I read in the July 14 SPEAK OUT that someone complained there were only two Lombard restaurants represented at the Taste of Lombard, and you wonder why. I thought there should be more Lombard restaurants as well. But, someone told me that a lot of Lombard restaurants don’t want to go there because they can’t manage their own restaurant and they can’t make any money from it. Can the village department that handles entertainment events explain whether this is true or not?

Christine Wojdyla, 2010 president of the Lombard Jaycees, responded: “While the Lombard Jaycees attempt to bring more Lombard businesses into the Taste of Lombard each year, it can be cost prohibitive to businesses who do not work the “festival circuit.” Many restaurants do not have the adequate equipment necessary to run a booth at an outdoor venue in addition to their regular business. The cost of the equipment rental is likely the number one reason that local restaurants cannot afford to have a booth at the Taste of Lombard. The Lombard Jaycees will continue to work with local businesses and keep trying to bring more Lombard restaurants into the event.”—JAC

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Thanks to Clint Reif for all the Stanley Cup memories. He truly is an awesome person for sharing the cup in so many ways with so many people. Thanks again, Clint, you’re an outstanding Lombard resident.

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This is Lombard calling in response to another person’s comment from the July 28 edition about President Obama doing a poor job in office. I’m a lifelong Democrat and I believe he’s doing the best job I’ve ever seen anybody do in my whole life. And as far as George Bush, if he was still in there, there would be a major depression with catastrophic circumstances. At least Obama extended the unemployment benefits, and he also inherited a multi-billion-dollar deficit from Mr. Bush while President Clinton had a surplus in the previous administration before Mr. Bush, so this caller doesn’t know what he or she is talking about. That’s all I need to say. Bye.

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Hey, SPEAK OUT, why doesn’t the Lombardian do an article on that craziness that happened at the Westin where 15 people were arrested and they had to evacuate the hotel? We’d like to hear more about that.

I spoke with the investigator on the case, Lombard Police Detective Sgt. John Malatia, and the case you spoke of remains under investigation. He added that there have been no arrests made as of this time.—blm

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Whatever happened to synchronizing the lights on Main Street through the St. Charles area in downtown? Shouldn’t St. Charles, Parkside and Maple all be green at the same time and then we can have Main Street be green from Maple through St. Charles? Why is it you have to stop at every single street? I thought that was the point of putting up all this new equipment.

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Northwest Lombard calling. I called the village regarding the pothole on St. Charles Road, westbound lanes at West Road. The area is a build-up of asphalt causing people to go around it and slow down unexpectedly and it’s been there a month, which is way too long, with what we pay. Even if we didn’t pay any taxes, it’s ridiculous and it shouldn’t be there. I was informed by the village public works department that was due to AT&T work and they are responsible for some other sore spots in that area. I told the lady at public works that it’s the village’s responsibility; people look to the village, they don’t look to AT&T. Fix it and then bill AT&T. It’s not that difficult.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. I want to speak about the Hill Street bridge and Lombard’s impression that they don’t need to participate in the payment and upkeep of that bridge. I would like to remind Lombard when they are improving streets that don’t have curbs and gutters, the homeowners, especially in this recession, don’t have the option to decline to participate in the payment for those upgrades. Lombard, do as you say; do as you do. And quit being hypocritical.

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Villa Park calling. Just curious. I didn’t know that tattoo parlors were legal to have in Villa Park, and is it legal to have them in your home? Just wondering if you to have a permit for something like that, because I have never seen tattoo parlors anywhere around Villa Park, Elmhurst, Lombard, none of those areas. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like something that the village would be likely to have to give a permit for.

Shubhra Govind, director of community development in Villa Park, responded, “Tattoo parlors are a permitted use in the M-1 Light Industrial District.  They are not permitted as a home occupation.” She noted that the village's Municipal Code has additional requirements for operating a tattoo parlor in the village, which is listed in Chapter 13, Article X, mostly under Section 13.—JAC

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This is for the Village of Villa Park. When are you going to do something about the Ardmore bridge? The bridge is still standing the way it was left for over a year now.

Eric Dubrowksi, finance director and interim village manager for Villa Park, stated, “In the last few days, the village has received design approval for the Ardmore Bridge. This is a major milestone. IDOT can now prepare and submit the funding agreement for Phase II Engineering. The engineering agreement itself has already been approved by the village and has been forwarded by IDOT staff to Springfield for final review.”—JAC

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I just read about Gov. Quinn’s new law. Good one. Has Gov. Quinn ever walked across the street or driven a car? If so, he wouldn’t make a law for cars to stop for people in crosswalks, unmarked with no stop signs or traffic lights. Now, we drivers know people walking and on bikes already think they have the right-of-way over cars everywhere, not only at crosswalks. I have yet to see a biker stop for a stop sign. If I’m on a bike or walking, I prefer to stop, look and listen rather than being hit by a car. It’s called common sense and it’s what we should be teaching our children, not to walk and ride in front of cars. It’s certainly creating a hardship for drivers and traffic when you have to stop short for someone walking in front of you and a definite hazard for bikers and pedestrians. How many lives do we lose before we go back to stop, look and listen? It works. Walking and riding in front of cars doesn’t.

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Lombard, why are you blaming the president for the leak in the gulf? We are not the only country having trouble with unemployment and foreclosures. Europe is having the same problems. Are you going to blame the president for that, too?

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This is for President Bill Mueller, if you would please come out and inspect the damage from the floods we had. Emerson Avenue has a chronic flood problem—even with a couple of inches of rain it floods. If the only way to get you out here is to cut a ribbon and have your picture taken with it, we are more than willing to do that. Please come and see what the village is doing by not repairing our area.

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Many of us are struggling just to put food on the table and keep the house out of foreclosure. Just remember that the teachers, many of whom make well over $100,000 a year, have been on vacation for a month and a half, and still have a few weeks more to go. These politicians are accusing each other of wanting to cut education. I say it’s high time. The teachers have had it too good for too long.

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Is there anything a Lombard resident can do about having water from the last storm? It came from the sewer being backed up and out of the toilet. It wasn’t any foundation or structural problem. It was a sewer problem in Lombard that caused the backup. Do we have any recourse?

According to information posted on the village Web site, anyone who has experienced flooding or other damage as a result of the storm is requested to complete a questionnaire, which can be found at www.villageoflombard.org. Currently, more than 200 forms have been collected and forwarded to DuPage County for filing but they are still being collected. Hard copy forms are also available at the front desk at the Lombard Village Hall, 255 E. Wilson. The site also notes that residents who have contacted their insurance companies with claims and have received a denial letter to hold on to these letters as they are required to process a claim with FEMA should Lombard be declared a disaster area. Also, photos of damages are also helpful when filing these types of claims. The village also offers an Overhead Sewer Grant program, which is available to assist homeowners who experience chronic sewer back-ups. Through this program, the village will pay up to $7,500 of the cost to install an overhead sewer. The homeowner is responsible to pay for the first 10 percent of the cost up to $1,000 and any amount over $8,500. For more information, visit the village’s Web site or call the village at 630-620-5700.—blm

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I happened to be doing business at the village hall on the morning of the day the Stanley Cup was going to be in town, and there was all this hustle and bustle in the community room area. Employees were in their Blackhawk clothes, and all excited. Was there a private showing or something? People coming in from outside also were going in there. Was this on the taxpayers’ dime, or should I say, time?

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The Blackhawks have a financial problem? There’s no financial problem. They want to raise the ticket prices 20 percent for you to come and watch those people play. Everybody else is losing their jobs, everybody is taking a pay cut. Why can’t those overpaid sports players—football, basketball, hockey, you name it, the whole gamut—take a pay cut? They’re all overpaid. I’m not going to attend their games and pay the high prices.