AREA GETS FUNDS TO BATTLE METH

$250,000 Is Allocated to 2nd Congressional District

Area counties will receive $250,000 in federal money during the coming year
for methamphetamine eradication programs, Rep. Ron Lewis's office announced
this weekend.

Kentucky's 2nd Congressional district will receive federal money to fight
methamphetamine for the fourth year in a row, according to Lt. Jeff Jones
with the Daviess County Sheriff's Department.

The funding was part of the current fiscal year's omnibus spending bill,
which received congressional approval this weekend.

"Law enforcement officials have been very successful in locating and
shutting down methamphetamine operations in our communities," Lewis said in
a press release. "But their success has led to new costs associated with
doing the job right."

During the past three years, the district has received $1.6 million for
methamphetamine eradication programs, Jones said.

The Daviess County Sheriff's Department has been in charge of administering
the money to area agencies, Jones said.

The money is generally used to pay for cleaning up methamphetamine labs,
for officers to work overtime and for the equipment required for cleaning
up labs and disposing of their components, he said.

"It's very much appreciated, the effort Rep. Lewis has been able to make to
get us funding not only for our agency but for the other agencies in the
second district," Jones said.