on Tuesday, October 27, from 10 AM to 1 PM. The Upper Cumberland Area Agency on Aging and Disability hosts it every year for older adults, caregivers, and the families trying to figure out what comes next.

This year's theme is "Resource City: Nashville Country Celebration," so think neon and boots. More than 70 vendors will have booths, and there will be interactive games and activities. Line dancers from Kickin' It Up with Ingryd take the main stage (and yes, I fully expect to get pulled into a boot scoot). Lunch is free for attendees, thanks to the Quality Family of companies. Cookeville Regional Medical Center, Life Care Center of Crossville and Sparta, Signature HealthCARE, and Tennessee SHIP/SMP are the platinum sponsors.

This isn't a small gathering. Last year's Expo drew more than 1,100 seniors, caregivers, vendors, staff, and volunteers. The agency behind it handles things like caregiver assistance, home-delivered meals, transportation, legal services, and health insurance counseling through SHIP. With Medicare open enrollment underway, that last one alone could be worth the trip.

Want a head start? The Putnam County Library hosts a free Medicare 101 lunch-and-learn Monday at noon, the first of a three-part series.

So bring Mom, bring Grandpa, or just bring your list. Questions about the Expo go to Lynn Drew or Carlee Bean at (931) 432-4111.

Expo details

The Cookeville Planning Commission meets Monday at 5:30 PM at City Hall (45 E Broad St) to consider a preliminary plat for a townhome development on North Dixie Avenue under a redevelopment area overlay. Regular zoning there allows 23 units, and the overlay, which still needs city council approval, would allow up to 54. Community Development Director Jon Ward says 35 are proposed. Developer Aaron Bernhardt says the property has gone unmaintained for years.

Looks like this lot finally has a plot.

Herald-Citizen report

Monday
Early Voting – Vote early for Nov 3 at 705 County Services Dr, now through Thursday… 8 AM to 5 PM (Tuesday too)
Moving for Better Balance (Beginner) – Free beginner balance class for seniors at Cane Creek Rec Center… 9 to 10 AM
Bowling World Monday Special – Buy one hour of bowling, get one free at 545 Neal St… 10 AM to 4 PM
Art Quest – Hands-on art with teacher Annette Romero, ages 12 to adult… 10:15 to 11:30 AM
Child Advocacy Week at Rib City – Part of your bill helps the Child Advocacy Center and Family Resource Center, 1431 Interstate Dr… from 11 AM
Lunch and Learn: Medicare 101 – Medicare basics with Rebecca Sobus, first of a three-part series… noon to 1 PM
Crafternoon: Moonlit Halloween Scene – Kids 4 to 12 make a spooky scene to hang on the wall… 3:30 to 4:30 PM
Halloween Spin 30 – A 30-minute Halloween-themed spin class at Cane Creek Rec Center… 4:30 PM
Cookeville Planning Commission – North Dixie Ave townhomes on the agenda at City Hall… 5:30 PM
Games Against Roasted – Free party games and Jackbox with prizes at Roasted (21+)… 7 to 9 PM

Tuesday
Chamber Coffee Club – Networking and breakfast at SouthEast Bank (free for members, $10 for non-members)… 7 to 8:30 AM
Story & a Craft – A Halloween story and craft at the Cookeville library… 10 to 11 AM
Senior & Caregiver Expo – 70+ vendors, line dancing, and free lunch at Life Church… 10 AM to 1 PM
Rosenwald Schools Exhibit – Free exhibit at the Cookeville History Museum… 10 AM to 4 PM
Band Class – Seated strength and stretching with resistance bands at the Algood library… 10:15 to 11:30 AM
Moving for Better Balance (Intermediate) – Free balance class led by a retired physical therapist… 10:30 to 11:30 AM
Senior Trivia – Trivia with the Baxter Senior Center at the Baxter library… 11 AM
Crafternoon – Drop-in art and beginning crochet with Holly Arms in Algood… 12:30 to 4:30 PM
Child Advocacy Week at Texas Roadhouse – Dinner that gives back, 1275 Interstate Dr… from 3 PM
Chess Club (Ages 13+) – Teens and adults play (or learn) chess at the Cookeville library… 3:30 to 7:30 PM
Pumpkin Carving Station – Carve at the library's front pavilion (pumpkins for the first 10)… 4 to 6 PM
Open Auditions: The Complete History of America (abridged) – Cold readings for the Backstage Series comedy at the Performing Arts Center… 5 PM
Ruck Fit – Sandbag and bodyweight workout at Cane Creek Rec Center ($3)… 5:30 to 6:30 PM
Trivia Tuesday – Free, delightfully cynical trivia with prizes at Roasted (21+)… 7 to 9 PM

Looking ahead
First Responders Trunk or Treat – Trick-or-treat with first responders at the Cane Creek Sportsplex lot, 2200 W Jackson St… Friday, Oct 30, 5 to 7:30 PM
Cookeville Treat Trail – Free trick-or-treating at Dogwood Park for kids 12 and under… Saturday, Oct 31, 4 to 6 PM

Pumpkin Carving Station sets up at the front pavilion of the Putnam County Library in Cookeville (50 E Broad St) on Tuesday from 4 to 6 PM. There'll be templates to work from, and the library is providing pumpkins for the first 10 people. All ages are welcome, but parents need to supervise kids and teens. Let the library deal with the pumpkin guts this year!

Halloween crafts at the library fill the early part of the week. Kids 4 to 12 can make a moonlit Halloween scene Monday from 3:30 to 4:30 PM in Cookeville, and there's a Halloween story and craft there Tuesday from 10 to 11 AM. Over in Algood, local artist Holly Arms leads a drop-in Crafternoon Tuesday from 12:30 to 4:30 PM, including beginning crochet. Supplies are provided.

Meet MARLBORO, a young neutered male domestic shorthair (medium, 7 to 11 pounds) at the Cookeville / Putnam County Animal Shelter. He was born to a feral mom and raised in an indoor/outdoor colony, where he was playful with the other cats and always groomed his siblings. His notes say he tends to leave dogs alone, can be a little timid, and loves to sit beside people and be petted. They call him "a very sweet little lover."

A generous donor has lowered his adoption fee to $85 (cash or check). Visit 2650 Gainesboro Grade Monday 12 to 5 or Tuesday 12 to 6, and call (931) 526-3647 to set up an appointment.

MARLBORO on Petfinder

Monday 74 / 42 | 6% rain
Tuesday 76 / 49 | 6% rain

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Thanks for reading, and for being a town that looks out for its kids and its grandparents in the same week. Carve something silly, check on a neighbor, and enjoy these warm afternoons. See you next time. 🧡

-- Travis

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