Dog Could Be Used To Check Lockers, Cars In Order To Combat Drug Use IRONTON -- Lawrence County schools, the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department and the county's juvenile probate court are working together to start a K-9 unit that will be used in county schools. "It's a drug dog," said Harold "Bucky" Shafer, superintendent of the Lawrence County Educational Service Center. "It can be used to check lockers. It can be used to check cars in the parking lot, whatever seems appropriate. It's a tactic to combat drugs in the schools. [continues 479 words]
Out-Of-Town Drug Dealers Becoming More Prevalent, Local Officials Say IRONTON -- Though it's a small town nestled along the river in rural southern Ohio, Ironton is facing a big-city problem. Half of the drug trafficking arrests -- or 13 of 26 -- in the Ironton area in the last seven months have been suspects from the Columbus area, and most of those cases involved crack cocaine, said Lawrence County Sheriff Tim Sexton. A Lawrence County grand jury indicted four Columbus residents earlier this month on drug charges, and one defendant from Columbus was sentenced to 16 years in prison on a crack cocaine-related drug conviction. [continues 479 words]
Support Sessions Aid Families With Overcoming Effects Of Addictions CHESAPEAKE, Ohio -- It's been a tough year for Ernie and Debby Howard. Their drug-addicted daughter broke into their Scioto County home and stole a number of things to buy drugs. They also had to kick out their son from their home because of his drug habit. Luckily, the Howards have found a support network. A free, hour-long counseling session for the loved ones of those addicted to alcohol or drugs in Portsmouth has helped them endure the past year. [continues 491 words]
IRONTON -- An Ironton physician was being held in federal custody without bond Friday after he was named in a 61-count drug indictment in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati. The indictment returned Thursday accuses Dr. Randall L. McCollister, 52, of 111 Cove St., South Point, Ohio, and two of his patients with conspiring to write and fill fraudulent prescriptions for painkillers including oxycodone, known by the brand name OxyContin, during a two-year period starting in January 1999. McCollister was ordered detained in federal custody Friday by U.S. Magistrate Timothy Hogan, said Tim Oakley, an assistant U.S. attorney. A formal detention hearing was set for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Jack Sherman Jr. in Cincinnati. [continues 638 words]
