How can someone continuously run a garage sale Thursday through Saturday or Sunday, every week, week after week? Is this not considered a business? Not only is this person seemingly running a business—doesn’t this person need a license—but traffic is held up on a dangerous curve and it’s run every single work. I consider this a business. I think this ought to be looked into.

Joan Rogers of the village’s code enforcement office referred to the village Code of Ordinances, under Title XV, Land Usage, which contains information on holding garage sales. Ordinance 155.210 (D)(9) has six regulations for holding garage sales, including (e), which states that there can be no more than two garage sales held on any lot of record in any one calendar year. Anyone wishing to check on village ordinances can visit the Web site, www.villageoflombard.org, and click on the link “How Do I...?” then click on “Read Code of Ordinances” to get information on the list of village ordinances.—JAC

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. I was wondering if Lombard has a rule against above-ground pools with a short fence. It was my understanding that if you have an above-ground pool, you have to have a fence high enough so little kids can’t jump in. There’s a house I know of with a big above-ground pool and has a fence in the back of the yard that’s about 3 feet high, and kids jump over it all the time. I thought Lombard had a rule against that but I guess safety’s not a concern in Lombard.

Keith Steiskal of Lombard’s building department said that pool owners are required to have a fence that’s 48 inches high, and any gates must be self-closing or lockable. If the pool itself is 48 inches high or more from the ground, and has a removable or lockable ladder, “then they’re not required to have a fence around the yard,” he added.—JAC

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This is Villa Park. Recently the north side of Villa Park got gang tagged. There was gang stuff on buildings, alleyways, dumpsters, garage doors, telephone boxes and on all sides of the recreation building are giant murals. Of course, my question is, Where were the police? This did not happen in a couple of minutes. This was over the course of hours. Where were VP’s finest? We need the Village of Villa Park to address this problem quickly. It’s costly, it’s unsightly, but most of all it’s scary. To think that this happens and no one sees. Most of all, the police. I know they can’t be everywhere, but they had to be somewhere. They do patrol this area, don’t they? Come on, neighbors, village officials, police etc. We need to stop this kind of intrusion on our property and our lives.

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Warm nights, light breeze, folks of all ages, live music, people dancing and singing, food, drinks. that’s the Wednesday night July concert at the Gazebo. What fun. Thank you, Kiwanis Club; great job. Great community effort. Happy summer.

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Hello, Lombard calling. I take my kids on walks, bike rides, and push a stroller around the neighborhood. Please do not park your cars across the sidewalks. I’m thinking of one house in particular on my block. Maybe you don’t realize how aggravating it is to push a stroller through the grass to get around a car. Also, the kids on bikes are forced to ride on the street to get around your car. On some driveways it appears that if both cars would just pull up closer to the garage, you will fit both cars. Try it. Other driveways it is obvious you don’t have the room for two cars stacked, so may I suggest you empty your garage and put a car in there? You all know who you are, so please think about the people who use the sidewalks; someday it may be your kids or grandkids. Thank you.

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I hope the Lombard Village Board does not give any concessions to the Village of Glen Ellyn to keep the Hill Avenue bridge open. They need it more than we do. If they want concessions, close the bridge.

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What I find amazing about people who support our new president is that people say he’s trying, he’s cleaning up the Bush mistakes. Unfortunately, when Bush was in office, we didn’t have 9.7 percent unemployment, out-of- control spending, a leak in the gulf. It seems to me that when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, everybody thought George Bush should have it fixed in seven days. It’s been 80-some days since the leak in the gulf, and all President Obama can say is, We’re trying. It seems like he’s not trying hard enough. I don’t appreciate people saying he’ trying. He created part of this mess by voting for the stimulus package, he’s spending his way out of control, unemployment has skyrocketed, foreclosures are up.

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Thanks, Villa Park, with this new waste company that you have. We were told we would have a savings on our bill every three months and it’s only 98 cents. We’ve been using the same large garbage cans for the last 15 years and now we have to spend $20 or more for new garbage cans. The stickers for the yard waste have now gone up, so where are our savings? Thanks a lot; you’re costing your community more money that they have to pay out, as usual. Something’s got to go.

Eric Dubrowski, interim village manager and finance director for the Village of Villa Park, obtained information from public works and responded: “The new rate for garbage collection is currently $16.77 per month; the previous rate under a different contractor was $17.70 per month. The contract language specifies that containers shall be no larger than (35) gallons and no heavier than 50 pounds, which is the same contract language the village has had for well over 10 years. The previous contractor took larger containers without the village’s knowledge or consent; however, the new contractor bid the contract with the expectation that residents would use 35 gallon containers as specified in the contract. The collection of yard waste in the previous contract was $2.30 per bag; the new contract is $2.20 per bag.”—JAC

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Hi, this is Villa Park calling. I was talking to some of the friends and neighbors around here, and the new garbage company has left stickers on the garbage cans saying they’re too big and not picking up twined bundles of leaves and branches. It’s amazing. One of the houses they put a sticker on, the lady’s 89 years old. She brings it 200 feet from her back door all the way to the front of the house. If an 89-year-old woman can pick up a garbage can, how come two guys in a garbage truck can’t? And they have to put a sticker on it and waste more time? Gee, what kind of garbage company do we have?

See previous answer.—JAC

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Lombard calling. Why is it wrong for the police to ask for an I.D. in some places in America, like Arizona? In some cities you can vote without I.D.s, but today, as an 82-year-old white man I had to show an I.D. to buy a lousy jug of wine. This is crazy. Time to throw out the liberal progressive Dems and begin a restoration on Nov. 2. Americans, wake up. We need a constitutional government.

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This is for the Villa Park trustees. What is going on with that big sign on Roosevelt Road. Nobody seems to know the answers. Have we got Chicago politics in Villa Park? I can sympathize with those people in the condos. All this was pushed through and nobody has any answers. Print this one.

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Lombard calling. I’d like to know why it is during Cruise Nights that North Park, north of St. Charles, is closed to any type of traffic, when you’ve got the sidewalks and the cars parked along the sidewalks and the people are sitting on the sidewalks. It makes it impossible for those who live north of St. Charles off of Park to get to our homes without having to drive three blocks out of our way. It makes it impossible for the residents who live above the storefronts along St. Charles to even park in their own parking lot, because you can’t turn on Park to go north into the lot behind 20 West and the barber shop. It makes it difficult for people who are trying to get into the liquor store.

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I’m calling to ask why the village will not allow Capone’s in downtown Lombard the right to post the name of their restaurant on the west side of their building. The Village of Lombard needs to support the restaurants in the downtown area and not the big chains they do at Yorktown Mall. I’m curious as to why the village will not allow Capone's to post its name on the west side so they can draw in customers. They pay taxes, too.

Director of Community Development William Heniff responded: “The property at 105 W. St. Charles Road, where Capone’s is located, is in the Downtown B5 Zoning District. Wall signage is limited to one per street frontage. If in the event Capone's desires a wall sign on their west building elevation (similar to the one that Texan BBQ once had) in addition to their newer one on their north elevation, they have the right to apply to the village for a signage deviation for a second wall sign. Approval of such requests can be considered by the Plan Commission and/or the village board through a public hearing process. This is the same process Yorktown area establishments followed to receive their signage approvals. To date, the village has not received an application or a building permit submittal for a second wall sign for Capone's.”—JAC

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I want to say congratulations to all the swimmers from the Lombard Waves and those in Villa Park as well. They have to get up to be at practice by 6 a.m. I don’t believe there are any evening practices available to these swimmers and they’ve been doing an awesome job. Good luck in conferences and have a great remainder of your season.