“We’ve had a very good day in Putnam County today, as we recover from tornado damage from early Tuesday morning,” Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said during a press conference Friday evening, March 6.

“I was able to tour with President Trump and go to the damaged areas. He has a huge heart, and it showed when he went to the area off North McBroom Chapel Road where eight or nine people were killed.

“A lot of those families showed up to see him,” Porter said. “He spoke with a lot of families whose homes were destroyed. He met with several of our first responders, folks who have been working restlessly. I want to personally thank President Trump for coming to Putnam County. His visit was encouraging to me and elected officials and to citizens and families affected.”

Sheriff Eddie Farris said, “I got to talk to him for a couple of minutes. He’s a very nice man, very sympathetic. He was genuine about why he was here.”

Porter said, “I think the process of moving forward started today. I think President Trump brought that to Putnam County. We start recovery and rebuilding and mending. It doesn’t mean we don’t still mourn those loss of lives and loss of property.”

The president officially declared federal funds available for Putnam, Davidson and Wilson counties Thursday evening.

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State Senator Ken Yager (R-Kingston) received Senate approval for a resolution urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to give relief to the glider truck industry which is important to the economies of several counties in his legislative district.

Senate Resolution 95 requests the EPA to give a timely response to a rule proposed in 2017 to repeal certain standards and other requirements for heavy duty glider vehicles, glider engines, and glider kits.

“Fitzgerald Trucking is an important employer in Byrdstown and the Upper Cumberland,” said Sen. Yager. “The EPA’s unreasonable and restrictive regulations have inhibited the growth of glider production and have choked Fitzgerald Trucking specifically. It has also caused a major reduction in their workforce, effecting our economy and costing many of our local citizens their jobs.”

A glider kit is a new truck without an engine or transmission. Fitzgerald rebuilds engines, transmissions and rear axles which are fitted to gliders.

In the trucking industry, glider kit trucks are very popular, especially among the owner operator business owners and small fleet owners, as a cost-effective option to newly manufactured trucks.

Fitzgerald and other manufacturers of glider kits throughout the country have been forced to close facilities and terminate significant numbers of their employees as a result of the Phase 2 emissions standard which the proposed rule would address.

The resolution states, “We support the glider manufacturing industry in this State and appropriate balance between such manufacturing and its impact on the environment, a move that would certainly enhance our economic development and prosperity. We hereby request the Environmental Protection Agency to provide clarity to the glider truck industry through a transparent and timely rule making process.”

“Reconditioned trucks are being held to an unfair standard of new vehicles,” Yager continued. “This resolution asks the EPA to make a timely response to give this industry relief to enable the industry to rebound and rebuild their workforce here.”

“This is a very important issue to my constituents and citizens statewide, and I appreciate the support of the Senate in passing this resolution.”

The resolution will be sent to the EPA administrator and to Tennessee’s congressional delegation.

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A local family lost everything in a house fire Sunday evening, March 8. Multiple units with the Byrdstown-Pickett County Volunteer Fire Department responded to a house fire call at 120 Walt Street at 7:09 p.m. Upon arrival, one side of the home was engulfed in flames.

It was reported that the family was at home when the fire started. The family dog was said to have alerted homeowners, David and Melissa Davis, by scratching on the door outside on the back porch.

Once the door was opened, that is when the smoke and flames were said to have been seen on the side of the home on the porch. It was reported that by that time, they only had minutes to get out as the fire quickly spread.

The official cause of the house fire was ruled as unknown. The home was a total loss.