WELFARE REFORM FORUM

"Welfare Reform: What's at Stake for Missourians?" will be the topic of a public forum Friday in Cape Girardeau.

The Southeast Missouri chapter of the Missouri Association for Social Welfare will be held from 1-3 p.m. in the Missouriana-Indian Room at the University Center.

Lawmakers and candidates will discuss how the federal welfare reform law will affect Missouri.

They panelists are state Reps. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, David Schwab, R-Jackson, and Joe Heckemeyer, D-Sikeston; and Democratic state senate candidate Rick Althaus of Cape Girardeau.

Althaus is running against state Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau for the 27th Senate seat. Kinder was invited to participate, but declined because of a scheduling conflict.

Shirley Bentley co-chairs the the chapter of the Association for Social Welfare.

The group has 60 to 80 members in the 18-county region. Many of its members work for social-service agencies.

There also are doctors, nurses, teachers and others in the group.

"We basically just look at social issues of interest to the public," Bentley said.