Auto repair shop went the extra mile for customer
Recently on a visit to Oak Park, the dreaded “check engine” light on my VW Beetle went on. As I headed south looking for a repair shop, the light began to blink and the engine made increasingly ominous noises.

I spotted All-Star Automotive at 16th Street and Ridgeland Avenue in Berwyn and pulled into their lot. Mary, the shop’s co-owner, immediately had one of her crew take a look at it.

When they determined they did not have the necessary diagnostic equipment for my late model Beetle, she began working the phones, calling a nearby import specialist (who was booked), then tracking down the nearest VW dealer. The dealer said I should have the car towed to their location. Mary let me use her phone to arrange for a tow with AAA, and for a rental car since it was late afternoon, and I needed to return to Michigan that night.

The tow truck was over an hour late. And even though the shop closes at 6 p.m., she stayed open until 6:30 p.m. when the tow truck finally arrived, so I didn’t have to stand on the street in the cold. Mary did all this while dealing with a steady stream of customers and phone calls.

I am so grateful for the kindness the people of All-Star Automotive demonstrated, especially since, being from Kalamazoo, it was unlikely they’d see any payback from me in the form of repair business. Mary and her crew really went the extra mile for me, and the city of Berwyn is fortunate to have them living and working in the community.
Robyn E. Logelin, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Writer questions authorship of editorial columns
I have read with interest you last two “opinion” articles, and I find them very interesting.

First, it is very interesting that Nona Chapman, 1st Ward Alderman, is now becoming an active member of the community she represents. In your previous column you stated that the facility, “La Quinta” did not have an approved second exit and therefore could not reopen. How could they have been operating for as long as they have without that second approved exit? Where was our Alderman Chapman two or three years ago?

Now you state, again, about the necessary approval of a second exit, again Alderman Chapman is urging the city of Berwyn to find ways to regulate this problem. Of course she is right, but where has she been all of these years that similar business have been operating in the 1st Ward?
Interesting that she is all of a sudden “awake” to certain issues now that it is election time.

I have also found your previous columns, including the above mentioned to be somewhat of a change in direction, so I have a question: Did either City Clerk Tom Pavlik or Nona Chapman write these columns or did they buy the newspaper?
Wayne E. Parthun, Berwyn

Residents will have ‘to live’ with election results
Another election down, and the Democrats rule the city again.

My friend, Michael O’Connor, ran a clean, fair race. He ran on the fact that he has made more improvements for the city of Berwyn in the last four years than the previous administrations did in 12 years.

He is a good, honest man who would give the shirt off his back if someone needed it. Maybe that is his downfall, he “plays nice.”

His opponents, however, decided to play the “dirty politics” game and distribute literature that was full of half-truths and downright lies. The funny thing, though, is that none of that nasty literature was signed by anyone.

If all those horrible things were true, why didn’t anyone take credit for the distribution? Makes me wonder.

Unfortunately, nothing can be done about it now. The low voter turnout was also a disgrace.
Well, fellow residents of Berwyn, good luck with the next four years. I am afraid we may need it.
And remember, you made the choice but we all have to live with it.
Debbie Lafferty, Berwyn