Candidates attending the political forum, from left, Eddie Pugh, Niceta Hester, Dan Moncrief, Eva McDonald, Eric McCalphia, Arthur Nelson Jr., Harvey Curry, Demarius Evans, Michael Hillie. Appeal photo/Timothy Holdiness
Candidates for mayor and alderman seats in the city of Newton pledged to prioritize job creation, crime prevention, and government transparency during a public political forum hosted by the New Hope District Association, the NAACP, and the Political Action League.