Join Kosta and his guest: Tessa Davis, Sales and Marketing Director and Assistant Tourism Director at Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors Bureau.

In this episode: In 2024, Tennessee set a new record for tourism after generating $31.7 billion in direct visitor spending and welcoming over 147 million travelers. Most of us probably never think about it, but the Upper Cumberland is a tourist destination. How does increased tourism locally and statewide benefit Putnam County? Let’s pretend our cousin is coming into town and they’ve never been to Cookeville or even Tennessee. We call you, because we know exactly who can plan out the perfect day for a visitor to the Upper Cumberland. What’s the agenda? The new Putnam County Convention Center is outstanding. It was long overdue and we’re not done. In addition to the convention center, we’re getting a 64,000-square-foot Expo Center. Will you tell us about both these projects and what it means for tourism?

Find out more about Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors Bureau:
https://www.visitcookevilletn.com/

Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev is a product of Morgan Franklin Media and recorded in Cookeville, TN.

This episode of Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev is made possible by our partners at Aspire Barber and Beauty Academy.

Find out more about Aspire Barber and Beauty Academy:
https://aspirebarberandbeauty.com

Join Kosta and his guest: Virginia Fillers, Director of SoulSong at First Presbyterian Church of Cookeville, Board President of Restoring Childhood Initiative and Candidate for Putnam County Commission District 12.

In this episode: Being a parent in 2026 isn’t easy. To be clear, it’s never been easy, but now we get to post it on social media. As someone that’s a parent, the Director of a Montessori Program and serves as the Board President for our Restoring Childhood Initiative, why do you think parenting today is so difficult? What is Montessori? What makes SoulSong different from other pre-kindergarden options here in the Upper Cumberland? Kids need the opportunity to mess up. That’s something we learned from the Restoring Childhood Initiative that’s really hard for modern day parents. How do we let our kids mess up and have real independence without compromising their safety or wellbeing? As we mentioned in the introduction, you’re running for Putnam County Commission in District 12 (Algood). If elected, how will you use your experience as an educator and child advocate to serve your district and Putnam County?

Find out more about SoulSong:
https://www.firstprescookeville.org/soulsong

Find out more about Restoring Childhood Initiative:
https://www.restoringchildhoodputnamcounty.com/

Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev is a product of Morgan Franklin Media and recorded in Cookeville, TN.

This episode of Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev is made possible by our partners at Miss Sallie's Market.

Find out more about Miss Sallie's Market:
https://www.misssallies.com

Join Kosta and his guest: Trenton Strode, Vice President of Putnam County Young Democrats, District Representative of Putnam County Democratic Party and Candidate for Putnam County Commission District 11.

In this episode: You’re running multiple races in 2026. As we said earlier, you’ll be seeking one of the two seats in Putnam County Commission District 11, but you’ve also announced and qualified on the ballot to run against Incumbent Ryan Williams for Tennessee House of Representatives District 42. Why? As our listeners might remember, last summer you were arrested and charged with a felony at the June 2025 Putnam County Commission meeting. Several months later those charges were dropped and you are now pursuing your own bid for Putnam County Commission District 11. We’re not here to rehash the events of last summer, but I’m curious the impact it had on your decision to run and the explosion of democratic candidates running in our local 2026 elections? On social media the Putnam County Republican Party has taken every opportunity to link Putnam County Democratic Party, Putnam County Young Democrats and anyone that puts a (D) next to their name with as much political chaos and bad behavior as possible. You are one of the few, if at times only representatives to hold the line and call out this bad behavior. Why do you think our local republican party is so fixated with disparaging the opposing party when there isn’t one Democrat currently serving in local office?

Find out more about Trenton Strode:
https://www.facebook.com/tyler.strode.71

Find out more about Putnam County Young Democrats:
https://www.facebook.com/PutnamCoYoungDems

Find out more about Putnam County Democratic Party:
https://putnamdemocrats.org/

Putnam County Election Dates:
Primary Election: May 5, 2026
General Election Date: August 6, 2026

Voter Registration/Polling Information: https://sos.tn.gov/govotetn

Find out more about Putnam County Elections:
https://putnamcountytn.gov/election-commission

Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev is a product of Morgan Franklin Media and recorded in Cookeville, TN.

This episode of Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev is made possible by our partners at Aspire Barber and Beauty Academy.

Find out more about Aspire Barber and Beauty Academy:
https://aspirebarberandbeauty.com