Is there any truth to the rumor that Willowbrook is going to change its foreign language offerings?

District 88 spokesperson Sherri Anderson explained: “As part of Willowbrook High School’s comprehensive curriculum, the World Languages Department is offering students the opportunity to enroll in German, French, Spanish and Arabic during the 2011-12 school year.”—JAC

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There are those in Washington who want to cut spending and there are those who don’t. Are we budgetarily heading for a disaster or not? Government is a spending entity, not a creating entity. Government doesn’t create jobs; the private sector does. Oh, yes; something our leaders forgot—the money that government spends is our money, the citizens’, not government money.

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One reason I’ve heard for not drilling for more oil in the U.S. is that it wouldn’t have a great impact on the world's supply. Yet when there is turmoil in one country—Libya, for example—the price of oil skyrockets. Another reason I’ve heard for not drilling for more oil here is that it would take 10 to 15 years to get that new oil out of the ground. I’ve been hearing that for at least 10 to 15 years. If we started drilling then, the oil would be available.

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A couple of years ago some blamed the rise in oil and gas prices on George Bush and his relationship with his oil buddies. Using the same logic, we can now claim the recent rise in oil and gas prices must be Obama’s fault because of his buddies. Just sayin’.

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This is the third time I’ve called trying to get my representation in the paper in SPEAK OUT. I’d like you to take the opportunity to publish my concerns unless you’ve got some ulterior motive that keeps me from being heard. My statement is I can’t believe the December response from the Lombard Police Department regarding arresting serious criminals accused of DUI, no insurance, no registration, no driver’s license. We have people who can’t prove who they are and the Lombard Police Department merely fingerprints the individual and releases the person on an I-Bond. I remember a few years ago a friend was arrested without ID and the Lombard police wouldn’t release him until he proved who he was. Now we arrest potential serious criminals and potential serious illegals of multiple serious crimes and we merely let them out on I-Bond.

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This is Lombard calling. About High Ridge Road and the potholes, they are eating up my car. I’m afraid my car is going to break from all the potholes. Is there any chance the village could fill in the potholes on High Ridge Road? It’s much traveled by lots of people and you practically get in an accident by swerving to dodge the potholes there. Thanks, Lombard; thanks, Villa Park.

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This is Lombard calling to correct the caller about Obama and his run in the Senate. He actually was only senator for less than two years before running for president and the last two years of his term he used to campaign, so that is not a working senator. Also, the money issues actually came from Clinton that Bush inherited and then Obama did, due to the fact that Clinton would let anybody buy a house, who made any dollar amount, even if they couldn’t afford it. Please learn the facts.

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It is again time to speak to you drivers who ignore using your turn signals. And you know who you are. You must enjoy being rude, dangerous and illegal all at the same time. You are breaking the law. Be courteous. Be safe. Obey the rules of the road and use your turn signal when changing lanes or turning. Passengers, be sure your drivers are obeying the law.

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OK, what’s the deal? I still see streetlights on in the daytime around Lombard, especially between St. Charles and Maple. If I try to keep costs down at home by turning out lights that are not being used, why can’t the village? Don’t forget who really pays the village’s electric bill—we do. This wastes energy and our tax dollars, which could be used to pay our own rising costs.

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Lombard calling. Everyone is always talking about going green and buying green products. I’m so glad the thrift shop reopened on South Park Avenue. The only thing they don’t sell is corned beef and cabbage.

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Good morning. This is for the Lombard Public Works Department. How about resurfacing Finley Road from Roosevelt maybe a half-mile north? It’s terrible along there.

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Hi, this is Villa Park calling. This is a thank you to Cindy at Mr. Z’s for loaning me her roller skates for my daughter. She absolutely loved them. Thank you so much and God bless you.

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I wouldn’t mind the tax increases that went to wounded soldiers who have to look for charity for help, or seniors who pay into Social Security their whole life and get no increase, or the people who lost jobs or the poor and needy. But paying for entitlements to people who abuse the system and illegals is outrageous. Illegals cost the system $113 billion a year. The American taxpayer hasn’t got any more to give.

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To the person who seems uninformed: Did you know that President Bush called for reforms 17 times during his administration on the housing issue? Did you know that Barney Frank, in his infinite wisdom, said that we’re not going to reform the housing program because people who cannot afford homes should be able to live in a home. To the uniformed person, maybe you should get the facts straight before you go accusing other people of the issues at hand. Democrats were in control when President Bush called for reform, and they did nothing, just like the president now. Mr. Obama’s done nothing. I hope you like unemployment.

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This is Lombard calling. This is for the person who is talking about the press 1 for English. I agree with you. That is ridiculous. We are in America, but you’ve got to understand most of the places you call for service who ask that, they’ve outsourced to India, so the India people need to know who they are talking to. They have to be aware if you are English or Spanish, or whatever other language. That is the reason why they ask you to press 1 for English.

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Hello, this is Lombard. We appreciate the fact that you are taking care of the potholes on Main Street, but there is one specific one that is pretty big, about catty-cornered from Boston Market, westbound lane. If you could get that fixed that would be great. Somebody’s going to get a flat tire and end up having a fit. Pretty dangerous, actually. People are trying to avoid it. I see an accident waiting to happen. Thank you, Lombard.

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This is Lombard calling. What happened to the guy in the Lombardian who talked about people’s antiques? I liked him. Is he coming back?

We will try and run the column in the near future.–blm

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I would like to compliment Potted Petals on the corner of Harrison and Main Street. It is the most beautiful display every season. If only all of our businesses, stores and homes looked like this, what a beautiful village we would have.

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Fox News is reporting $200 billion in duplicate federal spending. Why didn’t a legislator catch this calamity? What are the Democrats and Republicans going to do?

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I’m calling about the high cost of utilities. The gas bill; they want more money, and the price is ridiculous. I have an electric stove, I have an electric concentrator for an oxygen tank; everything else is electric in the house. We watch TV more than we should, yet my electric bill is one third of what my gas bill is. The gas costs me three times more than my electricity and yet they want to raise the price? Something’s wrong. Our politicians are taxing us to death. Things have to change.

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This is Lombard, just going to throw in my two cents with this whole thing that’s happening with pensions in Wisconsin, Ohio and unfortunately here. Here’s the scorecard, folks. We have teachers here who teach gym, who make $125,000 a year. We have teachers in this state who can retire when they’re 52 and they have pensions of $100,000 a year. The fact of the matter is, these teachers’ earnings put them at the top 5 percent earners in the nation and their pensions are the best in the United States. Period. As a person who pays for this stuff, I have to look at it and say, I can’t afford it anymore. I don’t think it’s worth it that somebody can retire at 52 years old and make $100,000 off their pension. I’m sorry. We just can’t afford it anymore. You bled us dry, we’re broke and it’s just not worth it.

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I enjoyed listening to the Glenbard East band during Friday's boys basketball playoff game. The music added a lot to a spirited evening. Some of the songs I remember hearing were “Don't Stop Believing,” by Journey, “Vehicle” by the Ides of March, “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga and “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol. The band did an excellent job.

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Hi, this is Lombard. I just wanted to thank Sweet Street in downtown Lombard for doing such a great job on my chocolate trays on Valentine’s Day.

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I think it was on Fairfield and Madison, where there was a huge pothole that was like a crater. Can the village please check it out?

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. On Feb. 7 Waste Management cracked my green garbage can completely down two sides. I called them immediately and they said leave it at the curb and they’d have somebody pick it up and drop off a new one. That was on Feb. 7. I waited and waited and called again on Feb. 14, and in between, spoke to many different people, who assured me I’d have my garbage can replaced. I recently called again and it is almost garbage night—I have no can. I do not have a garbage can and it’s now been three weeks.