Chris Monzel, freshly ousted from Cincinnati City Council, is considering challenging three-term Hamilton County Commissioner John Dowlin in the Republican primary next year.

Internal polling indicates Dowlin doesn't have strong support among voters, Monzel said, and Councilman John Cranley - considered a tough campaigner - is expected to announce this week that he's seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat.

"The question is, can I be more of a winnable candidate?" Monzel said.

At least, that's one question. The bigger question is, what will Republican Councilman Pat DeWine do?

DeWine is considering running for commissioner - probably for Democrat Todd Portune's seat, although he's not specifying.

If DeWine doesn't run, Monzel might opt to take his chances against the lesser-known Republicans vying for a shot at Portune.

If DeWine does run, Portune could duck the Republicans' strongest candidate by not running for his own seat. Instead, he could run against the Dowlin/Monzel winner, presumably leaving Cranley as the Democratic candidate for his old seat.

The parties have until Jan. 2, the filing deadline, to sort it all out.

Cindi Andrews

HAMILTON: At Badin High School this week, the teacher cut class - not one of the students.

Terry Malone, 70, skipped part of his American history class to attend Butler County commissioners' Monday morning meeting, where he was honored as Ohio's winningest football coach.

Commissioners declared Monday "Terry Malone Day" to salute the Badin/Hamilton Catholic head coach, who is retiring after 46 seasons with 360 wins, 117 losses and 8 ties.

"He was one of the best (high school teachers), and you don't hear much about that," said Commissioner Courtney Combs, a 1963 Hamilton Catholic High School graduate and a water boy for Malone's teams.

John Kiesewetter

LEBANON: The Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Committee has pegged John Lazares to chair the Miami Valley-Southwestern Ohio Regional Education Coalition.

Lazares, superintendent of the Warren County Educational Service Center, will work on the president's campaign in Ohio.

Lazares also is running a campaign of his own - in a contested GOP primary for the Warren County commissioner seat Larry Crisenbery is vacating.

Erica Solvig

HAMILTON: After 19 years as the Butler County Domestic Relations Court magistrate, Eva Kessler wants to be the judge.

Kessler, a Hamilton attorney, has filed petitions for retiring Judge Leslie Spillane's Domestic Relations seat. Adolf Olivas, a former Hamilton mayor, also has filed petitions for the March 2 GOP primary.

"I think I have a lot of experience. I certainly know the job," Kessler said.

Attorneys Gary Kaup of Middletown and Dwight Packard of West Chester also have expressed interest but haven't filed yet.

John Kiesewetter