SENATORIAL CANDIDATES TO BE AT ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM OCT. 28

The local Trail of Tears Group of the Ozark Chapter of the Sierra Club has arranged a forum on environmental concerns for candidates for the 27th State Senate District.

The event will be held Oc t. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Missouri Department of Conservation Regional Headquarters in North County Park (Interstate 55 at Route 61, north of the city of Cape Girardeau).

Candidates for the seat are Republican Peter Kinder and Democrat Betty Hearnes. Both candidates will be on hand to discuss their views on the environment and to answer questions.

Democrat John Dennis of Benton now holds the seat. He is retiring.

The format will offer each candidate 15 minutes to present views on environmental issues, followed by a period of questions. The event will conclude with brief closing statements by each candidate.

The forum will last between 60 and 90 minutes. The format was developed after consultation among the candidates and Sierran Kathleen Ruopp, the primary organizer of the event.

Among the list of topics Ruopp suggested: clean water and air; energy and mass transit; solid, toxic and hazardous waste; recycling; wetlands and forestry issues; biodiversity; and the role of the state in regulating and managing the environment.

The forum will be moderated by Cape Girardeau resident and Sierra club member Anne Spratt. The public is invited to attend and participate in questioning the candidates.