FUNDING COULD AID WESTERN KY. DRUG WAR

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate last week approved a bill that includes
funding to staff a U.S. attorney's office in Western Kentucky.

The Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary Appropriations bill includes
$200,000 to staff the office, which hopes to target crime and drugs in the
region, particularly methamphetamine.

The legislation will now be sent to President Clinton for his consideration.

The location of the office has yet to be determined, said Assistant U.S.
Attorney Marisa Ford.

U.S. Attorney Steve Reed said in July that he favored Paducah because its
more western location would extend federal prosecutors further into the
state, since the main office for the western district is in Louisville. The
U.S. attorney's office has also been heavily involved in the investigation
and claims in connection to the operation of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion
Plant.

Since taking office earlier this year, Reed has continually said he wants
to be the U.S. attorney for all of Western Kentucky, and extending services
outside of Louisville has been a priority. Reed requested Sen. Mitch
McConnell's help in obtaining funds for a satellite office this summer as
part of his efforts to fight the spread of methamphetamine in the region.

Reed's "Operation United Front" is a three-tiered strategy to battle the
drug. It includes bringing more cases to federal court so that meth dealers
and users will face mandatory minimum sentences without chance for parole.

"This is a big victory for the U.S. attorney's office, and most
importantly, the families of Western Kentucky," Reed said.