Join Kosta and his guests: County Commission Candidates for District 3, Shayne Bilbrey and Brendan Laney. 

In this episode: You're both running as Democratic Candidates in a county and state where Republicans routinely win by wide margins. Beyond listening and transparency, can you give voters one specific policy position or commitment that your Republican opponent in District 3 likely wouldn't and explain why that difference might be worth crossing party lines for? District 3, as the kids would say, is built different. Whether we want to talk about voter population, voter demographics or District boundaries, there’s no District like District 3. Why is this District so different? You’ve both been campaigning for well over six-months now. What’s one thing you’ve learned about your neighbors in District 3 you didn’t know this time last year?

Find out more about Shayne Bilbrey for Putnam County Commissioner District 3:
https://electshaynebilbrey.com/

Find out more about Brendan Laney for Putnam County Commissioner District 3:
https://votebrendanlaney2026.com/

Important Putnam County Election dates and information:
Putnam County General Elections will be held on August 6th with early voting from Friday, July 17th to Saturday, August 1st.
All early voting takes place at the Putnam County Election Commission on 705 County Services Dr, Cookeville, TN 38501.
For more information visit on Putnam County polling locations visit: 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 Miss Sallie's Market.

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

Join Kosta and his guest: Cookeville City Council Candidates, Dee Prince and Sam Matson.

In this episode: Cookeville is currently operating under its 2030 plan, a plan approved in 2010. For anyone who doesn’t remember Cookeville in 2010, it was a different universe. If elected you will be tasked with developing and approving our next, 2050 plan. When you think about the last 20-years, and the next 20-years, what responsibility does this plan and the elected officials who create it have to serve Cookeville in the decades to come? If elected, you’ll both be first time Council Members. As our listeners might know, there are five members on the Cookeville City Council, Mayor, Vice Mayor and three Council Members. Why do you believe you’re the best candidate to fill one of these five seats, and what specifically can you bring to the Council no one else can? Traditionally, over 70% of registered voters in the City of Cookeville don’t vote. You’ve both been working day and night to engage voters, and talk with constituents. So, I want to give a more direct example of local government at work. Let’s pretend you knock on a neighbor’s door and they ask what you can do for them as a voter. What would you say?

Find out more about Sam Matson's Campaign for Cookeville City Council:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589752626838

Find out more about Damon "Dee" Prince's Campaign for Cookeville City Council:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590039621071

Register to vote, check your registration or update your voter registration:
https://sos.tn.gov/govotetn

Important Putnam County Election dates and information:
Putnam County General Elections will be held on August 6th with early voting from Friday, July 17th to Saturday, August 1st.
All early voting takes place at the Putnam County Election Commission on 705 County Services Dr, Cookeville, TN 38501.
For more information visit on Putnam County polling locations visit: 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

Join Kosta and his guest: Ryan Dalton, candidate for Putnam County Mayor and Beth Anderson, Mom of Ryan Dalton, candidate for Putnam County Mayor.

In this episode: It’s 10 years from today. What’s the best case scenario? What’s the worst case scenario? You're both from Putnam County, and have family that goes back generations. You know this community to its core. Why does it feel like the newest members of our community seem to have the most vocal opinions on where Putnam County is going vs. where it’s been? If you could guarantee one candidate would win this election who would you pick and why? This episode is airing in the midst of early voting, election day is August 6th. Less than 30% of the City of Cookeville votes, about 20% of Putnam County votes, what’s your message to anyone listening on voting and why it matters?

Find out more about Ryan Dalton for Putnam County Mayor:
https://www.facebook.com/ryandaltonformayor
https://www.instagram.com/ryandaltonforcountymayor
https://putnamdemocrats.org/candidate/ryan-dalton/

Important Putnam County Election dates and information:
Putnam County General Elections will be held on August 6th with early voting from Friday, July 17th to Saturday, August 1st.
All early voting takes place at the Putnam County Election Commission on 705 County Services Dr, Cookeville, TN 38501.
For more information visit on Putnam County polling locations visit: 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 Miss Sallie's Market.

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

Join Kosta and his guests: Cigi England, Candidate for Cookeville City Council and Morgan Franklin for Putnam County Commission District 1.

In this episode: Since I have a candidate here for Cookeville City Council and Putnam County Commission, my first question is, how can each entity work better together and how will you work with the other to improve outcomes for everyone? Less than 30% of registered voters in the City of Cookeville vote. We talked about this in Chad Gilbert’s episode, but as this episode will release the week early voting begins I’ll ask it again now, how are you as a candidate working to ensure more than 30% of the voting electorate comes out to vote? It’s 4 years from today, you’re running for re-election and we’re all here having the same, but very different conversation. What have you accomplished and what do you have to show constituents as your greatest accomplishments over the last four years?

Find out more about Morgan Franklin for Putnam County Commission District 1:
https://votemorgan.com/

Find out more about Cigi England for Cookeville City Council:
https://votecigi.com/

Register to vote, check your registration or update your voter registration:
https://sos.tn.gov/govotetn

Important Putnam County Election dates and information:
Putnam County General Elections will be held on August 6th with early voting from Friday, July 17th to Saturday, August 1st.
All early voting takes place at the Putnam County Election Commission on 705 County Services Dr, Cookeville, TN 38501.
For more information visit on Putnam County polling locations visit: 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

Join Kosta and his guest: Mike Croley, Veteran, Former State Park Ranger, recent Federal Employee, and Candidate for TN Sixth Congressional District.

In this episode: I want to start this episode with a simple question. So often in political episodes we get caught up in the details of campaigning, and strategy, and the greater national rhetoric, and we’ll get to all that, but first I want to talk with you as my neighbor. Tennessean to Tennessean. What does Tennessee need right now? On August 6th you’ll face off against Lore Bergman, Christopher Finley, Miriam Leibowitz and Chaney Mosley in the 6th District’s Congressional Democratic Primary Election. Why do you believe you’re the best option in this primary? Why do you believe you’re the best candidate to face the Republican opponent who will come after the Primary? I’ll say it if no one else will, the Tennessee Democratic Party is on thin ice. I haven’t heard much, but nothing I’ve heard is good. Is the TNDP helping you or hurting you?

Find out more about Mike Croley:
https://croleyforcongress.com/

Register to vote, check your registration or update your voter registration: https://sos.tn.gov/govotetn

Important Putnam County Election dates and information:
Putnam County General Elections will be held on August 6th with early voting from July 17th to August 1st.
All early voting takes place at the Putnam County Election Commission on 705 County Services Dr, Cookeville, TN 38501.
For more information visit on Putnam County polling locations visit: 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 Miss Sallie's Market.

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

Join Kosta and his guest: Chad Gilbert, Cookeville City Council Member and Candidate for Cookeville City Council.

In this episode: Less than 30% of registered voters in the City of Cookeville vote. As a sitting City Council Member and Candidate, what’s your message to the 70% of Cookevillians who don’t see the purpose or benefit in voting? Why does local government matter? As we said in the introduction, you’re a current member of the Cookeville City Council, you’ve served for the past 4 years, and are now hoping to serve another 4. What do you see as your greatest accomplishment and what’s still left to be done? One of the loudest concerns I’m hearing from voters in this election cycle is about jobs. We’re bringing in hundreds of new jobs with large retailers like Home Depot, Target and In-N-Out Burger, but these are the same low wage careers we’ve provided our workforce for decades. How do we bring high paid, skilled professions to Cookeville? 

Find out more about Chad's Campaign for Cookeville City Council:
https://chadgilbertforcookeville.com/

Register to vote, check your registration or update your voter registration: https://sos.tn.gov/govotetn

Important Putnam County Election dates and information:
Putnam County General Elections will be held on August 6th with early voting from July 17th to August 1st.
All early voting takes place at the Putnam County Election Commission on 705 County Services Dr, Cookeville, TN 38501.
For more information visit on Putnam County polling locations visit: 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

Join Kosta and his guest: Brett Knight, criminal defense attorney, pastor and author of From the Gavel to Grace: Setting People Free From Addiction and Into Healing.

In this episode: The symptoms of addiction begin long before the actual addiction. We’ve hosted many guests in and around the recovery community, and the throughline is: there’s always more to the story. What do you hope readers will learn about the complexity of both addiction and recovery? One of the central themes of From the Gavel to Grace is that punishment alone fails. Alternatively, compassion without structure collapses. Accountability and mercy aren't opposites. As an attorney and pastor, what do you wish more people understood about what it actually takes to change behavior? The book speaks to three very different audiences: families, the legal system, and the faith community. Did you find the message had to evolve depending on who you were writing to, or is the core the same for all three?

Find out more about Brett Knight:
https://brettknight.com/

Purchase From the Gavel to Grace: Setting People Free From Addiction and into Healing on Amazon:
https://amzn.to/4ahC5WW

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: Mack Lunn, Associate Director of iCube at Tennessee Technological University, Owner of Mack Lunn Enterprises, and Candidates for Putnam County Commission District 2. 

In this episode: Today’s episode is special because you’re not only my neighbor, you’re also running for County Commission in my District, District 2. We’ve hosted candidates Stacye Choate and Sam Sandlin and it’s a pleasure to have you on today. What’s the greatest issue facing District 2 specifically and why are you the best County Commission candidate to best address it? Putnam County is changing everyday and whether we want it or not, the AI revolution is here. You’re pursuing a PhdD focused on artificial intelligence and its role in higher education, how will that translate to the County Commission and Putnam County Government overall? On a scale of 1-10 how well would you say our County Commission performing their duties. If not 10 how would you personally advocate within the commission and our community to get to a 10?

Find out more about Mack Lunn, Candidate for Putnam County Commission District 2:
https://putnamdemocrats.org/candidate/mack-lunn/

https://www.instagram.com/votemacklunn/

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: Aurora Wells, Candidates for Jackson County Mayor.

In this episode: We’ve said it many times on this podcast, but there’s no place like Jackson County. You grew up in Gainesboro, moved away, and came back. Why did you leave? What brought you back? More than ever, local elections matter. All across Tennessee, but especially in rural counties like Jackson County. As a candidate for Mayor, and Jackson County native, how will the outcome of this election shape Jackson County and why does it matter to you? In Tennessee a County Mayor is essentially the County's Chief Executive and lead budget officer. You've spent decades as an enrolled agent and a nonprofit CFO. What experience does your financial background provide you in the county budget that someone without it might miss?

Find out more about Aurora Well's Campaign for Jackson County Mayor:
https://jacksoncotndems.org/voter-guide/meet-the-candidates/

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: Taylor Hill, Assistant Treasurer for the Putnam County Fair Board, Owner of Taylor Creates and Candidate for Algood City Council.

In this episode: It’s safe to say there’s no single event that brings Putnam County together like our County Fair. This year, the Putnam County Fair will celebrate its 100th anniversary. As a Fair Board Member, what does this centennial celebration mean to you? In 2019, Putnam County authorized 196 acres on Tennessee Avenue to build our next fairgrounds. In addition to the fairgrounds, we’ve completed and opened the Putnam County Convention Center, with the new Expo Center under construction. How do you see the new location impacting our fair’s success for the next 100 years? For most of us we walk through the gate and have no idea what it takes to make that happen. As the Assistant Treasurer, you live in the budget. Without giving away secrets, what would surprise people most about the financial reality of producing this event every year?

Find out more about the Putnam County Fair:
https://putnamcountyfair.org/

Find out more about Taylor Creates:
https://www.taylorcreates.net/

Find out more about Taylor Hill's Campaign for Algood City Council:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61588433136653

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