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THURSDAY. JUNE 28. 2007 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 7A
Drug Court celebrates graduation,
five-year anniversary
By Michael Moore
The Appalachian Judicial
Circuit celebrated its fifth
anniversary and honored four
recent graduates at a reception
in Jasper Thursday.
Graduating from the two-
year drug court program were
Kristie Davis, James D. Walden,
Dwayne Jason Tanner, and Jody
Matthew Rogers.
The graduation ceremony
was held at the Pickens County
Chamber of Commerce build
ing. About 200 people were in
attendance.
Featured guest speaker at the
event was former district attor
ney Roger Queen, who served
in the circuit which included
Pickens, Gilmer and Fannin
counties from 1985 to 2003.
Participants in the drug court
are felony drug offenders who
have opted to take part in the
program instead of going to
prison.
To reach graduation, partici
pants must successfully com
plete two years of “intensive
outpatient treatment.”
Treatment consists of fre
quent drug screens, supervision
by probation and court person
nel, regular group and individ
ual meetings for 12-step coun
seling, and progress toward
goals related to education and
employment.
Superior court judge Brenda
Weaver, who initiated the drug
court program five years ago,
said the program is not easy.
“We have to be tough to get
you off drugs,” Weaver told the
drug court graduates and partic
ipants in the crowd.
She said currently there are
48 participants from all three
counties in felony drug court. In
the more recently started family
drug court program, which was
set up to help parents sober up
to regain custody of their chil
dren, there are 40 participants,
said Weaver.
Roger Queen spoke about his
involvement in the drug court
program, which began while he
was serving as district attorney.
“Judge Brenda Weaver had a
vision of helping individuals
and families affected by the
plague of drug abuse. I was
skeptical, and hesitant to surren
der prosecution of what I saw as
important cases, to the pro
gram,” said Queen.
But now, he said, “The suc
cess stories are many.”
Queen recalled receiving a
get-well card signed by all the
drug court participants when he
was in the hospital recovering
from an accident at the Gilmer
County Courthouse in 2003, in
which he broke his neck.
To illustrate the effect that
drugs have in the area, Queen
described the hearing he had
attended the day of his accident,
which led him to retire from
office. Moments before he fell
down the courthouse steps that
day, he prosecuted a probation
revocation hearing for a habitu
al drug offender and addict, he
said.
His advice to drug court
graduates and participants
Thursday was to always remem
ber the important things in their
lives - health, family and
friends. He said doing so is
“critical to your happiness.”
Graduates gave brief remarks
when they were individually
recognized at the ceremony.
James Walden, a Pickens
County resident, described how
drug court changed his life.
“Before I was here, I didn’t
know anything about keeping a
job and being responsible,” said
Walden. He said drug court
taught him to be accountable for
his own actions and decisions.
Also recognized by Judge
Weaver Thursday was David
Ralston, state representative for
the seventh district, which is
just north of Pickens County.
Weaver said Ralston was a
vocal advocate in the legislature
for the establishment of the
local drug court five years ago.
He has remained an advocate,
Weaver said, for more state
funding for drug court since
then.
Ralston said he, like Queen,
had doubts about the drug court
when Weaver proposed it to him
five years ago.
“She described to me a pro
gram where everybody wins,
and that is unheard of,” said
Ralston, adding, “I have seen
this program work.”
Judge Weaver closed the cer
emony by noting to the drug
court participants that they are
valuable individuals even if
they do not feel like it some
times.
“Sometimes we hit the bot
tom. But no matter what hap
pens to you, you still have value
to yourself, and to your family
and friends,” said Weaver.
According to information
presented at the graduation cele
bration, in five years drug court
staff have performed 17,295
drug tests on participants, with
only 57 coming back positive.
Also in five years 31 partici
pants have received their high
school diploma or GED while in
drug court, fifteen are in the
process of receiving their diplo
ma or GED, and five have start
ed college while in the program
June 21.2007
5lli Year Anniversary
- including one, Kristie Davis,
who graduated Thursday and is
attending Appalachian
Technical College’s nursing
program.
Forty-three people have
graduated from Appalachian
Judicial Circuit Drug Court.
SWIMMING LESSONS
Beginners, Intermediate and
Advanced Lessons now offered.
• 20 Years experience • Private Pool
• Small Classes.
Call Kim Mullinax Anderson at
678-602-2709
to reserve place in class.
Pictured left to right are recent Appalachian Judicial Circuit Drug Court graduates, with
Superior Court Judge Brenda Weaver (second from right): James D. Walden, Jody
Matthew Rogers, Dwayne Jason Tanner, and Kristie Davis.
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Learning the bear necessities
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Brent Jordan /photos
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while the mom and cubs were in the backyard.
“We have had several bear sightings in the last two weeks
- including one where the bear came right up to our house
(near our trashcan),” Ms. Jordan wrote in an e-mail.
Hidden Creek is a subdivision off of 515, a mile north of
Philadelphia Rd.
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