February 17, 2026
25 Years Ago - February 20, 2001
Falmouth City Council denied Mayor Gene Flaugher’s fire chief appointments during a special meeting Feb. 16.
Flaugher claimed that since the position had been vacant since September and since the new council that took office in January still hadn’t named a chief, it was his duty and within his authority to do so.
He appointed Robert J. Pettit chief, and David Marquardt and Darrin Brown assistant chiefs.
But no motion came from council to confirm these appointments. Instead, Clay Clifford made a motion that council await an answer from the attorney general on chief qualifications before deciding whether to approve the appointments. Council approved that unanimously.
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As a matter of course, Mayor Gene Flaugher and the Falmouth City Council hold their business sessions in the Community Room of the Pendleton County Courthouse.
But not this time. For the Feb. 14 meetings, City Council stayed home.
That is to say, for the very first time, they met in the new Council Room that is located within the magnificently restored Kennett Tavern. The community can justifiably take pride in its new City Hall.
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Students at Sharp Middle School will head outdoors for some learning experiences in the future.
Griffin Industries, Butler Plant, has adopted Sharp as partners in Education and working along with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System to create an outdoor learning area in woods behind the track at the school.
50 Years Ago - February 20, 1976
Jailer Earl T. Gillespie has resigned as Pendleton County jailer, effective Feb. 29.
County Judge David H. Pribble has appointed Joe Greene as the next jailer. The appointment will be made Feb. 27 or 28, and Mr. Greene will be sworn in to office at that time.
Mr. Greene recently served as assistant Falmouth police chief and did not seek re-election. He is a registered Democrat in Precinct 3, Courthouse, giving as his address 213 Montjoy St., Falmouth.
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Mrs. Shirley Tuemler is the Pendleton County Bicentennial chairman for 1976, being appointed by County Judge David H. Pribble. She has called the first meeting for the citizens of the county on Tuesday, March 2 at the courthouse.
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Mel Moreland, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arnie Ray Moreland, has accomplished something rather rare and unusual.
Mel became 13 on the 13th of February. This was not just the 13th, but Friday the 13th.
Mel is a seventh-grader at Pendleton Middle School and attends Butler United Methodist Church.
His hobbies are basketball and horseback riding. Mel’s nickname is “The Great,” and anyone knowing Mel knows why this is his nickname.
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The Pendleton County Wildcats dropped their 17th game of the season to the Bourbon County Colonels Tuesday at home. The Colonels led all the way and wound up winning the game 81 to 67.
Although the Wildcats have lost 17 of their 22 games, 10 of those losses were by 10 points or less. So you can see the Wildcats have come so close many times.
75 Years Ago - February 23, 1951
Albert Hamilton Barker of Cynthiana, a native of Pendleton County, has realized his lifelong ambition to become the circuit judge of the 18th Judicial District.
He received his commission and appointment as circuit judge Tuesday morning from Gov. Lawrence Wetherby to fill out the unexpired term of J.C. Dedman, who died Feb. 9.
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An old-time fiddlers contest is being given at the Butler High School next Wednesday night by the Butler Lions Club. The committee in charge reports that good musicians will play that evening, but they are still looking for more entries.
Forty dollars in prizes will be given to first and second place for the best individual fiddler, best guitar player, best banjo player and best lady musician, plus first for best band.
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Mr. and Mrs. N.R. Newkirk have sold their grocery business and goodwill in Butler to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Deatherage of Knoxville. Mr. Newkirk, who has been in the grocery business in that city for the past 25 years, wishes to sincerely thank all of his friends and customers for their patronage given him during these years.
100 Years Ago - February 19, 1926
Monday evening, a committee of farmer appointed by Mr. C.B. Peoples, president of the Pendleton County Farm Improvement Association, met in the Butler Deposit Banks to make out a program of improvement to fit the needs of that community. After a thorough discussion of the farming of that community and possible improvements, the following program for this was adopted:
1. To hold at least three monthly tests of milk through the school. Prof. Norris, leader. To get ten farmers to bring samples of milk from each cow to be tested. Vernon Moreland, leader.
2. To interest farmers in the campaign of the USDA for the use of purebred sires and to get at least 25 farmers to agree to use only purebred sires on all classes of livestock. Wm. Campbell and H.M. Owen, leaders.
3. To hold more demonstrations in poultry culling. V.W. Corbin, leader.
4. To conduct a fall and winer egg laying contest, starting Nov. 1, to promote better care of poultry. Mrs. George Gedge, leader.
5. To conduct three tests of the fertilization of alfalfa. Millard Tucker, leader.
6. To hold two demonstrations in drenching sheep for stomach worms. T. M. Bradford, leader.
7. To properly prune and spray four demonstration orchards. Prof. Norris and class in agriculture.
8. To conduct Junior Agricultural Club. Carl Myers, leader.