Chris Monzel Wants To Sell Both Pro Sports Stadiums In Cincinnati: Oops! They're Already For Sale

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Hamilton County commissioners told The Daily Bellwether last winter they would sell Great American Ball Park, home of the Cincinnati Reds, and Paul Brown Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals, if anybody wanted to buy. No one was interested, then or now. Today, Chris Monzel, a Republican Cincinnati City Council member running for a seat on the Hamilton County Commission, has raised the issue again. Monzel met with Cincinnati Enquirer reporters and editors and announced he "wants to sell the stadiums." The Enquirer treated this as a major campaign development that would fire up the debate. In truth, it's neither a new nor an out of the box development. Democratic Commissioner Todd Portune said the stadiums were for sale last February. It was in the Bellwether, where Portune noted anybody was welcome to make a bid, even the Chinese or Saudis. Monzel's Democratic opponent Jim Tarbell didn't have much to say. He probably knows there doesn't seem to be any buyers out there.

UPDATE: 9/17 2:42 PM -- Cincinnati Blog is accusing Monzel of pandering to his conservative base in the commission race. The piece has a link to Bellwether item about
Monzel.

Cincinnati GOP Councilman Chris Monzel: Wants Evolution Challenged In Public Schools

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Maybe speakers from the Creation Museum just across the Ohio River in Kentucky might be asked to hold forth in Cincinnati Public School biology classes. They could explain how the world is just 5,000 years old, dinosaurs were hanging around with people in the Garden of Eden, and that the Bible's Book of Genesis literally explains how humanity got its start. That might be exactly what Republican Councilman Chris Monzel --who is seeking election tomorrow -- hopes to accomplish. Who knows? Monzel says he supports requiring Ohio's classroom teachers to "present the evidence" that contradicts Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

Monzel, 39, is trying to hold onto a seat that the GOP appointed him to after he was voted out of office in 2005. He is an engineer and holds a masters degree in public policy from Harvard University. He was the valedictorian at parochial Moeller High School in 1986. He is a very intelligent fellow. He did not elaborate on the questionnaire exactly what it is that teachers should offer as contradicting Charles Darwin. Perhaps intelligent design, perhaps scientific creationism, perhaps Genesis or something from Greek mythology. Perhaps a script from Star Trek.

He was asked about "Alternatives to Evolution," and the question reads:

"When lessons on the origins of life are taught in Ohio public schools, do you support or oppose requiring teachers to present the evidences (sic) both supportive and contradictory to the theory of evolution?" Monzel is in the supports box.

Darwin's theory is generally accepted, and contends that organisms and species continuously make genetic adaptions to the environment. They do this by selection, either through hybridization, inbreeding and mutation (short version).