Nine Teenagers In Program The efforts of local youth advocates, substance abuse counselors and judges to bring a juvenile drug court to Daviess County are finally paying off, with nine teenagers now participating in the county's fledgling program. The drug court, which got off the ground in May and now has a full-time program manager, might grow to serve as many as 25 juveniles by the end of its first year. But for now, organizers said they are just happy that the long-awaited project is starting to serve area juveniles with addiction problems. [continues 381 words]
During the past five years, law enforcement agencies in Kentucky have found and destroyed an average of more than 450,000 marijuana plants annually, or about one plant for every nine state residents. Through Friday, police throughout the state had seized 10,295 plants so far this year, which is about 500 more than were found during the same period last year. And the main growing season is just beginning. "It's still early in the marijuana growing season," said Capt. Lisa Rudzinski, spokeswoman for the Kentucky State Police. "Within the next few months, we'll find the bulk of the plants we find each year." [continues 846 words]
The Daviess County Detention Center is offering another tool to help inmates in jail because of an addiction find a way to keep from coming back. This week, more than 80 members of the jail's general population began participating in Recovery Dynamics, a weekly substance abuse counseling program based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. "It's a way for them to see that there's hope out there," said Donna Nolan, coordinator of the jail's GOALS substance abuse treatment program. "It's making them slow down and think about what they do." [continues 443 words]
Chemical Additive Tints Anhydrous Pink Local law enforcement is hoping a new additive for anhydrous ammonia, a common farm fertilizer used in methamphetamine production, will put a dent in its theft throughout the region. Next month, the local Royster-Clark supply store on U.S. 431 in Utica will begin adding GloTell to the anhydrous ammonia it sells to area farmers. The additive, patented by Royster-Clark, causes most objects that come in contact with the fertilizer or its vapors to be stained bright pink. [continues 448 words]
$250,000 Is Allocated to 2nd Congressional District Area counties will receive $250,000 in federal money during the coming year for methamphetamine eradication programs, Rep. Ron Lewis's office announced this weekend. Kentucky's 2nd Congressional district will receive federal money to fight methamphetamine for the fourth year in a row, according to Lt. Jeff Jones with the Daviess County Sheriff's Department. The funding was part of the current fiscal year's omnibus spending bill, which received congressional approval this weekend. [continues 140 words]
Drug Ingredients More Easily Gathers Outside Kentucky In Georgia, a person can walk into a drug store, buy five packages of cold medicine and walk out the door without the clerk or area police raising an eyebrow. In Kentucky, the same scenario could lead to the arrest of the clerk and the customer on felony drug charges. The difference? Many cold medicines contain pseudoephedrine, which can be used to produce methamphetamine. Last year, only 17 methamphetamine labs were seized in Georgia while nearly 300 were seized in Kentucky, according to Drug Enforcement Administration statistics. [continues 766 words]
Fifteen Graduate From Program Tim Reid has a tattoo of a teardrop below his right eye to remind him of his brother's unsuccessful struggle against cancer. Reid took a big step in his own struggle with addiction with his graduation Thursday from Daviess County Drug Court, but he said no tears should be shed about his battle. "I got a disease I can cure. There ain't no sense in crying over it," Reid told those gathered at the Judicial Center for the ceremony. "You've got to fight it and be strong." [continues 376 words]
Treatment Getting More Attention Funding for the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force and other regional drug task forces has been cut for the coming year as the state shifts more attention to drug treatment and education. The Pennyrile task force, which covers a 10-county area in western Kentucky, including Muhlenberg and McLean counties, has lost more than $70,000 in funding from the federal Edward Byrne grant administered by the state each year for law enforcement purposes, according to task force director Cheyenne Albro. [continues 440 words]
For many, drug and alcohol abuse contributed to crimes Jimbo Johnson has been an inmate at the Daviess County Detention Center three times. His third stay began 20 months ago and may not end for another seven years. "Each time I've been in here, I swear to myself, my family, that I wouldn't be back," Johnson told a crowd of about 75 gathered on the grounds of the detention center Thursday afternoon. But each time, he has been back, largely because of his addiction to drugs and alcohol, Johnson said. [continues 554 words]
