Pubdate: Fri, 13 Sep 2002 Source: Roanoke Times (VA) Copyright: 2002 Roanoke Times Contact: http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/368 Author: SHAY WESSOL RADFORD PLANS ANTI-DRUG FAIR This week's drug bust in Radford and Pulaski drove home the problem of drug use for Karen LaPlante, Radford's juvenile crime control coordinator. RADFORD - When five teenagers in a row tested positive for cocaine use last year, Karen LaPlante knew she had to do something to help parents steer their children in the right direction. Earlier this week, when 16 Radford residents accused of running a major drug ring were arrested on federal drug charges, LaPlante, the city's juvenile crime control coordinator, knew her instincts had been right. LaPlante's vision will come to life Oct. 5 at the city's new recreation center as the Family Fun Fair, an event for parents and their children of all ages. The event is built around showing young people the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse and giving them alternative things to do, LaPlante said. Organizations from Radford and surrounding areas will set up booths showing off what activities they offer to children. "You always hear about what's wrong in a community, and there are things that are wrong. But we have a lot of positive things going on in this area as well," LaPlante said. "It's our hope that if parents and their children see what those things are, we can get them involved in those kinds of positive activities before they turn to drugs." Parents of teenagers will also be able to pick up free drug-test kits. "My goal is to let the parents find out before their child winds up in trouble," she said. "It keeps it in the home and gives parents a chance to deal with it." LaPlante, who gives drug screens to teenagers for the court system and at parents' requests, said she was startled last year when a series of the tests she doled out turned up positive for cocaine use. The discovery startled her, especially considering that 73 percent of teenagers who do test positive have been using marijuana, she said. "People don't realize you can mix cocaine and other drugs or mix pills and alcohol and you can wind up a dead human being," she said. Radford residents got a sense of how deep the drug problems run - for everyone - earlier this week when charges were announced against 16 people. U.S. Attorney John Brownlee said they were involved in a drug ring that distributed more than 5 kilograms of crack cocaine, 5 kilograms of powder cocaine and multiple pounds of marijuana in the last 2 1/2 years in Radford and Pulaski County. It was the largest cocaine bust in Radford, authorities said. Radford Police Chief Wes Terry said the group is suspected in several drive-by shootings, including an incident several years ago that involved shots fired at a Radford officer's home. No one was injured in any of the shootings. "These were very bad boys," Terry said. He said the group was considered the largest distributors of hard drugs in the city and the arrest should curtail drug traffic in the city for some time. But, he said, someone else will always move in to take over the business. Drugs are a problem in Radford, just like they are everywhere else, LaPlante said. But in Radford, a small city of about 16,000, the problem hits closer to home, she said. "We don't have as many visible problems in Radford, but when you bring them to light, people do want to do something about it," she said. Other activities planned at the Family Fun Day include demonstrations by Dusty, Radford' police dog, and the "Fatal Vision" course, in which children drive a golf cart through an obstacle course while wearing goggles that mimic drug-or alcohol-impaired vision. Motivational speaker Joseph Jennings, a 6-foot, 1-inch, 260-pound former drug addict and gang leader who has been stabbed, burned and shot 13 times, will address the crowd. The event runs from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Radford Recreation Center. SHAY WESSOL can be reached at 381-1665 or Percent- 'We don't have as many visible problems in Radford, but when you bring them to light, people do want to do something about it.' KAREN LAPLANTE JUVENILE CRIME CONTROL COORDINATOR Percent - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart