METHADONE CLINIC OPERATORS EYEING DRYDEN SITE

JONESVILLE - The company that recently expressed interest in locating a
methadone clinic in Pennington Gap has apparently not given up on its
wishes to do business in Lee County.

The San Jose, Calif.-based CRC Health Group attempted in January to locate
a facility in the former Pennington Gap Rural Health Clinic on Maple Street
in Pennington Gap, but their efforts were thwarted when the Lee County
Industrial Development Authority obtained an option on the building in
hopes of locating a call center there.

Upon learning of that development, Phil Herschman, president of CRC's
outpatient clinic division, said his company will continue to look for a
site and to work to overcome any legal obstacles. Herschman said the
company would hold local meetings to help the community better understand
what an addiction treatment clinic does.

"Our main goal is to open a clinic and provide a needed service to treat a
chronic disease. People need and want this service," he said, pointing out
that a number of Lee Countians patronize the company's Life Center of
Galax. He also said the center does more than just provide methadone to
recovering opiate addicts, as it provides outpatient counseling, medical
services and laboratory services.

Claude Ray, chairman of the Lee County Board of Supervisors, said company
officials recently contacted him expressing interest in locating in a
building on the west end of Dryden. Located between the former Wagon Wheel
Restaurant and a service station, the building in question most recently
served as offices for Cleco Corp. when the company was working on a Route
58 improvement project, said Ray.

Ray said he advised the company officials that they should come before the
entire Board of Supervisors and present their case.

Contacted Wednesday for comment, Tina Bullins, chief executive officer of
the Galax center, sent a prepared statement to the Times-News which stated
that the company has been evaluating the need for treatment services in far
Southwest Virginia for the past two to three years. The company has offered
its services in the region since 1973, the statement said.

"During the past few years Life Center officials have had multiple
conversations with numerous officials and representatives from local town
and county governments, law enforcement, community service boards, judicial
offices and other interested persons. Life Center officials have not met
with the Board of Supervisors in any area, but in the event Life Center
decides to move forward in Planning District 1 with a formal proposal,
scheduling a meeting with supervisors would be our first order of
business," the statement said.

After sending the statement, Bullins was unavailable for further comment on
whether company officials plan to address supervisors at their next regular
meeting, which is scheduled for March 15 at 5 p.m.