Pubdate: Mon, 04 Feb 2002
Source: Southern Standard, The (TN)
Copyright: 2002 Southern Standard & The Smithville Review
Contact:  http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=941
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1513
Author: Sherry Bittner

METHMINNVILLE NEEDS MORE HELP THAN NEW POOL

TO THE EDITOR:

I am writing to tell you about the distinct "pleasure" I had over the past 
weekend. And the only reason I can use the word pleasure is because I was 
not visiting Warren County Jail. And I pray I never have to.

But on Jan. 17-19, I had the "pleasure" to drive to and from Madison, Ala. 
every day to show my love and support for a loved one in a rehabilitation 
center. Thursday and Friday we were there from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and on 
Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In a family session of 11 patients, three of these patients were from 
"MethMinnville." And this was only one group I was involved with.

Hello people! I didn't even realize our town was being referred to by this 
name until that weekend when someone from another area referred to our town 
by this name. And people please don't fool yourself. This could be your 
child or loved one on meth or some other addiction you don't see or know.

Please people wake up. If you really want to do something to better our 
town, use money city officials hoped to use for a pool and give it to 
Jackie and his jail and get a real rehab center in this town. God bless you 
Jackie Matheny. Keep on doing what you are doing.

If this town had rather build a pool than a jail, fine. Put criminals in 
tents. Since when should a criminal be treated better than a person who 
serves, fights, and even dies for our country anyway? If you think a pool 
will bring jobs into this town, then rest assured that eventually the drug 
problems in this town will have some affect on their departure.

The vote is already in and the pool has been shot down. But I beg you 
people to look at the real problem in this town. No pool, skatepark, or any 
other entertainment facility will fix this problem. MethMinnville needs a 
lot more than that.

I only know that every day I pray to the Lord I never have the "privilege" 
to visit a loved one at an overcrowded jail because he or she lives in a 
town where there is plenty of meth, a nice pool and plenty of recreation, 
but nowhere for them to get the help they really need.

Thank you,

Sherry Bittner
2017 Capshaw Rd.
Warren County
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart