As for the "flip-flop epidemic," is it a safety issue? If so, are there no safety guidelines in the public schools? If there are none, someone had better be asking for a tax increase to cover the lawsuits that are sure to come.

Beth Schnell
Covington

Don't shop at stores selling junk to kids

I greatly appreciate and applaud the Enquirer's effort to focus on the issue of children's health and nutrition ("Children's Health Forum," Sept. 26). I'd like to add a suggestion to what we can do now. We can stop shopping at stores for children and families that put candy and other unhealthy snacks in front of the cash register. It's hard enough shopping for clothes and shoes, but factor in the added temptation of candy bars and chips at the checkout. What parent needs to deal with that?

Unfortunately, we've come to expect them at superstores, but do they also have to be in shoe stores and children's clothing stores?

We're letting stores get away with it. Tell store owners and clerks you'll only come in to buy their products if they stop tempting your kids with junk food.

Kelly Leon
Walnut Hills

Doctor shone light in emergency medicine

Those of us in the practice of emergency medicine know what a great loss Daniel Storer was to our community, but perhaps you don't ("Dr. Storer: loss of a hero of healing," Sept. 24). All you have to do is dial 911 or stop at any firehouse or rescue squad, and chances are the EMT/paramedic was trained at some time by Storer. Stop in any emergency department in the area, and some of the physicians and nurses will have benefited from his passion for education.

He was to emergency medicine education in this area what Edison was for electricity. He taught us to start a heart that had stopped, deliver a baby in an ambulance and smile the entire time. Despite his many honors, his greatest legacy is that the emergency medical technicians, physicians and nurses that care for you in an emergency are better, smarter and kinder because of Dan Storer. How appropriate that some of his last moments were spent teaching EMTs.

Dr. Phillip F. Oblinger
Indian Hill

Campbell attorney right to charge cop

Congratulations to Campbell County Attorney Justin Verst for doing the job he is obligated to do in charging Newport police officer Mark Crank with drunken driving ("Newport officer charged in DUI stop," Sept. 29). It's encouraging to see an elected official that is not afraid to create "a political storm in a hornet's nest."

William Burkart
Fort Thomas

Smoking death stats often overstated

As the Wings song "Live and Let Die" says, "In this ever-changing world in which we live in." My thanks to the Enquirer editorial staff for presenting legitimate statistics in the editorial "Quit line for tobacco users" (Sept. 27).

The realistic statistic of 18,900 tobacco-related deaths a year in Ohio is a breath of fresh air after hearing Stand.org claim 50,000 deaths a year. Exaggerations such as this are bound to be called out sooner or later. These claims are constantly flying in the face of news reports of famous smokers dying at ages past the life expectancy of average Americans.

Young people need to know they are not being lied to. If this ever does become an issue, make sure you teach your children to be critical, but not cynical. Live and let die.

Curt Parrott
Maineville