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

Join Morgan and her guests: Tracey Franklin, Owner of Aspire Barber and Beauty Academy and Kosta Yepifantsev, Owner of Home Caregivers. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m the Producer of Better Together with Kosta Yepifantsev, and I run the behind the scenes of this podcast.

In 2025, Tracey and Kosta became the Putnam County Representatives for a dance competition hosted by WCTE called Let’s Dance. In honor of their upcoming performance and the continued success and longevity of our local PBS: WCTE we hope you enjoy this special episode.

In this episode: Will you tell us about Let’s Dance? What is it? How did you get involved? On a scale of 1-10, how likely is it for you to both be on next season’s Dancing with the Stars? Other than winning, what do you hope to accomplish by competing on Let’s Dance? What’s been the challenging part of training? Has it been easier or harder than you thought?

Find out more about WCTE Let's Dance: https://www.wcte.org/events/lets-dance/

Buy tickets for Let's Dance: https://e.givesmart.com/events/IzN/
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Location: Putnam County Convention Center
2121 Event Ctr Dr, Cookeville, TN 38501
Doors Open at 5:30 PM Dinner at 6:15 PM
Comedy Show at 6:30 PM | Dancing at 7:00 PM

Make a donation to WCTE PBS with the Yepifantsev/Franklin Team: https://e.givesmart.com/events/IzN/c/:b9ugCjYbzuH/

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: Charlotte Sanders, Chair of the Putnam County Republican Party and President and Founding Member of the Exchange Club of Putnam County.

In this episode: Charlotte, I know this is a loaded question, especially for someone as involved and multifaceted as you, but what does success in Putnam County look like to you? You’re the current Chair of the Putnam County Republican Party and previously served as the Vice Chair and Secretary. You have a long record of productive campaigning and outreach efforts and have helped our local GOP become the flourishing organization it is today. What does the next era of conservatism and the continued success of your party look like? Next year is an election year, and it’s going to be huge for the Republican Party. How are you preparing for primaries, local and federal elections and what’s your message to anyone considering running on the Republican ticket in 2026?

Find out more about the Putnam County Republican Party:
https://www.facebook.com/putnamcogop

PCRP Monthly Meetings Information: 
1st Tuesday of Every Month
90 E. Spring St. Cookeville, TN 38501

5:30 PM Potluck | 6:00 PM Meeting
Open to the Public

Find out more about Exchange Club Putnam County:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577278230322

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: Andrew Smith, Senior Instructor in the Department of English at Tennessee Tech University, Author, Editor, and Publisher of Everything's Folked Music Fanzine and Host of Teacher on the Radio on WTTU 88.5 FM.

In this episode: This episode will air on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and we hope it serves as a reminder of the enduring strength of MLK’s message and legacy. You’ve spent many years teaching students and our community about the life and mission of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. If you could pick one lesson for our listeners to reflect on from his work and advocacy, what would it be? Your father marched with MLK in Selma in 1965. What did that mean to you growing up and how did the advocacy of your parents influence the person you are today? Martin Luther King Jr. talked about a revolution of values moving from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. What does that look like for a working-class, conservative leaning community like ours?

Find out more about Andrew Smith and Teacher on the Radio:
https://soundcloud.com/teacherontheradio

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: Jordan Iwanyszyn, former County Commissioner, career banker and 2026 Candidate for Putnam County Trustee.

In this episode: You’re working hard, and that’s an understatement. You’ve had signage up for over a year, and in terms of market saturation: you’ve done an impeccable job. From a campaigning standpoint, what will it take to win this primary and how will you do it? Thanks to property taxes most of us are aware of the Putnam County Trustee’s Office. What does the Trustee actually do, and why does this office matter more than voters realize? Our county budget reporting has recently come under some scrutiny for transparency and accessibility to the public. If you’re elected, are there any specific things you’ll publish or report regularly so the public can better understand where money is and how it’s managed?

Find out more about Jordan Iwanyszyn's Campaign:
https://www.jordanforputnamcounty.com/

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

Join Kosta and his guest: Wayne Nabors, Putnam County Clerk and Candidate for Putnam County Mayor.

In this episode: This is the first official episode of 2026, and there’s no better way to ring in this election year than with a candidate interview. First of all, we want to thank you for all your hard work and dedication to Putnam County. You’re running for Putnam County Mayor, and I want to start there: why Mayor and why now? You’ve served as our Putnam County Clerk since 2002, and needless to say, a lot has changed since 2002. Over the past 24 years, what has this office taught you about Putnam County and what has it shown you we need to focus on next? This election cycle is going to shake things up. There’s no doubt about it. Whether it’s in the primaries or at the general election, 2026 is going to be an election year to remember. What is it about this moment in Cookeville and Putnam County that’s demanding change?

Find out more about Wayne Nabors' Campaign for Putnam County Mayor:
https://www.facebook.com/WayneNaborsTN/

Find out more about Wayne Nabors and Putnam County Clerk:
https://putnamcountytn.gov/county-clerk

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: Hillary Huddleston, Army Veteran, community organizer, and Director of The Lines We Inherit, a documentary exploring the history and lasting impact of segregation in Tennessee’s Upper Cumberland.

In this episode: Our world can feel bleak. For many of us, on either side of the aisle, it feels like there’s nothing we can do to change what's happening or what happens to us. How does getting involved on a local level change this attitude and how do we get started? In 2026, you’ll be working to direct and produce a documentary called The Lines We Inherit. Will you tell us about the project and why it matters today?

Find out more about The Lines We Inherit:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581899108028

Want to get involved? Message TLWI Production Team:
[email protected]

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

Disclaimer: This episode contains firsthand accounts, opinions, and commentary from the individual speakers. Descriptions of events are shared from personal perspective and understanding and may involve allegations or ongoing disputes for which no legal determination has been made at the time of publication. Names and identifying details may be withheld or altered. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the show, its producers, partners, or sponsors. This content is intended to encourage dialogue and should not be construed as factual findings or legal advice.

Join Kosta and his guest: Chad Day, Owner of Kona Ice of Cookeville and Candidate for Putnam County Clerk.

In this episode: Before we get into the episode, I want to give our listeners some background on your story and how you got here today. You’re from Cookeville, but you also recently relocated to Cookeville. You’re an entrepreneur, community organizer and now candidate for local office. Take us all the way back, how did you get here today? You have a unique perspective on our community and what it means to be part of this community. Last summer, your house tragically burned down and your family had to start over. You’re seeking office next year in part to repay all those that helped you. What did this experience show you about the Upper Cumberland and the spirit of Putnam County? Kona Ice is more than our kid’s favorite treat, it’s a meaningful way to give back to our community. Over the past few years you’ve been able to give back nearly $100,000 to our local schools and sports teams. How does your give back program work? 

Find out more about Kona Ice of Cookeville:
https://www.kona-ice.com/local-site/kona-ice-of-cookeville/

Find out more about Chad Day for Putnam County Clerk:
https://www.chad4tn.org/

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