Villa Park calling regarding the Metra train station. I am a Metra commuter and for the past three weeks the west-side entrance to the train station has remained closed due to the inside gate malfunctioning. We are told by the ticket agent that it cannot be fixed until springtime. Why springtime? This is an inside gate. Please let us get some answers. Thank you.

According to Village of Villa Park Village Manager Rich Keehner, “The section within the Metra Train Station is closed off via a metal gate because we are using it as an internal warming area for the train users. The metal gate is in need of repair so we intended to only lower it once this winter and raise it in the spring after our temperatures become warmer.”—Chris Fox

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Hey, America, I think it’s time for Obama and his EPA to sit outside for a few hours and enjoy the global warming they enjoyed so much. That’s all folks. You know what’s happening here. Goodbye.

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If it’s OK for our government to spy on all us citizens, which we’re supposed to have freedom in this country, then why can’t we spy and tape all the information the president, the vice president, the congressmen and senators are plotting against us, trying to take away our freedoms? If it’s good for them to snoop on us, then we should be able to know what they’re doing. There shouldn’t be any secrets in the first place. We all are equal. The president works for us. We don’t work for the president, so we should know all the plans that he has in mind to circumvent our freedom. Food for thought, ladies and gentlemen.

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This is in regard to the person who said he or she is from Lombard, regarding the union clout and what it means for taxpayers. But by the same token, it also means that we’re eroding the middle class. It’s going to be a country of working poor for under $10 an hour if people have their way, or even less, which is expanding. The top 1 and 2 percent are bringing the United States down. Yes, unions have their problems, but again by the same token, it’s the top 1 or 2 percent who are bringing this country down, not the working poor. If it weren’t for unions, we would not have a middle class. Thank you.

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Good morning, Villa Park calling. In the Jan. 22 edition, a caller said he or she was concerned about the grass and when the letter carrier walks over it, it could damage it in the spring. If the caller is that concerned about his or her grass, all the person has to do is call the local postmaster and explain that he or she does not want the carrier crossing the grass. The letter carrier has a little sign at his sorting station, “Do not cross lawn,” and he will not cross the lawn. Also, if you have a dog that is not very friendly to a letter carrier or the letter carrier has a hard time getting to your place, he can take the mail back to the office and you will be notified that that’s where the mail is going to be until the situation is changed and it is safe for the letter carrier to deliver the mail. Thank you so much. Bye.

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Hi. This is Downers Grove calling. I have been so disappointed with what’s been going on politically in Illinois with our finances and the corruption in the government. I just met Peter Breen, who is running for state representative in my district, District 48, and he is a Village of Lombard trustee right now. I’m really impressed by this guy. He’s going to make changes and according to his track record in Lombard, he’s pretty darn good at that. So, I just wanted to say this guy seems like exactly what we need in office here in our area, representing us in Springfield and he’s definitely got my vote. I would encourage my friends and neighbors in District 48 to check out Peter Breen for the March 18 primary. I think he’s a great candidate and he’s got my vote. Bye.

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Lombard calling in response to the snow plan SPEAK OUT so wonderfully laid out for us and I quote, “To accomplish this, carry plowed snow past crosswalks instead of pushing snow against corners.” So, if that is how they’re supposed to plow, why is it when I tried to access the crosswalk at Lincoln and St. Charles Road to get to the train, there was a 4-foot snow mound blocking my access to safely cross because the snow was plowed into the middle of the street. Why was the snow plowed into the middle of the street at the crosswalk in the intersection of St. Charles and Park on the way home from the train, causing commuters to have to walk into the middle of the intersection as people are turning? It’s bad enough that the signs posted to remind people of the law to stop when pedestrians are in the crosswalk are removed so the snow can be plowed in the middle of the street, but to contend with ignorant drivers who will only stop when prompted by those signs and the snow, makes crossing St. Charles Road with the light at the intersection or the Lincoln crosswalk a harrowing ordeal.

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There’s supposed to be a petition out that people can sign to limit the terms in office of our politicians, but nobody is publishing where those petitions are being circulated. Where can you get a hold of them? Where can you find them? Evidently somebody doesn’t want us to be changing the Constitution of the state of Illinois to limit the terms of the politicians who want to die in office. This is wrong and I think the newspaper should be one of those responsible for telling the general public how and where to get that petition and sign it. We should get that information immediately. Goodbye.

One resource is the Web site http://termlimitsandreform.com, where information is available on term limits in Illinois.—JAC

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I’d like to compliment the public works department in Lombard for their snow plowing, for all the work they’ve done in the snowy, cold weather. I sympathize with people who may have the end of their driveway filled with snow, but there’s no other way to do it. A plow cannot back up and go into each and every driveway and get rid of that snow left from the street. If they did, they would never get anything plowed. If people don’t have a neighbor and can’t remove the snow themselves, maybe they could call their church or some organization and find somebody to do it for them. Also, I don’t expect mail when it is way below zero, blustery or windy. It doesn’t matter. But when I don’t receive mail for four or five days, it does matter. When I receive something that was mailed five days earlier, and it comes in a couple of days, but an important report from a doctor that was mailed earlier comes later, that I don’t understand.

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This is Lombard calling to follow up on the incident with the boxer-type dog that attacked our leashed beagle. To recap, at about 11 o’clock on Monday, Jan. 13, two men were jogging on the Great Western Trail between Western and Charlotte with their boxer-type dog trailing behind them and unleashed. The boxer attacked our leashed beagle. At home I found a puncture wound behind the dog’s ear and took the beagle to the vet. The follow-up is, at the veterinarian’s office our dog had to have its fur shaved, the wound cleaned and then stapled. We left with 10 days of antibiotics and a vet bill of $167.24, which we can ill afford. In the future, keep your dog leashed and in control at all times. If you don’t, your dog could attack another dog or a child because of negligence.

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We all heard the president talk on the radio of the things he wants to do, but the lesson he has to learn, and he has to learn from all of us people, is that he is an employee of the United States people, black, brown, white, yellow, whatever and he is the president and he has a job to do. He is not a dictator. He must take the job and do what does the best for all of us. He can’t be telling Congress that he can jump over their heads and do whatever he feels like. He is an employee. He works for us people. He is not a dictator and telling us what he wants to do to us. You people should write and call and tell him loud and clear, work as a president, not as a dictator. Goodbye.

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In response to a recent SPEAK OUT regarding recycled Christmas cards, those wishing to donate them may want to consider St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. According to their Web site, www.stjudesranch.org, the organization accepts new and used all-occasion greeting cards year-round. However, the stipulations are that only the front is used (no writing on the inside of the front); Hallmark, Disney or American Greeting cards are not accepted; and 5 inches by 7 inches or smaller are preferred. Large quantities can be mailed in the least expensive way using a United States Postal Service flat-rate box, which holds up to 70 pounds. Mail cards to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, Recycled Card Program, 100 St. Jude’s St., Boulder City, NV 89005.—JAC

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Hello, disgruntled postal customers. I think I found out what our problem is; it’s the forever stamp. If you use a forever stamp, it takes forever for your mail to come from the Lombard Post Office. But, really, it’s not the problem of the postal delivery people. I think they’re walking in straight lines, not in circles. I think they’re probably walking as fast as they can. I think all our problems really reside within the post office itself. It’s probably totally disorganized. Remember, the postal workers get their marching orders from the management, and they can only deliver what they are handed to them; the way they are bundled and prioritized is the way that they deliver them. So, if you do have legitimate complaints, stop calling SPEAK OUT and call the postal complaint department. The telephone number is 630-260-5783, and express your concern. I faxed them over a copy of the Lombardian SPEAK OUT from last week. Hope that helps us. Thank you.

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Hi. I’m calling in reference to Villa Park cleaning up in the middle of the street on St. Charles Road. This is Feb. 3; three trucks plowed it, dumped salt on it, made a huge disaster of the whole road, what a waste of salt, and it’s bad for the environment. You’d think the village could think of a better way to clean up the snow, like hauling it off.

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The reason the snow is down the middle of the street when the snow plows plow is because they’re doing a quick job so they can have the roads accessible for you to drive on. In a day or two they usually come back with a plow and one truck will dump the snow into the other truck. It’s only a matter of inconvenience for a day or two; that’s the best way they have to do it, so, that’s that.

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Hello. I cannot believe the amount of complainers there are in this village. People have got to get a little stronger. We of the human race have gotten so soft. Unusual circumstances require unusual actions. People, just get over it. Thank you.

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Can anybody tell me why the Village of Lombard charges a license fee for having a home security system? I’ve asked my trustee, I’ve called the village. Nobody can tell me why they’re making me pay for something they should be glad I have. What’s going on with Lombard?

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Two good things about this long, cold winter. One, we don’t have to listen to fireworks every night, and two, we don’t have to smell fire pits where people are burning things every night.

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Hi, Villa Park calling. Come on, people, the new law passed on Jan. 1. Stop talking on your phones. Get a hands-free device before someone gets hurt.

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Hey, Lombard. I just watched the first episode of “The Capones.” In the future, if you happen to be in my neighborhood and for some reason, this is on my TV, please enter my house and turn it off, because I’ve obviously become a zombie.

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Four nights a week I have to make a left-hand turn off of North Avenue onto Main Street by the big church there. The timing to make a left-hand turn is 3 seconds, which is pretty bad during the wintertime because if you try to turn before the light turns red, you could get in a car accident or slide into somebody. So please, during bad weather in the wintertime, could you make the left-turn lane a little bit more time to let the person get across to the other side? Thanks. Bye.

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Fast and Furious was a gun-running scandal where the Obama administration sold guns to the Mexican cartel. Mexican people died, as did one of our brave border guards. No one was prosecuted. No one went to jail. Complete cover-up. Now we have Benghazi and we have the IRS. Without special prosecutors for these new scandals they will be covered up as well. We need to call and write our special representatives that we need special prosecutors, and call and call and call until we get something done. Without it, nothing will happen. Thank you.

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Thanks to the Villa Park Review for printing the map of Sen. Tom Cullerton’’s 23rd Senate district. This map shows how Sen. Cullerton’s district has seemingly been gerry-mandered by his cousin, state Senate President Cullerton, and by Speaker of the House Mike Madigan, to apparently reward relatives, political cronies and union bosses. Why can’t we have fair, unbiased and non-political people drawing our Senate and House districts? Why can’t we have good government? Why do the politicians have to treat us so unfairly?