
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 28, 1990                   TAG: 9003280201
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MARGIE FISHER RICHMOND BUREAU
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

THORNBURGH TO SPEAK AT STATE DRUG SUMMIT

U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh will be keynote speaker for next month's "Virginia Summit on Drugs" called by Gov. Douglas Wilder.

The conference, scheduled April 16-17 at the Marriott Hotel in Richmond, is expected to draw more than 300 local, state and federal law enforcement officials from throughout Virginia.

Thornburgh, who is responsible for supervision of several federal agencies involved in President Bush's national drug control strategy, will speak following a 7:30 p.m. dinner the first day of the conference.

Wilder said he was "extremely pleased" that Thornburgh had accepted his invitation to participate.

"As the top law enforcement official in the country, Mr. Thornburgh has a national perspective on the drug crisis and can lend guidance regarding how federal, state and local law enforcement agencies can more effectively work together in order to maximize results and more efficiently use resources in the war against drugs," Wilder said.

Calling the conference is Wilder's major initiative so far to counter drug problems.

Wilder promised during his campaign for governor that he would be his own "drug czar" and personally lead a war against illegal drugs.

Wilder is expected to speak at the start and close of the conference.

Thornburgh is a former governor of Pennsylvania and former assistant attorney general in charge of the U.S. Justice Department's Criminal Division.

by CNB