OCR Text |
Show Area drug problem stressed at meeting by Janet Wilcox "The biggest thing to combat relating to drugs, stated SLC police officer Dennis Har- vey, "is ignorance". A public meeting held in Blanding Sunday will go on record as helping to educate . at least 161 people, who were on hand to hear the symposium on drugs sponsored by the Blanding chapter' of the Federation of RepubUcan Women. Participants in the presentation were Mental Health Director Rick Mainord, Officer Harvey, Police Chief Ben Black, and San Juan Deputy Sheriff Vee Palmer. All stressed the importance of educating the public the problems that exist, and how they can help solve the problem. "A general education of parents and children can help alleviate lots of heartache later about-drugs- , on, Mainord stated. He also emphasized that it is the responsibility of the family unit to teach values and to bring children from a life of leisure to the world of work. Officer Harvey, who has worked for the SLC police for 11 years, related many cases of drug abuse encountered when he worked on the vice squad for. over one year in Salt Lake. "Ninty-fiv- e percent of the on hard drugs hooked people started out on marijuana he Man killed in accident An Tlh Sara HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER FOR SAN JUAN COUNTY. UTAH Vol . 59, No. 19 claimed the life of Gary F. Carter of. Pleasant Grove Tuesday morning. The accident occurred west of Fry Canyon about 10 miles East of Hite on U-The victim was employed by Corn Construction Co. of Grand Junction. The Highway Patrol received a caH about the accident at 7:17 Tuesday morning from Park Rangers at the National Bridges. The accident was investigated by Officer Bob Miss San Body found Juan Fair by Janet Wilcox Girls between the ages of 17 and 27 throughout San Juan County are encouraged to enter this year's Miss San Juan County Fair contest planned for July 1. Contest chairman Helen Dennison, states that applications need to be in by June 24 to any of the following conPat test committeewomen: Christensen, Monticello; Mrs. Bernie Owens, Bluff; Alice Manygoats, Bill Todachinne and Pam Lee, Blanding. The contest this year will be held attheSanJuanHighSchool auditorium with Marsha Keele in charge of the program script and Janie Cushman directing the special production covered Sunday morning by a young Navajo boy at the bottom of a 0 foot cliff about 1000 feet from the Mexican Hat Bridge on the north side. The body was flown to Salt Lake for an autopsy and 30-4- Sheriff's Deputy Rudy Cook make no immediate comment as to whether foul Vacation Bible School will start at the First Southern 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Monticello from four be treated will through eight to groovy stories every Thursday at 3 p.m., beginning June 3. Kids Senior citizens meet June 9 would Bible school Baptist Church in Monticello on Monday, June 7, running through Friday, June 11. There will be classes, handwork and refreshments for all children ages three through school each day from s high It's story time and fun time Library. The body of Gladys Nelson, 17, of Mexican Hat was dis- Girls entering the contest must be residents of the county and have never been married. They will be. judged on poise, beauty, talent and personality. The theme of this. year's program is "I Love America", an original song written by Ron Kartchner of Blanding. Story hour again near cliff entrants encouraged was immediately available. June 3, 1976 ' was involved. play The body was then flown back to Blanding, and funeral arrangements are pending. She was the daughter of Fay Nelson, also of Mexican Hat, and was a junior at San Juan High School. The case is being investigated by the San Juan County Sheriffs Department and the Kayenta Police The MonticeUo Senior Cit- izens will meet on Wednesday, June 9, from 2 to 5 oclock in the afternoon at the San Juan County Library in MonticeUo. There will be a hobby show, with Zola Holden as director, combined with a bake sale, with Helen Redd and Bernice Nielson as The chairmen will contact senior citizens of the community regarding the meeting. en. weapon as 'well. Deputy Palmer also showed various materials including a kilo of marijuana, which the audience was able to see and smeU. He stated that there is mariin San Juan raised juana being County. Palmer counseled the aud- ience "to develop a suspicious mind.. .you 11 learn fast from it". He also stated that when a problem is encountered, especially if it is "your child, to admit it and work on the problem. He suggested first dealing with it at the parent-fami- ly level, then to seek church counseling help, then state social services or mental health, and as a last resort to seek help from the law. He stressed that the police "can't do it all", and that because "we DO have a drug problem that is getting worse, parents should join in and support the law enforcement agencies. He also gave credit to community members who tor drug. have given ' fs tip-of- by Janet Wilcox industrial type accident Low. No other information . arrests. 95. Towering majestically above the desert . . .first to catch the sun's rays and the last to surrender to darkness a wonder of San Juan. stated. He added that parents need to use drug information material available from insurance agencies, PTAs, and state agencies to get informed and then "dont be afraid to discuss it with your children. Drug abuse forces addicts into crimes and prostitution in order to support their habit, he stated. Chief Black showed paraphernaUa confiscated from drug users in the Blanding area and stated that those arrested usually had in their possession some kind of Some of the physical signs to look for are: 1. SMELL, scent of marijuana on person, odor secretes from body pores, and incense is often burned by those who use it. 2. ACTS INTOXICATED, un- predictable behavior, control of body. not in 3. EYES RED, often puffy, dilated. Palmer stated that the drug problem in the county is not just in Blanding but in every community. During the 3 years he has worked on the force he has seen it worsen. "The first summer they were using marijuana, next summer it was speed and now they're up to LSD he said. There are also active dealers as young as 15 in the local areas, he said, and he cautioned that pushers like to get elementary age youngsters using the stuff because it builds up their business. Frustration was expressed by law officers and citizens 'alike because of failure to deter and punish those involved with drugs. It was stated that if the public was not satisfied with what was being done they should change politicians and "elect those who will do something. Other concerns voiced were that the people using drugs six and seven years ago were ' still using drugs, and nothing has been done to correct the problem. Reva Redd stated that she was concerned that the news media was not getting information out to the public about the county problem. "Why haven't we known what was going on, she asked. 1 series of followup meetings is planned, where additional information will be disseminated, with the next meeting planned in two weeks. A |