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Forum of a different color

| April 30, 2014 9:00 PM

If you're tired of the same ol' same ol' political forums, join the club. And join the crowd Thursday night.

In what promises to be the most unusual candidate forum of the primary season, the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls chambers of commerce are hosting an event Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Schuler Auditorium on the North Idaho College campus. Legislative candidates in contested races from District 2, 3 and 4 will be plunked into a living room-like setting and, in 30-minute chunks, will converse with questioners about the issues - and anything else that just might pop up.

We appreciate all the other forums that give voters the opportunity to learn more about the people they'll be voting for and, sometimes, against. But many of them are repetitious, with little opportunity for engagement and a deeper probing of the candidates' background and views. As Mark Browning put it, Thursday evening's event has the potential to turn into a grease fire. But as long as they aren't in your kitchen, even grease fires can be entertaining.

Browning, a vice president at NIC and a chamber board member, has divided this event into three 30-minute segments, where candidates from the aforementioned districts will talk with a pair of interrogators. For District 2, Browning and Post Falls Chamber President Pam Houser will ask the questions. For District 3, Mike Patrick and Tom Greene, a former Press reporter who's now NIC's communications coordinator, will team up again. And for District 4, Spokesman-Review blogger and longtime political analyst Dave Oliveria won't be able to attend, so Coeur d'Alene Chamber President Steve Wilson will be paired with financial adviser and chamber volunteer Jeff Smith. Of course, the stars of the show will be the candidates.

We cordially invite you to join us starting at 5:30 Thursday for what looks like a rare opportunity to get to know the people who want to represent you in the Idaho Legislature. In the event of a grease fire, standard evacuation procedures will be in place.