Chicago Tribune: No bail for 55-year-old man arrested in fatal CTA bus stabbing in Chatham

This is very scary. You may have heard about the fatal stabbing on the Cottage Grove bus near 87th on Friday:

Van Crocker is accused of stabbing a 66-year-old man around 4:30 p.m. Friday on a CTA bus near 8600 S. Cottage Grove Ave.

According to prosecutors, after paying the bus fare and standing in front of the victim, Crocker pulled out a knife and stabbed the man in the chest.

The bus driver notified police. Officers arrived at the scene and recovered the knife from the defendant’s hand, prosecutors said. The stabbing was captured on CTA surveillance video.The 66-year-old man was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Crocker made admissions that he wanted to kill the man when he stabbed him, prosecutors said. Crocker and the man did not know each other.

Crocker’s public defender said he has a GED from Hirsch Metropolitan High School. She argued that Crocker has mental health issues and did not have the capacity during the stabbing or during interrogation by officers and was not checked for mental health conditions by officers.

Judge Arthur Willis denied Crocker bail, citing a threat posed by him to people in the community.

He wanted to kill the man on that bus but they didn't know each other. Be careful out there everyone. 

Here's a brief video from WBBM-TV about this story Crocker was in bond court on Sunday [VIDEO]

CBS Chicago: Could Armed Security Guards Be Coming To CTA Buses, Trains?

 

[VIDEO] Very interesting armed guards on CTA buses and trains. The last time this was proposed it was back when CTA eliminated the job of conductor on all rail lines just over 20 years ago. There were two people on the train usually at all times and perhaps more than that back when CTA personnel could actually collect fare on the trains - like Metra still does.

I think the transit union proposed a transit police. Other transit authorities around America has their own transit police such as MARTA (Atlanta), BART (San Francisco), or even WMATA (Washington Metro). Of course this is about using armed security not creating a police force for CTA.

It's perfectly reasonable at least from the transit union representative Keith Hill that there are routes on CTA that are in need of a security presence to back up bus drivers and certainly rail operators. They even noted an incident where a disgruntled passenger shot at a bus when the driver requested the passenger wear a face mask.

I do sometimes wish there were some security who could get the homeless off the train once it stops at 95th like they used to. Perhaps another thing the union could ask for.

WGN: CTA bus driver carjacked in employee parking lot Friday afternoon

 

[VIDEO] The incident shown here happened at 77th Bus Garage (210 W. 79th Street). Suspects carjacked a CTA bus driver who gave up his keys and ran. He was still shot at while running but wasn't hit - thank goodness.

This was said to be the third incident of gun violence towards CTA bus drivers with an incident at 57th & Laramie and on the 6 Jeffery Jump.

Be careful out there everyone.

The CTA Holiday Train 2020

 JP Paulus used to talk a lot about catching up with the CTA Holiday Train. He hasn't really shared anything about it in the last few years. However, I figure you the audience can use some holiday cheer.

With this pandemic and the challenges to the presidential election still ongoing, I think we could use it.

Of course because we're still in a pandemic we can't board the holiday train or bus as we usually would in normal times. Still I saw the holiday bus on a run one night recently and to see a vehicle decorated with Christmas lights and blaring Christmas much raised my spirits a lot!

Here is the CTA Holiday Bus & Train Schedule for 2020.

• Green Line: November 27-28, December 1
• Brown Line: December 2-5
• Orange Line: December 2-5
• Red Line: December 8, 10 and 12
• Purple Line: December 9, 11 and 12
• Pink Line: December 15, 16 and 19
• Blue Line: December 17-19
• Yellow Line: December 21

And the buses

• December 1-2: #56 Milwaukee
• December 3: #91 Austin/#92 Foster
• December 4: #22 Clark
• December 5: #22 Clark/#97 Skokie
• December 8-9: #66 Chicago
• December 10: #126 Jackson
• December 11-12: #12 Roosevelt
• December 15-16: #62 Archer
• December 17: #49 Western/#X49 Western Express
• December 18: #79 79th
• December 19: #3 King Drive
• December 22: #28 Stony Island
• December 23: #29 State
• December 24: #J14 Jeffery Jump

I made bold the dates where the holiday buses and trains will come through our part of the south side. So if you want the Holiday Train we'll see it on the Red Line on the 8th, 10th, and 12th...

Also great applause to CTA for their charity food delivery

The CTA family continues its decades tradition of supporting Chicago communities. Each year our employees donate their time and money to purchase groceries and assemble food baskets for delivery to community organizations across the city. This year, we'll donate approximately 600 food baskets to local community organizations.

Each food basket contains all the ingredients for a complete meal including a canned ham, potatoes, mixed vegetables, muffin mix, macaroni and cheese, fruit cocktail, green beans, corn and dessert.

Either way I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season this year.

h/t Sloopin 

Tribune: CTA and Pace buses will begin collecting fares again, as riders slowly return to public transit

If you've gotten used to boarding the rear of a CTA bus during the course of this coronavirus pandemic, that time is ending. If you enjoyed avoiding paying your fare, especially for those of you who prefer to pay with cash as opposed to using a ventra card those days are about to end.

In another sign that things are getting closer to normal in the Chicago area, the CTA and Pace will start collecting bus fares again, and the CTA will end rear-door boarding.

The CTA will require customers to enter buses via the front door and pay fares starting Sunday, while the Pace suburban bus service resumes fare collections Monday.

Both agencies had waived fare collection as a way to protect operators and passengers from the coronavirus. But since the agency started rear-door boarding in April, the state and the agency have adopted other ways of keeping people safe, including providing masks for all drivers, requiring that passengers be masked, and implementing new cleaning technology, said CTA spokesman Brian Steele.

The agency limits the number of passengers on buses to no more than 15 people on a 40-foot bus and no more than 22 on a 60-foot bus. The CTA also has a ridership information dashboard on its website that shows when buses are the most crowded to help people choose a better time to travel.

Keith Hill, president of the bus drivers’ union, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241, said his group agreed with the resumption of front-door boarding. Hill noted the CTA had agreed to increase the “standee line,” or how far passengers have to stand back from drivers, to more than six feet.

In addition to outdoor dining, opening the lakefront, even allowing businesses that provide such services as barbers, pedicures, tatoos, etc to reopen it's a start!

Starting Sunday, rear-door boarding on CTA buses will end. As we begin to welcome people back, riders will return to boarding at the front as we’ve taken many steps to provide the healthiest environment possible for customers and employees. Learn more: https://t.co/VDccvU5ct2 pic.twitter.com/SuRgcZfCwr

— cta (@cta) June 19, 2020

#tbt Riding the CTA green line through Englewood

[VIDEO] Let's take our mind off this coronavirus pandemic for second and look at video from over a decade ago in much warmer weather. I uploaded the above video to our YouTube channel a ride from 63rd & Ashland through 63rd & Halsted crossing the Dan Ryan Expressway/CTA Red Line through to State Street and then heading north along Prairie Avenue to the normal routing to Harlem & Lake in Oak Park, Illinois.

The most interesting part of this video is the changes that took place along the former Englewood branch of the L. We see the new 7th Englewood district police HQ being built. The lot which was then vacant where the shopping center that contains Whole Foods Market now. Then yet another lot in front of the former Englewood High School which now contains a St. Bernard Hospital Ambulatory Center.

It's interesting how many vacant lots there were built upon in recent years and how many old buildings have since been torn down.

I must add that you've seen a similar video to this before on this blog.

Today's coronavirus updates #COVID19

Today's report on coronavirus cases 673 new cases and now the statewide total is 2,528 cases with 7 more deaths reported and this time no information as far as location. If you click through the below link to CapFax we see a breakdown as far as ethnicity. I won't characterize this as very important, however, it's very interesting the percentage of those cases marked as "left blank".

673 new cases, 7 new deaths https://t.co/3inQeCB6mP

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) March 26, 2020

Anyway cases are now being reported in 37 of Illinois' 102 counties with Franklin and Tazewell now reporting coronavirus cases.

I also want to note that the city in a press conference today and no doubt you likely got an alert on your smartphones - iPhone and Android - that the Mayor has ordered the lakefront closed. The emphasis is on social distancing and avoid being in large groups and keep at least 6 feet away. [VIDEO]

Coronavirus updates #COVID19

I don't want to share too many stats with you on this. We already get daily updates if you follow the news especially from the federal and state gov't. We now have 330 new cases of coronavirus the statewide total is now 1,865 across 35 of Illinois' 102 counties.

EDIT: According to the IL Dept. of Public Health there are now 19 deaths from the coronavirus which should include the the three other deaths reported today. Among the three deaths one was in Cook County.

Three more counties reportedly have coronavirus cases this time Douglas, Marshall, and Morgan counties.

330 new cases, 3 new deaths and it’s now in Stateville https://t.co/NhgYCb9tM4

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) March 25, 2020

Also noted that two correction officers and one inmate at Stateville has tested positive for coronavirus. We got a lot of people out there still working and their not just in retail or medicine. I'm referring to our first responders especially the police and fire. There was news that someone walked into a police station here in the city and coughed, that's a very petty and irresponsible prank if there was one. I'm glad he was arrested for his trouble.

CTA cleaning procedures #COVID19

[VIDEO] I already shared a tweet by CTA on March 12, 2020 with regards to their response to the coronavirus. At that point things haven't gotten bad enough where businesses and schools were closed and no stay-at-home order. I also noted that there were personnel at 95th Street where I'd get on the train who will work to wipe down some of the surfaces (seats and handrails) on the train with sanitizer.

I hate to note this but over the weekend it was in the news that a CTA bus driver had tested positive for the coronavirus. For those who do have to work to keep our public transit system running I hope that they will be very careful out there. Especially for those of us who work in essential businesses and depend upon the services provided by CTA.

For those of you who do depend on public transit, do you believe CTA is working dilligently to keep their vehicles and facilities clean for the general public? What do you think the CTA could do better to keep their vehicles and facilities clean?

CTA's response to coronavirus

I've witnessed this one morning on my commute to work on the CTA Red Line a worker at least on the head car wiping down seats and hand rails. CTA is showing us their response to the coronavirus which has caused the cancellation of the downtown St. Patrick's Day parade.

Read more about CTA's response below. And I'm glad to know there will be no drastic changes to service as authorities continue to deal with the outbreak. Good for those who depend on public transit.

Our crews continue to work all hours of the day to ensure trains, buses and stations are cleaned and disinfected daily.

Learn more on what we’re doing at: https://t.co/ZiZcINrAHf pic.twitter.com/DHo6wYGiO4

— cta (@cta) March 11, 2020

In the state so far there have been 25 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Illinois. It was in the news that a CPS employee was one of those 25 confirmed cases. I hope everyone take whatever precautions you can I've heard wash your hands the most among other things as far as avoiding this virus.

Be careful out there has been quite the operative term on this blog as of late.

South Halsted corridor enhancements

[VIDEO] The reason I'm sharing this is that any opportunities we have to improve transportation on the south side is worthwhile whether we have bus rapid transit on Halsted or we extend the CTA Red Line further south.

The video above is of a recent meeting about bus rapid transit by Pace Bus and CTA on South Halsted St. Block Club Chgo got more on this.

South Side commuters got their first glimpse at proposed changes coming to the South Halsted Bus Corridor during last week’s public meeting at Woodson Public Library.

Transit officials from the Chicago Transit Authority and PACE were on hand to field questions about the project and Pulse, PACE’s rapid transit network introduced last summer in an effort to modernize facilities and increase ridership.

They also received input from customers, who will have the biggest say on all potential improvements planned for the 11-mile corridor, one of the busiest in the city.

The total cost of the project is $52-$72 million, with Pulse station upgrades costing $500,000 each and buses costing $400,000 each, according to PACE Chief Communications Officer Maggie Daly Skogsbakken.

The two agencies unveiled several possible changes for the South Halsted Bus Corridor, each of which would ease the flow of traffic and reduce travel time between 5 and 10 percent.

The first option would call for parking spaces to only be repurposed at intersections, shaving travel time by 5 percent. The second option would replace a travel lane for bus lanes between 129th and 154th Streets. The third includes Option Two, with bus lanes between 98th and 129th Street replacing on-street parking, reducing travel time by 10 percent.

Potential Pulse station enhancements include heated shelters, customizable shelter panels, landscaping and trash receptacles and an 11- to 12-inch raised platform with heated pavement that would allow for level boarding. Buses would also get a Wi-Fi upgrade.

New Year's Eve free CTA rides

Something you may have seen during the week.

The Chicago Transit Authority announced Thursday it will be offering free rides to passengers the evening of New Year's Eve, in an effort to promote a safe and responsible holiday celebration.

Between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Dec. 31, customers will not need to touch their Ventra or personal bankcards at rail stations turnstiles or while boarding buses, according to a statement from CTA.

Signs will be posed reminding passengers of the free ride period, CTA said.

"It is my sincere hope the availability of safe, free rides on the CTA this New Year's Eve will mean a healthy, happy holiday for all Chicagoans," CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr said. "We wish all riders a safe and happy New Year and encourage them to allow CTA to take the wheel tonight."

As in previous years, no refunds will be issued to customers who elect to touch their fare cards or use other forms of payment during the period.

I saw an article last year about discounted rides from Uber or Lyft so feel free to check those out if you plan to party on New Years Eve 2019. 

CTA capital budget includes investment in the Red Line Extension

Got this e-mail this week from CTA regarding the Red Line extension

On November 20, 2019, the Chicago Transit Board approved a $1.57 billion operating budget that preserves existing bus and rail service levels, while continuing the agency’s unprecedented efforts to modernize its infrastructure and improve the CTA travel experience for customers.

CTA’s 2020 capital budget includes a commitment to invest $310 million into the $2.3 billion Red Line Extension (RLE) project, which will extend the Red Line south by 5.3 miles and include four new, fully accessible stations at 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue, and 130th Street. This is the single most significant funding contribution that CTA has ever made towards the RLE project, and will fund work efforts, including engineering and design activities, to help position the RLE project to receive federal funding.

The 2020 Budget Recommendations book is posted on CTA's web site under Finance & Budget and is available here.

Two photographs were with the email one of which I will show you here. It advertised CTA's efforts to connect with those stakeholders with regards to this future project. You might recognize one face in the photograph long time leader in West Chesterfield Michael LaFargue.

Red line extension update

103rd Street station rendering CTA

The latest update about the future CTA Red Line extension from Curbed Chicago as it's included with a few other updates as far as priority CTA projects in the city.

Chicago Transit Authority fares and service will remain at their current levels next year, according to the agency’s proposed 2020 budget. https://t.co/Y0aWdAbvev

— Curbed Chicago (@curbedchicago) October 28, 2019

The plan will fund design and engineering work for the proposed extension of the Red Line to Chicago’s Far South Side. The study will help the CTA secure federal funding for the massive undertaking, which is expected to cost $2.3 billion in total.

Metra Electric: Proposal to expand service to south side & south suburbs #Ward09

The above segment aired on Chicago Tonight earlier this week. The plan proposed by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle to create a pilot proposal to expand Metra Electric service to the south side and south suburbs. Unforunately newly minted Mayor Lori Lightfoot is opposed fearing a potential drop in CTA ridership.

Chicago Tonight's Carol Marin speaks with Andrea Read co-chair of Coalition for a Better Metra Electric and executive director of the Greater Roseland Chamber of Commerce.

RELATED: Red Line extension slipping away?

CBS 2 Chicago on the bus shelter at 79th/Cottage Grove

[VIDEO] You might have seen this on our fb page over the weekend. CBS 2 Chicago news picked up the story regarding the missing bench at a bus shelter at 79th & Cottage Grove. Nothing really new to report here, just that the story gained more traction.

CTA, Chicago Police, Alderman Michelle Harris (Ward 8), and Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) all want to address the issue of any loitering at this bus shelter.

Red Line extension slipping away? #Ward09

I found this article from The Chicago Crusader over at the resource for Chicago transit history - Chicago-L.org

With Trump now in office, the chances of securing federal funds for the Red Line Extension project are slim. And with the lower property values of the Red Line Extension Project area, the Metropolitan Planning Council has estimated that, at best, an RLE transit TIF would raise only $200 million over the next 35 years.

To his credit, Emanuel spent $280 million to rebuild the 95th Street Red Line station that opened last January.

When compared to other projects on the North Side, including the latest Red-Purple Bypass project, the South Side projects looks like peanuts and another example of the inequity of services between the North and the South Sides.

During the mayoral campaign many candidates including Lori Lightfoot, in political forums, acknowledged that federal funding is the only real option for financing the Red Line Extension Project. But none had come up with creative alternatives for a project that has been on the back burner for so long.

Last summer Governor JB Pritzker passed his $41.5 billion capital spending plan, which would be spent on public roads, transit, schools and other public, state-wide projects. Transportation would get $28.6 billion and $3.4 billion will go to mass transit. There was no mention of funds going towards the Red Line Extension project and no one made a fuss about it, not even Black leaders.

Shortly after he was elected, Pritzker said funds for the Red Line Extension project would come from the Illinois Transportation and infrastructure funding bill, which is part of his passed $41.5 billion capital spending plan. Since then, Pritzker has been largely silent. With Trump in the White House and little funding and vocal leadership, Pritzker seems the only leader whose administration can keep the Red Line Extension project from being a dream deferred.

Especially noted was the efforts to secure funding for improvements to the Red, Purple, and Brown Lines on the north side. This was noted as the largest capital project in CTA history... 

Increased Metra service on Chicago's south side affects CTA service?

From the Tribune yesterday:

County Board President Toni Preckwinkle cemented a plan to lower fares and increase service on both the Metra Electric and Rock Island train lines at the center of a racial equity agenda presented to the City Club of Chicago earlier this week — saying the effort would help ensure South Side and south suburban residents have better access to transit.

“This is what equity investments in transportation look like," Preckwinkle said of what she described as a three-year pilot plan that would advance with financial support from the county government.

Lightfoot’s not convinced. The fare reduction plan would have “a dramatic effect” on the Chicago Transit Authority, the mayor told reporters Wednesday.

“I’m not in favor of it based upon the analysis that we’ve done," Lightfoot said. "I’ve spent some time talking with (CTA President) Dorval Carter about it, and it looks like it is essentially a transfer of CTA passengers to the Metra line.

“Obviously there’s an area of the South Side where we need to have better transportation services," Lightfoot said. "That Metra line is underserved, and I’m absolutely willing to work with Metra and the county, but this particular proposal I think causes problems for the CTA and I’m not going to support something that would have the effect of diminishing ridership at the CTA.”

I think increased service on the Metra Electric at least could be a good thing. I do hear there are those public transit users who prefer taking Metra over taking the L. I think at current the increased service on the south side and even the close in southern suburbs could be great.

At the same time, one could wonder how this could affect future CTA service upgrade. For example could increased service on Metra Electric through Pullman and Roseland affect the future CTA Red Line Extension.

Chicago Tonight: DJ Booth at 95th Red Line Station Offers More Than Free Music

On Monday, Chicago Tonight did a story about that DJ booth located within the massive newly reconstructed 95th street red line terminal. I've seen it in action and heard the music with a DJ performing their craft. What do you all think of the booth? Do you stop near the booth and dance before continuing your journeys to and from the terminal.

Update to the fatal incident at 69th Street from last month

[VIDEO] Here's an update from last month's fatal incident at 69th/State. A CTA Red Line train had fatally struck a commuter who got down to the tracks to retrieve her cell phone.

The video above from CBS Chicago is of the victim's family who spoke out once the news of the CTA motorman or operator being fired from his job as a result of this incident. It aired on the 6:00 PM newscast on Friday.

This report is from the Chicago Tribune which also had video of that said motorman who is seen looking away from the tracks ahead: