"[Mayoral candidate Michael] Flaherty, a current city councilor, appeared at the Doyle’s forum, which was probably the first candidate forum in modern times to feature beer-sipping moderators."

So notes the Jamaica Plain Gazette this week in one of two political pieces.

Recently, all four candidates for mayor went before the JP Progressives, a "powerhouse community group focused on local politics."

Mayoral candidates article here.

But especially worth reading is the look into the group: "The very existence of JP Progressives—whose politically connected membership includes several State House and Boston City Council aides—underscores the key role JP will have in this year’s election, and challenges a neighborhood forum system that in recent years has been dominated by incumbent-friendly Democratic ward committees."

The group's website is here, complete with answered questionnaires from the four mayoral candidates and most of the City Council At-Large candidates. (You can guess which ones.) Video of their appearances will be up soon, the site promises.