RECORD MARIJUANA CROP IS IN THE BAG

Marijuana has been a bumper crop this year for the Warren County Sheriff's
Department, as deputies surpassed their all-time record this week and are
now gunning to eclipse the 4,000-plant plateau. According to Sheriff's
Department Chief Deputy Danice Taylor, the marijuana eradication team
surpassed the record Saturday morning, increasing its overall season total
to 3,943 plants. The number surpassed the record set in 1999 when 3,900
plants were found. It shatters last year's total of around 2,400 plants.

The record comes in the team's fifth season of flying since the county
received two helicopters from the federal government in 1997. The
helicopters were given to the county free of charge under a military
surplus program aimed at helping local jurisdictions in the war on drugs.
The flying missions are funded by the county drug fund which is drawn from
fines and forfeitures in drug cases.

The eradication team made headway early in the season, finding large fields
of marijuana, something which has become unusual in the years since the
team began flying on a regular basis.

"We're finding larger fields than usual this year," said Sheriff Jackie
Matheny. "There's been patches with over 200 plants. Over the past few
years, we've noticed planters are going to smaller fields, so finding the
bigger patches is unusual."

Matheny said there are several factors which he believes has led to the
record year.

"For one thing, we've had good growing weather," Matheny said. "The past
couple of years have been pretty dry."

Matheny said the eradication team has also learned from experience during
its five years in the air, making them more efficient at finding even small
fields.

"They're gaining experience every time they're up in the air," Matheny
said. "I'd put them up against anybody in the business right now."

Matheny said questions of whether the team would fly all season may have
prompted growers to plant in Warren County, rather than planting in
surrounding counties as they have the past few years.

"There was talk early in the season we might not be able to fly the whole
year," Matheny said, regarding concerns about the drug fund earlier this
year. "I think some people went ahead and planted, thinking we wouldn't be
up there. That would explain some of the bigger patches too."

While surpassing the record, lawmen will continue flying in the coming
weeks. The flying season usually goes through the week of the local fair
depending on the climate.

a.. Previous record: 3,900 plants found in 1999 a.. New record: 3,943
plants already found this year