Beech Tree News Network

The fifth week of the 2016 Legislative Session in Frankfort was historic in a number of ways. Governor Matt Bevin signed his first piece of legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 4. We also said goodbye to former State Senator and civil rights activist, Georgia Davis Powers.

 On December 7, 1941, the U.S. was bombed by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. At this act of war, “a day that will live in infamy”, a nation assembled and united against a common enemy, an “axis of evil” in the Orient and in Europe. We ought to remember and respect the sacrifices of so many who lived during those turbulent times and made it possible for us to live in freedom.

Oh Snapple!
I’m back with Snapple caps with the interesting fun facts.  Here’s a nice one: horses can’t vomit. Horses have a band of muscle around the esophagus as it enters the stomach.  This band operates in horses as much as humans; as a one-way valve.  Food freely passes down the esophagus into the stomach as the valve relaxes but the valve squeezes down the opening and cuts off the passage for food going back up.

Although January has passed, its wintery weather provided the opportunity for indoor projects. I had uninterrupted time to do some things I’ve been thinking about. I took advantage of that time to work through a much-procrastinated project.

Our daughter, Nikki, and her husband, Thomas, drove up from New Orleans for a visit on Thursday evening.  We don’t see them very often.  Nikki started a new job last April and is still building up her PTO time, and Thomas works a two-week-on/two-week-off job on a lift boat out in the Gulf. 
    This visit coincided with our granddaughter’s birthday party.  Sabria just turned five years old, and Natalie scheduled a bouncy house event to celebrate.  The bouncy houses were set up in the middle school gym, and all of Sabria’s friends were invited.

I am amazed to see the lifestyle of those in the Middle East. There are businesses, governments, and families in a “war zone.” These folks have lived this way for centuries. David knew war (I Chron. 28:3), Abraham knew war (Gen. 14:14-17), Moses knew war (Ex. 17:8-16, etc.), as did many others.

Week four of the Kentucky General Assembly marked a momentous occasion for our state. Governor Matt Bevin gave his first State of the Commonwealth Budget Address, laying out a plan that will guide Kentucky out of the financial mire that has lingered for the past eight years.

I received much positive support, a few questions and a few requests for more information from many Butler County citizens in response to my letter dated December, 17 2015.  As a result I am going to submit a series of letters or articles to help answer questions and give Butler County citizens more information.  More specifically my intent is to inform the citizens of Butler County on the workings and function of Butler County Government and even more specifically the Butler County Fiscal Court.

Life is good.  It’s a positive phrase, a mantra, even.  I got Life is Good, The Book: How to live with purpose and enjoy the ride, by Bert and John Jacobs.  The Jacobs brothers founded Life is Good in 1989.  At that juncture, they had no experience but were game for the adventure.  Today, Life is Good is a $100 million clothing company with one simple, unifying mission: to spread the power of optimism.  For WWE fans, they’re like the New Day of the clothing business. 

Recent snow days brought back memories of snow days past. Although I’ve lived in several different locations, my favorite snow day memories are of when my daughters were growing up. A common thread to my snow-day memories is that my house was cluttered with coats, mittens, toboggans, and boots/shoes, drying between outings.