DRUG ADDICTION IS FOCUS OF UPCOMING S.A. FORUMS

The first of seven one-hour community forums aimed at curbing drug
addiction is scheduled Saturday in the auditorium of the San Antonio
Central Library at 600 Soledad St.

Sponsored by the local PBS affiliate KLRN-TV, the meeting will launch a
series of "Neighborhood Conversations" that form part of a larger
anti-addiction initiative titled "Close to Home."

The forum begins at 10:30 a.m.

"What we want to do is give some visibility to the problem and the
solutions, and hopefully start off the community talking about it and just
being aware of it," KLRN spokesman Erik Ketcherside said.

Saturday's forum will address drug addiction among youths.

After watching a video depicting the real-life stories of some San Antonio
residents, the audience will engage in a discussion with a panel of local
youths, educators and health-care professionals.

San Antonio Express-News columnist Susan Yerkes will moderate the forum.

Ketcherside said organizers hope the talks will "point out to people how
they can recognize that there is a problem -- maybe in their own family --
because sometimes it just doesn't get noticed."

"Close to Home" was created when 50 community leaders met earlier this year
and decided to localize a national public television series on drug addiction.

"It was a great series. We had seen the previews, but we wanted to put a
local face on it," Ketcherside said.

The entire project includes seven community forums, several video
productions and public service announcements, and a speaker's bureau which
organizers hope will become self-sustaining.

The next two talks following Saturday's forum will focus on addiction among
the elderly and addiction in the workplace.

Checked-by: Pat Dolan