 Well with the election less than two weeks away now candidates have been busy in their final days of their campaigns. Local candidates in the Brainerd Lakes area met last night to discuss how they view environmental issues. Candidates running for local state house districts, Crow and County Commissioner and Soil and Water supervisor seats were invited to attend the forum. The non-partisan debate was put on through a collaboration between the Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon Society, the Crowing County Lakes and Rivers Alliance and other lakes and environmental groups in the area. Here we are in the Brainerd Lakes area and the economy here depends on a healthy environment. We've got a big tourism economy and we need to have a healthy environment, healthy lakes, places to recreate. That's what this area is known for. It's what Minnesota is known for and so it's important that we protect our environment. The candidate forum was held at the Northland Arboretum in Brainerd and was free and open to the public. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.