I live in Villa Park, and with regard to the continual discussion going on regarding the rights of a pedestrian versus the rights of an auto, the following is directly out of the Illinois “Rules of the Road”:  “White crosswalk lines are painted across the entire width of the pavement. Sometimes the inside area is marked with white diagonal lines for added visibility.  Pedestrians in crosswalks have the right-of-way over vehicles. Crosswalks are sometimes in the middle of the block and, in this case, a pedestrian crossing sign is located at the white lines.” Note that third sentence. Nowhere does it state a time frame that pedestrians must use before stepping off a curb. Granted, if I did see a car coming, in today’s world, the way drivers distract themselves with food, makeup, cell phones, etc., I wouldn’t step off the curb into a crosswalk, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not allowed to do it if I want to—it’s that old idea of being right but dead right—but as soon as a pedestrian steps off that curb, they’re in the crosswalk. And the rule says “pedestrians in crosswalks have the right-of-way over vehicles.” If I was on the sidewalk and walked up to a curb where a crosswalk was located, car traffic immediately began braking for me, just in case I was going to step into the crosswalk. You see, pedestrians might be distracted too, and might step off the curb before remembering to look both ways.

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Hi, I’m calling from Lombard and I’m calling about the great service I’ve had with CK Auto, that’s Auto Plus, on Roosevelt Road in Lombard. They are west of the Greek restaurant before I-355 on the south side of the street. I have never had such good service. There is a man who works at the front desk; he’s fantastic. I took my car in and they couldn’t find out what the problem was because it was dying on me. They kept the car for a long period of time and gave me a loaner. The service was fantastic and I highly recommend anyone to go to this place. It’s CK Auto, right before I-355.

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It doesn’t make sense to save for one’s retirement while they’re shutting off your power. The Willowbrook High School football program cannot build for tomorrow while ignoring today. The coaching staff must be aware of what they’re doing. I’ve heard a surprising number of people questioning the placement of players on the team, improper use of size and skill. People questioning the use, the timing of different plays. I’ve heard of the students quitting, disheartened, that it’s not fun anymore, and the ones who try to stay positive, aligned, and proud of their school to be laughed at for their beliefs among the facts that prove it a futile gesture. There’s a lack of inspiration, the creative beginning of anything worthwhile. Inspiring events go unused, lessons go unlearned, stubbornness is more prevalent than leadership. There are teams that win year after year as new athletes come and go, history provides much of the inspiration. The coaches don’t have to work as hard to win their spirits.

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SPEAK OUT brings out more transparency of what is really going on in Lombard than you get from any other local media source. Most of the calls have facts that Mr. Hulseberg and his staff won’t answer because they apparently can’t answer and apparently don’t want to because even with their spin, they apparently don’t hold water. At times, when someone has addressed problems or pointed a finger at a village board meeting for answers, they have been put down.

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Hi, I just wanted to say that the fire plugs in Villa Park look so good, so creative. It’s so good to see that people have decorated the fire plugs as they have. Then you get into Lombard and see some very rusty fire plugs. What would be really neat is if Lombard acted as a copycat and started doing that, too. You're doing well, Lombardian, and thank you.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. It’s Wednesday, raining again, nobody getting tickets for driving without their lights on, which is a state law.

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In article upon article in the newspapers, there seems to be a discontent with our political leadership on many levels. There is the name of Mueller on the local level here in Lombard; neither he nor the village board will respond to inquiries from the citizenry in this newspaper. I hear the Capitol building in Springfield is being refurbished at a cost of over $500 million. Thousands of Illinois residents are out of work. Quinn increased the state income tax and Illinois can’t pay its bills. On the federal level, it’s a total mess. We are trillions in debt and spending continues. There’s 9.1 percent unemployment. Do you see a pattern of inefficiency and uncaring leadership? We are at fault. We have abdicated our responsibility. Like it or not, it is our job. We must search for the right leadership, person or persons, not party.

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Well, we did it again, Lombard. That crosswalk you put in at Lincoln and St. Charles, not only is it inappropriate and dangerous as far as crossing the street, but you guys stuck a curb out into what can be a driving lane when nobody’s parking there and somebody’s going to run over the thing and damage their car, number one, and number two, a curb on each side knocked out two parking spaces. Let’s get rid of all the parking spaces downtown and then we can close up the whole darn thing. Great job again.

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Hi, this is Lombard here. I was just wondering, with the policy that Lombard has adopted with the no answering questions by being anonymous, I was just wondering. When it comes time for elections, if this is the way the policy is, are we going to be having to, when it comes to voting for trustees, are we going to have to be putting our names and addresses on the ballots so it counts? Just something to think about.

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OK, I can agree with callers who said people should not complain about the noise of living near the railroad tracks, but on the other hand, I am guessing that years ago, there were fewer trains and also those that didn’t blow their horns so long and loud. However, to the caller who said people should not complain about living next to a house with boats or junky cars, did you ever consider that maybe the so-called complainers lived there first? If that’s the case, you can’t lay it on them, if the problem didn’t exist when they moved in.

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I am calling on all Lombardians to show some pride and begin to bring this town back. To bring our town back, we need real change. If the trustees and village president are unable to do this, then we need to help and open their eyes. Let’s smoke them out. Bring all your stories and experiences to the forefront—do not embellish or fib—we have plenty of despicable truths to get them out of our town and bring pride and respect back to Lombard.

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Hooray to the person who called in about the American dream. If you didn’t read it, look for it in the SPEAK OUT column and send it to your congressman. We have to speak up as Americans. This is our country. Don’t let the illegals take our American dream.

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I don’t understand what the village is doing on St. Charles Road by downtown. They're building out into the street to put some trees or planters or something out there. It’s going to be a nightmare when it snows and the village pushes the snow into the middle of the street. There’s barely room to get by and there won’t be room to get by with those things jutting out into the street. It seems like a half-baked idea and not well-thought-out. Also it’s going to make it a lot harder for the snow plow drivers, much, much harder. This is a traffic congestion nightmare waiting to happen. Please rethink this.

It’s not for trees or planters. It’s a crosswalk.—blm

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Hi. I live in Lombard and was just wondering if anybody has stopped at Johnny Dogs on St. Charles Road by the Lombard pool. They not only have great food, they have great prices. I was in there the other day and when I was a little short, they let me slide. I have been in there twice a week every week since they've been open. The food is phenomenal. If anybody’s out there and cares to stop by, it is just delicious food.

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Hi. I would like to thank the Lombard Veterinary Hospital and Calvary Episcopal Church for the beautiful pet blessing service.  It was wonderful to remember the great pets that we have and those we have lost. Hope they have the blessing again next year. 

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Hi, Lombard calling. Just curious when trick-or-treating hours are. Is it Sunday, the 30th, or Monday the 31st in the Village of Lombard? I call around and people say it’s too early to know. I would like to know.

According to the Village of Lombard Web site, trick-or-treating hours are from 3-7 p.m Oct. 31.—JAC

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This is on behalf of the Meadowlark Quilt Club. I personally want to thank all you wonderful people for donating the fabric and especially all that wonderful yarn to make the lap robes for the veterans; and blankets, hats and booties for all the little babies in the NICU at Loyola. We’re almost done with all our yarn; now we want to make for the Shriners Circus hats and slippers to donate to them for Christmas. God bless you and thank you very much.

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Villa Park calling. I read where Villa Park has several events for electronics recycling. Why no shredding events? I called the village hall, only to be told, “We haven't heard of any.”

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To the person who used to be a Republican and will never vote Republican again, I have a feeling you were never a Republican. What about when the Democrats accused George Bush of being un-American? What about when the Democrats said John McCain was unable to be president because he didn't use technology or wasn't familiar with technology? What about the Democrats who said anti-American things when Bush was in office? I have a feeling you are secretly a Democrat.

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Yes. When are they going to make Finley Road at Roosevelt and Highland at Roosevelt a double left-turn lane? It now takes five to six lights to get through from 4-6 o’clock.

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I was driving through Lombard in the middle of September; were my eyes deceiving me or did people already have Halloween decorations out six weeks before Halloween? Really, people, really? Halloween decorations in mid-September?

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This is Lombard calling. I know why we’re in such a mess. The president is so confused when it comes to taxes. This whole Warren Buffett thing, when you actually look at it, Warren Buffett actually pays north of 40 percent of his income in taxes, not the 15 percent capital gains. Our president apparently doesn’t understand the difference between capital gains and when you have a payroll tax. Warren Buffett pays the same taxes as every other person in the United States based on his income, period. And this is the same Warren Buffett whose company, Berkshire Hathaway, owes over a billion dollars in taxes going back to 2002 that they claim they shouldn’t have to pay. The same Warren Buffett who feels so bad about his secretary paying more in taxes than him, the same Warren Buffett who doesn’t want to have his company pay the taxes he owes to the government, or give all his money to the government. This is why we’re messed up. Our president seems to have no clue.

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Regarding garbage stickers, the village that carries them is only open during the week. Would it be possible to give them to a business on the north side of town? Please give us something on the north side of town.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. I'm curious to know why the village spent money to put in a walkway at Lincoln and St. Charles that now has created traffic issues because people turning left onto Lincoln from St. Charles, the concrete doesn’t allow people to pass on the right, so there’s a backup all the way to the next light. Secondly, the amount of cars that curb out onto the concrete turning right onto St. Charles, not a great use of money or obviously street management for traffic.

Sorry, we are unable to obtain an answer to your question due to a new village policy, which was approved by Lombard trustees on May 19. It is against village policy to acknowledge or respond to any item that is from an anonymous source. Anyone with questions regarding the village should contact the Lombard Village Hall at 630-620-5700 for assistance.—blm

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It’s that time of year again when squirrels—and other animals— seem to be in the streets more than usual, looking for food or crossing to find food. I have recently seen too many people who, without any cars behind them, still barrel on and don’t even bother to slow down. I realize they are only animals, and I don’t want anyone to cause an accident, but I am asking that people watch out for the animals. And that means at night, too for raccoons and skunks, by the way, which can wreak havoc on your car —or sense of smell—if you hit one. And believe me, they are definitely out there at night, looking for food. Just drive carefully and watch out for animals in the street, is all I’m asking.

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Hello, this is Lombard calling in response to the train horns. I have cousins who are engineers. They explained to me they use Morse Code; I hear the beeps of the train and I always say a prayer when I hear an SOS. But now that I’ve been in Lombard 35 years the horns have never been this loud or this long. There's no reason for the trains to blow 10 or 20 times per crossing. I think it is excessive.

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Lombard calling. The Illinois Department of Professional Regulation—I called there to renew my professional license and I had the opportunity to renew in Spanish. If you don’t speak English, you’re allowed to have a professional license in the state of Illinois? You can renew your license in English and in Spanish.