Woman accused of taking money from job

A woman who worked in marketing at a Cincinnati medical supply company is accused of stealing almost $400,000 since 2001 by submitting employee travel vouchers twice - once for the person who took the trip and once for herself, authorities said.

Employees at Schaerer Mayfield USA Inc. discovered the theft early this year after employees in different departments compared notes and realized they were issuing checks for the same trips.

A Hamilton County grand jury indicted Beverly Thiery, 42, of Florence, Tuesday on charges of theft and forgery. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison.

Prosecutors say she used the money, taken from February 2001 to January of this year, to pay bills.

In 1995, Thiery spent five months in a federal prison in West Virginia after she was convicted on a credit-card theft charge.

History project needs Burlington photos

BURLINGTON - A book about Burlington's history is being put together and the organizers need pictures.

The Boone County Historic Preservation Review Board is collecting old pictures for a book that will be part of Arcadia Publishing's "Images of America Series."

The book will look at Burlington and the surrounding area, including Limaburg, Middle Creek and Idlewild, said Matt Becher, rural/open space planner for the review board. The board needs 200 to 220 pictures. Becher said he hopes to include pictures of the 1943 Kiger murder trial, local inventor Frank S. Milburn, and Glenrose Williams, Kentucky's first female sheriff.

Anyone with pictures of people, places or events in Burlington and the surrounding area is asked to contact Becher at (859) 334-2111.

Florence a tree city for the 12th time

FLORENCE - For the 12th time, Florence has been named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

To become a tree city, communities have to have a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a community forestry program and an Arbor Day observance.

Florence's observance will be Wednesday at St. Paul and A.M. Yealy elementary schools where trees will be planted. Mayor Diane Whalen will give a proclamation.

Florence is one of 27 Tree Cities, including Covington and Fort Thomas, in Kentucky. Arbor Day, an observance that encourages tree planting and care, is April 30.