This is Lombard calling. As I was driving on a particular street one day, I was surprised and so disappointed to see that a new house is being built on what used to be a gorgeous tree sub-lot. It is so sad that a builder and family would cut down all the beautiful, healthy, mature trees in order to squeeze a new house between two other large, pretty houses. I wish the owners would have thought about the history of the trees before deciding to chop them all down. It will be sad to see a house smushed onto a lot that used to be filled with nature. Thank you.

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Hi, this is Lombard. I’m just wondering if there are plans to put in a left-turn arrow at the intersection of Westmore and St. Charles going north? The back-up at rush hour in the evening is absolutely ridiculous and we could really use a left-turn arrow. Thank you. Bye.

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This is Lombard calling. To all you anti-gun activists, what part of the right to bear arms shall not be infringed upon do you not understand?

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There’s a lot of talk about immigration and I have no fault-finding with immigrants who want to come here and work hard to make a living. What I find fault with are our citizens of the United States who cheat every day. They don’t want to work; they want to get a paycheck for nothing. The hardworking people who want to work and earn their pay, there’s nothing wrong with them. Let them earn their pay, but the Bible says, no work, no eat, no pay. Stop the cheating.

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To the person who complained about the homeless in the Metra station, would it have killed you to stand up while you were warming yourself? Just think of the plight these people are in. Let’s be a bit more caring and responsible and respectful. Thank you.

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This is a note to our politicians. Illegal means they broke our laws. Why is that OK? It’s not like they’re running from oppression because we go to their country to vacation. They’re running to entitlements, and I, as a taxpaying senior citizen, have no more to give. I worked a lifetime legally for what I have with no handouts. Let’s get back to legal immigration and use our politicians to work for the Americans who voted for them. I have never heard of a hungry or homeless illegal in America, but I have heard about hungry and homeless veterans, seniors, etc. Needless to say, we need to close the borders for many reasons.

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Well, just watching the news lately. While I do feel very, very, very sorry for people whose homes were flooded, please quit showing them on TV. Much like people who complain about living next to a railroad, you chose to live there. You chose to live next to the railroad tracks, a creek, a brook, a river, so please stop showing them. We’re a flood plain. It’s becoming very irritating and I don’t even watch the news that much.

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Today, get on your hands and knees and thank God you live in a free country that is governed by Congress and the Senate and not a dictator, because if it was a dictator, we’d all be in jail and have nothing to say. We wouldn’t have any liberty at all. Good bye.

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Lombard calling. What a week it’s been in our silly, silly little town with our silly, silly little politicians. Last week in SPEAK OUT a bunch of people called in and they were appalled at the mailing that was sent out with a trustee and all of our lovely ladies giving the one-finger high five. They called the group that sent it out idiots, and how small they were and how disgusting that flier was. Quite frankly, folks, I found the action in the flier to be disgusting. I know some of the people in the flier and you know what? This is why Lombard is a joke. If you want to be a public official, how about you act like an adult, not a silly little teenager. Really? And you people are appalled that that flier got sent out? I’m appalled at the people who voted for those people in the flier. That’s the amazing part. The action that they did was appalling and sickening. The people in the flier were wrong, not the people who sent it out.

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I find this amazing—I am all for gun control; we need to do something. But our wonderful president stood in Connecticut and said this is not about politics. Mr. President, where are you in Chicago? We have some of the toughest gun control laws in the country, and people are dying left and right. I don’t see you over here standing up talking about gun control and saying it’s not about politics. It is about politics. It’s about you looking good. Do something. There are gun problems in every city. Do something.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. I just wanted to let everyone know I received the village survey, wanting to know all types of questions about us. And they wanted us to be anonymous. Here’s my question to the Village of Lombard: Since you don’t answer any questions we ask in SPEAK OUT, why would I mail back a survey anonymously? I think you could do a little bit better than you’re doing already, but that’s in SPEAK OUT and I’m sure you will not give any feedback for that. Have a great day. Bye.

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Lombard calling. A question to the caller who praised Mr. Giagnorio’s candidacy prior to the election. Wasn’t he the one who seconded the motion to bring a tax hike vote and then voted yes for a property tax increase? Answer; yes.

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Megan Pearson, Glenn Westlake Middle School’s former choir teacher, is missed so much by the girls. I just wanted her to know that despite their efforts on Saturday, things did not go as well as they had hoped but they truly, truly remember everything you have taught them and they just wanted you to know they miss you so. Thank you.

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I’m reading a book on the Revolutionary War. The facts and people I learned of as a child in school came rushing back, Trenton, Nathan Hale, Patrick Henry, Thomas Payne. It is inspiring. How close we came to not being the United States of America. Through the grace of God we are here.

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Hi, Lombard calling. Here’s a problem and a solution for our new village president. Being that he lives on the same block that I do, and has probably dealt with the same problem I have dealt with for more than 20 years now, how about the residents who live near Glenbard East who cannot park on the street from 9-3, are issued some kind of highly visible sticker we could put on our front window, which would allow us residents to park on the street during those hours. This would free up the 18,000 times I’ve had to call the non-emergency police number to call in a car, a friend, a relative, a refrigerator’s being delivered. We pay thousands of dollars in taxes to Glenbard East. I have never had a child go through the system. Let Glenbard East pay for the village stickers. They couldn’t cost more than $10 or $15 and it would save time for the police and the residents and it would be a smart overall thing to do.

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I was calling regarding the flooding on April 18. Someone called in and said the storm sewers were blocked with leaves, which is not true. The problem was the storm sewers were full and there was nothing we could do, so that came back into our homes. Whoever called about that they were covered, you have no idea what you are talking about because it was a disaster. We were out there all day trying to keep them clear but they were full. Thank you, good bye.

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This is Tuesday, April 23. Sunday I purchased gas in Aurora at $3.60.9 a gallon. The same station in Lombard was $3.79.9. Tuesday it was $3.99.9, Wednesday it’s $4.15.9. Why are we getting gauged? Thank you.

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Attention, parents. Code white, code bright. If we want to keep our future alive, we need to keep our kids safe. They need to wear light or white colors at night so they can be seen by motorists. Bikes need lights and reflectors. If you don’t have time to install them, send them downtown to JR Cycle. Skateboarders need reflective clothes. Spring is here. Be safe and tell your neighbors who don’t read SPEAK OUT, too.

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Here’s to Bob Harris at Helen Plum Library. You have a good heart and excellent taste in movies.

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Lombard here. Looks like spring has finally arrived. Neighbors are preparing their decks and porches to enjoy the outdoors. Some will also be bringing out their music to enjoy as well. Good to remember that our village has a Prohibited Noise Ordinance that states outdoor music should only be heard by those playing it. No next-door neighbor should be aware that they are listening to music. We do not have to live in an affluent community to enjoy a quiet, peaceful neighborhood. There are residents who may not be aware or are just plain thoughtless and don’t care. Do yourself and your neighbors a favor. Call 9-1-1 and report those residents. Reminders from our Lombard police should be just what we need to ensure a wonderfully peaceful summer.

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It appears the solution the village has come up with to help with flooding up north will be expensive. Instead of fixing and separating the sewers they are building bridges for us to live on. The new bridge to nowhere is the only place in town that is high and dry. Call early to reserve your spot.

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It’s Sunday, April 28. Let’s see if Villa Park is going to do anything for the upcoming rain. Maybe they could flood more houses. Villa Park, get your sandbags ready. The only people to help is yourself, because your trustees and Thomas Cullerton will not help you. Well, happy flooding.

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This is the north side of Villa Park. Looks like Villa Park dropped the ball again. Every time it rains the streets flood. Every time it rains, the power goes out. Our trustees aren’t doing anything. I just heard of a family on the north side of town who’s going to lose their house because of flooding issues. Thanks, Villa Park. Way to go. You do a great job. Keep it up. That’s why people are moving out of town. I wish SPEAK OUT would print this and ask our village president, Thomas Cullerton, what he’s going to do about all the houses that flooded, all the basements that got destroyed. Also, Trustee Taglia, who didn’t really want to be bothered with the situation.

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If we double fast-food workers’ salaries from $8 to $16 an hour, we won’t need the immigrants and teens to do these jobs. All the Americans out of work and the struggling senior citizens will gladly take these jobs. In fact, they’d probably take them for $8 an hour and work another job. That’s how it’s done when you need money. Since when do you expect your employer to double your salary because you need more money?

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I used to live in Lombard. I only get the Lombardian every couple of weeks after I visit my relatives. I saw where somebody brought up the fact that the new village president was born and raised in Villa Park. Who cares? If he’s qualified to run for village president and can do a better job than the previous president, God love him. It doesn’t matter where you were born or raised. The Village of Lombard has run Lombard into the ground. That is why I left. Let it go.

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Being a public employee has its perks, besides holidays off that most of us don’t get. There’s the pension. Cinda Klickna, who heads the Illinois Education Association, said at a pension forum that the state should raise taxes to compensate and pay for the state’s obligation to retirees? Seriously? Our state is a laughing stock of financial ruin already. It’s time legislators get serious and revamp the system. As they say, there are no guarantees in life. Employees and retirees need to contribute more to their health care at the very least; something many of us don’t have but through taxes have to pay for, for others. Start a new baseline for future employees that increases their financial contributions, levels off pay and retirement benefits, so we taxpayers can reduce ours.

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Hello. This is in reply to the homeless people using the train station as a restroom. As a suggestion, why doesn’t the village put a couple of porta-potties downtown so these people would have some place to go to the bathroom besides the train station? My thought of course, also, is that every village should have a house where homeless people could go and get cleaned up, get laundry done and get some proper food. If every village did that I think we would get a little bit better care for homeless people and get some of these people off the street. I know what some people are going to say. Oh, we don’t want them in our town. I think it would be safer that way than having people wander around. After all, we are dealing with human beings and as a nation, and for humanity, it’s our duty to take care of these people and have compassion, especially with all the events happening in the world today. People need to wise up and realize what the right thing to do in this world is and not just think about ourselves.

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Hello, this message is for President Giagnorio of Lombard. I’m wondering, did you see that Abraham Lincoln movie, “Team of Rivals”? I think you should appoint John Lotus Novak to the board of the Westin. Maybe he could straighten it out for us. Thank you.

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It would be nice if all retail and grocery stores do what Target does—turn off the background music. Most of the music is loud and annoying. Stores, are you listening?