Beech Tree News Network

Beech Tree Media, in conjunction with the Kentucky High School Journalism Association, is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Butler County High School Journalism Program. Media outlets across the state were given the opportunity to sponsor their local high school(s) in the association. Over 20 BCHS students will benefit from this partnership.

The Butler County School District has some tough decisions to make.Facing an approximate $905,000 deficit for the 2012-2013 school year, several employees - classified and certified (teachers) have already been told they will most likely not have a job next school year.

According to Superintendent Scott Howard, the school district has been overspending by about $200,000 for the past few years. 

A truck fire on Natcher Parkway in Butler County shut down one direction of traffic earlier tonight. At around 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday night, members of the Morgantown Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to the 33-mile marker southbound on the William Natcher Parkway.  Firefighters found an unoccupied tandem truck owned by Foster Trucking of Morgantown on fire. The southbound lanes were closed temporary while the fire was extinguished.  One lane of the Natcher Parkway was reopened at approximately 10:18 p.m. 

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 Circuit Clerk’s offices and cover January 16 – January 31, 2012.

Civil Cases:
Capital One Bank vs. David B. Minton
Wells Fargo Bank vs. Christopher C. Flewallen, et al
Louise Proctor, et al vs. Roger Drake, et al
The Bank of New York vs. Brian Woodward, et al
Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance vs. Christopher Henderson

David and Cindy Henkle are  homeless after a fire today at their home on 554 Taylor Cemetery Road in North Butler County. The structure, a doublewide, was completely destroyed in the blaze which was brought under control by units from the Morgantown, 4th District, and 5th District Fire Departments.

KYTC crews will have a lane closure in place on the William H. Natcher Parkway beginning today while vegetation is cleared from the right of way.

The lane closure will be in place for the northbound direction only beginning at mile marker 15 in Warren County. The lane closure will shift northward daily as crews work to remove brush and small trees from the right of way.

Butler Countians along with others were invited to a one-time opportunity to view the damage to the Eggner’s ferry (Hwy 68-80) bridge across Kentucky Lake Saturday from 9 AM till 1 PM. The structure had been struck by a commercial ship during the night of January 26.

Eleven students representing school districts statewide have been selected to serve on the first Next-Generation Student Council, a new group formed by Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday. Steven Hunter Peay, a junior at Butler County High School, has been selected as a member of the council. “I’m looking forward to meeting with this group of students and hearing their ideas and thoughts about Kentucky’s public education system,” said Holliday.

A proposal  to eliminate seven athletic teams at Butler County High School was the main topic of discussion at yesterday's monthly meeting of the school's site-based decision making council. The programs in jeopardy are golf, tennis, soccer  - both male and female teams - and volleyball.  According to Principal Patrick O'Driscoll, the issue comes down to cutting athletics to save teachers.

A small pickup truck and a large van collided earlier tonight on U.S. 231 in front of Aberdeen Grocery.  Although substantial damage was done to both vehicles, especially the truck, no significant injuries were reported by either of the individuals involved.