News from May 29, 2003 issue


Dogs find no school drugs
School officials say they are very pleased that a surprise drug search of the school campus Tuesday turned up nothing.

"That's what we wanted," said Al Starnes, safe school coordinator for the school system. "We're very pleased to find that our schools are free of drugs."

Marion police officers were assisted by members of the Princeton, Eddyville and Pennyrile Area Narcotics Task Force. Officers used K-9 units, drug-sniffing dogs, to comb the high school interior and parking lot.

Starnes said the students were not individually searched, however, dogs did investigate locker areas and vehicles. Only once did the dogs appear to find something, but further investigation proved nothing illegal, Starnes added.

The search was a complete surprise to everyone. School administrators were not even given prior knowledge of the plan. School officials say random drug searches such as this will be conducted routinely in the future.

"We want our schools to be as safe as possible and drug free," said Starnes.

City eyeing old grocery for new city hall
The Marion City Council will meet today (Thursday) to discuss hiring an architect to study its newest prospective home.

For the better part of the last decade, city leaders have aggressively sought a new location for city hall. Cramped quarters is the primary reason for wanting a new building to house the city's administrative offices and police department.

At its current location, which has been home to city government as long as nearly anyone can remember, the police agency, fire department and five city administrative workers share a building about one-third the size of a football field. Local folks in their 70s, say they can't remember when city hall was anywhere else.

A growing need for more elbow room, mostly for fire and police departments, has prompted city leaders to consider purchasing several buildings or empty lots around town. The process has plodded along at a fairly slow pace, but costs have mounted during the past few years. Architectural studies at the old junior high school on College Street is where most of the estimated $50,000 in expenses was incurred.

In the past couple of weeks, new developments have spurred the process along at a faster rate. Council members met in closed session a couple of weeks ago to discuss real estate acquisition, but so far there has been no public disclosure about any possible new site for city hall.

However, sources and other chatter around town indicate that the city is looking very seriously at the old Sav-A-Lot grocery store at English Manor Shopping Center. The building is owned by Phillip and Ann English of Marion. Holland Medical Supply, Movie Time and The Peoples Bank lease portions of the building. The bank operates a drive-through branch there.

No city council members would discuss the possible siting of city hall at the old grocery store and owners would not say whether they had entered into talks with the city. However, it seems likely that negotiations are under way.

Last week, the Crittenden County Fiscal Court, which has been an on-again, off-again partner in the city's quest for a new administrative building, offered to share expenses for one more study of the old junior high building. Privately, those involved with the city's search for a new site say the old junior high building is probably out of the picture.

City Administrator Garry Barber notified The Press of Thursday's noon special meeting late last week. He said the meeting is called to discuss the hiring of an architect and an environmental study. However, he could not discuss any other specifics. Three other budgetary items appear on the special meeting's agenda.