$150,000 FEDERALLY EARMARKED TO FIGHT METH

HARRISBURG - Congressman John Shimkus made a stop in Harrisburg City
Hall Friday to announce a grant of $150,000 to the five
southeasternmost counties of Illinois intended to fund equipment and
manpower to fight methamphetamine production.

"These are those dreaded earmarks we have so much in Washington, that
so much of the time we get lampooned over," Shimkus said.

"Many of us point to programs and projects just like this, and I say,
'Go ahead. Go ahead and attack me on earmarks.'"

Shimkus said he knows he is doing the right thing. He said the
federal government has certain grants for law enforcement and grants
available to fire departments, but no grants specifically geared
toward the needs of rural counties to effectively fight meth.

"There is an identified need and shortfall for what we look for the
counties to provide. The federal government decided to be a partner,"
Shimkus said.

The grant provides for help with employment. Saline County will
receive $23,004 for overtime, Hamilton County will receive $22,600
and Hardin County will receive $25,000. Gallatin County will receive
$28,400 to pay a full time drug enforcement officer and $5,697 for a
part time office employee.

The grant provides for camera equipment, night vision scopes, hand
held radios, camouflage uniforms, infrared trigger units, gas
detectors, meth test kits, lab clean up masks and chemical resistant coveralls.

"This money is vitally needed," Gallatin County States Attorney Tom
Foster said.

The grant came about through initial efforts of Southeastern Illinois
Regional Planning Commission former employee Dennis Presley and
follow up work by other SIRPC employees, SIRPC member Jerry King said.

McLeansboro Mayor Dick Dietz, speaking as both rural mayor and SIRPC
member, praised Shimkus for earmarking the money for this area.

"It would have been very easy to say this money goes to Nashville or
this money goes to Collinsville. But I'd really like to thank you for
not forgetting us," Dietz said.

Shawnee Forest

Shimkus made one unadvertised stop during his tour of southeastern
Illinois Friday.

Prior to the visit to Harrisburg City Hall Shimkus met with members
of the Shawnee Trail Conservancy, Saline County Tourism Board and
Shawnee National Forest Supervisor Allen Nicholas to discuss issues
regarding the forest's Trails Designation Project. The project
designates 224 miles of trail within the four eastern watersheds,
restricts horses to those trails, closes all trails in that area not
designated and has outlawed cross country riding within the forest.

Sam Stearns, representing Friends of Bell Smith Springs, said he gave
a video and newspaper stories to Shimkus when the congressman arrived
for the meeting. Shimkus has been promoting Right to Ride legislation
which calls for permitting horse traffic on public lands. Stearns
said the video he gave Shimkus was labeled: "This video contains
evidence: Complicity at horse campground owners with vandals who
illegally spray paint trees on the Shawnee National Forest;
deliberate campaign of deceptions, distortions and lies by the
Shawnee Trail Conservancy and horse campground owners; damage to
federal property on public land by illegal equestrian activity."

Shimkus was pleased with the meeting.

"I think it went really well," Shimkus said.

"The forest is large enough we can protect it and encourage people to
enjoy it and to use it."

Shimkus said he has acted as a middle man between different groups
interested in forest issues and actually feels like a "ping pong
ball" being batted back and forth. Shimkus said he is confident after
the meeting he can step out of the middle man role because the
visitors were speaking to Nicholas face to face.

"There were no raised voices," Shimkus said.