Hey, Lombard Police Department. Quite a while ago, six months or a year ago, you said you were looking into body cameras or squad car cameras. Just wondering what's happening with that. And, number two, why no National Night Out in 2016? We really missed it. What's going on? Thank you, LPD. Bye bye now.

According to a Village of Lombard response: “The Lombard Police Department is supportive of the legislation that authorizes the uses of body cams as it can be useful for the investigation of serious incidents and promote positive police and citizen encounters. The legislation indicates ticket surcharge fees are intended to assist communities with purchasing the cameras. To date no community has received any funding to support the program or purchase cameras. The technology and more importantly the costs to store the data have ongoing costs associated with them. We will continue to monitor the funding methodology as part of future budget preparations towards the ultimate implementation of a body cam program. The Lombard Police Department is available to gladly answer your questions. Call the non-emergency police number at 630-873-4400 for more information.”

Regarding National Night Out: “The Lombard Police Department is trying to increase its community outreach efforts to more than one night a year. The Lombard Police Department has opted to participate in several Lombard specific events throughout the year, which will allow officers to reach more residents and make a bigger impact on the community. Lombard Police have had a presence at the Art and Craft Fair during Lilac Time and Kids’ Corner at Cruise Nights. Several upcoming events include the [Lombard] Park District’s Community Play Day and Touch-A-Truck on Saturday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Lombard Common, and Spooktacular Fall Fest on Oct. 16, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., in downtown Lombard.”—JAC

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What about Villa Park trustees apparently not showing up for the meetings? It would be great if the Villa Park Review would publish a history of trustee attendance, and their votes. We the people could then determine who actually is working to help the taxpayers in Villa Park.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling to let you know we love the changes made to the Lombardian and the fact that so much of it has stayed the hometown paper we all know and love. We welcome you. Thank you for keeping the features that always made the Lombardian special, but we miss “On the Beat With Marguerite.” She always featured events and businesses that were uplifting. A lot of them were actively involved in making the Lombard area a great place to live, shop and work. Please, bring back “On the Beat.” Thank you.

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Our family has used the new pedestrian underpass at the renovated Lombard Train Station. It was a bit unnerving to blindly enter the underground tunnel not knowing who would be passing through. Adding a large parabolic mirror at each underground tunnel access point would go a long way to enhancing safety in a very economic way. Pedestrians can see if anyone is in the tunnel prior to entering the area. Hope our trustees vote to have mirrors installed ASAP.

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It seems the July 28 SPEAK OUT comment about homelessness sailed over the heads of three contributors to the Aug. 11 SPEAK OUT. The original comment didn’t label homelessness as a Democrat or Republican problem, nor did it state that Donald Trump would bring more awareness to the issue. The comment pointed out that the left-wing media gives homelessness more coverage when there’s a Republican president. Here's one citation to back that up. According to the Media Research Center, morning and evening newscasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN ran an average of 53 stories on homelessness annually during the administration of George H.W. Bush, compared to less than 17 per year during the Clinton administration. Is that an old reference? Maybe, but one of the Aug. 11 SPEAK OUT contributors blamed homelessness on President Reagan. He’s been out of office for 27 years. The same commenter said the problem isn’t President Obama’s fault, but blames the “Republican Congress and Senate for the last eight years.” Unfortunately, the Republicans have not controlled the Senate for the last eight years. If they had, we wouldn’t be saddled with Obamacare.

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If you want to buy alcohol, there's a good chance you'll be asked to provide a photo ID. If you want to fly on a commercial airplane or rent a car, you must provide photo ID. Applying for a job or a loan? Get that photo ID ready. Buying a cell phone? Picking up a prescription? Applying for welfare? Chances are you'll need a photo ID. Is it racist or discriminatory to ask for a photo ID in any of these cases? No, but Democrats tell us it's racist to require a photo ID at polling places. Why aren't Democrats vociferously protesting the so-called racism involved in buying alcohol, boarding planes and renting cars? The answer is obvious. There's nothing racist in requiring a photo ID in any of the aforementioned cases, including voting. Democrats just want to make it easier to cheat in elections.

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Just read the Helen Plum Library Gazette. It states they want to rebuild the library and move the entrance to the corner of Park and Maple. Can they make up their mind? The entrance was on that corner and they spent more than a million dollars to remodel and move the entrance to where it is now. Quit wasting our money, I'm voting no.

Helen Plum Library spokesperson Sue Wilsey offered the following clarification: “The original entrance was located at the corner of Park and Maple which is currently a staff entrance. The entrance was relocated to the front of the building during the 1977 addition. The library did not have a parking lot to the east of the building at that time and as the handicapped parking was located in the front, that is likely the reason. Also, the [Lombard] Park District had offices on the east side of the second floor until about 1997. The entire cost of the 1977 expansion was a total of $1,584,000.”—JAC

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Mr. Goldin, your letter in the Lombardian about the Khan attack on Mr. Trump, you know, the Republican Party has spent millions of dollars. They've had nine hearings, the last one lasted 11 hours, trying to pin something on Mrs. Clinton about Benghazi and there is nothing to pin on her. If you ever bothered to talk to the sister of one man who died, they don't hold her responsible for anything. Mr. Khan had every right to stand up there, and how he addressed Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump has never lost anything. He is like a body walking around with no soul and no heart in regard to anybody or anything except himself. I think you need to rethink about the Khan family; they are good American citizens who spoke their peace.

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I didn't see an obituary section in the paper last week. I'm glad to see that nobody died, you know, but where is the section? Thank you.

Ed. note: The obituary section was inadvertently left out of the Aug. 11 edition; however, it did appear in the online version and in print for the Aug. 18 edition.

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The Lombard driver facility had better its act together before the November election. They said it is back to normal and then they are not giving driving tests. What gives? Thank you.

According to Dave Druker, Illinois Secretary of State’s Office press secretary, “We are doing road tests at Lombard. I am told no services have been cut from that facility. It's possible the [individual] might have come in late in the day when they stopped doing them for that particular day.”—JAC

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Hello, this is a Lombard resident calling concerning the homeless man who sits on the Prairie Path at Grace Street every morning and I see him walking around town. Isn't there anything we can do for this poor man? He needs help. I drive by every morning and I feel this horrible guilt. I just think if maybe the community gets together they can help this man. I just want to see if anybody's willing to help this man. Even if we get him a new pair of shoes or fresh clothes. Anyway, it's just heartbreaking and I know that I'm not the only one who feels like that so if anybody is willing to help, call in, print it. Thank you.

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This is Lombard calling in response to last week's Lombardian and the article about Pokemon Go. I was saddened to read that a parent would think or tell a kid, "Beware of someone who gives you a bad vibe." Child predators do not give children a bad vibe. They groom them and are kind to them. Having a child determine a stranger's worth or value by whether the person gives him or her a bad vibe is very seriously problematic. Children must be watched; beware of strangers whether they give you a bad vibe or not.

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The thing that bothers me is the so-called professional newspaper writers; you know, they're supposed to be fair and unbiased but they're not. If they don't like what somebody in one party says, they seem to insert their opinion like it's the gospel truth. The people aren't stupid. We can make up our own mind. We don't need you infiltrating our thoughts and minds by writing what you think. Why don't you at the end of the article say this is my opinion? You're corrupting people's minds. Let the people make up their own mind. This nonsense has got to stop. Let us make up our own minds. We don't need your opinion persuading our thoughts. Good day.

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Lombard calling. I'm at Paradise Bay; it's Aug. 13, and I'm at a Cub Scout pool party. Parents, you've got to watch your kids. Someone's children just got all of my family's belongings completely soaked. I realize this is supposed to be fun for you but keep an eye on your children.

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Good morning, beautiful Lombard calling regarding the gun shop on Main Street. The Second Amendment our forefathers died for; the reason we have these laws is so we are a free nation. Nobody else has these rights. I have news for you. You're not going to find a criminal going into a gun store to buy a gun. It's just basic common sense. Criminals buy guns from criminals, not legitimate gun stores. I work in law enforcement and served my country; most of us my field feel the same way I do. I'm tired of this argument. Keep repeating the garbage enough and people will believe it. Please stop this.

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The people in this country must wake up. To say there are homeless because of the Republicans is ridiculous. Equally, to say all Democrats because of Pelosi and Reid are dishonest and socialist is absurd. I espouse no party; I want the best person in office. The best person is not, again not, determined by party. I regularly contact both U.S. senators of Illinois. We are partially to blame for what is happening in the comedy routine in Washington. We have to come together; Democrats and Republicans. Americans have to get involved or it will be more of the same old, same old game.

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Learning to cross the street is life-saving, part of growing up and being responsible, a lesson you will carry for your entire lifetime.  “Look both ways before you cross the street, watch out for cars!,” my mother would say. This morning, three children of various ages standing at Washington and Princeton, stopped as they waited for cars to clear before starting out across the street just as they have been instructed to do. The obvious youngest was ready to step out, in spite of cars going westbound and eastbound on Washington and one of the older ones held him back—Bravo! But the westbound driver stopped to let them cross and the eastbound driver didn’t stop.  Not every driver is so “kindly.” Westbound driver, you are not obeying traffic laws by stopping where there is no stop sign and possibly causing an accident or confusing children and giving them the idea that traffic will stop for them, not the other way around. Ditto at the Prairie Path. Stop helping so much before someone gets hurt.

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Lombard here. This is to the person who had to spray “Black Lives Matter” on the walking trail at Sunset Knoll. Vandalizing public property is not going to sway others over to your cause. Thank you.

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Yes, Mr. Cullerton, I'm a little confused about your comments made in the paper Aug. 11 about supporting the independent map initiative. You talk about the petitioners having their day in court and as of this call, no decision has been made; yet instead of throwing your support behind the initiative, you have to have a Senate diversion. Why? What does your bill make better and why do we need to have a bill if we want an amendment? Wouldn't the bill be buried by Madigan in the House anyhow? This almost sounds to me like election-year pandering. Goodbye.