Meeting Tuesday will address meth crisis

Meth kills. It's the mother of all drugs -- the cheapest, dirtiest and most powerful, and most dangerous drug that humankind has ever known. And it's here in our community. Meth continues to be the emotional rallying cry for community awareness groups trying to prevent addiction and consequently anti-drug politicians.

And on Tuesday night's showing of "Crystal Darkness" in Lemoore is expected to bring out numerous emotional testimonials on methamphetamine in droves.

Kings Partnership for Prevention -- a local coalition dedicated to drug prevention -- will hold a community meeting at South Valley Community Church in Lemoore. The 30-minute documentary, which has been shown in various large cities from Texas to Arizona, will be the centerpiece of Tuesday's gathering.

Recovering addicts in Kings County and Jeff Christensen, pastor of the church, will also speak during the event.

The event is free to the public.

"(The documentary) really reached out to those who are using meth and those who need to be educated about meth," said Sherill Calhoun, a Partnership member, wife of the Kings County District Attorney and mother of an addict.

Ron Calhoun, her husband, and several other deputy district attorneys recently attended a meeting in Arizona, just in time for the statewide showing of the documentary. They came home impressed and determined to duplicate the efforts in Kings County, Sherill Calhoun said.

The Crystal Darkness campaign, first launched in Northern Nevada in 2007, has since been adopted by a number of communities, including San Diego and Sacramento.

"Crystal Darkness" was produced by Michael Reynolds, the owner of Global Studio, a Reno-based marketing company. The campaign was spearheaded by Secret Witness, a Nevada nonprofit crime stopping organization, and Childhelp, an advocacy group for child abuse prevention.

Kings Partnership for Prevention is working to host its own version of the campaign as well, Calhoun said. "We're in the midst of putting one together in the Valley," she said.

The San Joaquin Valley has been long known as a hot spot region for meth use and trafficking. Pound after pound of the drug travels up and down the Valley each year, driving up crime rates, clogging jails and eroding workforce and family life.

Of 221 meth lab-related incidents reported in California last year, 164 --nearly 74 percent -- were in the Valley. In 2003, Kings County authority made 159 arrests and seized 108 pounds of meth worth nearly $3.9 million on the street.

Tuesday's meeting is targeted toward "anybody whose life has been touched by meth, those who would like to learn about the drug for prevention purposes or education purposes," Calhoun said.

"We want as many people on board that night as possible," she said. "Because we want to appeal to the community with a sense of urgency about the issue."

How to attend

What: Meth awareness meeting

When: Tuesday, 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Where: South Valley Community Church

Contact: 924-1048 or 362-4254

The reporter can be reached at 583-2429.