As a longtime supporter of mass transit and retired Amtrak ticket agent, I am pleased that the city is expected to purchase South Bend’s Union Station from owner Kevin Smith and that Amtrak is interested in moving there. The depot has not been used for passengers since late 1971, when Amtrak’s short-lived “Lake Shore” train was discontinued.
When Amtrak resumed service in October 1975, it moved to West Washington Street along with the South Shore. This made sense at the time because passengers could transfer there. But this advantage ended in 1992 when the South Shore moved to the airport.
Plans to relocate Amtrak have failed over the years. The problem: Union Station is on a busy freight line shared by Norfolk Southern and Canadian National Railways, and a 1,000-foot-long station track would have to be rebuilt. In 1993, cost estimates for the station track and switches ranged from $500,000 to $2 million. The cost will certainly be higher now, but federal funds are available for track improvements.
Greyhound, which currently stops outside the Transpo Center, should be invited to Union Station. If city officials act quickly, downtown South Bend could get a welcoming, intermodal station.
Stephen Wyld
Elkhart
Depiction
I spoke with Representative Rudy Yakym by phone in August 2023 to discuss the Social Security provisions that effectively require seniors to undergo a medical underwriting to switch their Medigap insurance. This effectively eliminates competition in the secondary market for these policies. I asked Yakym to advocate for a change to this provision. Yakim has agreed to pursue this issue. This will affect approximately 30 million seniors and could significantly reduce costs.
I have checked with Yakym’s staff several times over the past year and have received no updates on Yakym’s efforts. I recently requested another meeting to discuss this matter again with Yakym during the upcoming six-week August recess. I was told Yakym does not have time for this.
Meanwhile, Yakym was in the House of Representatives that same day, speaking with prepared visual aids about a bill on messaging to censure the Democratic presidential candidate.
Yakym follows Jackie Walorski’s practice of not holding town hall meetings and appears to have no real interest in helping the seniors of his district or the country cut costs. To say that this district has significant representation in Washington is laughable.
Anthony Gianoli
Southern Bend
Hear
We all need to listen to Donald Trump. He has repeatedly stated that if re-elected, he would put the Fed (Federal Reserve Board) directly under his control. The Fed is the independent government body that sets monetary policy – most importantly, the federal funds rate. I believe the Fed is doing an excellent job of fighting inflation, controlling unemployment, and restoring our thriving economy after the terrible impact of the COVID pandemic.
When I think of Trump being in control, I shudder. This man actually managed to bankrupt a casino! His failed business ventures are too numerous to list. He has no business sense other than how to exploit bankruptcies to evade responsibility. If for no other reason, we must defeat Trump in November to save America’s great economy (the best in the world) from catastrophic mismanagement.
Donald Trump has also explicitly stated that he is “for sale.” He told a group of oil executives directly that he would give them the regulatory relief they most wanted if they gave him a large enough contribution. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity would make such blatant bribery legal.
David O’Neill
Southern Bend
