Beech Tree News Network

There has been much debate lately on the fate of the Green River Catfish Festival.  As with all good things, they either have to have a plan for future (Ford, Wal-Mart) or die off (Pontiac, TWA).  I believe it's time to take a hard look at the festival and ALL the activities associated with it to see if we are getting the maximum return on our investment.  There should be no Sacred Cows when looking at the festival.

Men and women don’t communicate well with each other. Well duh. Who doesn’t know that?  Sometimes both of them don’t.
A woman may say to her husband out-of-the-blue, “They went to Bowling Green last night and bought a second hand table.”
This says to the husband, “Who went to Bowling Green, and where did they buy a second hand table?”
The wife , after much chastisement: “ Well, Bill and Sue, they went like they do every Friday night to the auction, you ought to know that.”

There is a saying in the sports world: The great ones play hurt.  It is a reference to the athletes who stay in the game despite personal injury.
    On Friday, July 12th, my husband, Garey, drove to the VA hospital in Nashville to take a routine stress test.  Four minutes and 39 seconds into the test, the medical team shut it down.  Garey called me from the hospital.  He had been admitted.  He was scheduled for a heart cath the following Monday.  I drove down on Friday evening to spend what would be one of four days at the hospital with him.

In June of this year, Americans were met with the news that The Supreme Court of the United States had “legislated” from the bench again. Their 5-4 ruling was that section three of the Defense of Marriage Act was “unconstitutional”. Put simply, section three did not allow “same-sex” couples to receive the same government benefits that heterosexual married people receive. In effect, this ruling opens a door for the federal government’s recognition of “same-sex” marriages.

There is a group taking Facebook by storm.  Bryan Locke started the group called you Know You’re From Morgantown, KY if you remember… However, the group is not limited to memories of Morgantown.  I messaged Bryan and got some great information.  

At last week's meeting of the Morgantown City Council, Mayor Linda Keown, as well as various members of the Council, rightly called the 2013 Green River Catfish Festival a success despite the havoc caused by four days of rain.  While we recognize some of the shortcomings of this year's Festival, we tend to agree with that assessment.  What we don't agree with is the suggestion that the Festival needs to be moved to a different date or shortened to a 1-2-day event.  Either of these changes, we believe, could significantly weaken the Festival to the point of extinction.

Lazy summer days come to a screeching halt when the school calendar announces, “First day for students.” Butler County Schools’ 2013-14 calendar shows August 8th as the first day for students. So, many parents have begun to think about this deadline.

In preparation for returning to school, parents and guardians have many things to do. Student must have up-to-date immunizations and physical exams. As children grow – sometimes in spurts, clothing and shoe sizes change, resulting in a need for additional items. Then, students need school supplies.

There are many appropriate ways one can interpret and apply the classic biblical story of "The Good Samaritan."  Many story lines can be found and a good dose of empathy can allow the story to be studied and understood from multiple perspectives.  First, let's look at the text itself within the proper context.   

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The Gospel of St. Luke (10:25-37)

My cat, Colleen, is probably in the last months of her life.  She is nearly sixteen years old, and this summer I’ve noticed a marked difference in the way she gets around.  It’s harder for her to get up once she has been lying down for a while, and she can barely manage the two steps that lead up to my utility room.  Even in Colleen’s younger days, our daughter, Nikki, referred to her as our grandma cat.  She has always had that “wise beyond her years” demeanor.  I believe it’s because she had to deal with so much at an early age.

Growing up as a young boy in the farmland of Michigan I am no stranger to the outdoor world. Many times have I heard the crunch of snow under my boots during the frigid winters or felt sweat stinging my eyes while baling hay beneath the hot August sun. Field corn had to be planted by Memorial Day and should be knee high by July 4th, is how the old guys put it. After the corn was put in the silos in October it was also time to pheasant hunt. A good hunting dog to have along with you was like having a multi tool at your side.