LEMON SPRINGS TAKES ON DRUGS

The folks in the Lemon Springs area believe they have a drug problem. If
not, there wouldn't have been a crowd of more than 200 attending a meeting
on the subject at Greenwood Elementary School last week.

Lee County Sheriff Billy Bryant attended and admitted there was a drug
problem, although he and his deputies explained the complex and drawn-out
procedures required in shutting down a drug house.

One person said, "They ought to let you have more authority."

The sheriff responded, "Well, we got too many bleeding-heart liberals up
there making our laws for us."

We're not sure that's the whole solution to the problem. But it's not like
local law enforcement hasn't been paying attention.

The City-County Drug unit was created a few years back to deal with the
growing drug problem. And Bryant himself recently assigned two deputies to
the Lemon Springs area.

Rural areas are quite attractive to drug dealers. When you have a lot of
traffic coming and going from your residence, it's best not to have a lot of
neighbors.

With the spread of methamphetamine labs, a synthetic drug mostly produced in
rural areas because of the odor and waste products, the problems for Lemon
Springs may grow ever more challenging.

But the community is doing the right thing. By getting organized, by sharing
information, by getting involved and reporting suspicious activity,
residents will go a long way in pushing out the drug dealers.

We applaud the large gathering for the first community meeting and encourage
residents to attend the next one April 15 when the group will officially
organize and elect officers.

It's an old adage: There's strength in numbers. But in this case it's true:
Involvement by a majority of community residents will get results.