Burke pleads not guilty to forgery charges

A former chief financial officer for the Whitley County School District, who was fired on June 16 amid allegations of misappropriation of school funds, made her first appearance in court Monday afternoon concerning forgery charges related to another organization.

Judge Cathy Prewitt entered a not guilty plea for Leigh Burke, 54, of Williamsburg, during her arraignment in district court on four counts of first-degree forgery. Prewitt scheduled a July 25 preliminary hearing in the case.