After reading Brian Sandalow’s story in Sunday’s Sun-Times print edition headlined “3 Pete: PCA Homers Thrice,” I had a thought.
Considering the season Pete Crow-Armstrong has been having, one has to wonder if he is the Cubs’ version of Hall of Famer Willie Mays.
Both got off to poor starts. Mays went 0-12 before he got his first hit, while Crow-Armstrong went 0-14. Each broke out of their hitting slumps in similar fashion, by hitting home runs.
Like Mays, Crow-Armstrong plays center field and is one of the best defensive players in the game. In addition, he hits for power and steals bases like the late great Giant.
Of course, a couple of All-Star seasons does not necessarily mean that Crow-Armstrong will have a Hall of Fame career, and only time will tell. But so far, he reminds me of the “Say Hey Kid,” and the similarities are unmistakable.
Larry Vigon, Jefferson Park
High-speed train going nowhere fast
The O’Hare Flyer dream transit line is very unlikely to be implemented without huge government subsidies. DePaul University’s Joseph Schwieterman, a well-informed longtime advocate of public transit and intercity passenger transportation, is spot-on with his concerns about the O’Hare Flyer’s viability. The proposed mostly single-track line would be highly vulnerable to a complete stoppage whenever there is a breakdown. Previous similar Loop-O’Hare express concepts could not make the finances work with the available funding and ridership demand, even before the COVID-19 pandemic emptied out Downtown Chicago.
The recent almost-disappearance of Chicago’s already poorly located Greyhound bus station demonstrates that the city and state lack current financial ability to develop big local and intercity transit projects in the Downtown area. On the other hand, preserving the recently freed-up railroad right-of-way properties for potential O’Hare Flyer implementation 50 years from now could be a prudent, inexpensive action for today.
Arthur Christopher Wilson, retired planner, Metra, West Rogers Park
What a doll
I was living in Lemont in 1991 when Dolly Parton was starring in a charming movie being filmed in our humble little town. The movie was “Straight Talk,” and Lemont was chosen for its iconic streets and buildings. Plus, a railroad track ran smack dab down the middle of town, adding to the ambiance and charm of the place.
The movie’s producers transformed Lemont’s historic downtown to resemble a small Arkansas town for part of the movie. The famed Budnik Building, a centerpiece of Lemont since the 1920s, housed the Budnik Drugstore, which hadn’t changed much over the many decades it existed.
I never chased famous people, but when I heard Parton could actually be seen in my little town, I drove the half-mile to all the excitement. As I expected, people milled around, cops were everywhere and traffic was pretty badly stalled in some places. I parked in a safe spot with a good view of the building where the filming was in progress.
Eventually, Dolly stepped out of the building into the brilliant sunlight, and shielding her eyes with one hand, she waved at her fans with the other. The crowd went wild upon seeing this beautiful little woman who gleamed in spite of the bright sunlight pouring down over all of us. Did she actually look at me? I think she did, because she took the time to turn her gaze to every person standing in the hot sun.
I drove home thinking, for some unknown reason, that I had been in the presence of someone very special. I kind of felt a glow inside my heart as I drove back home to — what else? — Main Street.
Kathleen Melia, Niles
Thumbs-up for holding Meta accountable
As a Lane Tech College Prep student, I believe social media companies should be held responsible for how their platforms affect young people. That is why I support the Meta lawsuit settlement tied to teen social media addiction.
Social media has become a normal part of growing up. Apps like Instagram and Facebook make it easy to stay connected with friends, discover new interests and see what’s happening around us. But there is also a downside that adults don’t always understand. Teenagers can spend hours scrolling without realizing how much time has passed. Seeing other people’s posts can also create pressure to look or live a certain way.
I don’t think social media itself is bad. The problem is when companies design their platforms to keep people using them for as long as possible without thinking about how it can affect the youth. If a company knows its platform can negatively affect teenagers, it should be held accountable.
The settlement will not solve every problem with social media, but I believe it is a step in the right direction. Teenagers should still be able to use social media, but companies should be expected to care about their users instead of only focusing on engagement and profit.
Young people deserve to have a voice in conversations about technology that affects our everyday lives.
Yafet Abebe, Lane Tech College Prep
Blanche’s blind spot
Attorney General Todd Blanche has justified the prosecution of James Comey for posting a picture of seashells arranged to spell out “86 47.” This is the same Blanche who wanted to enter into a settlement agreement that had the potential to make payments to Jan. 6 rioters who yelled “hang Mike Pence.” Seashells on a beach spelling out “86 47” do not rise to the level of clear threat that is reached by a mob yelling to hang the vice president in the Capitol, where the vice president was presiding over a session of the Senate.
Alan Rhine, Glenview