From the Chicago Dispatcher, July 23, 2008
Cabbies of the Month
Men of Action
Two cabdrivers are awarded for their help in catching arsonists.
By: Jonathan Bullington
Two Chicago cabdrivers were honored last week for their help in catching arsonists.
In a ceremony last Thursday at the Criminal Courts Building on 26th and California, cabdrivers Richard Lange and Anthony Bey were recipients of the 2008 Arson Prevention Awards, given by Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine in conjunction with the Illinois Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention.
On November 14, 2004 at approximately 4:30 a.m., Lange was driving his cab near the 2900 block of West Madison when he saw an apartment building in flames. As he neared, he watched a man close a door to the building and calmly walk away. Lange followed the man as he walked while phoning police to report what he saw. With Lange's directions, police were able to apprehend the man, who was eventually convicted of aggravated arson and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Roughly two-and-a-half years later, cabdriver Anthony Bey was dispatched to pick up a regular customer at 74th Street and Dorchester Avenue. The passenger said he was going to his girlfriend's house, but first needed to stop at a gas station to fill a bleach bottle he was carrying with gas for his car, which he told Bey was behind his girlfriend's house. Although leery of the situation, Bey gave the customer the benefit of the doubt, having driven the man in the past. Once at the girlfriend's house, Bey said his passenger hesitated before exiting the cab and, upon his return to the cab, seemed nervous. The man asked Bey four separate times to drive off, but Bey refused, causing the man to exit his cab and take off running. Bey walked toward the back of the house to find the fire started by his passenger. He eventually led police to man's home, where he was arrested and later sentenced to six years in prison.
Both men received cash awards and the praise of those in attendance.
“It's heartening to see people step up and get involved,” said State's Attorney Devine.
For their part, both men expressed their gratitude on being recognized and stressed their actions were all part of the job.
“It's nice to be recognized for it,” Lange said, “but I don't need it. The reason I get involved is I hope someone would do the same for my family.”
If you want to make allegations about somebody, you'll post under your real name.
George Lutfallah
Four days have passed. Please get the facts George and repost my original correct posting you have removed. No one likes it when his hero has a bad side. Be a man and admit it. You tooted the horn of a guy you really didn't know as well as you thought.
Recent arrest? It would look better if you had an explanation. We're just stuck thinking the worst otherwise.
Why not let George alone? Who cares what he may have been charged with? The man is a class act next to the trash we've had to deal with over the course of the last year. Although I disagree with many of his positions, at least I find it easy to respect others.
My suggestion is to take Steve Kim's recommendation and back off. Kim wasn't dropped on his head. He's just a decent person, and he has a good heart. He knows when to keep his mouth shut.
Let's work toward reducing workplace violence for cabdrivers, restoring meter and a half from the airports to Burbank and Skokie, changing procedure at 400 West Superior, limiting the authority of Commissioner Reyes to revoke or suspend drivers' chauffeur licenses before they are found guilty of crimes, winning a fare increase by putting pressure on the City in any way we can do it.
These goals are a lot more important than going for the throat of George Lutfallah. Leave George alone. Frankly, I think he's not altogether against us. Go for what counts.
Donald Nathan
Mr. Nathan, You're mostly right on here. Whatever his meltdown was I am glad that Steve Kim was there to help him through it. I hope the penalty his conviction carried wasn't too severe.
It is also very big of you to ignore the spears George has chucked your way and come to his defense. I will concentrate on the issues and leave the personalities alone as per your advice.
The Dispatcher deserves to be judged by it's content, not George's personality. A recent issue featured 33 advertisers, one article, one reader letter and some other small tidbit. This issue was more of an advertisment sheet than anything else. When another member of the driver community took up this issue with The Dispatcher he was suspended from this very site.
In closing my real complaint here is that the publication is looking more like an advertising sheet than that an information source for us. Or in other words I question the newspapers real mission, loyalty, and direction. Am I the only one that has lost his trust in "The Dispatcher?"
There are several reasons I choose not to advertise in the Chicago Dispatcher. Apart from the fact that I don't really care if another paying client ever walks through my door again, there's something slimy about lawyers advertising. It's a step removed from ambulance chasing. I've never done it, and I'm not sorry for having passed on the chance.
That said, I see George's paper as having a serious value for the taxi industry even if there is no journalistic content in it at all. Let the UTCC Voice say what really needs be said. The reportage is going to come from the pen of Peter Ali Enger. But the pulse of the industry also comes from the ads. There is a value to reading them. I look forward to seeing what's out there to keep sort of current.
Does this make me off? I hope not. Am I wrong to defend George Lutfallah and an ad rag? Not at all. It has a place and serves an important function. Just put it in perspective, sir.
Maybe George will even come to work with us for the betterment of the industry. He has the pen to wield serious support just as does Peter Enger.
Donald Nathan
I do agree that the UTCC Voice tells what needs to be said. Peter Enger and Co. are doing good work.
Just as Carriage Cab came into the market with great promise, so did The Dispatcher. It's just sad to see it become just an advertising sheet posing as a serious information source for us. When the publication became a weekly one, it's informative content seriously eroded. Sad.
If you want to make material allegations about somebody, you'll post under your real name.
This is our policy. For some reason you don't think you have to follow it.
George Lutfallah
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Replying to:
Four days have passed. Please get the facts George and repost my original correct posting you have removed. No one likes it when his hero has a bad side. Be a man and admit it. You tooted the horn of a guy you really didn't know as well as you thought.
Recent arrest? It would look better if you had an explanation. We're just stuck thinking the worst otherwise.
Why standing in the way of the truth?
Get over your childish hero worship, even if it is only to avoid the obvious.
George, Have you posted the rules for this forum? It would be helpful to/for all.
You were told where to verify my statements. The place is right above your office. I guess it was just easier to pull down the truth rather than to verify it was correct.
I'm going to take Donald Nathan's advice here and give you a break even though I know you're wrong. 100 percent wrong.
What truth is being pulled down? What are the rules of operation here?
