Councilor Sports Sweet 'Stache

The hairiest news item to come out of this week's City Council meeting was the epic Fu Manchu mustache firmly rooted to the upper lip and cheeks of Ward 1 Councilor Brad Ellis. For a guy who usually looks like Mr. Clean's MBA kid brother, the 'stache caused something of a stir and was even injected into a council discussion of urban blight.

"We could declare your mustache blight," interjected Ward 2 Councilor George Solley as Ellis was asking about neighborhood nuisances during the City Council's Tuesday work session.

Ellis' mustache doesn't yet appear to be in violation of any zoning ordinances. Instead, his hair raising face is raising funds for prostate cancer research as part of a worldwide mustache based fundraiser called Movember. The event sees participants gather cash pledges in exchange for growing a mustache throughout the month of November.

"My wife is giving me a hard time about the 'stache," wrote Ellis in a post on his Movember profile page on November 19. "But she understands and supports the cause."

Elli's facial hair has been an evolving beast. At a City Council retreat earlier in the month, he was seen sporting his trademark shaved head along with a thin but dense beard. Ellis says that he tried to get away with just growing a beard instead of a mustache for the month, but coworkers convinced him to get with the spirit of Movember and etch in a proper soup-strainer.

Participants in Movember are organized into teams, and anyone can donate via the internet. Ellis, a member of Team Cask, has so far raised $120, $100 of which was donated by Ward 3 Councilor Fred Howe.

"Yo Bro - Your Mo is so, so - but, I know it will come alive," wrote Howe in a comment posted along with his donation. "Thank's for doing this for all the Bro's out there - with or without a Mo!"