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

Join Kosta and his guest: Diane Duncan, Former Director of the Putnam County Library and newest member of the Putnam County Library Board of Trustees.

In this episode: Diane, you’ve had a storied tenure with our local library. No pun intended. Starting as a bookkeeper and later serving as Director of the Putnam County Library, we’re grateful for your service and experience. As of November, you’re our library’s newest board of trustees member, and I want to start there. What do you hope to accomplish during your tenure? This nomination and approval process was exciting to say the least. We have people coming to Library Board Meetings who’ve never come to the library before and everyone has an opinion. So, I think my biggest question is: when we cut out all the noise, why should Putnam County residents trust our library staff and board? For the past 20 years you’ve volunteered with Imagination Library Board and were instrumental in expanding the program to Putnam County. Will you tell us more about Imagination Library and how it works?

Find out more about Putnam County Library:
https://pclibrary.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 Aspire Barber and Beauty Academy.

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

Join Kosta and his guest: Jennifer Wilkerson, Putnam County Circuit Court Clerk.

In this episode: Jennifer, you’ve spent more than twenty-five years working throughout our justice system: from law enforcement and non-profit advocacy, and now the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office. When you think about all the experiences you’ve had with the justice system and our community, what does justice mean to you? A lot of people have heard or seen the title Circuit Court Clerk, but most of us don’t truly understand the weight and complexity behind it. What is the real responsibility of your office, and what happens if the Clerk’s Office doesn’t function well? Your job isn’t easy. Managing court dockets for seven courts and seven judges is no small task. In your opinion, what’s the greatest determinant of whether our court system is running smoothly or not?

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: Johnny Blayze, Executive Director and Co-Founder of UC Makerspace.

In this episode: The Upper Cumberland is changing. I’m sure people are tired of hearing us say it, but it’s true. Everyday we’re evolving into our next form and I see UC Makerspace playing a pivotal role in that evolution. For anyone just hearing about the concept of a makerspace for the first time, what should they know? At what point did you realize, Cookeville doesn’t have anything like this, but we need it - and I’m the person to make it happen? How is a makerspace different from a co-working space? Most of us are familiar with the Biz Foundry and the concept of a shared working environment, but UCM offers different opportunities. How would you compare these two?

Find out more about Upper Cumberland Makerspace:
https://ucmakerspace.org/

Get Tickets to the Makers Gala:
https://makersgala.org/

When? December 20th, 2025 at 5:30 pm

Where? Duck Pond Manor | 665 Duck Pond Rd, Sparta, TN 38583
Why? Every ticket fuels tools, training, and resources for makers in the Upper Cumberland, creating opportunities that last far beyond one night. Together, we’re building a space where ideas become reality and creativity has no limits.

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: Seth Melton, Realtor at the Real Estate Collective Company.

This week we're celebrating Thanksgiving, biscuits and gravy, and all the ways we're better together.

We’re honored to host Seth on this special Thanksgiving episode, because he makes this community better everyday. Thank you to our guest host of Questions from a Cornucopia, BTwKY Producer Morgan Franklin.

Seth's Spicy Mac and Cheese Recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 cups pasta
• 4 oz cheddar cheese (½ cubed, ½ shredded)
• 4 oz pepper jack cheese
• 4 oz gouda cheese
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup half & half

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the pasta and the cubed cheese (reserving the shredded cheese for topping). Pour the mixture into a baking dish.
3. In another large bowl, whisk together:
   • flour
   • salt
   • pepper
   • cayenne
   • dry mustard
   • nutmeg
4. Add sour cream, beaten egg, heavy cream, and half & half. Mix until smooth.
5. Pour the mixture over the pasta in the baking dish.
   Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
6. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, or until the top is just beginning to brown.

In this episode: We’re honored to have you with us on our favorite episode of the year. In celebration of Thanksgiving and our mission here at Better Together, I want to start with a simple question to set the mood. What’s one thing you’re thankful for this year? You’ve worked in the two major industries of the Upper Cumberland: dining and real estate. What has this taught you about our community and how did you use your experiences in the restaurant industry to grow as a real estate agent? It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without telling a few family secrets. Will you tell us about your favorite Thanksgiving dish and how we can make it?

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

Join Kosta and his guest: Michael Ruff, Actor, Producer, and Director of Upcoming Cookeville Theatre Company Production: Crowns.

In this episode: For our listeners who aren’t familiar, how would you describe Crowns to someone hearing about it for the first time? What makes this story feel alive and necessary today? Crowns centers around the Black church tradition of hats, not just as fashion, but as identity. What do you hope your audience learns about these traditions and culture, especially the audience here in Cookeville? This story is about legacy: the members of our community who shape our lives, and who we become to serve others. When you think about your own story, who are the hat wearers in your life?

Find out more about Cookeville Theatre Company:
https://www.cookevilletheatreco.org/

Crowns Auditions Information:

Sunday, December 14 at 2:00 pm / Monday, December 15 at 6:00 pm

First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall: 20 N Dixie Ave, Cookeville, TN 38501

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: Dr. Jeffrey King, Director of Nuclear Engineering at Tennessee Tech University.

In this episode: The word nuclear carries a certain gravity - no pun intended. Nuclear bomb, nuclear winter, the nuclear option: when we go nuclear, there’s no going back. When you hear the word nuclear what does it mean to you? Should we be afraid of nuclear energy? What will it take to undo the decades of fear and skepticism around all things nuclear? You’re the new director of TTU’s Nuclear Engineering program and quite frankly, this is the answer to all my prayers of the past decade. If the Upper Cumberland can become a hub of nuclear industry, it’d change everything. How will your program help to advance our community economically and environmentally?

Find out more about Nuclear Engineering at Tennessee Tech University:
https://www.tntech.edu/majors/nuclear-engineering.php

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: Stacye Choate, Attorney at Law and Candidate for Putnam County County Commission District 2.

In this episode: Stacye, you’re officially our first candidate interview of the 2026 election cycle and the first Democrat running in a local election that we’ve ever hosted on the podcast. It’s an honor to have you, and I think the best question to start with is: why now and why the Democratic ticket?

I watched your speech announcing your candidacy and something really stuck with me. You said, “Republicans do not hold the market on Christianity, I am a Christian. The teachings of Jesus call us to love our neighbor as ourselves, to show compassion, to stand with the vulnerable, and to reject hatred.” As a Christian, why do you feel there’s such harsh lines drawn for both political parties around religion?

In 2025, Putnam County has zero representation from the Democratic Party. There’s not one elected official in this county with a (D) beside their name. For residents of the Upper Cumberland, that’s not hard to believe. What might surprise our listeners is in 2000, Putnam County had zero representation from the Republican Party. There were zero candidates with an (R) beside their name. How did this happen? Do you think it could happen again?

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

Join us with Plenty Downtown Bookshop at A Novel Affair: A Jane Austen Gala for Literacy on November 8, 2025 at Putnam County Convention Center.

Find out more about A Novel Affair: A Jane Austen Gala for Literacy and buy tickets here:
https://plentybookshop.com/gala