Enough with the murals! ("Vandals' scars on public art draw town's ire," CHN July 19)

As the Chapel Hill News gets thinner and thinner in bulk and content, the great focus on the murals gets more and more wearisome. So much more is of interest in our town.

To be fair, I'm not a great fan of the murals. They're OK. But I must add that the thought of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau offering up yet another downtown facade to the mural collection makes me cringe.

Enough already!

Thomas Carson, Chapel Hill

The Varsity and the Baptist girl

So The Varsity Theater really is closing after 80 years. I've known of it for 61 of those years, having transferred to UNC in 1948. Since we retired back to Chapel Hill in 1995, we've been there several times, but I recall The Varsity from my student days in connection with two special showings, plus one near miss.

The Varsity was where I saw my first Sunday movie. I was, after all, a Southern Baptist girl who never went to a theater on Sunday, ever. But that year a UNC man convinced me that seeing Ronald Coleman in the classic 1937 "Lost Horizon" would be an uplifting, even a spiritual experience. So we went, and it was indeed. That evidently broke the Sunday movie ban, since I remember no further pangs of conscience around that issue.

The second time was when Bill and I went to see Lawrence Olivier in the 1944 "Henry V," and my glasses were being repaired. I was extremely near-sighted, but I wasn't going to miss that movie. Not only did I really want to see it as I knew the play well, but it was a date with Bill, and I wouldn't miss that, glasses or no glasses. The screen was a big blur, with some figures almost distinct and some not at all. But the sound was breathtaking. I didn't miss a decibel. Some years later, after we were married, I found an LP record of the sound track, and gave it to Bill for a gift. Just the shriek of those arrows zinging through the air was enough to bring it all back to me.

I was in on the beginning of the last story I associate with The Varsity. It started when an on-screen public service announcement brought us little Margaret O'Brien making her tear-jerking speech on behalf of Easter Seals, I guess, asking our help, "for this poor man in this iron lung," who was perhaps wishing he were not on camera. I can still hear her syrupy voice, and see her chin quivering and her eyes brimming. I'm sure other UNC types there squirmed as I did, and although I don't remember, it wouldn't surprise me to hear there had been some booing.

Unfortunately, I must have missed the follow-up, evidently failing to see the MGM 1949 film, "Little Women," starring June Allison, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh, Margaret O'Brien with Mary Astor as Marmee. The story goes that, when little Beth finally died, Margaret O'Brien was, of course, at her emotive best, surely wringing tears from most audiences. Not the UNC audience I heard about. Their reaction when she breathed her last? I'm told it was a resounding cheer! Sorry I missed it.

Chapel Hillians must have myriad stories to tell about The Varsity. What's yours?

Phyllis Gentry Koehnline, Chapel Hill

Editor's note: We waived the 250-word limit for this letter because it was really cool.

Take no comfort in 'overwhelming'

Ms. Pearson in her letter (CHN July 19) finds great significance and comfort in the fact that the Town Council overwhelmingly approved Voter Owned Elections.

That 8-1 vote was cast by seven of the same people who happily wanted to grant members of the council taxpayer-funded health care for life. The proposal was placed strategically on the consent agenda where it would not receive debate or citizen input.

The same opponent to Voter Owned Elections got it off the consent agenda and, as a result of the public responses, the mayor and the other seven council members owned up to their mistake and apologized for their action.

Thanks, Matt Czajkowski, for being alert and acting appropriately. And Ms. Pearson, something being "approved overwhelmingly" is not and should not be the standard for what's right in every decision made by the Town Council; that's why they apologized.

Fred Black, Chapel Hill

Bus system needs one fold-out map

I love that the Chapel Hill buses are free, but trying to figure out how to get around is unnecessarily difficult.

The route maps show too few street names, so it's often hard to tell where to get off. Also, there is no pamphlet with a complete system map. Without Internet access, you must rely on the wasteful, separate maps for each route. If you do not have the complete set of route maps with you, how can you plan a trip involving transfers? You might also be out of luck if you don't know what routes come to the stops closest to you.

An easy solution would be to have one foldout map with all routes and all street names on it. A map like this could be carried easily and posted online, in buses, and at stops. It would be much easier to carry around one fold-out map, than to have a page for each route.

Having to shuffle through all the schedules, or consult each one online, in order to get from point A to B is ridiculous. It could be so much more simple.

Heather Smith, Carrboro

Mayoral candidate clarifies his views

Greg McDonald's letter "Voter doesn't see pick for mayor yet" expresses his take on three mayoral candidates (CHN July 22).

He begins with, "Augustus Cho, Republican, I predict he'll use the anti-tax, pro-small business, religious platforms for his main points. I certainly don't advocate higher taxes, however, the community has a responsibility to support itself. I think the Republicans' financial plan lack the appropriate balance to ensure services to the elderly and our youth."

He predicts three points with respect to my views: anti-tax, pro-small business, religious platforms.

To confirm, clarify or otherwise correct stereotyping, my response is as follows:

Anti-tax: I am not anti-tax. Taxes are a necessary part of society. I support appropriate amount of taxes for our citizens. What disturbs me is irresponsible waste.

Pro-small business: I support free enterprise. Immigrants, legal and illegal, come here not only for "freedom" but the freedom to have a business to fulfill their economic dreams. Without economic strength and success, no ideology -- left or right -- is sustainable.

Religious platforms: I have zero religious platforms; I believe in the separation of church and state.

I agree with Mr. McDonald's view that "community has a responsibility to support itself," which I take it to mean providing services to the elderly and the youth of our community. The operative word is "balance."

I hope this helps to clarify where I stand. You can see more at: www.augustuscho.com.

Augustus Cho, Chapel Hill