I find it disingenuous and discouraging for CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. to profess not to be aware of rider issues. Those of us who travel regularly on the CTA No. 6 express bus have submitted numerous complaints online about not being able to return to the South Side, especially after 5 p.m.
On Nov. 20, 2019, I requested and was granted a spot on the CTA board of directors’ meeting agenda. The problems I presented were: bunching, or several buses traveling together with long waits before and after the scheduled times and 40- to 60-minute waits after 5 p.m. for a No. 6 bus traveling south. While waiting for a No. 6, one may see two or three buses for other routes leaving the Loop. On June 26 after a Grant Park Music Festival concert ended, we waited one hour for a No. 6.
— Kathryn Williams, Chicago
I’ve stopped using Red Line
Regarding “Embattled CTA chief holds tour of transit system” (June 29): Thank you for the news about the CEO of the CTA, who with rarity ever uses the system he controls and legislators who also do not use public transportation — hence, their reluctance to fund the system properly.
I have stopped using the Red Line since June 1, when I was beaten after two riders entered the car I was in at 63rd Street. One sat next to me and continued to smoke. I urged him to stop, as it is illegal to smoke on public transportation. A woman came up and slapped me. I responded by telling her not to touch me. She then knocked me out of my seat and grabbed my clothing to drag me to the door at the 69th Street station.
At that stop, I went to another train car for the rest of the journey. I reported what happened at 95th Street when I exited the Red Line. Then I went to the 22nd District police station and got a police report.
The following Monday, I called the CTA to save the recording from that trip. Weeks later, hearing nothing, I called back. A CTA representative told me the agency had called me on June 4. I have no record of that call, probably because no message was left and whatever number they used to call me I never recognized.
Thus, nothing has happened, and it is a month later now. I guess the CTA does not want riders. Carter sure backs this up as the number of times he has used the CTA is miniscule. I can recall that he rode the Yellow Line after it dealt with a stoppage earlier this year. And then he used the CTA this June to show legislators mass transit.
I take it that no one smoked during their trip or beat them up.
— Janice Gintzler, Crestwood
Op-ed misleads on gas stoves
A June 24 op-ed (“Chicago must eliminate gas stoves in new buildings for healthier indoor air”) irresponsibly calls on Chicago to eliminate gas stoves in new buildings for healthier indoor air. It begins with a heart-rending story about a child suffering from asthma — a true reality for many across the country. Without explanation or any data covering actual appliance usage, the author attributes the child’s asthma, and the respiratory infections of her grandparents, to a natural gas stove in their home.
The U.S. government and the regulatory agencies responsible for protecting consumer health and safety do not recognize any documented risks to respiratory health from natural gas stoves. Furthermore, a recent major study published in The Lancet medical journal and funded by the World Health Organization examined the health risks of cooking or heating with natural gas compared with other fuels and electricity and found no significant association between natural gas and asthma, wheeze, cough or breathlessness. The study also found a lower risk of bronchitis in those cooking with natural gas when compared with electricity. The study also points toward flaws in research methods used by other studies that have sought to prove causation between gas stoves and asthma without proper controls for confounding factors.
In the words of the study’s authors: “For asthma, no significant increase in risk for children and adults was found for use of gas compared with electricity.”
Natural gas has been a driver for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution around the globe. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, ensuring families have access to affordable energy means fewer people are exposed to cold weather and life-threatening illnesses each winter — saving lives while ensuring access to the energy Americans rely on.
— Karen Harbert, president and CEO, American Gas Association, Washington
Dropping of charges a travesty
Shame on federal prosecutors for dismissing fraud charges against former Lincoln-Way District 210 Superintendent Lawrence Wyllie.
From 1989 to 2013, this man misspent millions of dollars, including money from the district’s taxpayers, prosecutors said.
Wyllie knew exactly what he was doing when he fraudulently used bonds to cover up his theft, according to the charges. Wyllie should be held accountable for his actions, regardless of his age or health.
Shame on our judicial system for allowing this travesty to happen. And shame on authorities for allowing this man to continue to collect a taxpayer-funded pension of more than $351,000 a year.
It is an insult to all the taxpayers in our communities.
— Barbara Saly Thompson, New Lenox
Ex-schools chief’s pension
The recent dropping of charges against Lawrence Wyllie, former superintendent of Lincoln-Way District 210, illustrates the complete moral hazard that is the Illinois pension system. Since being charged in 2017, Wyllie has collected more than $2 million in pension payments, with more on the way. With this money, he was able to mount a spirited, expensive defense, which has apparently succeeded.
Why were the charges dropped? Because he was too sick to stand trial? When should health sway or mitigate court proceedings that have been delayed for years?
The pension board should have the ability to suspend pension payments when there is a charge of malfeasance in office. Instead, it is blindly paying five times the median income of an Illinois household to this character every year.
With the apparent degeneration of his health — no facts available to support this — it will be another of many fast ones pulled on us taxpayers. When Illinoisans pay their income taxes, they can be reassured that they are helping take care to provide Wyllie a comfortable retirement without any accountability by our state.
— Brad Johnson, Crete
Interest rates are crushing
Regarding the op-ed “Biden’s student debt relief is another blow to meritocracy” (July 1): Jennifer Schwab complains about student loan forgiveness. Most of those student loans’ initial values were probably paid off, and the borrowers are paying for exorbitant interest rates, basically for the rest of their lives.
— Lynn Johnson, La Grange
Great week for Tribune photos
Three weeks ago was a fantastic week for terrific photos by Tribune staff. In these days of constant doom-and-gloom news, the Tribune provided some much-needed joy and relief, starling with the Sunday, June 16, photo by Brian Cassella of a joyous Karter Vaughters being splashed by his brother, Joshua, at Humboldt Park Beach. (I’ve lived here all my life and never knew that that is Chicago’s only inland beach.) The sheer delight on Karter’s face summed up what summer should be about for children.
Then the Monday, June 17, photo by Antonio Perez of Jason Dones filing paperwork at the Chicago Board of Elections for the school board. It has to be the best photo bomb ever taken as his 6-year-old son, Benicio peaks out from between his legs while Dad is trying to be serious and look businesslike. Everyone around them seems oblivious to the kid’s antics. It’s just priceless and makes me laugh even now as I write this.
The Tuesday, June 18, photo by Antonio Perez shows Brumby, one of the new koala bears at Brookfield Zoo. He’s looking straight at the camera as if to say, “I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille.” (Google it if I’m giving away my age.)
Then in a Thursday, June 20, article (“The trill of it all”), there are photos by E. Jason Wambsgans of closeups of cicadas, which look like something out of a Svengoolie classic horror movie. (Again, Google it if you’re unfamiliar.)
Thank you to all the Tribune photographers for providing some relief from the sad and depressing daily news. It made me even happier to see the Tribune felt they were worthy of the front page. It was a nice way to start the day.
Please keep them coming!
— Karen Roseler, LaGrange
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