Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keith Allred has scheduled a series of "town hall" meetings starting Monday in Sandpoint, where he'll answer questions from the public in a format similar to that of the Boise City Club, where volunteers collect written questions from the audience and a moderator poses them to the guest. Allred said he welcomes Idahoans from across the political spectrum to the events. "When you run for governor, you're not running to be governor of Republicans or Democrats or a particular special interest group," Allred said. "It's supposed to be government by, for and of the people. That's been the driving passion of my whole life."

In addition to Monday's session, set for 6:30 p.m. at the Sandpoint Community Hall, the former nonpartisan citizen activist, Harvard professor and mediator scheduled town hall meetings for July 22 at the Egyptian Theater in Boise, also at 6:30; followed by additional sessions in Nampa on Aug. 10 and in Lewiston on Aug. 26. Allred is challenging GOP Gov. Butch Otter. Also running are independents Jana Kemp and "Pro-Life" and Libertarian Ted Dunlap.

Otter announced today that he and First Lady Lori Otter will ride in the Snake River Stampede Parade at 11 a.m. Saturday in Nampa, and the governor will compete in team roping at the Stampede on July 23 at 7:45 p.m. at the Idaho Center in Nampa. Kemp has appearances in Twin Falls on Monday and Meridian on Thursday.