Beech Tree News Network

 Following a 75-minute closed session of a called meeting to discuss personnel and litigation, the Morgantown City Council announced the hiring of Charles Swiney as the permanent Morgantown Chief of Police on a 5-1 roll call vote.  Mayor Linda Keown made the recommendation to hire Swiney.  Councilmember Dionne Merritt voted no.  Councilmembers Terrell House, Gary Southerland, Allen Meredith, and Russell Givens all voted yes.

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 February 15 – March 3.
Civil Cases:
PBI Bank vs. Alberto Meza
PBI Bank vs. Amanda Cottrell
Suntrust Mortgage vs. Randell L. Phelps
US Bank National Association vs. Goeble Cline
Family Court:
James B. Belk vs. Amanda K. Belk
Carl C. Daugherty vs. Lisa A. Daugherty

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) was recently awarded the “Conservative Award” by the American Conservative Union (ACU) Foundation.

BREAKING NEWS: Trailer fully engulfed onSawmill Road, one person transported to hospital with burns. More details coming soon.

UPDATE: A fire broke out around 11:00 am on Friday morning in Valhalla Village located at 375 Sawmill Road.  The mobile home of Dennis Jones was fully engulfed in flames and was a complete loss.  Jones was transported to Hartford Hospital with burns. He was treated and released.

Butler County native Kathy Goff has been named Interim Superintendent of Warren County Public Schools.  Goff, currently assistant superintendent, was selected in a special called board of education meeting Wednesday evening.

Goff’s selection was based on her strong academic and instructional background, especially in light of upcoming assessments in the district, board Chairman Kerry Young said.

The Butler County Republican Party met on Thursday, February 28, 2013 for the purpose of electing officers.  Diane Ingram was elected chairperson; selected as vice-chairman was Jodie Forgy.  Other officers elected were:  Sherry Johnson, Secretary, Charlie Hutchinson, Treasurer, and Matthew Embry, Youth Chairman.

The food was excellent and the contacts available to Chamber members were many as the Chamber met for its February luncheon on Thursday at the Butler County Extension Office. President James Runion thanked Country Fine Swine for the catered meal.

He also announced that the United Way is seeking drop-off boxes for its March canned food drive. “Food collected in Butler County stays in Butler County,” said Runion. United Way will partner with the local food pantry for distribution of the “Feed the Need.”

The Butler County EMS unit was given an award on February 26, 2013 for outstanding work in the care of STEMI patients, as well as their contribution to the Medical Center's regional STEMI network.

STEMI, short for ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction is a very serious type of heart attack in which the coronary artery is entirely blocked by a blood clot. As a result, all the heart muscle that is supplied by that artery begins to die.

U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield, (KY-01), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power, today was presented with the Kentucky Farm Bureau ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ Award at a breakfast with nearly 200 Kentuckians this morning.  In expressing gratitude for receiving the ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ award, Whitfield noted his ongoing push for a long-term farm bill.

The Butler County Fiscal Court met in special session on Monday evening at 5:30. On the agenda was a discussion of an ordinance regulating landfills and other waste management sites and facilities within  Butler County.