LEARN MORE ABOUT METH AT FREE FORUM MONDAY NIGHT

Over the past six weeks, the Southeast Missourian staff has questioned more than 100 sources about the meth crisis gripping Missouri.

Now it's your turn.

A free community forum Monday evening will give audience members a chance to ask their own questions of area experts.

The discussion begins at 6:30 p.m. in the new College of Business building, located at the intersection of Henderson and New Madrid.

Parking is available in the business building lot or across the street in the Henderson lot. Additional parking is available at the Show Me Center, where a van will shuttle people to Dempster Hall.

The program will open with a 15-minute video that provides an overview of the meth problem. Official sources and meth addicts talk about meth in Missouri.

Cape Girardeau Police Chief Rick Hetzel will serve as master of ceremonies. Dr. Bob Briner, director of the SEMO Regional Crime Lab, will begin the local portion with an overview of common ingredients used in meth production.

Sgt. Kevin Glaser, who heads up the SEMO Drug Task Force, will then discuss the extent of meth abuse in the region.

Next, audience members will be encouraged to ask their own questions. In addition to Briner and Glaser, the panel will include:

-- Cape Girardeau County Sheriff John Jordan, who serves on the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area board.

-- Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle, who will discuss the new Missouri meth law that took effect Friday.

-- Cpl. Keith May, who served with the SEMO Drug Task Force and is a veteran narcotics investigator with the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

-- Dewayne Kluesner, a former meth addict from Scott County. He lives in Florida but is returning specifically to attend the forum. He feels it's important for former addicts to speak out against the dangers of meth.

In addition, the Southeast Missourian's eight-day "Life or Meth" series will be republished in the Sept. 15 YELL edition, which benefits local literacy efforts. The reprinting is being made available courtesy of the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department Crime Reduction Fund.

For more information, contact Joni Adams at the Southeast Missourian, 335-6611.