Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Sheriff’s Department is asking for your help.  There has been a rash of burglaries in the county over the last month or so.  Items taken include: guns, laptop computers, and a couple of four-wheelers. If you have any information about these burglaries please contact the Butler County Sheriff’s Department at 526-3676.

Rochester Post Office Meeting by: Andy Sullivan

 The Michael Hays Soccer Field in Morgantown was the site of a military family reunited once again as Major Allen Joiner surprised his children with an early return from deployment in Afghanistan. With an escort from the Morgantown City Police, Major Joiner was transported to the middle of the soccer field to meet son Cameron and daughter Adrianna.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell and Republican candidate for governor State Senator David Williams came to Morgantown on Thursday. The pair spoke at the Eva J. Hawes Agricultural Exposition and Community Building at Charles T. Black Park.  McConnell encouraged voters to get out and support Williams.

” McConnell said despite Williams trailing in the polls Kentuckians are just starting to pay attention to the race. McConnell also pointed out that he came back from an even bigger deficit to become a senator.

The Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting at Merle Norman on Friday afternoon. Margaret Moore, the new owner of Merle Norman,officially opened her business in Morgantown.  The business is located at 104 South Tyler Street and is open Monday thru Friday from 9-5 and Saturday 9-12:30 pm.

The Butler County Sheriff’s Department was dispatched to Transtek Recycling, at 760 Veterans Way in Morgantown, in reference to a stolen vehicle.  Leamon Henderson had located his car, a red 1987 Ford Tempo, in the junk yard. Officers compared the Vin number on the vehicle to the title in Mr. Henderson’s possession.

According to the police report filed by Deputy Heath West the motor and transmission had been removed and the car had been crushed.  Henderson stated that the car ran when it was stolen and was worth around $500.

Events stemming from a December 2010 altercation between Don Baker and Morgantown Police Sergeant Andy Gidcumb have resulted in a lawsuit being filed in Butler Circuit Court.  In the civil complaint, which was filed yesterday, September 28, Baker names Gidcumb and the City of Morgantown as defendants.  The Butler County Sheriff’s Department served the lawsuit papers yesterday on Gidcumb and Mayor Linda Keown on behalf of the city.

Beech Tree News ran the following story (posted 12/3/10) about the incident at the time it happened:

The last year of data before a new Kentucky testing system is put in place was released this week, with local schools showing a mixed bag of improvements and declines in scores. Butler County for the first time along with 33 other districts have realized the effects of the ever increasing No Child Left Behind (NCLB)  goals of having all student scoring at the proficient level in reading and math by 2014.

Butler County High School held their annual College/Post Secondary School Fair on Thursday, September 29. The event was hosted by the BCHS Guidance Office and Youth Service Center. Seniors and juniors were allowed to take full advantage of  information from over 36 different post secondary schools.

John T. Howard (DOB 2/8/63)was arrested on September 28, 2011 by Butler County Sheriff Deputy Heath West. After receiving a  tip of meth activity at 508 Dexterville Banock Road, Sheriff Scottie Ward and Deputy West went to the residence . “We detected a strong odor of ammonia  when we got out of the car,” said Deputy West.

Howard came around the coroner of the trailer and West saw in plain view in the back yard an anhydrous lab.  Howard was arrested and a search warrant was obtained. Howard was cooking meth and  attempting to make anhydrous ammonia.