Beech Tree News Network

The Morgantown City Council spent most of Thursday night’s monthly meeting in a lengthy discussion of the draft sidewalk ordinance.  The proposed ordinance updates the city’s current sidewalk ordinance, but nearly all debate centered on whether to make the additional change of making the city responsible for maintenance and repair of sidewalks.  The proposed ordinance leaves intact the old requirement that property owners are responsible for maintaining their stretch of sidewalk.
 

Morgantown Care and Rehab is now among the top nursing homes in Kentucky, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.(CMS)

MCRC received a five-star rating, the highest rate offered by the government group. In rating a nursing home, the CMS take into consideration staffing levels, inspections by the Department of Health, as well as other Medicare and Medicaid quality measures.

With Kentucky Retirement Systems set for a more than $270 million increase in contributions in the next biennium, officials with the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System told lawmakers Thursday the agency will seek an additional $790 million from the state in the next two-year budget.

The proposed 10.4 percent annual increase would nearly double the state’s current contribution rate of 13.1 percent, said Gary Harbin, executive secretary of KTRS.

Due to the government shut down, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program(LIHEAP) calendar has been updated.

Pre-applications for the program for elderly individuals and others on fixed incomes were originally supposed to start during the second week of October, with the program officially opening Nov. 4. That start date has been delayed until November 12, 2013 and the program will run through December 19, 2013. Pre-applications will not be available.

UPDATED:The accident is still under investgation. Robin Smith,53, is currently at Vandy Medical Center in Nashville.  According to offiicals they believe she was the passenger in the vehicle. Lavinia Hope Peters,44, did not survive the accident.  Lawson Laster of Lewisburg was the diriver of the car that was rear ended by James Hawkins of Graham, who was driving for Howard Trucking, LLC of Calhoun, Kentucky.

On the 25th of September Butler Counties ROTC Bear Company of over 110 cadets formed in the gym for the Area Managers Inspection (AMI) by Commander Dial, who is responsible for over 56 schools in four states. The cadets did a fantastic job presenting themselves and their knowledge of drill to Commander Dial.

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 the Butler County Clerk and Circuit Clerk’s offices and cover September 16-October 2.
Civil Cases:
Morgantown Bank & Trust vs. Leslie and Casey Turci
Warren County KY vs. Charlie P. Smith
Medical Center vs. Charlie P. Smith
Vanderbilt Mortgage & Finance vs. Janiel Cardwell
Family Court:
Jennifer Lynn Joiner vs. Brandon Ray Joiner

Cleatus L. Johnson 50, of 5446 Love Lee Road, was arrested on Friday morning and lodged in the Butler County Jail.  Johnson was charged with possession of a controlled substance, first degree, first offense , no brake lights, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs.

The Kentucky Department of Revenue Friday announced that the statewide Property Valuation Administrator (PVA) test for prospective candidates for each county PVA office will be given at 9 a.m. EST on Nov. 8. The test will be given at the Eagle Lake Convention Center in Lawrenceburg. Persons must reside in the county in which they seek election. Applicants who qualify by passing this examination will be eligible to seek election in the 2014 primary and general elections, according to a state news release.

A truck and two people ended up in the water just above the Rochester Dam on Monday morning.  After the driver, David Shane Tabb, 36 of Bowder, and his passenger Teneka Edwards, of Muhlenberg County, were rescued Tabb was arrested by the Muhlenberg County Sheriff’s Department and lodged in the Muhlenberg County Detention Center.  He was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence, first offense, and possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) first degree.