The GOP made the economic mess and then refused to help Obama clean it up. That didn’t stop Obama from getting unemployment down to 5.9 percent, the lowest in six years. Imagine if the Republicans actually worked with our president, how many more American families would have better lives; but no, the 112th and 113th Congress are the least productive congresses.

According to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois’ unemployment rate was 8.4 percent this past March, and 6.7 percent in August.—JAC

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What an embarrassment. I attended the Willowbrook homecoming game. Unfortunately we did not win, but that was not the embarrassing part. It seemed like 75 percent of the so-called fans left after halftime to get ready for the dance Saturday night. When did it become more important to get your hair done than to support your team? Very sad that the school allowed the cheerleaders and pom pons to leave after halftime. It sent the wrong message to our team that the dance is more important than the game. You should cheer on your team, win or lose. Like I said, it was embarrassing.

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I got a campaign flier for Liberty Principles PAC but it doesn’t say which candidate it is for. What it does say is that Rep. Conroy is “doing the bidding of Illinois’ Political Ruling Class at the expense of our local schools,” and goes on to imply that she is among Democratic lawmakers who want to shift the school funding formula. Yet the Oct. 8 Lombardian has a direct statement from her saying she is in opposition to Senate Bill 16. Just figures that anyone can twist the facts to fit their agenda. I am already sick of the mud-slinging on TV and radio, and campaign junk mail coming my way. I’m not even a Democrat but I will likely vote for her because of this kind of nonsense.

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Hey, Villa Park, why don’t you get with it? Can’t we get some kind of an overpass or underpass on one of these streets, Villa, or Ardmore or Addison Road to go under these commuter tracks? We’ve been tied up here with a freight train for 20 minutes and it’s just about stopped. Get with it, Villa Park.

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To the person who said our children and grandchildren will have to pay if students get to refinance their student loans, the individual asks, Is there something wrong with this or is it me? Well, I think it’s you. My college grad is struggling to pay back a student loan, and if it can be refinanced at a lower interest rate, why not? The initial payout is being paid back, with interest. Refinancing would mean less interest paid, not the original principal amount. Don’t forget the interest rate jumped nearly double not that long ago. People refinance mortgages and other loans all the time. Why not a student loan? The key word is refinance, not being excused from repaying a loan. You say they have to save to marry, buy a house, car, living expenses, well, lower interest rates might help them be able to do just that. Children and grandchildren having to pay it off? I don’t think so. This is not a freebie by any means.

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Romney, Rauner, they’re both like the Twin Peaks. They made their money the same way off the backs of the middle class, shutting businesses as Romney did while he was even running for president of the United States, had the Japanese come in and train the people who worked there so when the business got there they could do their job. Rauner is the same thing. What has he done besides shutting down a nursing home and taking away everything these old people put in to get into the nursing home and then have nowhere to go? Suddenly Gov. Quinn decided to back minimum wage and that’s fine. Romney doesn’t believe in it. Do you want to vote for a man who doesn’t believe in minimum wage? How’s he going to raise your taxes? What’s he going to do to lower your taxes? He’s going to raise taxes on things we’ve never had to pay taxes on, on services we’ve never paid taxes on.

Again, the last name of the Republican candidate for Illinois governor is Rauner, not Romney.—JAC

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Human events in an article on Oct. 7 by H. Sterling Burnett, Ph.D., reports that Professor John Christy, director of the Earth Systems Science Center at the University of Alabama, Huntsville, reported that on Oct. 1 it was 18 years of no global warming as measured by the Earth’s climate satellite system, despite a rise in carbon dioxide emissions in this period. Christy, with NASA scientist Roy Spencer, collected data from 14 weather satellite systems and the data showed that there was no warming over the last 18 years. This should end it. Thank you.

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This is Lombard calling. I am looking at last week’s Lombardian and there in front of me is this beautiful photograph of the colorful leaves at Sunset Knoll. I think we have to acknowledge our great photographer, Steve Spoden, who continues and has for many years given us wonderful photographs in our local newspaper. This one is in color. I had been a big part of the music boosters when our kids were at Glenbard East High School and at the middle school and the grade schools. He would come at my request and do photographs of the groups and the bands. He was just the greatest. So much patience; the kids were good but we are so lucky to have him as a photographer, bringing these lovely photographs and other photographs for our view in the newspaper. Thank you, Steve. You’re the greatest. I wish I could see you again to thank you in person. You keep up the good work.

Thanks for the kind words. The photo was made possible thanks to Lombardian/Villa Park Review Sales Manager Marguerite Micken, who was “on the beat” and spotted the colorful scene.—SS

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Lombard calling. I’m calling because my neighbors have both very long grass and I’ve called before about mowing it and now their additionally having loud parties and music that keeps my children up at night. So I went on the Google Web site and I typed in the Lombard Police Department to call them and I received a number that I tried to call that was 630-620-5811. When I called it to see if I could get a police officer out here to get them to cut their grass, they said it was disconnected. Now, what if I would have had a real emergency, like my tire was flat and I couldn’t get my child to the emergency room? What would have happened then?

If you need the police or fire departments, you should call 9-1-1.—blm

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Lombard and area residents: a seemingly electric supply scam. An employee with another electric company knocked at our door, said she was a Liberty Electric employee working for Commonwealth Edison. She wanted to see a recent electric bill to see that we had a guaranteed electric rate recorded on the bill. I said no and shut the door. She left mad. Commonwealth Edison told me they do not work for ComEd. They’re a third-party electric supplier. They apparently get your account number from the bill and switch your service.

The Village of Lombard issued a news release acknowledging that “There have been numerous energy scams reported in the Chicago area.” Lombard has received “many applications for soliciting from various energy companies,” the release also states, but notes that those who receive a permit must still honor “no soliciting signs.” The village also reminds residents that badges/credentials should be visible, ask for permits or credentials and call 9-1-1 or call the village regarding solicitors with no permits. Never show your energy bill to a solicitor, and do not let that person write down any account numbers. Visit www.pluginillinois.org for information on alternate energy sources.—JAC

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This is Lombard calling. God bless and have a wonderful day. If you read my original post on Terrace View Pond, you would know that I’ve lived here for seven years and no, my basement has not flooded all the time, and yes, we checked, and there was documentation that the house had never flooded. In fact, my neighbor across the street flooded two times with raw sewage as well and he has lived in that house for 46 years. I might add the house never flooded. So, I did ask enough with enough intelligence to buy a house and ask if it floods, and it didn’t. Also, if you live near Terrace View Pond and see the stream of water you would know that those houses actually did flood all the time. Yes, I’ll invite you, if my house floods again—which it hasn’t in several rains in the summer and neither has my street near my house, which is Grove—nowhere near Terrace View Pond. It is because of the way they set it up. You have to think of the residents.

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To the person who says that people are going to leave their college debts for their children, if you listen to the news properly or pay attention, the reason they’re trying to have a law passed is so they can refinance their college loans at a much, much lower rate so they can pay them off faster like you do with a home or a car, so understand, lower interests rates on a loan mean you can pay it off faster and you won’t leave it to your children. So, I guess Mr. Durbin does kind of know what he’s talking about.

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So the Jaycees want to abolish themselves and then come up with another group. Well, as they say, same clowns, different circus. They ought to just pull up stakes and go someplace else.

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Yay, the hole at the intersection of Taylor and Grace has been filled.  It only took six weeks. Way to go, Village of Lombard.

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Lombard calling. There is no measurable compensation for being a good trustee. You give up freedom to own, open up or participate in a business, as Trustee Whittington was bashed for. You also can't encourage your own children to be model citizens as one trustee experienced. When was the last time trustees got a raise for the abuse they have to take?

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Adolf Hitler took over a country by pushing political correctness over common sense. That type of action is even in our little Village of Lombard. After watching the nonsense about awarding a scholarship to the Lilac Princess because it comes indirectly from the village, makes it even more undesirable to work for the village, whether elected or hired. The village has no control over selecting the Lombard Lilac Princesses. Wake up, Lombard.