U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis) has announced a $1 million U.S. Agency for International Development grant to World Services of La Crosse, Inc. to help stimulate economic growth in four Russian cities "where the United States is involved in dismantling weapons systems and demilitarizing chemical weapons facilities."

Mary Anderson, secretary-treasurer of the charitable organization, identified those cities as Dubna, Sarov, Snezhinsk, and Zheleznogorsk.

"This project addresses a crucial aspect in our relationship with the former Soviet Union, to minimize the risks of remaining weapons and weapons experts by bringing stability to the region," said Kohl, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee. "This group has effectively taken a relatively small federal investment and overcome bureaucratic and international obstacles to establish a presence where one is greatly needed."

The money will be spent in support of the work of Communities for International Development — an organization that pairs those Russian cities with La Crosse and Appleton in Wisconsin, Blount County, Tennessee, and Los Alamos, N.M. 

In a news release issued Jan. 11, Kohl quoted Sandra McCormick, President of World Services of La Crosse, Inc., that the four cities "have been economically devastated. It is our hope that our initiatives will strengthen their health, social, education, economic and civic infrastructure and that new opportunities will be created for those who are without the necessary resources for day to day needs."    —Donald H. Harrison