TO THE EDITOR: CMHA has voted to raze English Woods housing. I live in an older home and, when repairs are needed, I don't tear down my house. I fix it myself to save money. If this is not possible for large repairs, I get competitive bids.

Most companies want the work and would be willing to negotiate the price of the job. I am sure there are many able-bodied people in English Woods who could do a lot of the repair work themselves with some training and assistance. That would give them more pride in their home. I think it is called sweat equity and would be cheaper all the way around.

Barbara Kellogg, Western Hills

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What happened to Taft disliking gambling?

How come it is OK for Gov. Taft to make a wager with Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on the Fiesta Bowl football game (Feb. 24)? I thought this man opposes gambling on moral grounds and will veto any form of casino gambling if it were to pass the legislature, despite the tax dollars Ohio is losing to Indiana casinos everyday.

It is apparently OK for the governor to compromise his principles in the promotion of his career for a photo opportunity. If the governor is truly opposed to gambling for the people of Ohio, he should not be making a wager either.

Larry Welage, Batavia

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Cutting school lunches should be last resort

After reading that the Department of Agriculture is looking to reduce the number of ineligible children receiving free or subsidized school lunches, I've suddenly decided to be a bleeding heart liberal. I really don't have a problem with wasting a few bucks feeding kids. Maybe Tom Ridge could donate the Department of Homeland Security's budget and a few rolls of duct tape to help keep this program together.

Maybe we could reduce the bribe money to Turkey and spend it on good old American gobblers to feed the kids or sell all of the fancy DARE cars to raise money. I'm all for eliminating government waste, but school lunchrooms should be the last place we trim.

Dan Wagner, West Chester

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Moore family handling loss of son with class

I just wanted to say how completely impressed I was with the Moore family for their handling of their son's accidental death in an Army training camp. Everywhere I turn I see an accidental death and then the family tries to sue somebody for wrongful death.

It was really refreshing to hear they weren't going to sue the Army for the accident. They see it for what it was, an accident; they have handled it in a truly classy manner. My heartfelt condolences go out to the Moore family for their loss.

Anthony Fehring Jr., Batavia

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Fatal transplant coverage may cost lives

Certainly no one can consider the fatal error of a mismatched heart-lung transplant of a young girl in North Carolina as anything other than tragic. However, while certainly newsworthy, it is important to recognize that this medical error represents an isolated and exceedingly rare occurrence in the area of transplantation.

Multiple safeguards exist in our program and others to ensure correct organ matching. Thousands of organ transplants are performed yearly in this country, and have been for decades without a mistake such as this. Unfortunately, the extensive media coverage devoted to this tragic story overshadows the true miracle of transplantation. Of greater concern is the fact that anytime there is negative press about transplantation, the public becomes more reluctant or leery of organ donation.

What is important to recognize is that the waiting list for organs far exceeds the number of donor organs available. As a result, every year hundreds of people die waiting for a suitable donor organ. Organ donation and availability remain the main limitation to transplantation. Even more tragic than the death of this young girl, is the effect the media barrage may unwittingly have on organ donation and the chance of life for thousands of others waiting for organs.

Jeffrey Pearl, M.D., Director of Pediatric, Heart Transplantation, Children's Hospital Medical Center

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West Chester benefits - without helping out

I was upset, but not surprised, about West Chester Township reneging on its share of the bill to upgrade the Butler County Regional Airport. It is a recurring theme for West Chester to take advantage of Butler County and neighboring communities; West Chester is our best friend when it is good for them, but when it comes to contributing to the county, West Chester pretends not to hear.

First, it wants you to believe that it doesn't have enough money to contribute to the airport like originally agreed upon, but West Chester is by far the most financially well-off community in Butler County, possibly all of Southwest Ohio. Hamilton, Fairfield and Fairfield Township are contributing despite their tight budgets. Second, West Chester benefits more than any community from the airport. Trustee Catherine Stoker knows full well that a major reason her township is experiencing its growth is because of the airport's proximity.

This is just another slap in Butler County's face by West Chester. Make up your mind as to whether you are part of the county or not, and stop using us for your personal gain. Butler County is fed up with West Chester's antics, and they must stop.

Josh Wentz, Hamilton

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Ind.'s abortion waiting period admirable

In response to "Abortion law survives High Court appeal" by Anne Gearan in the Feb. 25 Enquirer:

I wholeheartedly agree with Indiana's fight to require tougher laws for abortion. Their push to require face-to-face counseling and the 18-hour waiting period is very admirable in the fight to make abortion severely hard to go through with. I am totally against abortion with the exception of extreme cases. These cases are only ones where the mother or the fetus may be at risk if the pregnancy continues to term.

Abortion is something that is unnatural and crude. I do not think that it was God's will for us to be able to discard babies at our free will. Indiana's abortion laws are a step that helps delay the process so that the mother can have time to realize the consequences. The 18-hour wait may be enough to help the mother realize that there are other options, like adoption, where the baby can still have the opportunity for a happy life.

There are millions of people in the world who cannot have their own babies naturally and would love the chance of a child to raise. I am not condemning those who are considering abortion, just recognizing Indiana's ongoing pursuit to help preserve the lives of our world's unborn children.

Ronald Peaks, Oxford

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Bid to save Florida cash on ballot storage

In regards to the Feb. 18 editorial "2000 ballots/History or rubbish? Tell Fla. Where to put' em." What to do with the ballots?

Wow! It was $250,000 to move them and $100,000 to store them. This has got to be a government bid. Are they shipping by first-class mail or by armored trucks?

I have a solid old warehouse just a stone's throw from the Museum Center in the West End. I'll arrange and pay the freight from Florida for the ballots and store them in a secure, dry warehouse for $40,000 per year as long as the state of Florida will agree to store them here for at least three years. Let's see, three years storage plus moving would most them $550,000. I'll do it for $120,000 and save the state of Florida $430,000.

J. Michael Schoeny, Hyde Park