Warning America: the youth of this country are under attack. Bombings, catastrophic natural disasters and the threat of another world war: all of these sound like terrifying realities. But there is a much more alarming threat to our way of life that, if not addressed immediately, will leave our country and our entire future in shambles. The use of drugs, alcohol and the incidence of teenage crime has always been a reality. But what is alarming is not only the number of teens who now participate in this kind of behavior, but also the amount of exposure and the ease of availability for these destructive items. [continues 1085 words]
Voluntary Testing Will Be Offered To All Students Oak Grove varsity basketball player Lebaron Weathers took his first drug test last week, but wasn't concerned about the outcome. "I knew I wasn't doing any drugs so I wasn't worried about it," he said. Lamar County students who participate in athletics and other extracurricular activities began undergoing drug tests this fall. Now the school district plans to expand its drug testing beyond students who participate in school activities. The district also will implement an assistance program for students who test positive for drugs. [continues 282 words]
Our View -Education may be the best way to prevent in cocaine abuse in our area. The bubble of Oxford may not be as impenetrable as we all once thought it was. The sharp increase of cocaine seizures in Lafayette County (from 177.1 grams in 2004 to 590.6 in 2005) suggests that the use and abuse of hard drugs is no longer reserved for the harsh life of the impoverished in the inner sectors of large cities. Even the more well-off parts of small-town Mississippi cannot escape the clutches of hard-drug abuse such as that of cocaine. [continues 266 words]
Cocaine has become the drug of choice for a new generation of youth in Lafayette County. According to the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department, cocaine seizures have increased from 177.10 grams in 2004 to 590.60 grams in 2005, an increase of more than 300 percent in less than a year. "The younger generation is getting more involved, especially high school students," said Sean Lynch, assistant commander of the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit. "The biggest increase has come from adults 18 to 25." [continues 557 words]
Coldwater Elementary School, with help from the Coldwater Optimist Club and others, last Friday honored two men who served as role models for the children of their community. The fifth and sixth grade students from the school had the opportunity to participate in the John Hankerson/Marlin Stanford Memorial Run as a culmination to their Red Ribbon Week emphasis. John Hankerson, who died in 2002, was a coach for many years in Coldwater and later worked for the Corps of Engineers at Arkabutla. His widow, Shirley Hankerson, attended the race and presented ribbons to the first and second place winners from the sixth grade. [continues 104 words]
BRANDON -- The county's two school districts and a nonprofit group will split a $527,181 federal grant to fund the districts' random drug-testing policies for the next three years. District officials are still deciding how the money will be divided. The districts will share about $104,000 for each of the next three years, while DREAM Inc. in Pearl will receive a total of $213,000 to oversee the program. The Pearl and Rankin districts' drug-testing policies, approved in April and May respectively, randomly test students in extracurricular activities and those that signed up for voluntary testing. [continues 425 words]
She changed her plans from teaching junior high students to doing undercover drug purchases at the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. She kept her job a secret for five years to shield her family from potential danger. And she recognizes the importance of stepping out of Jackson Mayor Frank Melton's shadow to show the public who calls the shots at the state's largest police department. Since her confirmation as police chief in July, Shirlene Anderson has re-organized JPD's command staff and cut 18 positions at the department. [continues 1083 words]
The Rankin County and Pearl school districts have completed two rounds of random drug testing without a single positive test. District officials are praising the policy's effectiveness while waiting to hear if federal funds will help pay for the program. More than 130 students in the districts were randomly tested in August and September, officials said. "With that many testing negative, compared to other school districts, I think it works as a great deterrent so far," said Justin Hallett, the Rankin County district employee who helped draft the drug-testing policy. Rankin County schools adopted a drug-testing policy in May after the Pearl district approved its policy in April. Fewer than 10 districts statewide have policies. [continues 138 words]
Deer Food Plant Fooled Sheriff Payne, Others, But Court Finds No Liability For What It Considers A Reasonable, Prudent Decision GULFPORT - Marion Waltman's 2003 kenaf crop flourished until it was mistaken for marijuana. But it was an honest mistake, according to a federal judge who dismissed a civil lawsuit Waltman filed against Sheriff George H. Payne Jr. U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. granted Payne immunity and dismissed claims that the sheriff violated Waltman's rights by destroying more than 500 kenaf plants grown as deer food. [continues 417 words]
Understanding Teens Is Aim Of Event Can parents of teenagers avoid becoming control freaks or wimps and find a middle ground? Yes, according to John Rosemond, a child psychologist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist who will tell parents how during a community rally Thursday night in Long Beach. The Long Beach Substance Abuse Task Force presents Rosemond in a free program at the University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Park campus. The 7 p.m. address is in the AEC Auditorium. [continues 318 words]
The Amite County School Board has amended a student drug-testing policy to require the mandatory testing of students who receive out-of-school suspension or who have been expelled. The change applies to students in 7th through 12th grade who are suspended or expelled from school for more than 10 days. In June, the school board adopted a drug policy subjecting students in grades 7 through 12 who participate in extracurricular activities to drug testing. Football players underwent drug tests on Monday during their physicals. [continues 56 words]
BRANDON -- As the school year opens, educators anticipate teens waiting outside their offices to be disciplined for misbehavior. But the youths won't be waiting for their school's principal. They'll be waiting to stand before Rankin County Youth Court Judge Thomas Broome. Summer is over, and the county's Juvenile Justice Center is bustling, readying itself for the busy season. "Kids are being monitored more by teachers during the school year," said Paul Bowen, Youth Court administrator. "The school district is in a position to make referrals to the Youth Court." [continues 287 words]
Drug Court Graduates Kicking Bad Habits About 250 people attended a drug court graduation ceremony Monday at the Southwest Mississippi Community College student union. Eight people graduated from drug court, five of whom had their records cleared, while 50 others moved to higher levels within the system. "There's no more rewarding aspect of judging than this," said Circuit Court Judge Mike Taylor, who took over the program after its founder, Keith Starrett, was appointed a federal judge. "Drug court is not about forgiveness. We're judges; we can't forgive anyone," Taylor said. "It's about redemption." [continues 324 words]
Some Suspended, Expelled Students Will Be Tested LIBERTY - Amite County seventh-to 12th-graders who are suspended or expelled from school for more than 10 days will now be required to take a drug test before being allowed to return to school. Amite School District trustees on Monday amended the drug policy adopted in June to include the mandatory testing of students who receive out-of-school suspension or who have been expelled. In June, trustees adopted a drug policy subjecting students in grades 7 through 12 who participate in extracurricular activities to drug testing. Football players underwent drug tests on Monday during their physicals. [continues 154 words]
For American VIPs interested in a peek at the murderous mess that Colombia tragically remains, with American money and soldiers fueling the carnage, there are basically two ways to travel. One is for the cheerleaders behind the Bush administration's policy that keeps the slaughter going and the illegal drugs flowing. The other is Jim McGovern's way. The cheerleaders, in exchange for putting on a set of blinders, can be down and back in 36 hours. The country's sophisticated ambassador up here, Luis Alberto Moreno, is happy to arrange everything. Cheerleaders get slick presentations from top U.S. and Colombia officials in Bogota, a quick look at a Potemkin economic development project or a newly "pacified" village, an evening of cultural entertainment, an easily assembled press conference to proclaim progress and - presto - they're back here to support more billions to fund another US war in which only the Colombian people are the victims. [continues 748 words]
Retailers Must Make Drugs More Restrictive A new law that takes cold and weight loss medications off store shelves has already had an effect in controlling the production of methamphetamines in the state, a drug enforcement official said Monday. Tim Rutledge, training director for the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, said the law that requires retailers to put restrictions on products containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine - ingredients used to make methamphetamine and commonly found in cold and weight loss medicines - has made it more difficult for people to obtain the raw materials to make the illegal drug. [continues 624 words]
NATCHEZ - Adams County Christian School is giving its students an excuse to say no to drugs. Starting this fall every student in grades seven through 12 will be drug tested once. After everyone has been tested once, all names will go back into a pool for random drug testing for the remainder of the year. "The total objective is we want to give our kids a tool to say no with," Headmaster John Gray said. "We try to give our dead level best to offer our student body a drug-free campus." [continues 282 words]
New Police Sub-Station A Possibility City of Amory officials want to meet with West Amory citizens to discuss more policing in that neighborhood in an effort to stop loitering and drug activities. West Amory resident John Hilliard appeared before the Board of Aldermen at their regularly scheduled meeting last Tuesday night telling them about some of the problems he experiences, almost daily. Hilliard lives beside the gymnasium at West Amory Elementary School and he says: "There's a big problem. Dope is destroying the children over there." [continues 578 words]
There are still two months to go before a student drug-testing policy is released for approval to the Greenwood School Board and its attorneys. "This is more of a preventive measure than anything else. We are aware of everyone's rights, and we will not be in violation of anyone's rights. But we do have some law to back us up," said Margaret Clark, president of the board. At this month's meeting, the board granted Dr. Les Daniels, superintendent, permission to begin researching its policy. [continues 658 words]
A bill that has wide support in the Oregon Legislature would take another step in fighting the scourge of crystal methamphetamine, the home-cooked drug made with popular over-the-counter cold medications. The question is whether Oregon, if this particular law is passed, would take the wrong step in its efforts to restrict access to medications that contain pseudo-ephedrine, a key ingredient of crystal meth. The state House of Representatives this week approved, by a 55-4 vote, a measure to require people to have a doctor's prescription if they want to buy medicine that contains pseudo-ephedrine. Observers expect the bill to pass the Senate, and the governor also supports it. [continues 297 words]
Inside Mississippi
