(That’s me talking to Costa Mesa Councilwoman Katrina Foley, with her phone in hand, after the Chat with the Editors)

You know how they usually include those web-cam or e-mailed questions in televised debates these days? Probably so the producers can look hip.

Anyway, we got our own version of that at our Chat with the Editors meeting with the public at the Newport Rib Company restaurant tonight courtesy of Costa Mesa Councilwoman Katrina Foley.

We got our usual 25 or so readers at the gathering, but that list grew exponentially in cyberspace as Foley, who arrived about midway through the meeting, asked for questions from her friends on Facebook via her cell phone. It spawned a gynormous thread on her Facebook page (last I checked it was up to 61 comments) with readers demanding to know why we don’t do more to cover Costa Mesa and Estancia high school sports, among other topics.

Poor sports editor Steve Virgen was caught in the crossfire as he was back in the office laying out the next day’s sports page. He ably defended our coverage. Trust us, folks, there’s no grand conspiracy to favor one high school over another. One reader made this suggestion:

Maybe more “reporters” to cover this side of town??? There is a definite bias towards right-wing idealism… I wonder if anyone is aware that there are people who reside in the cities of CM & NB who actually like our Pres. and look forward to the changes… change doesn’t always work the first time around, but somebody has to have the courage to step out and try!

You’re kidding, right? I went to Washington, DC, on my own dime to cover the president’s inauguration. I don’t think a right-winger with an agenda would do that, do you? And the reason I did it is because, primarily, I wanted to cover what I figured was the story of my life — it was history. Also, because I saw how close President Obama came to winning Orange County, and I was among the first to report that he won Costa Mesa. So, yes, I see the trend. It’s critical to me to be fair. I do a lot to help the Democrats locally get equal time. I doubt Democratic OC honchos like Frank Barbaro and Melahat Rafaei would call me out as biased. Same goes for GOP chairman Scott Baugh. So there’s no bias.

We also got grilled on letters to the editor and how they’re selected. I had to mostly defer to Editor Brady Rhoades as he manages that feature. Sometimes I pitch in and I ran it before Brady was hired, so I know that one of the bigest problem with that page is we’re not receiving many letters to the editor anymore. People prefer to leave comments for the online versions of stories. So go ahead and e-mail letters to Brady at brady.rhoades@latimes.com and I’m sure they’ll be published. You don’t have much competition.

Another highlight — finally getting to meet local superblogger Geoff West and his wife Susie. I talk to Geoff nearly every day as he has a passion for our paper. Since we’ve started the Chat with the Editors gatherings Geoff has said he would like to attend, but can’t seem to make it. Finaly, he made it. And I’m glad he did — his questions were excellent.

Special thanks also to my In Theory homeys Tom Thorkelson and Jim Turrell for attending. Same goes for everyone who was there (like Mona who took the pictures and got Katrina through Susie via Facebook to ask why we don’t run Restaurant Roundup anymore. Thanks for the hardball question!). You’re not just readers, you’re customers, and I value your attention and participation. While I might be moving on next week to my new job at City News Service, I’ll still be rooting for the Pilot. I’m sure you will, too.

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