Good morning, Cookeville.

It's that stretch of October when the morning car ride calls for a jacket and the afternoon carpool line calls for rolled-down windows. I've stopped fighting it and just keep both in the back seat. Sunny skies all three days, which is good news, because Thursday is a day to be outside!

In today's Cookeville Scoop:

Let's get into it.

Chamber Women's Conference - The third annual Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber Women's Conference runs Wednesday from 8 AM to 3 PM at Leslie Town Centre (1 W 1st St). This year's theme is "What's Next Starts Now," with a keynote from Small Town Startup founder Lisa DiVirgilio plus panels on career pivots, confidence across generations, and women's health. Tickets are $50 for members and $60 for non-members. Register here.

Volunteer Behavioral Health Ribbon Cutting - Thursday at 1200 S Willow Ave, Volunteer Behavioral Health shows off its new wing, which adds space for crisis stabilization and substance use treatment (up to 76 beds once every phase is finished). Remarks start at 2 PM, and the Chamber cuts the ribbon at 2:30. It's an open house, so you can walk through the new space and meet the team. Event details.

A Night at the Movies - The Mastersingers' annual gala comes to Tennessee Tech's Roaden University Center (1000 N Dixie Ave) on Friday at 6 PM. Your $35 ticket covers dinner, a silent auction, and a choral concert of film music from every era, and it helps fund the rest of their season. Grab a seat before they're gone. Get tickets.

Mountain Mayhem - The haunted corn maze and hayride on the farm at 1275 Benson Rd in Brotherton runs Friday from 6 to 11 PM. Hayrides start at 6, and the maze opens once it's dark. Tickets (fees included) are $21.29 for the adult maze, $16.15 for ages 13 and under, $11 for an adult hayride, or $41.87 for an adult combo. Tickets.

Irrationale Kitchen+Taps makes the middle of the week easy. Wednesday brings $1 wings (sold in fives), $9 fried green tomatoes or pretzel and cheese, a $15 "Girl Dinner," and 2-for-1 domestic drafts. Thursday is Break the Chains Burgsday: an $11 cheeseburger with fries and a fountain drink (no subs), and the 2-for-1 drafts keep pouring. Specials run 11 AM to 9 PM. See the specials.

The Slice Pizza and Games has a Wednesday Pizza Deal: any large one-topping pizza for $10 (plus tax, Wednesdays only through Dec 16). Hot, cheesy, and cheap enough to feed a whole soccer-practice crew! Their $6.50 lunch special (a one-topping personal pizza and a soft drink) runs daily until 3 PM. Specials.

Pooky Jane's Kitchen and Pub pours happy hour Wednesday through Friday from 3 to 7 PM, with $1 off beer, house wine, and well liquors. It's a good excuse to grab a booth and a basket of something fried on your way home. Specials.

Tuesday was the welcome parade. Thursday is when we actually get to walk it.

The Wall That Heals, the traveling three-quarter-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, opens Thursday, October 22, at the new Putnam County Fairgrounds (2121 Event Center Dr). A public Welcome Home Ceremony starts at 10 AM, and viewing begins at 11. After that, the Wall stays open 24 hours a day until Sunday afternoon. Admission is FREE.

It's an impressive sight up close. The replica stretches 375 feet and stands 7.5 feet high at its tallest point, with 140 panels carrying the names of more than 58,000 Americans who died in Vietnam. Nine of those names belong to Putnam County. Visitors are invited to leave notes, flowers, and mementos, and the exhibit also shares the history of the war and personal stories from people who served.

Here's my tip: go after dark if you can. LED lighting keeps the names readable at night, and a quiet walk along the panels under the stars hits differently (bring a jacket, since lows are in the low 40s). Each evening has its own moment, too. Cookeville High bugler Burgess Dement plays Taps at 5:30 PM Thursday, and Tennessee Tech bugler Zavier Fowler plays at 6 PM Friday. At 7 PM Friday, Light the Night honors veterans affected by Agent Orange.

Putnam County was one of only 31 sites picked to host the Wall in 2026. Last time, in 2018, more than 30,000 people came, a Tennessee record for the traveling memorial. Let's show up like that again!

Bring the kids and take your time. If you know a Vietnam veteran, offer to drive. The Wall closes after the 1:45 PM closing ceremony on Sunday, October 25.

Schedule and volunteer sign-up

After holding off last month, the Putnam County Commission voted unanimously Monday to expand the county's Class III landfill on Cookeville Boatdock Road. The site takes construction debris and brush, not household garbage. Some commissioners acknowledged concerns from nearby residents, including farmer Ryan Carlile, who raised questions about past management and transparency at the site.

The landfill debate is finally filled in.

Herald-Citizen report

Wednesday
Early Voting – Early voting for the Nov 3 election at 705 County Services Dr… 8 AM to 5 PM
Chamber Women's Conference – A full day of speakers and networking at Leslie Town Centre ($50 to $60)… 8 AM to 3 PM
Chair Yoga with Tommye – Gentle seated yoga at the Putnam County Library in Cookeville… 10 to 11 AM
Rosenwald Schools Exhibit – Free exhibit at the Cookeville History Museum, Wednesday through Friday… 10 AM to 4 PM
Children's Cooking Class: Pumpkin Rolls – Hands-on pumpkin rolls for ages 5 to 18 at the Monterey branch… 3:30 to 4:30 PM
Board Game Club – Tabletop games for ages 13+ at the Cookeville library… 3:30 to 7:30 PM
Evelyn Berry and Erin Hoover – The author of t4t in conversation with Sawmill Poetry's Erin Hoover at Plenty (RSVP)… 6 to 7:30 PM
Women's Small Business Group – Co-working, snacks, and advice for women business owners at Wonderfill Refillery (sign up in store)… 6 to 8 PM
Movie Discount Days at Roasted – Free horror double feature, Dementia 13 and Silent Night, Bloody Night (21+)… 7 to 10 PM

Thursday
Early Voting – Extended Thursday hours at 705 County Services Dr… 8 AM to 7 PM
Moving for Better Balance – Free balance classes for seniors at Cane Creek Rec Center… 9 AM (beginner) and 10:30 AM (intermediate)
The Wall That Heals Welcome Home Ceremony – Public ceremony at the new fairgrounds, with viewing open around the clock after… 10 AM
Winnie the Pooh 100th Birthday – Wear red and yellow for a honey tasting, party games, and the Pooh movie… 10 to 11 AM
VIP Fall Celebration – Free monthly program for adults with developmental disabilities and their caregivers (costumes welcome)… 10:30 to 11:30 AM
Tech Goes Pink – Breast cancer awareness exhibition on Tech's Main Quad, then a survivors and memorial walk… 11 AM and 5:30 PM
Honors Student Inquiry Expo – Free drop-in showcase of Tech Honors research in RUC 101… 11 AM to 1 PM
Volunteer Behavioral Health Ribbon Cutting – Open house for the new wing at 1200 S Willow Ave… 2 PM
Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest – Costumed pups compete at the Cookeville library (contest at 5)… 4:30 to 6:30 PM
Dungeons & Dragons – Roll for initiative at the Cookeville library… 5 to 7:45 PM
Taps at the Wall – Cookeville High bugler Burgess Dement plays Taps at The Wall That Heals… 5:30 PM
Dabgo Music Bingo – Free music bingo on your phone at Roasted (21+)… 7 to 9 PM
Bomb Shelter Comedy Open Mic – Five-minute sets from brave locals at Roasted (21+)… 9 to 10 PM

Friday
Early Voting – Early voting continues at 705 County Services Dr… 8 AM to 5 PM
Chamber Fall Golf Tournament – Morning and afternoon shotguns at White Plains Golf Course… registration at 7 AM
Read, Play, Grow – Stories and play for ages birth to 3 at the Cookeville library… 10 to 11 AM
Train Tales – Preschool train storytime at the Depot Museum… 10:30 AM
Brown Bag Lunch Concert – Free patio music with Warren Gently at the Depot Museum… 11:30 AM to 1 PM
Friday Matinee: IT (1990) – The Tim Curry miniseries (TV-14, just over three hours) at the Cookeville library… starts at noon
Life Drawing at CAS – Drop-in drawing with clothed models at Cookeville Art Studio ($20 or pay what you can)… 5:30 to 8:30 PM
Mountain Mayhem – Haunted hayride and corn maze in Brotherton… 6 to 11 PM
A Night at the Movies – Mastersingers dinner, silent auction, and film-music concert at the RUC ($35)… 6 PM
Taps and Light the Night – Taps by Tech bugler Zavier Fowler, then the Agent Orange commemoration at The Wall That Heals… 6 and 7 PM
Halloween Barre Fire – A fast, spooky-playlist barre class at In Bloom (costumes if you dare, $25)… 6:15 to 7:15 PM
Halloween Hollow – Four haunted attractions in Silver Point, open Fridays through Sundays ($30 general admission)… Friday night

Looking ahead
WCTE Blues & Brews – Craft beer and blues at Trackside on the West Side… Saturday, noon to 4 PM
The Wall That Heals Closing Ceremony – Last chance to visit before the Wall leaves town… Sunday, 1:45 PM

The 2nd Annual Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest takes over the Putnam County Library in Cookeville on Thursday. Exotic Tropicals and the library are handing out prizes for Most Creative, Scariest, Book Theme, Group Costume, and Best in Show. Pre-register at Exotic Tropicals for a $5 gift card, or sign up at the library from 4:30 to 5 PM. Judging starts at 5. Leashes and up-to-date vaccinations are required. Expect some very proud pups!

Tech Goes Pink fills Tennessee Tech's Main Quad near Derryberry Hall on Thursday. Starting at 11 AM, you'll find breast cancer information, giveaways, and a banner for notes of encouragement. At 5:30 PM, survivors share their stories during a walk lit by luminaries placed in memory of loved ones. Food is provided, and the whole community is welcome.

Thursday
37 Cedar – A Night of Blues, headlined by Lorie Judd ($30 general admission, or $52 to $54 with dinner, plus tax). Link

Friday
Cookeville Depot Museum – Warren Gently, 11:30 AM (free Brown Bag Lunch Concert). Link
37 Cedar – Poet's Moon, 9 PM. Link

Meet AMIGO, a neutered male black and brown Dachshund mix at the Cookeville / Putnam County Animal Shelter. Staff think he's about 5 years old. He came in on October 15 after his owner's work travel made it too hard to keep him. His notes say he's good with dogs, cats, and children, house trained (not crate trained), and an indoor-only guy who likes toys, walks, and playing fetch.

Adoption for dogs 5 months and older is $170 (cash or check) and includes neuter, vaccinations, a microchip, and heartworm testing. Visit 2650 Gainesboro Grade Wednesday 12 to 5, Thursday 12 to 6, or Friday 12 to 5, and call (931) 526-3647 to make sure he's still available.

AMIGO on 24Petconnect

Wednesday 75 / 41 | 3% rain
Thursday 74 / 41 | 4% rain
Friday 76 / 45 | 2% rain

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Thanks for reading, and for being a town that shows up for its veterans. Enjoy the sunshine, and give a costumed dog a pat for me. See you next time. 🧡

-- Travis

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