The Prohibition against drug use is causing more trouble and expense than the drug use itself, former Gov. Gary Johnson said in a live interview on KRQE News 13.
In the season premiere of Vanguard, correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to South Florida, the "Colombia of prescription drugs", to expose a bustling pill pipeline that stretches from the beaches of Ft. Lauderdale to the rolling hills of Appalachia. "The OxyContin Express" features intimate access with pill addicts, prisoners and law enforcement as each struggles with a growing national epidemic.
***Vanguard is Current TV's original documentary series. Led by correspondents Laura Ling, Mariana van Zeller, Christof Putzel, Adam Yamaguchi and Kaj Larsen, Vanguard features enterprising reports from around the globe. It airs every Wednesday at 10pm on Current TV. And you can view all Vanguard stories by visiting current.com/vanguard.***In the season premiere of Vanguard, correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to South... more
"The Laramie Project — one of the most-performed plays of the last decade — is based on the true story of Matthew Shepard, the young man who, in October 1998, was savagely beaten and left to die in Laramie, Wyo. Almost instantly, Shepard's name became a kind of grim rallying cry for those drawing attention to hate crimes committed against gays.
Now there's an epilogue to The Laramie Project, and tonight more than a hundred theaters around the country will perform readings of the new play. Together with the first one, it constitutes a powerful version of Matthew Shepard's story.
But it's not the only version — and that's a big part of why the epilogue exists.
Matthew Shepard's savage killing was used to strengthen the argument for hate-crimes legislation. But meanwhile, another version of his story was gathering steam.
Six years after the crime, the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 set out to debunk the idea that Shepard was murdered because he was gay. Like The Laramie Project, the one-hour episode included interviews with Shepard's friends, as well as investigators assigned to the case. ABC's Elizabeth Vargas interviewed Shepard's killers, Aaron McKinney and Russ Henderson, both serving life sentences.
Shepard, 20/20 reported, may have used methamphetamine. The report said that McKinney had been a dealer. "Meth is what made the world go around in Laramie," a friend of McKinney's and a former dealer told Vargas.
20/20 also reported that McKinney and Henderson had been on a meth binge in the days before meeting Shepard. And prosecutor Cal Rerucha told 20/20 that "the methamphetamine just fueled this point where there was no control. So, it was a horrible, horrible, horrible murder. But it was a murder that was driven by drugs."
Playwright Moises Kaufman believes the 20/20 story was "terrible journalism" that "changed the nature of the dialogue." So one of his goals with the new Laramie Project epilogue was to debunk the 20/20 story.
Kaufman and his Tectonic colleagues went back to Laramie last year, re-interviewing many of the people they'd met a decade ago — as well as talking to some new sources.
"One of the things we do in the play," says Kaufman, "is we go back and ask investigators ... and we go back over trial transcripts, and we prove that it was a hate crime."
The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later includes the comments of Rob Debree from the Albany County Sheriff's Office in Laramie.
"We've proven that there were no drugs on board with McKinney and Henderson — just none," Debree declares. And what about the claim that Shepard's murder was a robbery and drug deal gone bad? "That's some kind of massive denial," one openly gay Laramie resident tells Tectonic Theater.
Laramie police commander Dave O'Malley, who also appears in the 20/20 episode, says: "It angered me more than anything the things [ABC] didn't say — the things they left out."""The Laramie Project — one of the most-performed plays of the last decade — is... more
Colorado Springs Police, working with the El Paso County Sherriff's Office and the FBI arrested 15 members of the La Familia street gang, seizing "nearly 2 pounds of methamphetamine - valued at $326,000 - and smaller quantities of cocaine, marijuana and mushrooms. Five guns and cash totaling $8,475 were also seized," according to the Colorado Springs Gazette.
KKTV in Colorado Springs report s that 15 men were charged with conspiracy to distribute meth. Four of them were also charged with weapons offenses. Investigators dubbed the investigation "Operation Jeez Luis" after the gang's leader Jorge Luis Vega. http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/63855602.htmlColorado Springs Police, working with the El Paso County Sherriff's Office and the FBI... more
A massive methamphetamine ring that used women as drug mules and classic "Batman" and "Superman" comic books to hide drug profits has been dismantled after a year-long undercover operation, state officials said today.
Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced that 41 suspects were indicted, with 19 suspected of violating the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act.
A state grand jury handed down the indictments last week and as many as 200 officers were involved in the arrests of suspects. The suspects were operating out of houses in mostly the north metro area.A massive methamphetamine ring that used women as drug mules and classic "Batman" and... more
Now drug users are making their own meth in small batches using a faster, cheaper and much simpler method with ingredients that can be carried in a knapsack and mixed on the run. The "shake-and-bake" approach has become popular because it requires a relatively small number of pills of the decongestant pseudoephedrine — an amount easily obtained under even the toughest anti-meth laws that have been adopted across the nation to restrict large purchases of some cold medication.
Dozens of reports describe toxic bottles strewn along highways and rural roads in states with the worst meth problems.Now drug users are making their own meth in small batches using a faster, cheaper and... more
As if the stoners and dopers weren't paranoid enough, the police may soon be able to detect whether or not you partake in one the five most popular recreational drugs: cocaine, heroin, cannabis, amphetamine, and methamphetamine.
The device is intended for roadside use by law enforcement agencies and includes a disposable plastic cartridge and a handheld analyzer. The cartridge has two components: a sample collector for gathering saliva and a measurement chamber containing magnetic nanoparticles. The particles are coated with ligands that bind to one of five different drug groups.
After 90 seconds, the device delivers its verdict on a color-coded readout. That's a lot of fancy technology to tell you that the naked, toothless guy trying to escape from the ghosts chasing him is probably high as a kite, but Philips, the company behind the tester, hopes to have the device in Europe by the end of the year. If it is successful, I would imagine that a US launch would not be far behind.♦As if the stoners and dopers weren't paranoid enough, the police may soon be able to... more
Last week, I wrote about the New York Times story featuring Rhonda and Jason Holt and the health problems they have stemming from living in their “dream home,” which unbeknownst to them is a former meth lab.
I spent some time scouring the web looking for signs that a house has been used as a meth lab. Follow the link to see what the signs are and which states are having the most trouble with former meth labs getting on the market.Last week, I wrote about the New York Times story featuring Rhonda and Jason Holt and... more
Woah ... these new anti-meth billboards are really hard-hitting. They touch especially on sex, with slogans like '15 bucks for sex isn't normal. But on meth it is.'
Do you think these are effective?Woah ... these new anti-meth billboards are really hard-hitting. They touch especially... more
If you’re allergic to black mold, living in a house that has black mold hidden in the walls could actually kill you.
Lead paint, still found in old houses built and painted before the 1970s era law that removed lead from paint, can cause brain damage and learning disabilities in kids.
But what do you do about the thousands of houses that were former methamphetamine labs? According to a story in the New York Times, home buyers who purchase houses formerly used as meth labs could find their health and wealth damaged by leftover drug residue that has seeped into the walls and floors
Read the full article on my CBS Money Watch blog by clicking here.
Going forward, what happens to former meth lab houses that become part of a new wave of foreclosures? Will it be the bank’s responsibility to let buyers know that the house comes with its own unique set of problems?If you’re allergic to black mold, living in a house that has black mold hidden in... more
For sometime now, anti-drug campaigns have been trying to deter young people from getting involved in drugs. Now,The Montana Meth Project has taken that mission to a new visually disturbing level with TV spots and images of the negative impact meth can have. We asked young people to weigh in on the new campaign and whether not drug campaigns in the past have changed their take on drugs.
The Meth project uses graphic ads to grab kids' attention and educate them on the dangers of meth. Their newest set of ads are being print and broadcast in Spanish. A Latino recovering addict said English language ads are not as effective for Latino teens because "They might understand a little bit of it or half of it. But if they hear it ... in their own language ... the way they were born and they were raised, you know, speaking Spanish, then maybe they will pay a little more attention to it and maybe think about it, instead of doing it."The Meth project uses graphic ads to grab kids' attention and educate them on the... more
EL PASO -- Lisa Ling recalls covering the civil war in Afghanistan as the most monumental experience in her life.
"This is the reason why I continue being a journalist," Ling said.
Ling, a correspondent for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and contributor for the National Geographic series "Explorer," has covered stories such as the Colombian drug war; the Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13 gang, in El Salvador; suicide bombers in Israel; and child trafficking in India.
Winfrey "likes to think about me as the eyes and ears of what's happening globally," Ling said during a telephone interview.
Now Ling will bring her war stories to El Paso on April 16 as the keynote speaker for the YWCA El Paso del Norte Region's 2009 Women's Benefit Luncheon.
Look closely at Ling's portfolio and you'll notice the common denominator: She likes to cover stories that pertain to women and children in different parts of the world.
"I feel that it is my obligation and responsibility to raise awareness among women," Ling said. "My favorite group to speak to is a large group of women."
Ling said she has been in El Paso twice. She is particularly interested in the drug violence across the border.
"It's on the verge of becoming an American problem," Ling says. "It's only a matter of time before it crosses over to America."
......
Lisa Ling is one of my heroes.
Check out her website when you get the chance.
www.lisaling.comEL PASO -- Lisa Ling recalls covering the civil war in Afghanistan as the most... more
Mendocino County law enforcement busted a Redwood Valley methamphetamine lab late Wednesday that was estimated to have the capacity to produce about 10 pounds of the drug. Four people under the age of 20 were arrested.
"Around 9 p.m. last night we served a search warrant here for a reported methamphetamine lab," Lt. Rusty Noe of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office said on Thursday.
When deputies arrived, the rural property with several outbuildings and a pond in the 9800 block of West Road was occupied by a 15- and 16-year-old.
"When we got here we found two juveniles," Noe said. A 15-year-old boy was arrested on existing warrants and a 16-year-old girl was released to Child Protective Services, he said.
While police were at the property, Larry Jason Wolfe, 19, who lived there, and Jordan Nunez, 18, of Ukiah, arrived in a vehicle.
Wolfe and Nunez drove to a nearby vineyard before they were taken into custody, Noe said.
Wolfe was arrested on suspicion of manufacturing methamphetamine and manufacturing hashish.
Nunez was arrested on suspicion of violation of probation and a warrant for evading arrest.
Agents of the Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force reported finding no significant amounts of methamphetamine at the property.
"They are moving it out as fast as they can," Noe said.
A California Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement team was there with its vehicle to help clean up the lab. Police were waiting for state hazardous materials workers to arrive.
Cleanup of the meth lab was under way Thursday morning.
"We are waiting on a state hazardous materials team to take all chemicals out," Noe said.
Inside a home on the property, a process using butane to make hashish was also found. Two barrels of water were indoors due to having the water shut off.
Among the items reported found were three five-gallon buckets, acetone, Coleman fuel, extracting chemicals and butane, an agent of the Major Crimes Task Force said.
Some of the ground near outbuildings on the property was strewn with miscellaneous containers and several old and small generators.
Involved with the bust and cleanup of the lab were the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, ReHit, Mendocino Major Crimes Task Force and the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
The case is not closed and more arrests are expected, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Zack Cinek can be reached at udjzc@pacific.net or 468-3521.Mendocino County law enforcement busted a Redwood Valley methamphetamine lab late... more
CLINTON, Tenn. (AP) — Law enforcement officers in east Tennessee say they have so far found three methamphetamine operations that extract the illegal drug from urine in Anderson County.
Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said the department got a tip that led to a raid Thursday, resulting in drug charges against Rickie Jack Harber, 47.
Deputies found meth-making components and 144 gallons of urine, stored in plastic bottles, Lucas said.
The department reports the lab is the third, but largest such operation it has found, according to The Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Harber was charged with promotion of methamphetamine manufacture and is held in lieu of $200,000 bond.
Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force director Tommy Farmer said labs that use the urine of meth users to make the drug are a ‘‘very infrequent thing.’’
‘‘We have had a couple’’ in southeast Tennessee, he said.
Farmer said law enforcement officers in some communities have discovered bottles of urine without realizing it is used to make the addictive stimulant.CLINTON, Tenn. (AP) — Law enforcement officers in east Tennessee say they have so... more
North End of Hendry property on Della Ave in Willits. Marijuana patch is behind junk pile knocking over fence into neighbor's yard. Desmond Hendry and his girlfriend live in the shack. Here is a case where drugs are causing a nuisance but the City of Willits Police, Sheriff Allman and the Task Force are shining it on.
by Richard Johnson
On September 15, I attended Sheriff Allman's Media Workshop for reporters with the object of "improving communications" not just on law enforcent but for emergency situations like the fires of the past summer. Allman is an accomplished politician and facilitator who strives to make everyone feel special and included, and he will be running for re-election in two years using precisely those skills.
He's not feeling so warm towards me, however. I really abused his hospitality by asking whether his department was protecting families of law enforcement officials who are growing marijuana and dealing meth.
Hendry's Father, Brother Growing and Dealing
The father of deputy Derrick Hendry who is famous for writing the bad warrant request in Laura Hamburg's case last year is growing marijuana, and Derrick's brother is dealing methamphetamine out of 490 Della Ave in Willits, according to a nieghbor who gave me that information only last Friday.
The site is within 1,000 feet of Blosser Lane School, a violation of the county nuisance ordinance that John McCowen wants to make criminal.
The task force has been there, the neighbor has filed a complaint with Environmental Health, and she told Allman and Willits City Police about it 5 weeks ago. Business as usual, however. I will give the name of my informant to any media representative who will help make it public.
When I dropped this bomb at the Media Workshop, the other reporters cringed. I predict there will be no follow up by the establishment media.
Linda Williams of the Willits News: "I wouldn't be suprised, but how do you prove it?" I asked her how far Della was from her office.
Allman was momentarily enraged but managed to collect himself and treat me for the rest of the morning with civility. I really admire his people skills. The effect of my revelation was of course on the department, as there were three sector commanders there as well as Captain Smallcomb. The father, whose knickname is "Bimbo" no doubt heard about it within hours.
Since then, I have been given additional information about Hendry and I urge you to keep your ears open and keep me informed as we build a dossier on this guy.
Task Force is Independent
This meeting was not a press conference, but Allman did answer a number of marijuana questions I had. Allman clarified that his department has no control over DEA or FBI who are actively working in the north county with the Major Crimes Task Force which is also not under his supervision.
Bob Nishyama is the Special Agent in charge of that and he reports to the state Department of Justice which is paying his salary. There is no COMMET grant this year.
He said he would continue making public the "Measure G Report" of marijuana investigations, arrests, etc, but in January.
No Safe Plant Limit
With regard to the slippery matter of plant count enforcement, Allman said his department was applying the Trippet standard pending a decision of the California Supreme Court in Kelly. That is in each case the amount must be reasonably related to and possessed in a manner consistent with the needs of the patient.
He specifically said he did not consider the Behnke stay in Laguna against the plant count in Measure B to be ruling, only the Kelly decision.
In answer to my question, he stated that he will not issue any more zip ties until the BOS authorizes a fee, and then only in an amount that is consistent with law at that time.North End of Hendry property on Della Ave in Willits. Marijuana patch is behind junk... more
Parents appear to be talking more effectively with their children about the dangers of drug use, says a study being released Thursday.Parents appear to be talking more effectively with their children about the dangers of... more
An 11-year-old girl is listed in critical condition today after picking up a soda bottle while playing outside her home and drinking a liquid that turned out to be hydrochloric acid used to make methamphetamine.An 11-year-old girl is listed in critical condition today after picking up a soda... more
In a bizarre macabre account of divine intervention, Erik Larson amazingly encounters the All Mighty through a death proof hearse. Empowered to guide the lost, the Minister of Death mobs down the streets in his bequeathed vehicle of demise to enlighten the impressionable, the drug addicts, and the criminal element of the mortality that challenges them. Being scared straight may be the answer toward a future of sobriety.In a bizarre macabre account of divine intervention, Erik Larson amazingly encounters... more
