DRUG ERADICATION PROGRAM PROMISED ANOTHER $1 MILLION

DUNLAP, Tenn. -- There's no doubt the battle against methamphetamine is
having results in the Sequatchie Valley.

Since 1997, nearly 100 meth pushers have been convicted in U.S.
District Court, and their sentences range from 10 years to life in
prison.

The anti-drug campaign was stimulated last year by the promise of a $1
million federal grant, but the money still had not arrived Tuesday when
Congressman Zach Wamp came here to announce the possibility of another
$1 million grant.

Five hours after Rep. Wamp, R-3rd District, criticized the U.S.
Department of Justice for being so slow in releasing the funds, word
came Tuesday evening that the money is there.

Dick Kopper, the congressman's press secretary, said he received
notice that the Justice Department has the funding in place.

The fight against the drug could be more effective with added funding
for the East Tennessee Methamphetamine Drug Task Force, a multiagency
group strictly targeting meth users, buyers and major suppliers of
chemicals used to make the highly-addictive drug.

"We're funding it ourselves," said Bledsoe County Sheriff Bob Swafford.
"What money we use to buy dope comes from the (county) drug fund."
That's what most counties will do until the $1 million arrives, he
said.

As for the second $1 million, Rep. Wamp announced at the National Guard
Armory here Tuesday that the U.S. House has approved a second anti-drug
bill. He criticized the Justice Department on the delay.

"I've been diplomatic with the DOJ on the release of this money," Rep.
Wamp said. "It's been real frustrating when you're ready to move to
Phase 2 and Phase 1 is not in place.

"The DOJ is very, very distracted right now, and they need to spend
more time on illegal drug trafficking, not on Microsoft or child
pornography which are at the top of their portfolios."

Methamphetamine is as rampant as moonshine used to be, Rep. Wamp said.
"It's in the rural areas, in the mountains and hills," he said.

East Tennessee has the second largest concentration of meth producers
in America, including the 23-county area served by the meth task force,
he said.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime lab in Nashville will
receive $250,000 to upgrade its lab and dispose of hazardous chemicals
and substances retrieved from meth sites.

Nearly $100,000 will go toward implementation of a video conferencing
system that would allow Hamilton County victims to take part in parole
hearings hundreds of miles away.

"Until now, crime victims had to face great heart-ache and
inconvenience and often travel long-distance if they wanted to say
their piece during parole hearings for offenders who committed crimes
against them," Hamilton County District Attorney General Bill Cox said.

"This new system will enable victims in Hamilton County cases to come
to the district attorney's office in Chattanooga and virtually attend
the parole hearing even if it is in a state prison that's miles away.''

He said cameras set up at correctional facilities would transmit
signals in real time over telephone lines. Mr. Cox said the budget
includes paying for a technician to set up and install the equipment.

The pilot program will involve the two main correctional facilities in
the state -- Brushy Mountain state prison in Wartburg and the Southeast
Tennessee Regional Correctional Facility near Pikeville -- where
Hamilton County prisoners are usually sent.

Mr. Cox said once the program is in place, a request will be made to
state legislators to introduce the program to other counties.