Joy Ride

Bus a move: Alicia Scott (Letters, May 16) thinks the people of Kansas City need a deal on the cost of bus fare to go to plays and art openings. The cost of riding the bus — one dollar in KCMO, slightly higher in some communities such as Independence — is already a great deal, especially when compared to the cost of owning and driving a car. A monthly bus pass for Kansas City is $36. Can you buy, insure, maintain and fuel your car for $36 a month?

On top of that deal, I know of at least two organizations that promote additional deals for bus riders: the Missouri Rep and the Royals. The Rep promotes public transit on its Web site and in its programs. It mentions some of the ATA routes that serve the Rep, in addition to giving theater patrons a free two-ride bus pass for the trip to the play. The Royals give bus riders $3 off their Royals tickets with a coupon they get on board the Royals Express. Since the Royals Express costs $3 round-trip, I’d say that’s a pretty good deal. For more info about the Royals Express, call 816-346-0348.

Maybe next The Kansas City Star could give its employees a free subscription and a free bus pass instead of subsidizing driving even more than it already is in this society (Kansas City Strip, May 16).

Heidi Schallberg

Kansas City, Missouri

Graveyard Shift

Case in point: Allie Johnson’s “Cemetery Plot” infuriated me. In my opinion, it was skewed. I was disappointed in the accuracy of several “facts” cited. She obviously had access to Byron’s Web site, given the frequent references that were made in the story (quotations and even the use of photos from the site). I found it in poor taste that out of the portraits of Byron available on the site (which depicted a smiling, jovial young man), the Pitch opted to use one which would give readers an impression fitting for such a biased account.

Those of us who know and love him and would be willing to put our hands in the fire for him have been devastated enough by these events. It’s horrible when just one person is the accuser — regardless of their reasons why — but when the media joins in, it’s almost too much to bear. I speak for all of Byron’s friends and loved ones when I say that we feel deceived by the wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing approach used by your reporter.

There is a Turkish saying: “A liar’s candle burns until everybody sleeps at night.”

Evelyn Case

Kansas City, Missouri

Mother knows best: Byron Case’s mother was in tears as she told me about the article. She wondered why Johnson had chosen to present the information she received (and did not research) in the way she did. Mrs. Case was looking to Johnson for assistance in getting her son’s case re-examined, and Johnson never even spoke with the woman or looked at the information that was available.

Johnson may want to do just that and see if perhaps what happened to Byron is almost bad as what happened to Anastasia’s family. They have both lost their children.

Chris Whedon

Overland Park

Allie Johnson replies: At her son’s trial, I asked Evelyn Case for an interview. She declined. Ms. Case later called me, and we had several long phone conversations; she had plenty of opportunities to comment for publication, but I understood these conversations to be off the record because she was concerned that her speaking to the media might hurt her son’s appeal. I never led her to believe that I was there to provide “assistance in getting her son’s case re-examined.” My goal was to write a comprehensive story about Anastasia WitbolsFeugen’s murder. Ms. Case never made any documents available to me, nor did I receive any information from her that I “did not research.” I also spoke with Byron Case. I asked both Ms. Case and Byron Case to provide specific details or documentation that would support Byron’s claims of innocence, and neither of them did so.

Spin Cycle

For the record: Regarding the letters by Dedric Moore and Ray Velasquez about Brent “DJ Roland” Stover (May 9):

I’ve respected Dedric since he started working in the electronic music scene and thought he was a fair and intelligent person. His letter shows otherwise. Brent’s decision to take a hiatus from DJing was completely personal. Yes, things have slowed down for him, but it’s slow everywhere. Dedric slams him for playing “past-its-prime” music when most of Dedric’s Lunar Beat Theory CDs were trying to emulate the same style. Dedric even used Roland to promote Dedric’s shows at the Hurricane: “Come see ROLAND this Thursday at the Hurricane with Lunar Beat Theory opening.”

Ray Velasquez was one of my heroes, and he did bring many things to the early KC scene. But his bad attitude and contempt for his Midwest audience is what brought his demise and eventual fleeing from KC, not Brent Stover undercutting him at the Granada. He says he moved to New York to “further his commitment to advanced music and culture,” but the time I was there, Ray had one weekly residency on a Thursday night that did slim to moderate business. With hundreds of clubs open seven days a week in New York, I hardly think one residency that does moderate numbers could be furthering anything.

These are my opinions. It’s sad that people can take something like Brent “Roland” Stover’s decision to take a break from DJing and use it as an excuse to talk shit on the man.

Justin Lake Whedon

Overland Park