Lombard calling. The reason the state is in such a fiscal mess is that career politicians in Springfield—whose campaigns are financed by big corporate money—have legislated that two-thirds of the corporations in this state do not currently have to pay their corporate tax. And when our governor and those members of the General Assembly did that, they also gave themselves a raise.

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Why don’t the Lombard police issue tickets to vehicles parked on the street when the streets need to be plowed during a snowfall?  On Addison Avenue between Washington and Madison there are always cars parked on the street when parking is restricted during a snowfall. Large sections of the street are not able to be plowed because people leave their vehicles on the street day and night. What’s it going to take for the Lombard police to actually issue tickets?

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Hello from the north side of Lombard. Every morning after my cup of coffee I get my paper from the driveway and do right away the daily Sudoku. I just love it. I used to be an accounting manager and I still am crazy about numbers. And I have a lot of these little booklets with Sudoku puzzles in it. On Thursdays I do the Sudoku in the Lombardian. This time it was so easy, because the answer was right next to it. So, I didn’t have to go through the whole paper if I really needed to check on a number. Boy, that was easy. Not challenging at all. But, I wouldn’t like to see this again.

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Lombard. I am a senior citizen and must go to the library at least once a month, and I am treated very nicely. Could the person who complained, could it have been her attitude?

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I called last week, complaining about the pizza man running for village president. Obviously the pizza man has got the Lombardian on his side. Also, he walked out of a village meeting. What makes everybody think here who has signs up for him that he ‘s not going to walk out on you? And then today’s Lombardian, everybody’s down on the police, and everybody’s down on the Fitzpatricks. I think it’s ridiculous.

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Today is Wednesday. In today’s Lombardian in SPEAK OUT a caller talked about North Avenue to the bridge on Route 53 and what’s wrong with Lombard. I don’t believe Lombard has anything to do with that road south of North Avenue, Route 53, to St. Charles Road. I believe that’s unincorporated Lombard, or Milton Township or unincorporated Milton Township or unincorporated DuPage County, or perhaps the state maintains that road. But I don’t believe the Village of Lombard has any jurisdiction over Route 53 from North Avenue south to the bridge. Have a very good day. I sure enjoy SPEAK OUT.

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Good afternoon. It’s Tuesday, the day of the storm. Gas prices were $3.83 a gallon in the morning going to work, and gee, what a shock, it snowed, so gas is back up to $3.99 a gallon at almost every gas station. Shouldn’t that be looked into—price gouging?

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To the person complaining about getting yelled at outside the library, you contradicted yourself, unless it was printed wrong. At first you said you were trying to help your elderly mother into the car—I am assuming in front of the library—when a man came out and yelled at you and you said you weren’t parking there, just helping your mother get in the car. Later, you stated that the man was “yelling at me for where I am parked.” Either way, while it’s unfortunate that there is no set drop-off location for people on crutches, etc., there is a sign there that prohibits stopping and standing, which is what you were doing. Maybe you could get a handicap placard for your car so you can park in the handicap spot in front of the library. We need more of those spots, too.

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I just read that our basketball team won the DuPage Valley Conference championship. Seven of the boys wrestling team qualified for state and our bowling team went to the state match. I don’t understand how we aren’t competitive in DuPage Valley Conference. I believe it’s that we’re not competitive in football. That is a very poor reason to switch the conference. I wish this would have been brought to the public for more discussion. I feel sorry for these parents who have to travel 20 miles to go play at a school. I think this needs to be looked at again.

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I was the person who almost caused an accident because I couldn’t see around an SUV that was sticking so far out in the road to turn left that I didn’t even know my view was as blocked as it was. Well, something nearly happened again. Going north on Main Street at the Madison light, and a vehicle was going to turn left onto Madison and pulled up too far beyond the white line and also had its wheels turned to the left. I had the right of way but was being cautious and had to pull into the right lane just in case. Good thing no car was coming. A foot ahead of the line, maybe, but both times, it was nearly a car length—and considering both were SUVs, that’s a lot of feet. Please, people, obey the rules and especially, do not angle your car to the left, it gives the impression you are about to pull out in front of us.

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Villa Park here. I’ve been reading SPEAK OUT too long. I am amazed at the ignorance and stupidity of the people in this area. The latest one that got me is complaining about illegals getting driver’s licenses. When I’ve got somebody driving next to me at 80 mph on the expressway, it makes me feel good to know that he’s a registered, licensed driver, and knows how to drive a car. That’s all that driver’s license means. It doesn’t give him any privilege; it doesn’t give him anything, except that he knows how to drive. Thank you.

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Hi, this is the south end of Lombard calling. Just wanted to give a shout out thank you to some of the greatest neighbors, especially to Gary and Tom, who are always there to help another neighbor. Thank you. Bye.

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This is Lombard calling. I read in the Feb. 20 paper that another Lombardian would appreciate more handicapped parking at the Helen Plum Library. We presently have two and they are usually occupied. It would be appreciated if the director of the library could look into converting two spots across the street to handicapped parking.

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I’ve noticed a lot of political signs out for Keith Giagnorio. The people who have these signs, I’d just like to warn them that if he is elected and the going gets a little tough, he will probably just leave the village and leave us to fend for ourselves. Don’t forget. This man walked out of a board meeting for no reason. Thank you.

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Mr. Breen, in response to your comment in SPEAK OUT, I don’t care what happens in the village as far as activity and stuff, but this response referring that Notre Dame was a symbol that Catholics could be good and successful Americans, I thought that all religions could be good people and successful people. I respect my friends who are Catholic, I respect my friends who are Jewish and my friends who are Christian, and whatever religions there are. I think this was a terrible, terrible thing to put in the Lombardian. I’m very, very sorry for you.

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This is Lombard calling to Villa Park. Please fix your streets on Wisconsin, South Wisconsin, Harvard and Kenilworth. Please. The streets are just horrible. I don’t understand where you’re money’s going, but please address it this year. It would be really nice. Thank you.

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Watching the 5:30 world news. Really? The second story, the most important story of the day, our president played golf with a certain famous golfer. That’s the second most important story of the entire day? Oh, how we have TMZ’d the news in people’s lives.

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In reading SPEAK OUT I read Peter Breen’s reply about the downtown party. What a bigoted comment on being a Catholic and being Irish. Peter, I feel sorry for you for going to such a prestigious school and supposedly being such a smart individual. What a stupid comment you made. Shame on you, Peter Breen. Shame on you.

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This is Lombard calling. I wanted to give a shout out to the skeet shooters, or skeeters as they are known in the vernacular of the sport. Skeeters are very active in the off season. During the summer, the skeeters can usually be found in the early morning or at twilight. Bye.

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This is Lombard. I don’t understand why anyone who believes in God and Heaven would be against abortion. If I were a fetus, I would rather die and go to Heaven where angels would care for me, than be born to a mother who didn’t want me. Thank you.

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As concerned citizens of Lombard, we would like the candidates running for village president to print out a form so we can hear their views for improving Lombard.

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Villa Park calling. I am tired of listening to our village politicians telling us what a great job they’re doing for the village. The Ardmore bridge, for instance. How about the street closings due to freight trains sitting on the tracks? I guess our trustees don’t see that. Thank you.

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Hi there. Regarding the sidewalks that were put in on Westmore between Roosevelt, running north for another six, eight blocks, we felt that a lot of money needed to be spent to put in the new sidewalks. There was snow on Tuesday evening. Thursday morning, 5 inches of snow completely covered these sidewalks. I would imagine that we felt we needed walkways for kids to make it to school, so nobody is responsible for clearing these walkways that we felt so important to spend probably hundreds of thousands of dollars to put in. Somebody should be responsible for clearing those, or the walkways wouldn’t be needed. I see students in the morning walking in the street because the walkways are not being cleared. Either we should not have put them in and spent that money elsewhere, or somebody should be responsible for clearing the sidewalk so the students don’t have to walk in the street. Thank you. If you can address that, I would greatly appreciate that. Thank you.

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Lombard calling here. This is a message for all the dog owners who use Madison Meadow park. You’re supposed to clean up after your dogs. There’s dog mess all over that park, especially around the path that starts at Madison and Edgewood. If you people cannot take the responsibility to clean up after your dog, you don’t deserve to own one. Thank you.

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All the retired politicians need their pensions reduced 50 percent, including ex-presidents, and pay for their own benefits. They are the ones who got our country into the mess it’s in now. As for those in office now, not doing their job, which includes them all, they need to be replaced. We elect, pay for and put up with substandard representation, while they represent themselves and their friends remarkably. How long would we, the people with real jobs, last doing such poor work? Thank you.

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I don’t understand what all this fuss is about the paramedics. A paramedic is a paramedic is a paramedic, right, or am I missing something? The paramedics we have now are on a contract, aren’t they? Could someone please explain this?

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. I am just concerned about a vote for John Heidelmeier for village president sign in Lombard. Why would a resident in Lombard have a John Heidelmeier for president of Villa Park sign in their yard? It makes no sense. Anybody know why there would be a Heidelmeier for president of Villa Park sign in Lombard? I’d be very curious to know what’s going on with that.

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Hi. I just wanted to say “thanks” to whoever decided to put up those e-waste street signs near the Villa Park Village Hall. I’m glad the village is offering electronics recycling but until now I could never find where the drop-off was. The signs are a huge help.

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Hello SPEAK OUT. I’m from Villa Park and would like to comment on a couple of things from the Feb. 27 SPEAK OUT section. Number one, Helen Plum Library employees. The woman's experience with the nasty employee being so rude about her parking while she was only trying to get her mom in the car. How unfortunate that experience must have been. That employee, whoever he was, was truly out of line and should have offered to help. My experience has been very good with the folks who work for the library. Linda and the ladies who work in Adult Services are truly great and go over and above to help whenever I’m there. Number two, police needing to give tickets to people who don’t put their car lights on in the rain. How about tickets to those lazy people who don’t clear off the snow from their back car window?  That’s my pet peeve. Don’t they realize what a hazard that is? Thanks for letting me have my say.

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Many thanks to First United Methodist Church of Lombard for serving the lunch after the service for our beloved pastor, Rob. We are so grateful to you; because of your generosity, our whole church family was able to be together and celebrate his life. We are very blessed to have you as our across-the-street neighbors in Christ. Thank you.