On "Inside Edition" they were talking about "walk" signals. How come they don't work properly at the intersection of Main and Roosevelt like they're supposed to? "Inside Edition" showed 99 percent of the walk signals don't work like they're supposed to. Please have it checked out. Thank you.

According to Village of Lombard officials: “The signals and associated pedestrian facilities at Main Street and Roosevelt Road are under the jurisdiction of the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).  The Village of Lombard has not been notified of any deficient conditions by IDOT or the public at that location. Public safety is the top priority for the village. The village has an annual maintenance contract for the inspection and repair of the traffic signals under the village’s jurisdiction. Any issues related to the operation of the traffic signals, including the pedestrian facilities are assigned to the contractor and addressed in a timely manner. To ensure that the traffic signals under the village’s jurisdiction are complaint with federal, state and local regulations, the village began a Traffic Signal Modernization Program in 2016. This program will repair and upgrade 24 incandescent intersections to battery backup systems, LED signal heads, and ADA compliant push buttons and pedestrian timers. In addition, the program will save energy costs to the village through energy efficient LED technologies which promote the triple bottom line. Please feel free to contact Public Works at 630-620-5740 in the future with any concerns you may have relative to the traffic signals. You may also visit www.villageoflombard.org/reportaconcern to submit a concern.”—JAC

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It's hard to keep up with all of the hate-crime hoaxes. Shortly after Donald Trump was elected, an Indiana church was vandalized with hateful graffiti. It turns out the church's left-wing organist, who had reported the so-called "hate crime" to the police, was responsible. He recently admitted that he defaced his own church. At St. Olaf College in Minnesota, someone supposedly threatened an African-American female student with a threatening note earlier this month. But wait, it turns out the student wrote the note herself. No hate crime. Another hoax. It seems like these hate-crime hoaxes are outnumbering actual hate crimes. If hate crimes are such a problem, why do so many deranged leftists feel the need to make up these stories?

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According to the governor, all those commercials about himself that he is running— which are paid for by his campaign fund—are not campaign commercials. Rather, they are just a way of telling us a little bit about himself. I guess that if someone made $19K or $190K last year, they would post a selfie of themselves on Facebook, but if you make close to $190 million last year, you hire a top-tier advertising firm and a camera crew and after finding the right set, you film and air a commercial. The GOP was once the party of Lincoln and Eisenhower; now we are the party of Roskam, Rauner and Trump.

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I almost always agree with Austin Berg. However, in the May 18 Lombardian, his No. 1 reason for how lawmakers are "failing" teachers is that they "think they know how to teach." He points to a proposed bill to bring back cursive writing. Common Core, he said, results in "scarce instructional time" for teachers they apparently can't spare in order to teach cursive. I admit I don't know a lot about Common Core, but it appears that teachers "teach to the test." No, Austin, I think lawmakers are failing teachers for forcing Common Core curriculum mandates, thus squeezing out time for other, just as important subjects. An archaic skill, says an area English teacher. Really? To some kids, cursive is like a foreign language they can't read—think birthday card from Grandma. Some forms require both cursive and printed signatures. And, I do believe that cursive writing, like art, can be a form of personal expression.

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Lombard calling. I’m glad someone called SPEAK OUT about Cub fans and their W flags. Let me start out by saying I’m not a Cub fan, but I give the team all the credit in the world; they won the World Series last year and they are the best team in baseball, hands down. I totally understand that fans are proud of their team, but between flying these stupid W flags all the time, or singing Go Cubs Go and all this stuff about Grandpa Rossy—or whatever the heck his name is—on “Dancing With the Stars,” enough already. I’m so glad I’m not a part of this silliness.

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Hi. Anybody ever see the movie “Wag the Dog” from decades ago, where a president comes under fire for not doing the right thing but averts attention from what's going wrong? We are living that right now. The president is trying to divert everything that has happened bad against him, to somebody else, to another war bombing other countries. What's happening right now was predicted decades ago in the movie "Wag the dog."

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Hi, this is Lombard calling about Peter Roskam's refusal to hold town hall meetings on the health care bill they passed. I encourage everyone who is interested and not getting answers to call Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and ask him to adopt your district and hold a town hall meeting for Mr. Roskam to get the answers on the new health care bill. His office is in Schaumburg, I believe. Thank you.

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Yes, Mr. Trump. you may be right this time—this is the largest anti-president legal procedure ever, but that's because it's both Democrats and Republicans who want you out. Both parties have people that are talking about ways of removing you. Please do our country a favor. Resign while we still have some credibility.

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Villa Park calling. I read in last week's Villa Park Review about Deb Conroy supporting an end to taxpayer-funded forest preserve district board members' pensions. My comment is, why stop there? No elected official and no political appointee in the state of Illinois should have a pension paid for by the taxpayers. Let them all do a 401k just like the rest of us. Thank you.

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I read that the parting compensation for the two District 44 administrators is over $420,000, and whatever jobs they take next will potentially lower the payouts. I am so disgusted on so many levels that it came to this. First off, the board trusted a consulting firm to seek superintendent candidates, so I call that into question, in finding the right "fit" for District 44. Was that trust—and expense—misplaced? It's only been two years. And as for the right fit, while there is no accusation of wrongdoing, I think as taxpayers we are owed more of an explanation other than it wasn't the right fit or the district is going in a different direction. Media reports say teachers were unhappy but they aren't talking, either. And, the standard excuse in any district for paying such enormous salaries is to attract highly-qualified candidates. You can't tell me there aren't wonderful prospects out there who would be willing to work for a lesser salary, just happy to have such a job. Remember, taxpayers, we are the employer.

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A suspect was recently arrested after he allegedly made expletive-filled death threats on the voice mail of a Republican congresswoman from Arizona. In a separate incident this month, another suspect reportedly tried to run a Republican congressman from Tennessee off the road after the congressman made a public appearance at a university. That suspect was charged with felony reckless endangerment. A Republican congressman from New Jersey who spoke at a recent town hall event was booed when mentioned his daughter’s death at the age of 11. A SPEAK OUT commenter is eager for Peter Roskam to hold a town hall event. Why? Would it be outlandish to assume this SPEAK OUT caller is a typical leftist? By that I mean an arrogant, petulant, raging bully who wants to join other agitators to disrupt such a meeting.

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Please remember— headlights are required to be on whenever your windshield wipers are on. It is easier for others to see you, even if you can see them—it's the law. And, oh yeah please don't text and drive—it's so dangerous. Every accident raises insurance rates for all of us.

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Kudos to Lombard’s forestry department. Neighbors noticed a large broken branch hanging rather precariously over the street after the recent big winds.  The village was notified one evening and by 9 a.m. the next morning, the Forestry Department had been there, took care of the branch and were gone.  Great response.

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This is Villa Park. I'm calling in response to the person who complained about possibly embellished military service in obituaries. I'm absolutely appalled at you, ma'am or sir. I also read the obituaries every week to see if anybody I know has passed, so I can give condolences. I don't check to see what they died of or if the ages line up correctly, and for your information, my youngest uncle served in both World War II and Korea, and yes, he did lie to get into the Air Force in World War II because he was well under age. I am really sorry for you. You are a sad person.

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Big kudos to Cassidy on Roosevelt Road with a very special thank you to Rick the manager. I am a senior who knows nothing about cars, except how to drive one and that they need gas. Rick and the Cassidy team take care of all my servicing needs and I trust them implicitly. We Lombardians are very fortunate to have a business like Cassidy that provides highly-ethical service. Thank you, Cassidy. Thank you, Rick.

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With Memorial Day coming up, let's all hang our American flags and honor our military service personnel. They deserve so much for what they sacrifice for us.

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The Lilac Parade is always great, but my gripe is that the queen and princesses are always at the back of the parade. I think they deserve to be featured closer to the front—and don't say saving the best for last. Also, I think the queen should not be sitting so far apart from the princesses. They are different in title only. Surround her, maybe, but not be separated.

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To the caller who is a big fan of Peter Roskam, would you ask the congressman to please hold an in-person town hall meeting? There are thousands of people who are living in his district who believe that they will lose their health insurance if the bill he just voted for— which is not the plan Trump campaigned on—becomes law. Those crowds who were shouting "shame" at him earlier this year were upset about his efforts to cut Social Security, and for his leadership in the effort to strip the investigatory powers from the Congressional Ethics Office—which has been a thorn in his eye. If you really like his heath care bill, you can find another candidate who supports it, but if you are receiving Social Security, or if you ever plan on receiving it, you might want to get a bullhorn and start shouting in front of his office.

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As a retired Villa Park resident where the Villa Park Library is concerned, I wish they had asked for 10 years and half the amount of money.  Then we could see what is accomplished over this time period. Asking for such a large amount over 20 years creates additional hardships for seniors whose income does not change. Why not make efforts to make money in other ways, through generous donors or fundraisers, where people can give what they can afford, instead of taking us to the cleaners again? I wonder why people are leaving Illinois to move elsewhere. It's not only the state taxes, it's your local taxes that are moving us out. Thank you.

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It is so helpful that both Lombard and Villa Park have electronic recycling days. However, for the disabled or seniors who can't lift these items because of physical limitations or weight, there's no way to get these items to these centers. The donations like the Salvation Army or Amvets will not pick up old televisions, so there's no way of having any of the agencies help out. Arte there any suggestions on how to help us seniors or disabled get these items on the correct recycling days? Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

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Volume 59 #20, Thursday, May 18, this is the best issue ever. The front page, beautiful photographs, on Page 14, what a delightful photograph. It gives me something to look forward to. These people look proud and happy and alive. Good for them. I loved that, "Aloha, Villa Park. Aloha from Lombard to Villa Park. And finally, that section of all the businesses, 34th annual "Many Faces of Lombard and Villa Park," wonderful. The barber and his son, I don't need a barber today, but I'm going to send somebody there. Wonderful—every business, beautiful; how welcoming and inviting. Best issue to date.

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Our nation for the past 12 years has been wandering aimlessly. Our so-called leaders, Democrats and Republicans, with the pretend media, accentuate the made-up problems. Trump is our president. Through the electoral college people have spoken, but no one wants to listen. Democrats, some Republicans and the media apparently want things the old way, where nothing is done; a soap opera with no aim or ending. These elements hate Trump more than they love this country. We have problems that must be addressed or we will be consumed by them.