Beech Tree News Network

After a lengthy three-hour work session, the Morgantown City Council met in a special called meeting Thursday night.  Selected city budget issues were on the agenda.
 
Council member Russell Givens moved to amend the City Employee Personnel Policy Manual to require spouses of city employees to use their health insurance as primary when the spouse is covered at his/her place of employment.  The Council approved the requirement.
 

UPDATE 5/23/12 4:45 PM: The body of Recil "Dale" Felty Sr. was found this afternoon in the wooded area behind the Dollar General Store. Morgantown City Police, Butler County Sheriff's Deputies, and Kentucky State Police responded to the scene along with Emergency Management Director Terry Hunt and Coroner Marty Jones.

Police responded to the scene after receiving a complaint of a strong odor coming from that area from Dollar Store employees. Security tape footage from the Dollar Store showed Felty leaving the store last Saturday and heading in that direction.

Morgantown Mayor Linda Keown said the city is looking at "all options" when it comes to the issue of whether or not to consider eliminating the city's police department in favor of contracting with the Butler County Sheriff's Department for polices services inside city limits.  However, the mayor is quick to point out that these deliberations are only in the preliminary stage and the city is not close to making a decision on this sensitive issue.  

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at Western Kentucky University has been recognized by Newsweek magazine as the nation’s top high school. Local student Alonna Ballinger attends the academy.

America’s Best High Schools 2012, released online Sunday and in the May 28, 2012, print edition of the magazine, recognized 1,000 schools from across the United States. The Gatton Academy was ranked fifth in 2011 list.

The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) will dedicate a historical marker to honor Bishop John Monroe Moore at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 26, on the Butler County Courthouse lawn in Morgantown.

Dr. Brenda Priddy, dean of the Campbellsville University School of Education, congratulated 167 teachers from 63 school districts throughout Kentucky as they received the CampbellsvilleUniversity Excellence in Teaching Award Saturday, May 12 at Winters Dining Hall in the E. Bruce Heilman Student Center Complex on the CU campus.

The Excellence in Teaching Award recipients include the following with their superintendent listed first:

Family members, friends, and well wishers gathered at the Butler County Middle School gymnasium tonight as approximately 150 eighth grade students were recognized at the school's 2011-12 graduation and awards night ceremony.  

Butler County, KY - The Butler County Sheriff's Department will be conducting traffic safety checkpoints in Butler County during the period of May 21-June 30. During the checkpoints officers will be enforcing laws related to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, licensing of motor vehicles and operators, registration and insurance violations, seat belt and child restraint violations, and motor vehicle equipment violations.

The Butler County Fiscal Court met for over two-and-a-half hours on Monday night in their regular meeting for May. The meeting included an 80-minute closed session which resulted in discipline for one county employee, and termination for another.

The City of Morgantown and Chad Johnson are defendants in a civil action suit by Marten Transport, LTD, over missing candy from an accident on the Natcher Parkway over a year ago.