After just five months of operation, the Central Kentucky Area Drug Task Force is facing “devastating” funding cuts for the upcoming year — the result of a 67 percent cut to federal Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program monies.
President George W. Bush signed an omnibus appropriations bill Wednesday which cut $350 million in funding from the program, leaving only $170 million nationwide. Byrne-JAG “provides funding to states and local areas to improve criminal justice system operations,” according to a National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition press release.
In Madison County, it provides $75,000 of the CKADTF’s $110,000 annual budget, said Director Rick Johnson.
“This cut will be devastating to the task force,” he said. “We have made a big impact on drug traffickers and people making methamphetamine in the area. A lot of the cases that have been worked by the task force are mid- to upper-level drug dealers and some of the cases have a nexus to other states. The task force has been actively involved in investigations in other jurisdictions that are affecting the central Kentucky area.
“These cuts are going to make an already hard and challenging job even more difficult,” Johnson said.
CKADTF is comprised of detectives from Madison, Clark, Jackson and Garrard counties and the Berea Police Department. The money awarded to the task force for fiscal year 2007 funds operational costs, including rent, utilities, phone lines and office equipment in addition to money to purchase evidence and pay confidential informants, Johnson said.
The remaining $35,000 of the budget is supplemented by state funds — which also could be reduced in the wake of a request Thursday from Gov. Steve Beshear for all state funded agencies to cut their budgets by 3 percent. Friday, Johnson said it is unclear exactly what the agency will end up with for the 2008 fiscal year.
“We’re going to look at a couple different options to try to keep the doors open if that happens,” Johnson said. “We may have to scale back our operations, but there is not really any fat there to trim. I think we can survive fiscal year 2008 if the cuts are not too drastic. If it’s longer than that, I don’t think we’ll be able to continue as we are.”
Since beginning in July, CKADTF has seized $24,352, more than one pound of methamphetamine, 77 marijuana plants, about 7.5 pounds of processed pot, 15 grams of cocaine, 1,645 dose units of Oxycontin, three dose units of Methadone, 25 dose units of Valium, several dose units of hydrocodone and numerous other drugs, Johnson said.
While the fate of the task force as it is today could be in limbo, Madison County Sheriff Nelson O’Donnell said drug enforcement in Madison County is not. O’Donnell and Berea Police Chief Dwayne Brumley already have begun discussing possible options for continuing illegal drug eradication efforts in Madison County, O’Donnell said.
“I think it is unfortunate that this happened at the time it did,” O’Donnell said. “But I want the people of Madison County to know they will have a narcotics unit in Madison County.”
Kelly Foreman can be reached at kforeman@richmondregister.com or 624-6694.
Local News
Federal funding cuts threatening task force
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
Volunteers needed for equine therapy
The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
Arrest made in connection with stolen jewelry, computer
Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
US 25 business owners scared of five-lane plan
Voices of Berea business owners upset about upcoming construction on US 25 will be taken to the state level, according to city administrator Randy Stone.
Several people operating businesses along a section of US 25 gave comments Tuesday to the Berea City Council, asking them reconsider plans to widen the road to five lanes.
The design is a five-lane highway with a center turn lane and a 10-foot shared use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other side. -
Grand jury to hear copper theft case
The attorney for a man accused of stealing copper from a handful of electric poles questioned his identification as the same person who took copper from 32 poles two days earlier.
Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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