Sheriff responds to meth story backlash
By Suzanne Werre
Editor
News spread like wildfire a couple weeks ago following a large methamphetamine bust in rural Turtle Lake one day, then there were multiple drug-related arrests in Underwood the following day.
The McLean County Sheriff’s Department’s comments that ran in a story in several area newspapers, and was mentioned on local television stations did not sit well with several Underwood resident.
Comments in the article like, “Narcotics has just become a norm in Underwood,” by Detective Justin Krohmer, with another detective speculating there are about 100 meth users in Underwood, a town of about 800 citizens, created a firestorm within Underwood residents.
The statement in the Underwood News that bothered Mayor Leon Weisenburger the most was the statement generalizing that that Underwood has developed a “culture of acceptance” when it comes to drug use.
“At first, everyone was happy that the arrests were made, but the after-effects with the statements that came out in the paper giving Underwood such a black eye was very upsetting to the law-abiding citizens in Underwood,” said Weisenburger.
“The people that are upset aren’t associating with that element,” said McLean County Sheriff J.R. Kerzmann.
