Senators hold hearing on rural crime, drug issues

Vermonters gave two U.S. senators "an earful today on what rural communities need to combat increasingly violent drug-related crime," reports Nina Keck of Vermont Public Radio. The senators were Democrat Patrick Leahy (right) of Vermont, the most rural state by population, and Republican Arlen Specter (left) of Pennsylvania, which has the second largest number of rural residents.

"The myth is still alive that drug abuse and drug-related crimes are only big city problems. We need a fresh look at drug crime through the lens and the experience of smaller cities and rural communities," Leahy told nearly 200 people at the hearing in Rutland.

Specter asked Rutland City School Superintendent Mary Moran when schools start teaching students to avoid drugs. Not specifically until the fifth grade, Keck's story says with a sound bite of the dialogue. Moran said cuts in federal law enforcement funding would hurt anti-drug efforts. Leahy said, "Among other things we've been told that we need the money for the Iraqi police forces. Frankly, this senator feels we ought to worry a little bit more about our own police forces in the United States.''

Keck reports, "During a break in the hearing, some in the audience wondered how much the event could really accomplish, besides providing a photo op for those attending. But panelist Hal Colston, founder of NeighborKeepers, a non profit, anti poverty organization in Burlington, was more optimistic." For his comments, and the rest of the story, click here.