Beech Tree News Network

FRANKFORT – Energy and Environment Secretary Charles Snavely announced Monday that about $1.06 million in grant funding has been awarded for the cleanup of 112 illegal dumps in 25 counties across the state. 

“Illegal dumping affects safety, property values and quality of life across the commonwealth,” Snavely said in a statement. “This grant program is a great way to assist counties in improving their local communities .”

On Thursday, January 5, at approximately 10:00 p.m. Officer James Embry of the Morgantown Police Department was attempting to locate Richard (Richie) Smith in order to serve an outstanding arrest warrant. 

Morgantown, KY January 6, 2017--  Local attorney, J. Marshall Hughes, recently worked with the Bruning Foundation to obtain a $5,000 donation for the Boys and Girls Club of Butler County.  The donation will be used to fund the organization’s “Power Hour” program.

“Power Hour” is an after school program where children receive an hour of homework assistance from high school and collegiate scholars.  The program encourages young students to succeed in their academics and work to reach their full potential.  An average of 100 children attend the program each day.

MORGANTOWN — Four people accused of being involved in a double homicide in which the bodies of two people were found in a burned-out car off a rural Butler County road appeared in court Wednesday to be arraigned.

Charles "Cotton" Lindsey, 33, of Roundhill, was arraigned in Butler Circuit Court on two counts of murder and one count each of first-degree arson and tampering with physical evidence. 

Lindsey held a baseball cap as he was brought into the courtroom separately from other inmates who had court appearances Wednesday.

In 2016 there were 34 coroner calls made by the Butler County Coroner’s office and 11 provisional of death reports signed for cremations to be done.
Of the 34 calls made:
2 were ruled natural deaths
11 provisional of deaths signed for cremation (this deceased by nine from 2015)
1 ruled suicide
5 ruled accidental deaths- 3 vehicle fatalities and two accidental overdose
Five homicides compared to 0 in 2015
One undetermined death

Beech Tree News provides courthouse statistics on a regular basis. Courthouse information provided in this article is a matter of public record. The following records are from Butler County Clerk and Circuit Clerk’s offices and cover December 13^th- 31^{, 2016.}

Civil Cases:

Artie Patton vs. Robert Jessup

Bowling Green, KY (January 3, 2017) – Kentucky State Police Post 3 Commander Captain John Clark is reporting the following activity by the Troopers and Detectives for the month of December 2016.

Citations:                            931

Four people accused in connection with the deaths of two people whose bodies were found in a burned-out car in Butler County are scheduled to appear in court for arraignment Wednesday in what has the potential to become a death penalty case.

Charles W. "Cotton" Lindsey, 33, of Roundhill, is charged with two counts of murder and one count each of first-degree arson and tampering with physical evidence.

In a called meeting of the Butler County Fiscal Court on Thursday night, Butler County Jailer Terry Fugate retired after 27 years of service to the county.  Fugate served as deputy sheriff prior to being elected jailer.   The elected officials in attendance presented Fugate with a certificate of appreciation.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (12/28/16) — The Judicial Nominating Commission, led by Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr., announced nominees to fill a vacant District Court judgeship for Butler, Edmonson, Hancock and Ohio counties. The counties make up the 38th Judicial District and the vacancy is in the district’s 1st Division.

The three nominees for the judgeship are attorneys Tara Nicole Ward, of Hartford, Kentucky, Richard "Dick" Joseph Deye, of Morgantown, Kentucky, and Joseph Brett “J.B.” Hines, of Brownsville, Kentucky.