In the May 15 SPEAK OUT, a Lombard caller complained that they received a bag in the mail for a food drive delivered by the post office, and that the food will be picked up by the post office. They went on to ask who is paying for it, and also stated that they can’t get their mail delivered properly. First, that’s what the post office does—picks up and delivers mail. Second, I’d like to know what “cannot get mail delivered properly” means.

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I am a homeless person, because my house always flooded at 5:30 a.m., I like to jaywalk near the train station, I am also a member of the Clean Government Coalition and I eat dinner with Trustees Breen and Fitzpatrick, I run my chainsaw in the morning and I refuse to answer any more questions in SPEAK OUT. 

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On Thursday, May 16, I found a picture laying on the floor of the Villa Park Post Office. It is a picture from 1928 and it says “Christmas at Windacre.” If you have lost this picture please contact me at lostpicture1928@gmail.com so that I can return it to you. Please include the city and state the picture was taken in so I can verify that you are the owner. 

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Our city, village and county governments always like to remind us that they are absolutely necessary to make our lives easier. Yes, we need water, we need electricity, we need telephone service, we need police protection and we need fire protection. But not at excessive prices. They should not be making huge profits on this stuff to spend as they wish. Supply us with it at a reasonable cost but stop this excessive profiting from the necessities of living. If you feel like I do, speak up. Goodbye.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. On May 5, I was downtown for the craft fair. It was the most people I’ve seen downtown in a long time. The street lights were on in the middle of the day. Why? What a waste. Also, the purple banners on every light pole are a waste. Instead of the lights and all the banners, why not have more activities downtown for us all? Thank you, goodbye.

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Now that the Lombard village manager’s contract is up, the president and trustees need to get him out before he does any more damage. His $200 million gross mistake at the Westin has destroyed the village’s credit and is costing millions of our tax dollars every year.  He has also forced nearly every employee into unionizing for a total of nine unions that the taxpayers must pay to negotiate their contracts. Enough is enough.

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Hi, this is Villa Park calling. I was in Lombard at a convenience store and this is for the woman who left her baby in the car while she ran in quickly to get something. I waited in my car to make sure everything was OK so that no one would take your car or your baby while you decided to go and run in just for a moment. Summer is coming and you cannot leave babies or animals in your car. It’s against the law. You’re lucky a police officer did not show up to get a cup of coffee at the time you decided to run in and get something quickly. Please be careful. Please let everyone know that you cannot leave babies or animals in the car. It’s going to be getting hot this summer. Thank you.

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To the person calling about the postal workers collecting food and who is paying for it, my gosh. Are you that nit-picky that you have nothing more to worry about? For a good cause, no less, and they were on their route anyway. Besides, I think they did this on their own time, after mail delivery. Somebody’s always calling in questioning about who paid for what—mostly minutiae about the smallest of expenses—how much did it cost to paint something on a government car, who pays for the YMCA at the school building, etc. It’s important to know where our money’s going, but come on, are these people looking through a microscope? Find out for yourself and quit taking the newspaper’s time and whoever else will answer these questions.

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In SPEAK OUT a caller was talking about marching with the Clean Government Alliance. Well, good luck, go ahead and try to find them. There isn’t any such thing as Clean Government Alliance. Thank you.

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Everybody’s worried about the cutbacks and government spending. Well, I’ll tell you what. Everybody’s at fault. The politicians are at fault for listening to the people; the businessmen, the bankers, the airlines, the railroads, the farmers, the factories, they all want huge bailouts, they all want tax relief. The little guy on the street wants tax relief, too. The little guy on the street is the only one making the money, so from President Obama on down—all the senators, congressmen and everyone else affiliated with the government, including the Pentagon, they do an awful lot of wasting over there—tell them all to take a cut just like we’re going to take a cut. They are the ones who listen and did this to us. Goodbye.

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Our president has taken the power to kill the citizen by drone if the president deems that that person is a danger to the country. No court, trial, jury or even Congress can interfere with due process. He can do what he wants. Janet Napolitano has named the patriots a terrorist group and bought 2,700 armored vehicles. What does Homeland Security need with these mine-proof vehicles? To suppress the people? Shades of Tiananmen Square. People of China demonstrated against their government. Hmm, I wonder.

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This concerns the May 11 food drive sponsored by the Postal Carriers of American Union. The fact is, this is not a food drive by the United States Post Office sponsored by the postal carriers. They volunteer their time to collect food in Lombard, Villa Park and throughout the United States. They don’t do any of the food pick-up until after the mail is delivered. This is volunteering on their own time. This is not being paid for by the post office. I would like to say the people in Lombard and Villa Park year after year have just been overwhelming in their giving, their generosity, in helping the needy people. And the food that was collected was in record amounts. We thank all the people, all the resident of these two towns for the postal carriers of America. Thank you.

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This is Lombard calling. I’d like to find out the answer to one question: How come nobody knows how to salute the American flag when it goes by in the Lilac Parade? I got thanked by the veterans who saw me do it, thumbs up, and nobody else, and nobody saluted the American flag when it went by. You’re supposed to salute the American flag whether it’s being carried or on a vehicle. Thank you. Have a good night.

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Bonnie MacKay, thanks so much for taking the time to respond to my SPEAK OUT call in the May 15 Lombardian regarding vehicle stickers. I didn’t think I was violating national security by asking why the stickers were discontinued and the village was losing $500,000 by that action. I was offended when I was labeled an anonymous source so the trustees don’t have to answer questions regarding our village policies. I’m in District 2 and hope Trustee Fugiel and District 3 Trustee Reid Foltyniewicz bring a more open government to our village. We deserve it. Bonnie, thanks to you and your staff for publishing a great local newspaper and also with great photos by Steve.

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Hello, America. This Obama is apparently the worst excuse for a president who ever lived. It’s time to impeach and get rid of him and take his attorney general and secretary of state with him.

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For the person who called SPEAK OUT and asked where he or she could find the Clean Government Alliance, I’m being told that it’s going to be built at 101 S. Main St., which is the old DuPage Theatre property.

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The key to the Benghazi scandal is finding out why the U.S. ambassador was in Benghazi. It is a Muslim-controlled country, in an area controlled by Al Qaeda groups, in an unsecured facility. What he was doing there is key and the fact they didn’t try to rescue him means probably that they didn’t think the attack would amount to much. And, they didn’t seem to want to draw attention to what he was doing there. Then it blew up in their faces when he was killed. So, I don’t know why the media isn’t asking that question. Why was our ambassador in Benghazi and what was he doing? Thank you.

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I agree with the person about dogs hanging out car windows. Just as bad is those people running, jogging or riding a bicycle and expecting the dog to keep up the pace. They are forced to because they are on a leash, and I see them panting and trying hard to keep up. Please think before you subject your dog to that strenuous a workout.

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Hello, this is Lombard calling. I just want to say I attended a village board meeting, the one that happened on May 2, and that’s the first time I’ve ever been to one. I thought it was great. I was really happy to see all the people who were there and think it’s great the people in this community are so involved in what’s going on in their town. I encourage everyone if they haven’t ever been to one of the board meetings to go and experience it. It’s an excellent experience and everybody deserves to go. Thank you.

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Lombard calling. Did you read your new tax bill? Mine went up about 15 percent while my income is down. My house is a year older. Nine pension funds with 12-percent increases and York Center Fire Department pension over 160 percent. We need an investigation here. Something is wrong. Thank you.

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Hello, this is to the Lombard pro-gun person. The Second Amendment reads, “For their protection and for purposes of having a well-trained militia the people of the states may keep and bear arms but the federal government or the state may pass laws against owning certain weapons and the way others may be used.” Now, what part of this do you not understand?

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Noise ordinance. To the person who called saying Lombard has a prohibited noise ordinance, I am so sorry; that information is incorrect. The Lombard noise ordinance only covers commercial noise. If you doubt me, call Bill Heniff at the village hall or the non-emergency police department and ask to speak to Pat Rollins. It would be great if Lombard had a noise ordinance to help residents. Right now, all the police can do is “ask” the loud music neighbor to turn down the music. That’s all the police can do per the Lombard noise ordinance. The police can, in certain circumstances, issue a ticket for disturbing the peace. It’s unfortunate that Lombard does not have a noise ordinance that covers residential areas.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. I run, bike, walk and cross-country ski at Madison Meadow, and I am very tired of freaking out when I see a dog running toward me. It seems very few dogs are on a leash. Isn’t there a leash law in Lombard? Thank you.

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How disappointing. The beautiful traditional entrance to Lilacia Park was adorned with two porta-potties during our Lilac Time in Lombard Festival. How thoughtless. How tacky. That says a lot about our illustrious park district, doesn’t it?

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Some antics of elected officials will never change. You can’t preach transparency for the village and then want to go into executive session to discuss the fire department. Since when is public safety a secret agenda item? The next part of that is disclosure. Before you vote no on a zoning issue disclose that you took a $90,000 campaign loan from the builder’s attorney. And if you spend eight months talking about how bad it is to just name the senior trustee as president pro tem, then decide to change your mind because you are now the senior trustee, then admit that. Get to work on village business not your own personal agenda.

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To the caller who says that George Bush is still getting blamed for what he didn’t do after five years, fact: What Bush did do was almost destroy this country. Fact: Obama is bringing it back. Now Republicans complain because the mess they made isn’t cleaned up. Look at historical gas prices and see what Bush (an oil man) did. While you’re at it, do some more homework and find out what killed housing, and consequently, the banks. I’d be glad to send SPEAK OUT proof of all of Bush’s failures, but that information is readily available. Funny how the GOP is represented by an elephant, but they all have amnesia. Romney didn’t have amnesia, though. He wouldn’t let Bush anywhere near his campaign. Thankfully, we the people remembered and kept the GOP out of the White House.

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Hi, I would just like to thank the Lombard Park District for putting on another wonderful concert at Lilacia Park. It was an absolutely wonderful day and my family and I have been going there to celebrate Mother's Day for about four years now, so thanks, Lombard Park District, for doing a great job.

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Hey, Villa Park, say yes to home rule and no to slumlords and gang bangers. Think about it. Don’t be stupid.