Beech Tree News Network

Green River DAR has received two large military base flags that flew over areas in Iraq. Rose Marie McEackin spent seven years in Iraq from 2005-2011 and wrote the following information about each flag. 

A longtime public office holder and political force in Butler County for decades was laid to rest Tuesday afternoon - July 3 - at Hill Haven Cemetery in Morgantown.

Butler County High School student Tori Fugate recently returned home from Kentucky Farm Bureau’s Institute for Future Agricultural Leaders (IFAL). Fugate and 41 other high school students from around the state attended the five-day summer leadership conference, held June 17-21 at Murray State University.

An identical IFAL conference was also held June 24-28 at the University of Kentucky for an additional 42 students.

A Butler County man walked away from a single vehicle accident Tuesday morning on the Natcher Parkway near the Butler-Warren County line. According to authorities, Marcus Kessinger was traveling south on the Natcher while attempting to eat. When his vehicle entered the median, Kessinger over-corrected causing his vehicle to overturn. The vehicle came to rest in the median. Kessinger was not injured in the accident.

The 32nd annual Green River Catfish Festival is set to kick off tonight with a free gate night. The festival will run Wednesday, July 4 through Saturday, July 7 at the Charles Black City Park. As always, fireworks will be held at twilight on the 4th.

Events will start Wednesday morning with the terrapin race for the kids and will continue throughout the weekend. Events this year include a classic car show, SOKY Star Search, pageants, and the annual fishing tournament. Carnival rides and food vendors are also set up throughout the park.

Everyone should be aware of the danger of fire this very dry season. Most of us enjoy the week of the Fourth of July. Fireworks go along with this celebration. However, the Kentucky Division of Forestry and the Division of Fire Prevention are reminding Kentuckians to take extra caution due to the extreme dry conditions.

Please do not use fireworks in Morgantown. Kentucky Revised Statute 227.702-.750 states "do not use fireworks within 200 feet of a structure or vehicle." Also, no personal fireworks will be permitted in the City Park.

With the 32nd Green River Catfish Festival just under a week away, many fisherman are gearing up for the annual fishing tournament. Fishing tickets cost only $10 this year and are good for all three days of the tournament. The fishing tournament will run Thursday, July 5th through Saturday, July 7th from 6 am to 6 pm each day. Fishermen will be competing to catch the 24 tagged fish worth a combined $16,150. One fish, sponsored by the Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce, will be worth $10,000.

Operation B.L.U.E. Lights is the summer enforcement campaign for the Kentucky State Police that began June 1 and is picking up speed as it sweeps across the state. The campaign is designed to bring attention to unsafe driving behaviors in an effort to offset the recent spike in traffic deaths on Kentucky roadways. The Butler County Sheriff's Department will join KSP in conducting traffic safety checkpoints in Butler County during the period of July 1 thru July 30, 2012.

The Office of the State Climatologist and the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, in coordination with the Kentucky Drought Mitigation Team, are issuing a Level 2 drought declaration for 24 counties in three Drought Management Areas (DMAs) in western Kentucky.  In addition, a Level 1 drought has been declared for 66 counties in nine DMAs.

The Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce held its monthly luncheon on Thursday, June 28 at the Butler County Extension Service office. Chamber President Jamie Chaney welcomed all of those in attendance including the visitors. The meal was catered by the Banock Chapter Order of the Eastern Star 531.