Letters: Sittenfeld corruption trial might be best thing to happen to city

Former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld and his wife Dr. Sarah Coyne arrive for jury selection in his federal public corruption trial at The Potter Stewart United States Courthouse in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
Former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld and his wife Dr. Sarah Coyne arrive for jury selection in his federal public corruption trial at The Potter Stewart United States Courthouse in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

As the facts come out that relate to former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld's guilt or innocence, let the chips fall where they may.

This is a Shakespearean tragedy on many levels if there ever was one. So much power as well as potential and more to come for Mr. Sittenfeld, and it all turns to dust.

The trial has the potential to open up the belly of the beast on Plum Street. In full view, we may see how this city really operates in many ways. Seen as never before by the average citizen who attends council meetings or watches the video stream.

For the short and long term, it may be the best that could happen for this city. We should all look forward to it.

Perhaps this entire episode will restore the city to the level of governance integrity we experienced when Murray Seasongood and the Charter movement brought to this city over a century ago by ending the Boss Cox era.

Steve Deiters, Oakley

Look beyond anger and mend our broken country

The American bald eagle was adopted as the Official National Bird of the United States in 1782. In order to fly, as with any bird, the left wing and right wing must work together to lift it's body forward into the air. If it is injured, it becomes preyed upon and hunted down to death.

We the People of this nation need to face the reality that we are not working together to fly our country forward so it may be strong and admired in flight by our growing children and future world's people. Our watch in history is being written now.

Let us look beyond anger and bandage the broken wings with purpose and pride so that our story will be that the eagle can soar into the future's sky.

Terri Naeve, Springfield Twp. 

EPA, FDA look the other way as consumers are poisoned

The June 19 AP article, "Court rejects EPA weed killer finding," noted the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the EPA to reexamine its 2020 finding that the herbicide/desiccant glyphosate did not pose a health risk for people exposed to it.

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Bayer’s Roundup, has been linked to non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In fact, Bayer (and original producer Monsanto) has already been ordered to pay billions of dollars in jury awards to people injured by this product. The EPA’s insistence on the safety of glyphosate should be alarming to all of us. Many countries in Europe and around the world have already banned it or are in the process of doing so.

Even more concerning is that glyphosate is sprayed directly onto many of our crops as a drying agent to quicken the harvest. Wheat, barely, oats, lentils, beans, potatoes, peas, corn, and sugar beets are most commonly sprayed with glyphosate as a desiccant. The problem is glyphosate does not wash, dry, or cook off your food. So you are consuming this herbicide every time you eat food that has been sprayed with it. Lab tests have shown glyphosate is present in urine samples, drinking water, and even breast milk! Tests have also shown it is present in foods marketed to children (https://www.ewg.org/childrenshealth/monsanto-weedkiller-still-contaminates-foods-marketed-to-children). Glyphosate is so widely used in the U.S. that you probably cannot totally avoid ingesting it even if you eat only organic produce.

It’s time for all of us to insist our government prioritize our health and food safety over the political contributions of companies like Bayer. Until then we will continue to be poisoned by products like Roundup while the EPA and the FDA look the other way.

Tom Daubenmire, Loveland

Fewer automatic weapons, more mental health resources

As a retired teacher, I was so saddened by  the June 20 article – "Are schools indoctrinating kids?" – that put forth that locally, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) was hurting our children.

My experience was the opposite. Building SEL into the curriculum increased student academic performance, encouraged students to think of their futures, and increased their empathy and mental wellness.

But wait – nationally these same voices are saying that AR-15s don't kill people, mental illness does, and the Senate just agreed to provide millions of dollars for expanding mental health resources in communities and schools.

Why is this an either/or situation? I want both expanded mental health resources and fewer automatic weapons of mass destruction. Our children are our future. Care for them.

Diana Porter, College Hill

Measles case reminder of importance of vaccinations

The Ohio Department of Health recently confirmed a 17-month-old child is the first measles case in Ohio since 2019, raising concerns about the decrease in vaccination rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. This discovery serves as another harsh reminder that diseases continue to spread, underscoring how critical it is for children to stay up to date with vaccinations.

Vaccination against infectious diseases remains one of the most successful health interventions in the past 100 years. Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious injury and even death. Immunizations also help protect diseases from spreading to those who cannot receive vaccinations, such as those with a weakened immune system or undergoing cancer treatments.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) works closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to make recommendations for vaccine use. The Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (Ohio AAP) and our member pediatricians understand that parents may have concerns about vaccinating their children and encourage families to discuss any questions with their pediatrician. Vaccination is the foundation to building a healthy life for Ohio’s children and it is critical to ensure every child is protected from all vaccine-preventable diseases. If your child is behind on routine immunizations, now is the time to schedule an appointment to get caught up.

Melissa Wervey Arnold, CEO, Ohio American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Columbus

Slow down transition to electric vehicles

As we know, the Biden administration is very dedicated to implementing their  Clean Energy Plan, and a key component of that plan is getting the public to buy electric vehicles. Forget about the fact that most Americans can't afford one and, instead, think about this. The average stay at a service station for someone filling up their car or truck with gasoline is approximately five minutes, while at an electric charging station it's at least 30 minutes. That means that if we went 100% electric, we'd need six times the surface area at service stations to handle the same amount of traffic and that's just not practical. The solution: slow down the transition to electric vehicles, Mr. President, until ALL of the details have been figured out.

Marvin Owens, Liberty Twp.

Donald Jordan is bringing responsibility back to families

I want to thank Opinion Editor Kevin Aldridge for his excellent column, "Meet these Black fathers who aren’t absent." His report about Donald Jordan who wants to change the negative perception America has about Black fathers is refreshing news. This return to parental responsibility will be equally welcome in white families. The negative perception Americans have regarding lack of family responsibility is real. Donald Jordan’s work is the first step required to bring peace back to our streets and schools.

Randy McKnight, Clifton

Poll workers don't sign up to be falsely accused, threatened

Shaye Moss, a former Georgia election poll worker who happens to be African American, and her mom, Ruby Freeman, were counting votes in Fulton County on election night, Nov. 2020. Later, Ms. Moss was questioned by her supervisor about the vote count. She and her mother were subsequently accused of voter fraud. They were both threatened by people associated with the Trump campaign. Donald Trump himself spoke Freeman's name several times during a campaign speech. Their lives and their reputations were ruined.

As l watched, this women testify, June 21, in front of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, It made me sad, and then it made me angry. I also work the polls in the community where l live. We didn't sign up for this.

Will Wallace, Blue Ash

Respect for working Americans needs to return

The airlines and other companies that "serve the public" have shortages in their work force. I think it is long past time to look at additional reasons for this shortage. That means we need to look at us, the public.

Treatment of those who deal with the public has reached an all-time low. Why do we think we can spit, yell and threaten these employees who are trying to do their jobs? Is this just another unhinged example of "our rights?" Or perhaps it is part of the class struggle of one group being superior?

Whatever it is, it needs to end and respect of working Americans needs to return. We all need to look at our behavior toward others to make America work again in more ways than one.

Susan Kemp, Fairfield

Give ex-offenders a shot at Intel jobs, too

As we all know, earlier this year, Intel announced its decision for selecting Ohio to build its new chip plant, which is projected to create thousands of jobs. One area that has not been addressed is the inclusion of individuals with a previous criminal history for employment opportunities in these jobs.

For years, scholars have identified items such as employment and economic stability as critical for promoting successful reintegration and decreasing recidivism for those with a previous criminal history. Intel choosing to build in Ohio is a major economic win. Let’s make sure that these opportunities exists for all Ohioans.

Terrance Hinton, Westerville, OH

Shutdown streetcar an example of why city lost World Cup bid

The best example I can offer as to why the city of Cincinnati lost its bid to host World Cup in 2026 is that we can't even keep our streetcar operating for almost a month due the Davis Furniture store not receiving a demolition order for close to five years, and it is now a public safety hazard and shutting down the streetcar.

We have one of the most dysfunctional, dirty, dangerous and poorly managed cities in the country of any size with litter and open dumping everywhere, inadequate hotel space, gunfights in broad daylight and now no streetcars in our urban center. Is there any wonder why FIFA dismissed our 2026 World Cup proposal?

Brian Frank, Mount Adams

Vote Democrat? Yeah, right

I just read the June 17 article written by Kathy Wyenandt, "Why you may want to vote Democrat this election." She thinks we might want to vote Democrat. I have to laugh.

Inflation is higher then its been in 40 years. Gas prices are getting higher and higher. Food prices are on the rise. People don't want to go into a office to work. Everyone wants to stay home in their pajamas. Oh, and President Joe Biden was going to take care of COVID-19.

We were in this mess with the border and economy because of Democrats.

Gayle Gittinger, Monfort Heights

Voting for Democrats will put country back on track

I hope all your readers read the June 17 column "Why you want to vote Democrat this election." Kathy Wyenandt tells the truth that every voter should understand. It's time to end the lies and conspiracy theories promulgated by Republicans for their own self-preservation. Their hypocrisy defied common sense. We need legislators who work for equality, safety and fairness for all, without the corruption we've seen lately. A vote for Democrats will put our country back on the right track.

Ann Thompson, Green Twp. 

Sittenfeld anything but innocent

Regarding, "He wanted to be Cincinnati's Mayor: Instead he's on trial," (June 15): What happened to get P.G. Sittenfeld arrested. The day after his arrest Mr. Sittenfeld tweeted, "I am innocent. The allegations against me are simply not true. The attempt to portray proper assistance to a project bringing jobs and growth to our city that benefits the public is a gross overreach and an injustice."

Having read the detailed description of what he did to warrant the accusation, in my opinion, while he may have a chance to be found "not guilty" because he's good at working the system, Mr. Sittenfeld is anything but "innocent."

Our campaign finance system, both state and nationwide, is such a mess that "we the people" lose the services of many intelligent and talented people who aspire to public service. No development project is that important.

One of his attorneys, Charles H. Rittgers said, "the government is trying to criminalize the legal and standard political process that happens every day in this country." Frankly, if what was described in the article adheres to the "legal and standard political process," then we need to elect people who will correct the process.

Suellyn Shupe, East Price Hill

High weeds, garbage, faded sign greet visitors to Cincinnati

Interstate 75 downtown north is a mess again. This is a repeat of a letter I sent last year regarding the same situation of garbage, bent guardrails, six-foot-high weeds and a terribly faded "Welcome to Cincinnati Ohio" sign.

Hey Mayor Pureval, why don't you do something that you have control over like the weeds on your city's front porch and not the pipe dream of getting the World Cup soccer match?

Like I said in my previous letter from last year, I am glad I live in Indiana. By the way,  it only took one day after my previous letter last year and the six-foot-high weeds were cut, but the faded sign still exists .

Rick Messinger, Aurora 

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Letters: Sittenfeld corruption trial might be best thing to happen to city