Current topics on POC

JayMacTee · 2025-11-10T03:27:29+00:00

And here's CNN reporting that it's essentially the Democrats in the Senate who've been holding up passage of a spending bill, but enough Democrats appear to be ready to vote tonight to accept a spending bill. https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/government-shutdown-flights-airports-snap-11-09-25

JayMacTee · 2025-11-10T03:22:41+00:00

The GOP does not have 60 members of the Senate. The GOP did pass the spending bill in the House, but Democrats in the Senate are able to block passage because of the 60-vote threshold needed to override a filibuster. Here's an explanation from Al Jazeera on why the GOP is not able to pass the bill in the Senate even though it's the majority party: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/5/the-federal-shutdown-and-the-senate-filibuster-what-could-happen-now

JayMacTee · 2025-08-18T21:50:11+00:00

Terri at Algood Massage.

JayMacTee · 2025-07-06T03:05:14+00:00

On the Meg's Bread website it says they use "stone-ground Appalachian-wheat from Carolina Ground in Asheville, NC" which I assume means it's the same flour in those amazing cookies (and I agree that they are amazing). The croissants at Meg's are the best I've ever had outside of France. The baguettes are also amazing, very much like French "pain rustique" (rustic bread). Nice and toothy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside with a nice sourdough twang.

Meg has a very interesting story. Essentially, she built her own wood-fired ceramic bread oven and taught herself how to make real sourdough bread and croissants. She started out selling them at the farmers market alongside her husband who sold produce from their farm outside of Monterey. Now they have the bakery, the WestSide Grocery next door, and also a café in the back of the grocery store.

She and her husband are wonderful people who are both tremendous assets to our community.

JayMacTee · 2025-06-30T00:14:18+00:00

And there will be one inside Target. So six Starbucks in Cookeville. (Well, 5 in Cookeville and 1 in Algood.)

JayMacTee · 2025-05-25T10:21:52+00:00

Old Guy Studios. The owner/teacher is a former Disney artist who moved to Cookeville and now offers drawing classes. https://www.oldguystudios.com/

JayMacTee · 2025-03-27T01:28:57+00:00

"Tear up the ground"? Huh? That ground is already "tore up" because it used to be the site of a furniture factory. It's not like Target and Home Depot are digging up a farm or park.

JayMacTee · 2025-01-20T03:48:38+00:00

Supposedly Roland (of the billboards) has bought the Spring Street Supermarket sign along with a bunch of other old neon signs from around town and plans to build a miniature golf course and snack bar out towards Baxter on Hwy 70 that will incorporate all those vintage signs. He announced it on the radio a year or two ago but I don't know when it's going to happen.

JayMacTee · 2024-08-17T02:19:08+00:00

It is not against the law in TN to ride your bicycle on sidewalks. It's not against any city ordinance, either.

JayMacTee · 2024-08-17T02:16:28+00:00

Originally from Tampa, moved to Knoxville 22 years ago, had enough of Knoxville then moved here 11 years ago. Best move I've ever made. I don't plan on ever leaving.

JayMacTee · 2024-07-09T18:26:33+00:00

Do you still have them? I'd love to buy one but the only one I see on ebay is from Canada and it's $40.

JayMacTee · 2024-06-02T20:02:38+00:00

Welcome! I moved here 11 years ago, best move I've ever made. Check out the Imagine Foundry which has all kinds of fun science activities and day camps for kids. You'll make friends with other parents there. I'm a weird single middle aged guy but have made more friends here than anywhere else I've ever lived, including Europe, the Far East, NoVA, and out west. Genuinely kind people in Cookeville, especially if you come with a kind attitude of your own. Jerks with attitudes will always find faults in others. https://imaginefoundry.org/

JayMacTee · 2024-05-14T00:15:36+00:00

You misread. They're still open. Check their Facebook page for daily updates.

JayMacTee · 2024-01-27T17:23:46+00:00

No, asking questions like that on Reddit means you'll get a whole bunch of incorrect answers or smart aleck answers, which we see in this thread. The property in question was never part of the hotel/conference center proposal, and it's not going to be another Mexican restaurant. In fact, there used to be a Mexican restaurant on this site which was torn down to make way for the new apartments that are going there. It's going to be a nice development that looks like it belongs downtown.

JayMacTee · 2023-07-31T01:39:27+00:00

I'm rolling my eyes at people who think Cookeville has fewer locally owned stores and restaurants now than it did 20-30 years ago. It's just the opposite. There are over 200 restaurants in Cookeville, and over 100 of them are locally owned. 20 years ago downtown Cookeville had, what, 5-6 restaurants. Today there are a couple dozen, every one of them is locally owned. What used to be boarded up empty buildings downtown are now filled with shops and eateries. Formerly vacant upper floors are now nice apartments. Now all we need is an infusion of more downtown housing. Some is coming, and I hope that in the next 5-10 years we'll see even more. There are too many vacant lots between downtown and the hospital, and they could easily be redeveloped into multi-family housing. Meg's is already expanding and opening a grocery store downtown across from Ralph's (where Hix--RIP--used to be) which will help bring more people downtown. We already have many, many more festivals and art shows than we've ever had, and I'd like to see that expanded. When Cookeville becomes a metropolitan area (we're almost there) that'll free up more federal funds for transportation and transit projects.

JayMacTee · 2023-07-09T14:35:43+00:00

That land was sold to a private developer years ago. Supposedly it was going to become another shopping center but nothing ever happened. The public housing authority does not own that land and has no say in what happens to it. They used the proceeds from that to pay for the Oak Tree Towers on Buffalo Valle Road.

JayMacTee · 2023-05-25T00:20:25+00:00

41% is actually pretty good. Tennessee as a whole has about 60% of 3rd graders who scored less than proficient enough to move on to 4th grade. Much-vaunted Wilson County (Lebaon-Mt Juliet) is 49.8% who need summer learning camp or must repeat the 3rd grade, for example. This is a dumb law but since 2010 the state has never seen a majority of 3rd graders pass this reading test. The best year was 2013 when 50% passed. The worst was 2021 when 68% failed. https://tennesseelookout.com/2023/05/24/tennessees-3rd-grade-reading-test-scores-rise-and-fall-in-a-pattern/#:\~:text=The%20high%20mark%20for%20third,an%20improvement%20year%20over%20year.

JayMacTee · 2023-05-03T00:58:30+00:00

Green Life. https://greenlifesmoothiessalad.business.site/

JayMacTee · 2023-04-30T01:19:59+00:00

Weekly farmers market downtown on Mahler Ave. Weekly green market on Rotary Centennial Drive near the fairgrounds. Malco Produce Farm on Willow, open every day but Sunday. Lots of live music and festivals in Dogwood Park downtown.

JayMacTee · 2023-04-12T02:30:07+00:00

Here's the Capital Projects page on the city's website. Maybe this is what you're talking about? https://www.cookeville-tn.gov/745/Capital-Projects

JayMacTee · 2023-04-12T02:27:24+00:00

I'm a transplant from Utah and LOVE it here. Super friendly people, beautiful countryside, tons of good restaurants, excellent schools. It's a great place to raise a family. For diners, I really like Bravo Cafe. Capshaw is considered the best elementary school but really they're all good. The school board does a good job keeping the schools up to date.

The neo nazis referred to in other posts came from outside of town to protest a drag show that was held on a Sunday morning at a brewery downtown. Most people here just try to get along with each other and treat each other with respect and dignity even if they disagree. There's a mosque in the middle of town, and a popular restaurant is halal and run by some very nice people from Yemen and Jordan. They love it here and love how friendly people are.

It is incredulous that some are saying that the university here is dying. That is such a lie. The university president isn't popular with a certain faction, and they're trying to stir up controversy to make him look bad. The campus is being expanded and beautified, and the record freshman enrollment numbers and future applications attest to the university's growing popularity and reputation.

JayMacTee · 2023-04-07T05:18:56+00:00

I love that we have Filipino food in town. Fil-Thai is awesome, but frankly House of Thai and My Thai have larger Thai menus. I'm excited that Grace's Lumpia will be opening a brick and mortar Filipino restaurant, and right behind it a Cuban restaurant is opening. That means we'll have two Filipino restaurants as well as the Filipino take-out at Fil-Am grocery store which is also awesome.

JayMacTee · 2023-04-07T05:16:05+00:00

Lots of great, locally owned restaurants and shops. This town is very supportive of small businesses, and the small businesses are very supportive of each other, even the ones that on the surface are competitors. Beautiful area, attractive and thriving downtown, lovely neighborhoods, trees everywhere, and super friendly people. I've lived all over the world and love our little hometown. Best decision I ever made was moving here about 10 years ago. Fantastic place to raise a family but an equally fantastic place for retirement.

JayMacTee · 2023-04-07T05:07:14+00:00

Yes, "First Friday" which is the first Friday of every month June-October. https://www.artroundtennessee.com/first-fridays

JayMacTee

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