No Mower Countian should for a moment think the county is alone in its jail-justice center saga. In fact, there are 42 Minnesota counties presently studying expanding or building new jail and justice center facilities. That's what the Mower County Board of Commissioners and selected staffers learned at the recent Association of Minnesota Counties' legislative conference. David Hillier, 3rd District county commissioner, said Tuesday the 42 jail and justice center issues did not include counties who have attempted to solve issues of their own by building new facilities, such as the recently opened Steele (3 years ago) and Freeborn County (last year) jail and justice centers. [continues 598 words]
The Austin Independent School District will once again attempt to get serious about drug abuse. Superintendent Candace Raskin announced Monday night to the Austin Board of Education the district will launch an offensive against a rash of criminal cases involving drug use by students. According to Raskin, it will begin with a rare Sunday evening public meeting to discuss the situation. "We're hoping for a good discussion and to find out what we are doing and what we can do better," Raskin said. [continues 203 words]
The Mower County Board of Commissioners is taking a rigid stance against spending. Even if it is a popular program for children and teenagers to learn how to fight drugs. The Austin Police Department has done away with its Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. Now, the Mower County Sheriff's Office DARE program may also be doomed. On Tuesday, the county coordinator, Craig Oscarson, told the commissioners, chief deputy Mark May wrote the county commissioners requesting they consider funding to keep the DARE program alive in out-county schools. [continues 179 words]
