VIEWPOINTS
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Eastern Hills Journal
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Read to win at your public library
There’s a new team in town, and its bench is strength 30,000 strong and growing. It’s Team Read! the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County’s 38th annual Summer Reading Program. We’re the biggest team in our area, armed with lots of books, programs, and prizes. The results so far: More than 5,000 preschoolers are training for kindergarten. Nearly 20,000 kids’ and teens’ brains are being conditioned for the return to school in the fall. And the more than 6,000 adults in their lives should win a coach of the year award for leading by positive example and reading along with them. As we head into the second half of our Team Read season, which ends July 31, we wanted to share some vital game changing news. We’ve recently introduced “Child Only,” “Teen Only”, and “Downloadable Only” Library Cards. The “Child Only” and “Teen Only” cards do not require a parent’s signature, and they allow children ages 12 and younger and teens ages 13-17 to check out up to three books at any one time. When one book is returned, they can check out another – no more fines for overdue books! And, customers ages 18 and older who only want to use downloadable resources can sign up for the Library’s new “Downloadable Only” card. We hope these new cards will equip our Team Readers with all they need to continue reading more books and wining more prizes! Be a Valuable Player for a chance to score four-packs of Cincinnati Reds tickets. Plus, the child, teen, and adult who read the most books at their local Library will win one of 123 NOOK Color e-readers. It’s not too late to get into the game today. Team Read continues through July 31. Sign up online at http://evanced.cincinnatilibrary.or g/evanced/sr/homepage.asp. Garrette Smith Madisonville Branch Library manager
About letters and columns
We welcome your comments on editorials, columns, stories or other topics important to you in The Eastern Hills Journal. Include your name, address and phone number(s) so we may verify your letter. Letters of 200 or fewer words and columns of 500 or fewer words have the best chance of being published. Please include a photo with a column submission. All submissions may be edited for length, accuracy and clarity. Deadline: Noon Friday E-mail: easternhills@community press.com. Fax: 248-1938. U.S. mail: See box below. Letters, columns and articles submitted to The Eastern Hills Journal may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.
June 29, 2011
EDITORIALS
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LETTERS
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COLUMNS
Editor Eric Spangler | espangler@communitypress.com| 576-8251
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CH@TROOM
Your Community Press newspaper serving Columbia Township, Columbia-Tusculum, Fairfax, Hyde Park, Madisonville, Mariemont, Mt.Lookout, Oakley, Terrace Park Email: easternhills@communitypress.com
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Finding inspiration from Father Lou Billy Glisson found out about Community Press columnist Father Lou Guntzelman’s death when he inquired where he might see Father Lou preach. Thank you so much for emailing me back in regards to Father Lou. I’m so grateful that you took the time to email me about his passing. At first I was very excited I even received a response. I first observed the email on my smart phone and was very excited someone, or even Father, took the time to respond to me. Then at a stop light I opened up the email and read your message. It was like receiving news that a family member had just passed suddenly. Very odd for me to react this way, I’m usually the tough one of the group. I hope somehow Father knows how he affected and influenced myself and the beginnings of interest of my wife! Which I will tell you that is a tough nut to crack! I don’t know if our story is worth printing, here goes. We moved here a almost two years ago from out west due to a job promotion and transfer. My wife had never left her home area her first 35 years of her life, and then after 18 years being married to me my job takes her
2,000 miles away from all of her family. One can only imagine the adjustment, strain and test of faith that one goes through during this period. I grew up in Michigan, coming back this way was exciting in a sense. We receive the Florence Recorder and I began to read it to get acquainted with the local activities, which at times seemed like fruitless activity due to the challenges as a family we were going through in the beginning. Then I began to read Father’s articles. Of course at first I just thought, “Oh, what does this Catholic priest have to say about life?” I was very pleasantly surprised of his articles. I began to leave them out in the open for the wife to read, then I found myself cutting them out and saving them. Then I cut out his article about fear at the Olympics and took it into work, and used it as a intro as how we can as people be better at life as well at work. Over the past year and half I have done this three to four times, and the response from the team members I’m responsible for has been so positive towards the morale of the staff.
Father Lou’s ability to capture the essence of life from a faith perspective, as well as real life events and feelings, are like those I have only experienced from three priests that this lifelong Catholic has come across. His challenge was not only to be Catholic but to be Christian and human at the same time. He gave you a perspective I’m sure enticed anyone who was reading his words to stop and reflect, then think how can they apply to their life. We must not think that his work is lost now. We must take what he has taught us and continue with his mission of teaching us how to have a strong and unwavering faith in God and ourselves, even with all of our faults. I can only hope you will continue his articles as all of the major newspapers have with Charles Schultz and the Peanuts comic strip. To allow us to enjoy and bring us down slowly from his words that only now can be lived through the flock of sheep he oversaw. I will say a prayer tonight for Father Lou and you for allowing us to enjoy his articles. Thank you again very much. Billy Glisson resides in Union, Ky.
REMEMBERING FATHER LOU Here are some of the comments Father Lou Guntzelman’s readers left at cincinnati.com after hearing about his passing last week. “I’m very sorry to hear this. I always enjoyed reading Father Lou’s columns.” yankeedoodle127 “I will miss his columns and his wisdom. Adieu.” LivingSimply “A Humble Servant. A Good Shepherd. You will be missed, Father Lou.” ensembleme “This news hurts my heart. I’m not Catholic, but I have been reading, enjoying and saving Father Lou’s columns for years now. I hope that the Community Press
will consider re-printing all of his columns in some sort of memorial book form. The proceeds could go to a charity that he chose, or perhaps to the research foundation of his particular cancer? I would definitely buy a compilation that included all of his columns! RIP Father Lou – you touched more people than you know.” bombermama10 “Father Lou’s columns were compiled into a couple of paperbacks. I bought them years ago at Borders, I believe. They are listed on Amazon: “So Heart and Mind May Fill” and “A Country Called Life.” itcouldbeyou “From a skeptic and definite non-Catholic: Father Lou, your columns inspired me and helped
me grow in a transitional period in my life. I will miss you very much.” itcouldbeyou “Rest in peace Father Lou. You touched many lives with your kindness and wisdom. You will be dearly missed.” Eastofparadise “Father Lou was a phenomenal person who demonstrated concern, compassion, faith and confidence in people. He truly was a Renaissance man and he had more to do than anyone else in developing my adult faith in God. “He once told a story of his mother Eleanor who raised him from his childhood after his father died. He talked about her courage in getting up and going to work every day to support her family and rear
Should Ohio open state parks to oil and gas drilling? Why or why not? “If geologists are pretty certain that there are oil/gas deposits that are accessible, and they can only be reached by drilling in state parks, of course! “Supplies of fuel for this nation of
them as good Catholics. He was inspirational whether he gave a sermon, met you in Kroger or teased other priests at Good Shepherd. “I believe it was not a coincidence that he died so shortly after Larry Kinley, whom he taught at Purcell and then to Good Shepherd as the cantor. They made a great pair and those who knew both of them are blessed. “Thank you, Father Lou. Thank you, Larry.” BudfromBlueAsh “Thanks to all of you for your touching comments. Father Lou was my uncle and a very strong presence in my life. Your thoughtful remarks mean a lot to the rest of his family during this very difficult time. I will make sure your messages are conveyed.” ModernPaine
Monzel voting no on CMHA agreement An intense debate continues over whether or not Hamilton County Commissioners should approve a cooperation agreement with the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) that would add up to 375 units of publicly subsidized housing to county neighborhoods over the next five years. CMHA contends that thousands of county residents are in desperate need of public housing. The organization also argues that some areas of the county have well below acceptable percentages of public housing – based on their population – as set by the federal government. But during our discussions on the proposed CMHA agreement, it has become apparent that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the driving force behind the request for more
units. For the record, I will vote against the proposed cooperation agreement with CMHA. Here are a few reasons Chris Monzel why I will vote Community no: • On the Press guest CMHA website, columnist. they proudly boast that it is the nation’s 17th largest public housing authority based on the number of units owned (over 5,000), yet Hamilton County is only the 50th largest county according to population, a definite imbalance. • CMHA records show that it currently needs $20 million-$30 million in additional federal dollars
for necessary maintenance of units already owned. If CMHA cannot maintain its existing units, it would be irresponsible for the housing authority to add 375 additional. • Hamilton County government and CMHA have worked together successfully since 2006, providing a number of low income housing projects during that time. • The number of units listed in the agreement (375) is arbitrary and has no specific data to determine local needs. CMHA had originally requested 500 units, but county officials thought 250 would be appropriate. Both sides compromised on 375. No real data has been presented as a basis for agreeing on any of the numbers. The number was pulled out of thin air. This is not the way government should run – local, state or federal.
CH@TROOM Last week’s question
JOURNAL
300,000,000 people are vitally important to our economy and our lives, and especially with the unrest in the Middle East, which makes the price of gas and oil so volatile, it is important that we use the resources we have, as long as we can retrieve the fuel without causing too much ecological damage (and I trust that we can.)” Bill B.
Government works best at the local level. CMHA should work with the county and local communities to determine where and how many properties will serve the interests of all concerned. HUD brings a heavy-handed approach to this process that overrides the good faith efforts of local leaders and CMHA while disregarding the serious financial situation of our federal government. This is not the time to be increasing the number of subsidized properties on the backs of federal taxpayers. Therefore, I will vote no on the cooperation agreement and propose that Hamilton County and CMHA continue to work voluntarily as we have over the last several years to find adequate housing options for those in need. Chris Monzel is a Hamilton County Commissioner.
Next question
“As with immigration, Congress fails again to protect America. With a very dismal record of energy management, one can’t blame the states for trying to find ways to self-manage ... it is a fine way to help kill the earth we live on.” K.P. “Yes. With all the protections
required by the Ohio and federal EPAs, this can be done safely and with minimal impact to the environment. This can be done in remote parts of state land where few people go. “The royalties and taxes will help the state’s budget and we sure could use the jobs. Drill, baby, drill.” T.H.
Do you think Afghanistan’s military is ready to take responsibilty for fighting Taliban insurgents as the U.S. begins a troop drawdown in July? Why or why not? Every week the Eastern Hills Journal asks readers a question they can reply to via e-mail. Send your answers to easternhills@community press.com with Chatroom in the subject line.
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Eastern Hills Journal Editor . . . . .Eric Spangler espangler@communitypress.com . . . . . .576-8251 Office hours: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday | See page A2 for additional contact information.
248-8600 | 394 Wards Corner Road, Loveland, Ohio 45140 |e-mail easternhills@communitypress.com | Web site: www.communitypress.com