Talk about strange government line item requests. The Cleveland Metroparks' February 24 meeting will include an item calling for a bid that will award money for the purchase of "various frozen mice, rats and rabbits."

Strange, that is, until one realizes that the request is for the parks system's Cleveland Zoo with the various frozen delicacies are used for the care of snakes, birds and other critters.

That makes such purchases necessary.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFRischkorn@News-Herald.com