Learn about the homeless or energy production coexisting with the environment tonight at one of two forums, each beginning at 7 p.m.

“The Faces of the Homeless” public forum, located at Grand Junction City Hall, will discuss misconceptions people have about the homeless, success and not so successful stories, and preventing and ending homelessness. Speakers will include the VA Medical Center’s Ron “Doc” Ross and Paul Sweeney; Grand Valley Catholic Outreach’s Bev Lampley; former Grand Junction City Council member Jim Spehar; and Cathy Haller and Troy Sievers from School District 51.

The school district’s REACH program serves 400 homeless students in the Grand Valley, which also has 100 homeless youth between the ages of 16 and 25 and 444 homeless adults.

Forum sponsors include Grand Valley Peace and Justice, Grand Valley Catholic Outreach, Mesa County Libraries, Housing Resources of Western Colorado, Grand Valley Coalition for the Homeless, The Way Home Committee, interested citizens and others. The forum is free.

Across town at the Mesa State College Moss Performing Arts Center Recital Hall, an eight-person panel will present “Crash: Energy vs. Amenity Boom.” High Country News is sponsoring the free event, which will feature varied points of view on the energy industry living in the same place as myriad natural wonders.

Panelists include: Republican State Sen. Josh Penry of Grand Junction, Garfield County Commissioner and member of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Tresi Blair Houpt, Halliburton Public Relations Director Melissa Norcross, Over the Edge Sports in Fruita Owner Troy Rarick, Gateway Canyons Resort President John Williams, RPI Consulting Owner and long-term community planner Gabe Preston of Durango and George Orbanek, former editor and publisher of the Daily Sentinel. High Country News Editor Jonathan Thompson will host the event.