Beech Tree News Network

Dr. Deborah T. Givens, an assistant professor of journalism in the Department of Communication at Eastern Kentucky University, was elected to a three-year term on the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors board of directors during the organization’s annual conference in June. The Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri, Columbia, was the site of this year's conference.
 

United Way’s Day of Caring is Wednesday, July 29, 2015.  Kiana Coleman, of Morgantown, has organized a Senior Residents Visiting Day at Morgantown Care and Rehab. According to Coleman there are several residents that have very few if any visitors. 

“What better way to show residents at MCRC we care about them than to spend some time visiting with them,” said Coleman. 

Kids on the Block took center stage at the July Chamber luncheon on Thursday, July 23^rd at the Butler County Extension Office.   The troupe of educational puppets performed an abbreviated skit of their child abuse prevention program.

LOUISVILLE (July 23, 2015) -- Kentucky Farm Bureau’s (KFB) Board of Directors met today with gubernatorial candidates Jack Conway and Matt Bevin to discuss positions on issues affecting the state’s agriculture industry.

Conway (D) and Bevin (R) fielded questions from the KFB leaders and explained their positions during the two-hour meeting at the farm organization’s state office. KFB President Mark Haney said the meeting gave the organization’s leadership and all Kentuckians an opportunity to gauge the differences between the two on key issues.

The Butler County Middle School Site-Based Decision Making Council voted unanimously earlier today - Thursday, July 23 - to select Tim Freeman as the school's new principal.  Freeman, who has been the school's assistant principal for the past three years, replaces Robert Tuck, who took a position as the middle/high school instructional supervisor for the district. 
Superintendent Scott Howard made the official announcement after the council voted to hire Freeman at a called meeting in the school's media center.  Several teachers were in attendance. 

 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Kentucky Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director John W. McCauley today announced that an additional 1,100 acres of agricultural land in Kentucky is eligible for funding for wildlife habitat restoration.

The Morgantown Trail Town Taskforce (MTTTF) had its third meeting on Thursday, at 6:30 pm. With the absence of the usual speaker,  Josh Givens, being necessitated by a last minute scheduling conflict, the meeting was conducted as more of an open-forum discussion led predominately by Sandy Keown.

 Butler County Fiscal Court held a called meeting on Monday, July 20, with all magistrates, Chad Tyree, Stevie Givens, Bobby Moore, David Whittinghill, and Johnny Tuck, in attendance.  The meeting was called to order by Judge David Fields.  The court approved the following:

Dear Butler County Schools Families:
It is with great anticipation and excitement that I welcome you back for another school year.  Although the summer break seems to fly by, I am sure parents and students alike are eager to get back to school.  Bus routes are being finalized and if you are have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call the school or the central office.  Our maintenance staff, along with the custodial staffs at each school, have done a wonderful job getting the district and schools ready for the first day.

Former Butler County Sheriff Joe Gaddie changed his plea of not guilty to one of guilty last week but will not be serving any time behind bars.  Gaddie, 66, of Quality, pleaded guilty to second degree criminal abuse (Class D felony, victim under 12-years of age) - a reduction from first degree criminal abuse in which he was previously indicted by a Butler County Grand Jury.  He was arrested April 20 following that indictment on allegations that he had abused a minor.  If that case had gone to trial and Gaddie has been found guilty, he could have been sentenced to ten years in prison.