As it turns out, the Occupy Cincinnati protesters who were arrested for camping overnight in downtown’s Piatt Park for nearly two weeks might not have violated any law. That’s the opinion of Municipal Court Judge David Stockdale, who sent a letter last week to city prosecutors and his fellow judges.  

Most readers might think that House Speaker John Boehner (R-West Chester) would be too busy to meet with just anyone during the past few weeks, while he was grappling with a budget impasse and impending shutdown of federal government. But the Orange One took time out of his busy schedule in late February to attend the National Religious Broadcasters convention in Nashville.   

People like Phil Burress must live in an alternate reality, full of strange fears and repressed desires, while ignoring the true dangers all around them like soaring unemployment, families that struggle to put food on the table and politicians beholden to corporate interests. Burress, who is president of the anti-gay, anti-pornography, anti-anything-different Citizens for Community Values (CCV), spent the election season trying to convince voters in Bowling Green, Ohio, to repeal the city's two human rights ordinances. His big fear? Men in dresses.  

Just when you thought Cincinnati's police chief couldn't get more unprofessional, he proves his knack for doing just that. As reported by WCPO's I-Team, Chief Thomas Streicher Jr. recently reassigned the top three highest-ranking female officers in the department against their wills to new positions that involve far less responsibility.  

State workers may soon be able to extend their benefits to "live-in" partners. Against the idea is Citizens for Community Values leader Phil Burress, whose official statement on the issue included a disturbing metaphor about the ends of an extension cord not fitting together if each has three dicks.  

Last week I signed two settlement documents to conclude our 2008 lawsuit against Citizens for Community Values (CCV), the City of Cincinnati and dozens of other local government officials and conservative civic leaders. After a long year of fighting for our First Amendment right to publish CityBeat without government interference, I'm pleased and gratified to wrap up the legal proceedings on such a positive note.