Beech Tree News Network

Rain, rain, go away has probably been the sentiment that most folks have had lately.  Oh well, it is Kentucky.  And now for this week's installment:

Local:  With a few meetings under his belt at the helm of county government, Judge-Executive Tim Flener and the new Butler County Fiscal Court seem to be off to a good start in 2019.  Despite some verbal sparring between Judge Flener and Third District Magistrate Timmy Givens over procedural matters at an early January meeting, things have run smoothly and Judge Flener's meetings have been efficient and well-organized.  Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how the county proceeds with the development of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), which is being supported by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in lieu of taxes.  The county is expected to receive about $50,000 in the first year. Judge Flener will be appointing members to this 5-6 member board that will oversee funds that will be targeted toward industrial/economic development and thus potential job retention/recruitment for this community.  According to Judge Flener, County Attorney Richard Deye is working to finalize some legal paperwork associated with the new board.  That should be wrapped up in 4-6 weeks. This local IDA clearly has the potential to be beneficial for the county and it will be informative to see how the process unfolds over the coming months.  Stay tuned.

State:  I wish I could get excited over the important steps the Kentucky General Assembly has taken in Senate Bill 1 regarding school safety.  But, it's hard to.  The measure touts such lofty measures as the hiring of a school security marshal, much like a state fire marshal, sets a state goal of putting more resource officers, supports increasing the number of counselors and mental health professionals in schools, strengthens access points to school building, as well as to require various trainings - some of which school districts are already doing.  The main problem is that the money needed to move most of these initiatives forward isn't included and can't be until the General Assembly approves a tw0-year budget in 2020.  Will lawmakers find the funds necessary to implement these measures?  If so, will they actually be effective in deterring school violence? There are no clear answers to either of these questions.  Some of the solutions sound a little too much like political cover and bureaucratic jargon.  The bill's sponsor calls it a good "starting point."  I hope it is.   

National:  Rasmussen polling data this week indicates that President Trump's job approval rating among likely voters is over 50 percent. Other polling data suggests that the president is seeing an uptick among women who support his policies, especially Republican women.  Can you imagine the angst this causes the Progressive Left and their allies in the media?  Two years of near universal negative press coverage and relentless attacks and President Trump's job approval rating is still this high? I think this can be attributed to two things - the radical shift to the socialist left among some of his political opposition (e.g Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) and the fact that President Trump has proven himself to be a politician who has kept his word and governed how he campaigned.  Another case in point that helps illustrate the ratings bump can be seen in how “Never Trumper” Erick Erickson, a conservative journalist who did not vote for Trump in 2016, has switched courses and announced that he will support President Trump in 2020.  In part, Erickson wrote the following:

“President Trump delivered on tax reform. He delivered on regulatory rollbacks. He delivered on undermining Obamacare. He delivered on moving the embassy in Israel. He delivered on withdrawal from the Paris Accord. He delivered on withdrawal from the Iranian agreement. He delivered on shifting American foreign policy focus to the Western Hemisphere to deal with Venezuela, Cuba, and other hotspots. He delivered on solid executive appointments, including to the judiciary.”

Though flawed and imperfect for sure, President Trump has delivered on his promises, which is why an increasing number of Americans are starting to appreciate the job he is doing.  And, when compared to his radical opponents, he looks even better. 

Interesting Quote of the Week:

"Lock your doors, load your guns and get a biting, barking dog."  --Martin County (KY) Sheriff John Kirk, speaking at a Fiscal Court meeting about lack of funding for his office. 

Parting Shot:    Former State Representative D.J. Johnson (R-Owensboro) decided to withdraw his challenge in a race that initially ended with him one vote short but after a recount showed the contest tied.  Stating that his opponent, Democrat Jim Glenn, would not accept the result of a coin toss, Johnson stepped aside to avoid what he said would be a "circus" for the district.  This was a classy move.  I expect Johnson to run again in 2020 … and I expect him to win. 

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