Mayor issues denial: “I have no hooter fetish!”

*Disclaimer: The following story is not based on confirmed fact, but is instead based on innuendo, fantasy, half truths and rumor, which is good enough for us.

The city of Berea was rocked this week with allegations that Mayor Steve Connelly might be secretly obsessed with hooters.

In an exclusive Berea Online investigative report, this reporter learned that Mayor Connelly has no less than 19 images of hooters on the walls of his Chestnut Street law office, most of them pictured individually. Others are pictured in pairs.

“I’ve never counted them, but I know there would be a lot of them,” Connelly admitted, though he denied the charge that he is obsessed. He added, however, that even if he does like being surrounded by an abundance of hooters, it may be his father’s doing. “Most of these pictures came from my father,” Connelly said, referring to his extensive collection of nature and animal prints that includes 19 images of wild owls. “He was approaching retirement from Berea College, and he began bringing them over to my office on Short Street.”

Though his office bears many portraits of owls, Mayor Steve Connelly says the only thing he gives a hoot about is the city of Berea.

Ervin Connelly collected many of the owl prints during his tenure as a purchasing agent for Berea College, said the mayor, passing them onto his son when it came time to leave his college office. Since that time, the mayor has added to his colorful and eclectic art collection through gifts from friends and from estate sales in the community.

Though the owl is clearly the most widely represented species of bird displayed in his law office at 438 Chestnut Street, Mayor Connelly insisted once and for all that it would not be accurate to say he has a hooter fetish.

“It would not be accurate,” said Mayor Connelly. “I have no fetish. The only thing I give a hoot about is the city of Berea.”

Written by Andy McDonald - BereaOnline.com Contributing Editor