The fight against prescription drug abuse topped the list of local stories in Bell County in 2004. No other issue affects more families in Eastern Kentucky or instigated more public protest during the year.

The drug abuse epidemic has put a strain on both the county jail and the courts and forced two substantial innovations in the legal system. Anti-drug efforts also led to a county-wide protest march late in the year.

With conventional law enforcement stretched thin and jails bloated with more inmates than most facilities were designed to handle, a federal program founded by U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers was established to help counties deal with the problem.

Operation UNITE began local operations ub February when 75 people attended a meeting with UNITE officials.

Operation UNITE focuses on reducing drug supply by targeting low-level dealers using private detectives and information gathered from public tips.

During February the meeting Karen Engle, executive director of Operation UNITE said, "At the very least an officer will knock on their door and let them know they are being watched."

During the course of the year Operation UNITE officers have been instrumental in taking drug dealers off the streets. One high profile case in the latter part of the year involved a man from Detroit netted more than $100,000 in confiscated drugs.

In October, more than 3,000 area residents participated in an anti-drug rally spurred by Operation UNITE's community-empowerment efforts. The event was one of the largest in the region.

In December, UNITE officers working in conjunction with other police agencies arrested 60 in a drug sweep in Bell County.

Aside from Operation UNITE, Bell County also developed a drug court system which is focused on curing and preventing drug addiction rather than simply punishing addicts. Drug courts offer law enforcement officials a new weapon in dealing with drug offenders.

In September, a $450,000 grant was awarded to the county for the establishment of a full-scale drug court program to replace the limited program instituted by Operation UNITE.

"Demonstrating that Bell County's problems rise far above the average. Look at our population, we have 10,000 recipients for disability out of a 29,000 population base. Unemployment is a chronic problem because of the economic base. Marijuana itself is part of the cultural dialogue here," said Assistant Bell County Attorney Kelby Thomas, who participated in the effort to establish the court.

Other stories that topped this years list include:

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Bell County Fiscal Court makes plans for new jail after plan for regional facility falls apart

The hopes of building a regional jail were dashed when officials from Harlan and Knox counties pulled out of the project citing high transportation costs among other factors leading to their decision..

"We feel a regional jail here is a real plus," said Bell County Judge Executive Bill Kelley, but Harlan County Judge Executive Joe Grieshop estimated the cost at transporting prisoners to and from a regional jail at $400,000 to $500,000 annually.

Harlan eventually pulled out of the project and have begun building a larger jail east of the city of Harlan in the community of Verda.

In September, the Bell County Fiscal Court initiated a feasibility study on building a new facility for the county

In October, Kelley said the county would build its own jail to eliminate overcrowding at the existing facility in Pineville, which is more than 50 years old.

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Middlesboro Mall is sold

After being foreclosed upon in April, the fate of the Middlesboro Mall was a question on the minds of many of its customers and businesses.

That fate now rests in the vision of Don R. Ershing, whose company, Ershig Properties Inc. purchased the facility for $7.3 million from National City Bank.

The company owns and maintains shopping centers and malls around the country, said Ershing. They own three malls in the region, one in Somerset, the other in Tennessee and one in West Virginia.

He said the Middlesboro location was a big asset.

"It has a regional draw and needs some new retailers," said Ershing talking of the mall's strength.

"We can't make any guarantees, but we've owned and operated these type of properties before. We've lost K-Mart that we have successfully repositioned so we're going after a replacement, but we do not have anything to announce, said Ershing.

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Fern Lake to be incorporated into Cumberland Gap National Park

Rep. Hal Rogers' successfully included money for the aquisition of Fern Lake by Cumberland National Park in the FY 2005 Omnibus Appropriations Bill this year.

Rogers announced that approximately $1 million has been allotted by the federal government for the incorporation of the lake and surrounding watershed into park.

Both Rogers and Senator Mitch McConnell passed legislation allowing the 150-acre lake to be purchased.

"Fern Lake is the a crown jewel for tourism that fits perfectly into the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. This funding provides a down payment for acquiring the lake and ensuring that this valuable natural resource is preserved as a drinking supply for the people of Middlesboro," said Rogers.

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Mission Center to open medical center

Lighthouse Mission Center, of Pineville, held the groundbreaking for a free medical center on Jan. 31, 2004. With 31 percent of the county's population below the poverty line, the mission center hoped to fill the needs of residents in Bell County.

"We purchased it on faith. We don't have means of paying for it yet, other than just trusting that God is going to move on peoples hearts to help us," said Rev. Darrell Lowe.

Lowe said it would take $65,000 to get the clinic operational.

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Tannery site investigated

The state began investigating the defunct tannery across the street and down the road from Wal-Mart. Mark Edmonson, senior project manager for Shield Environmental Associates Midwest, was contracted to do the testing on the 52-acre lot.

Residents along Yellow Creek have complained for years that the tannery was polluting the stream and making them sick.

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Four arrested after active meth lab destroyed

An active meth lab was destroyed in Lee County, Va., in January and four people were arrested after sheriff's deputies served a search warrant at the residence.

The arrests, which were the first of the year were the first indicating the expansion of methamphetamine production and sales in the area.

Deputies served the warrant on the home near Rose Hill and according to reports, arrived at the home just after a batch of meth had been cooked up. Lee Sheriff's Inspector Bobby Ellis was overcome with fumes from the cook and was taken to Lee County hospital where he was later released.

Two of those arrested were from Calvin.

The arrests were the first in more than a dozen meth-related arrests that would follow during the course of the year.