Hamilton County Democrats, perhaps feeling left out during Republicans' pre-primary infighting, are dabbling in some inner-party conflict of their own.

Steve Huffman, a former Norwood councilman, is trying to wrest control of the county Democratic Party from Co-Chairmen Tim Burke and Mark Mallory.

Huffman blames them for the scarcity of county candidates on the party ticket in November. Democrats don't have a single candidate for judge, prosecutor or sheriff.

"It's not really a democracy if no one runs," Huffman says.

The lack of candidates is a problem, Burke agrees, but it's not for lack of trying. On the positive side, he notes, the party has a county commissioner up for re-election - Todd Portune, the first Democrat elected to the job since the 1960s - and is running prominent physician O'Dell Owens against Republican Coroner Carl Parrott.

About 300 precinct executives will decide between Huffman and the current co-chairmen at an April 3 county Central Committee meeting. The group meets every two years to elect party leaders.

Huffman estimates he has only 100 votes but says the outcome will depend on how many supporters from each side show up.

Cindi Andrews

STOKED UP: We must make note of this, because it might not happen again this year.

West Chester Township Trustee Catherine Stoker, a Democrat challenging Butler County Commissioner Michael A. Fox on the November ballot and a harsh critic of the three Republican commissioners, said something nice about her opponent last week.

At the ribbon-cutting for the Streets of West Chester retail and entertainment complex, Stoker praised Fox for his leadership in creating the county Transportation Improvement District, which constructed the Interstate 75 Union Centre interchange that has sparked tremendous growth in her township.

"Mike Fox deserves credit to get such support for a Union Centre interchange. Without that interchange, we wouldn't be here today," she said.

When he heard about the remark, Fox said: "I was stunned."

John Kiesewetter

DOES HE HAVE AN AMEN? Woe unto the residents of Deerfield Township, for theirs is such a hard life.

At least that's how Trustee Lee Speidel seems to see it.

In an invocation opening a recent public meeting, he prayed for "hope to the good people of Deerfield Township, put upon, oppressed and exploited as they are."

Preaching from "so vain, worldly and mundane a setting as a legislative board," Speidel also asked that the "dear Lord" would "bring contrition to the hearts of those whose greed and ambition has denied them the quiet enjoyment of their lives, their homes and their families."

Speidel said Tuesday he was referring to homeowners having to pay for the bulk of township services because "cheap commercial developments" have gotten so many tax exemptions.

Erica Solvig