Lombard calling. I was wondering why the park district and public works set up the Taste of Lombard but the Jaycees run it. Do they reimburse the park district and public works for all the time spent and is there ever an accounting of what is made on that event?

Executive Director Paul Friedrichs of the Lombard Park District responded, “Speaking on behalf of the park district, we are reimbursed for some expenses incurred related to the Taste of Lombard. Those expenses are detailed in an annual contract both parties agree to prior to the event. Part of the contract requires the Jaycees to provide a full accounting of the results from operations of the Taste within 120 days after the last day of the event, or in this case November 2, 2009.”—JAC

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This is Villa Park calling in regard to the asphalt laid on the street in my neighborhood, and the Village of Villa Park and Lombard have been laying down asphalt all over the area to even out the uneven ground. They did an absolutely terrible job. I have driven over it multiple times and it gets stuck on my tires and in between the treads and I’m becoming very aggravated with the black tire marks that it makes on my driveway. I think the villages need to do a better job of laying down asphalt to even out the street. I just wanted to call in and voice my opinion.

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Here’s what I don’t get; the person who said that gas prices were $4 a gallon when Bush was in office—we also had unemployment around 5 percent; people were traveling; people were buying things, causing gas prices to go up because the demand was high. Now that the demand is low and we have double-digit unemployment, and nobody’s spending any money, layoffs happening daily, and all these other devastating things to our economy, it’s Bush’s fault for $4 a gallon gas, when it was in high demand but yet it is not Obama’s fault for double-digit unemployment and wasteful spending. Bush wasted money, too, but Obama just wants to triple and quadruple whatever Bush spent. He wants to be the spending president so we can go bankrupt.

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This is Lombard calling. A huge thank you to Rick Poole and everyone who has done such a fabulous job with the swimming pool. Boy, do the kids really love it.

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Listen up, ladies and gentlemen, and pay close attention. Barack Obama was recently in Africa and he stands up and tells all the people they can hold their government accountable for things that are going wrong over there. Well, I’ll tell you what. A lot’s going wrong in this country. He’s leading us to one of the biggest deficits we’ve ever had, a fraction of what he inherited, and we are going to hold him accountable and he is going to pay the price.

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This is to the Village of Lombard Forestry Division, Bob Kremske: Thank you very much for the two fine gentlemen, Bob and Bill, who trimmed my parkway trees. It was 85 degrees, I asked them if they wanted water or something icy, and they said, “No, thank you.” Good men. They did a good job and cleaned it up.

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I was watching the news and saw that Pat Quinn raised our taxes again on driving and everything else. We need to impeach Pat Quinn. Guess what? Let’s treat our government like we treat our households—if you don’t have money to pay for it, you don’t get it. We need to treat the government the same way. They will be surprised when people stop paying their taxes because they can’t afford them. Impeach Pat Quinn and anybody who wants to raise taxes during a depression.

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This is Lombard calling. In SPEAK OUT there was a seemingly incoherent comment about why we need universal health care in the United States. One of the reasons, the caller cited, is it would help us get out of these economic doldrums we’re in. Doldrums? We’re in a giant recession, not a doldrum. And the next thing; universal health care? We already have universal health care. Everyone in this country is guaranteed free health care. What we are debating is whether or not we want the government to pay for everyone’s health insurance, which means once the government pays for everyone’s health insurance, they will be able to limit our access to health care. As a person with wonderful insurance, I don’t want it taken away from me, because other people are too cheap to buy their own or are too cheap to pay for their employees’ insurance. So, get your boss to the plate to get your insurance or buy your own. Don’t take mine away from me.

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I would like to thank the woman who stopped at the corner of Madison and Stewart on a Sunday afternoon to ask if two bicyclists who had a little accident among themselves needed any help. I appreciate her kindness and wanting to stop. I thank you very much for your concern and your thoughtfulness. Again, that was on Sunday, July 28.

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As a resident of Lombard for over 25 years, I’d like to discuss the photo camera at the intersection of Roosevelt and Finley. It’s the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard of, and if our village officials would use their brains, they could read an article in the Chicago Tribune how the red light cameras are now turned off in Schaumburg and in Bolingbrook, and in many other suburban areas. They’re ludicrous, they’re ridiculous and it’s a way for the village to make a fast buck. They ought to find a better way to earn some money—possibly cut their salaries.

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Government health care—is that good? All government employees, including Congress and the president, should be required to get it.

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I am so tired of people in vehicles not stopping for bikers and walkers on the Prairie Path. Here we are, trying to do the right thing and be green, get exercise and be healthy, and then my daughter almost gets hit by a car and the driver of the car yelled at her, while the other side of people were considerate and stopped. This guy looked like he was slowing down, but then didn’t. My daughter was in a dangerous spot. She was trying to stop and was going very slowly, but if this guy kept going, he would have hit her. Anyway, is there something we can do about putting a yield sign or a stop sign at the Prairie Path crossings, especially at places like Ardmore, Westmore, Main Street; at the big intersections like that?

This issue has been addressed numerous times in SPEAK OUT, and according to the Lombard Police Department, it is the responsibility of bicyclists and walkers on the Prairie Path to yield to vehicular traffic, not the other way around.—JAC

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Hi, this is Lombard calling in response to the person regarding the inequity of standing in the cash line versus the very, very long swipe card line at the pool. You must truly have a miserable existence if this upsets you so. Did you ever stop to think how blessed you are to be able to afford a pass? In this economy, many people cannot. Isn’t it nice that those who cannot are able to spend every minute enjoying the venue rather than waiting in line? You commented you don’t live in Lombard. Perhaps the cash person does and has already paid much more than you have via their taxes. My suggestion to you is to be thankful for what you have and if the line still upsets you, might I recommend the Lisle water park? Perhaps the line is shorter there.

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Lombard calling. I read in another newspaper that the red light camera at Route 83 and Riverside Drive in front of the Wal-Mart is producing 599 tickets a month. If this is not a profit situation, it’s almost $60,000 a year in revenue for the Village of Villa Park; I can’t believe that’s an accident-prone corner. Just a good way to rip off the general public.