LIBERTY - School officials have been asked to consider a "no-nit" policy after results from a new study indicate that most nits do not develop into lice. Casey County Board of Education is considering a change in its policy that will keep students in school rather than send them home when there is evidence of nits. Other changes for this school year include that students may be subject to search by a bus driver, see different foods in vending machines and on school menus, a decrease in unexcused days allowed for truancy, a change in regulations on the use of cellular phones, and may be expelled on the first offense of trafficking in illegal drugs and alcohol. [continues 358 words]
Dear Editor: As a parent of three children in the Danville School District, I want to applaud the district as well as local law enforcement for the Wednesday drug sweep at DHS. Drug activity is one of the most destructive forces permeating our society, and I am glad to see the message being sent to students that drug use will not be tolerated. I am sure that people will claim a violation of privacy, but because they are minors they don't have the same expectation of privacy that adults have, nor should they. Young people need to understand that the actions taken yesterday are in their best interest and the authorities whether it be school administrators or police officers are trying to protect them from heading down a pathway that only leads to tragedy. I hope the students found to be in possession will be punished, but will also get some help while they still can be helped. [continues 193 words]
LIBERTY - The purchase of a trained dog to sniff out drugs and help in searches was approved Monday by Casey Fiscal Court. The cost is $7,500. The anticipation of extra state inmates with the proposed addition to the Casey County Detention Center is one of the reasons for the purchase. It also can help the city and county officers, schools, road department and emergency medical service personnel when they conduct searches. Jailer Tommy Miller said drugs are a problem at the jail especially with work release inmates. [continues 252 words]
LANCASTER - Marijuana was found Tuesday night at the Garrard County Board of Education meeting, but it was all according to plan. Deputy Sheriff Dave Amon was on hand with his partner, Sarge, a black lab who has gone through various drug detection training. Amon had brought marijuana with him to hide in the school cafeteria, and the board members and guests looked on as the dog found the first hiding place in about five seconds. Amon spoke about the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program and high school seniors' involvement in the project. [continues 550 words]
This is the first installment in a three-part series on how methamphetamine use has spread to central Kentucky. Coming Monday: Canary in the Coal Mine In 1998, the number of felony methamphetamine cases in Boyle, Casey, Garrard, Lincoln and Mercer counties was four - all in Lincoln County. Last year, those same counties prosecuted 29 felony cases - evidence of a growing criminal problem that until just a few years ago was confined mainly to the western part of the state. Maj. Mike Sapp, head of the Kentucky State Police Special Enforcement Division, which includes the drug enforcement division, says it's a problem that will get worse before it gets better. [continues 942 words]
Unlike most of the other inmates at the Boyle County Detention Center, Elizabeth Key considers herself lucky to be there. If she wasn't in jail, Key said she would either be dead or still living in a methamphetamine induced hell wishing she were. "This is the best thing that ever happened to me. If it hadn't happened, it would have been a lot worse than this," Key said recently as she motioned around the bleak gray setting of an interview room at the jail. [continues 1214 words]
