To all the Trump haters out there, I have to pose this question: What will you do if your accountant tells you that your taxes are going to be cut, and you’ll be receiving a refund check this year? I can’t imagine you would keep your refund because after all, the tax cuts were proposed by Trump—and you hate his guts. So if you’re a Trump hater with any principles, you might as well tell your accountant to give your refund check back to the government, and use that refund to help all those dreamers that Dick Durbin and Luis Gutierrez are so fond of.

* * *

I guess we have to stop our children from watching any news program due to the language from the president—not my president. Just think about all the proven untrue statements the president has said about President Obama's birthplace, inauguration crowd size, bugging his office building, and many others. This is no longer political; it's personal for all of us and our country! Even Republicans are getting fed up with this White House.

* * *

Norway has strict gun control. They have pay equality. Their universities are tuition free. There you are entitled to a year of parental leave for each of your children. They have five weeks of paid vacation each year and universal health care. Twenty percent of our population lives in poverty and it is going to get worse (why, because 95 percent of the poorest counties in this country consistently vote Republican). We are endlessly in war. We have 60,000 drug deaths each year, and the largest prison population in the world. The one party that controls all facets of the federal government and 2/3 of the state governments is beholden to billionaires.  Why would Trump think that anyone there would want to move here?

* * *

For those citizens and legislators who need to understand the "legal right" of a woman to have an abortion: National Women's Law Center: "In the 1973 landmark case Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court applied the core constitutional principle of privacy and liberty to a woman’s ability to terminate a pregnancy. In Roe, the court held that the "constitutional right" to privacy includes a woman’s right to decide whether to have an abortion. In the years after Roe, the court struck down most attempts to restrict the "right" to decide whether to have an abortion, facilitating a woman’s "ability to control" her reproduction, her health and indeed the course of her life itself. People have the right to practice their beliefs in their place of worship and their homes, but do not have the right to limit the legal rights of other citizens that conflict with their belief system. Women in Illinois who are state employees or low income have the legal right to seek medical coverage for their abortions. Catholics for Choice “believes in a world where everyone has equal access to the full range of reproductive health care services—including access to safe and legal abortion services and affordable and reliable forms of contraception.”

* * *

Many people from three different churches recently worked to clean and reorganize the Lombard-Villa Park Food Pantry at the First Methodist Church in Lombard. Shelves were added and more shopping space is now available, making the pantry more open and easier for everyone. There are also new volunteers helping to stock the shelves and help at the desk. There will even be a small area for children while their parent shops. Remember the pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, and the third Saturday of every month. All Villa Park and Lombard residents who can use help with their food budgets are encouraged to check it out, and everyone else is encouraged to help with donations of food and money.

* * *

I am very disappointed that you did not print my article last week about the Lombard-Villa Park Food Pantry. It is not only reorganized and more client friendly, it is only open on the third Saturday and people who can't get there during the week would appreciate a reminder.  It is now too late—could you print something in a regular, timely way to remind people?

Editors' note: As you can see, the call to which you refer is in this week's edition. It came in too late to mention the Saturday food bank, and also, calls are printed on a space-available basis. Rather than call SPEAK OUT, it is suggested that someone from the food pantry send in the information to be placed in Coming Events.—JAC

* * *

I believe the new Lombard Fitness Center will open in July. What are the new membership fees going to be? Will the fee category still be daily, 10 visits, 20 visits, three months and one year?

* * *

Hey, Lombard. Did I read that right? We're paying Marquardt a half a million dollars to lobby for us? Did I get that figure right? Well, anyway, maybe the library could use him a little bit and make a little effort, if you know what I mean. Get it built. Git’er done.

Editors' note: Per the story on Page 2 of the Jan. 11 edition, that's $2,000 a month.—JAC

* * *

Hi. This is the Lombard-Villa Park area calling. Just wondering if anybody out there knows where April Jones the hairdresser is working right now. I would love to find her again. Thank you for your help and Happy New Year.

* * *

It's amusing that some Democratic politicians and their friends in the media are speculating about President Trump's health. These are some of the same people who castigated anyone who questioned Hillary Clinton's health during the 2016 campaign. Her lengthy coughing fits, her deer-in-the-headlights freeze-up during a campaign speech, her history of fainting and suffering a concussion, not to mention her episode at the Sept. 11 anniversary event were supposedly irrelevant. I'm guessing a lot of voters disagreed.

* * *

I live near the Villa Park pool to be closed and torn down. I would love to see it open, but with a cost of $400,000 in needed repairs, that's a large part of what it will cost to build a new center with indoor pool that will be open year round and need less maintenance due to freezing. Let's do what's right for Villa Park and use our finances for the good of all.

* * *

The following was sent to the senator: Sen. Durbin, why? With your revelations of the alleged comments of President Trump, what did it accomplish? Because of your comments, is there any movement on DACA? Immigration reform? Bridge and road repairs, and will the government stay open? I know you have an allegiance to your party; what about your allegiance to the people you represent? Did you do anything to bring our divided country together? Please think of what you're doing. You didn't help with the tax cuts. Again, nothing will be done in Washington. Our nation will be more divided than ever. Oh, by the way, Senator, I am not a Republican.

* * *

A big thank you to the Lombard Park District for preserving every inch of our treasured inch of Lilacia Park and for maintaining the paths at Madison Meadow in winter, making it accessible to the many of us who use and love it.

* * *

I found an iPhone on North Broadway and Jan. 9. It's an iPhone 7 in a pink case. If you are missing your cell phone please go to Park View School on Elizabeth Street and they'll have it in the front office. Thank you. Have a good day.

* * *

Wow, that park building is beautiful, beautiful times $9 million. I wish I would have had a chance to vote on it.

* * *

In last week's Lombardian someone started his or her comment, “The saga of the Lombard library continues.” I agree the library director appears to be inept. She reportedly continues to waste our money and I am very unhappy about this. I strongly disagree with your quote, "The staff appear rude." What does that mean? How does someone appear rude? Let me set you straight. I go to the library two to three times a week; especially the clerks at the circulation desk, are very, very nice. Librarians have been very helpful whenever I needed assistance. Shame on you for your rude comment regarding staff.

* * *

Hello. Our current low values of unemployment and the high level of the stock market, this road began several years ago so I would like to thank President Barack Obama for the work that he did. We are now achieving the goals and we are getting the benefits of his hard work. Thank you.

* * *

I'm calling about the Lufkin Pool issue. I've lived in Villa Park since 1971. This is the first decent president and board of trustees we've had, in my opinion. There has been so much that has been left undone over the years, so much infighting, just terrible and now we're paying the price for it. We only can do what we have money for and everybody had better realize that. There still is one pool available and I think an indoor rec center would be nice although I may not live long enough to see it since I'm a senior citizen. But I'm really tired of everybody crying about it because it is not financially doable. I appreciate the opportunity to say my piece. Thank you.

* * *

Lombard calling: I think this week is the first week that our precious youths have had to attend a full week of school in quite a while. I passed an elementary school in Lombard the other day, and noticed on their announcements board that classes resumed on Jan. 8 after a two-week “winter break.” They used to call it Christmas break when I went to school, and we had to be back in class the day after New Year’s Day, but I digress. Then I noticed on their announcement board that our kiddies at that school had Friday, the 12th, off for an institute day … and wouldn’t you know, Martin Luther King Day, was on the 15th, so of course, they got that day off, too. So let’s see: they’re off two weeks, they go back to school for four days, and then, ta-da, a four-day weekend! No wonder our kids are falling behind the rest of the industrialized world in education. They’re never in school, for God’s sake.

* * *

When government shutdowns occur, the government's policy is that non-essential employees do not come to work. If the employees are non-essential, why are they even on the payroll?

* * *

To the person who called expressing sorrow for the demise of Lombard Town Centre, you too have been misguided by LTC. LTC did not create Cruise Nights; that was the village. LTC did not create Jinglebell Jubilee; that was the park district and the village and the chamber. Bottom line is the LTC has shown they can't handle an event without help and money from someone else, namely the village, park district and Chamber of Commerce. If LTC could be self-sufficient and run an event like a competent organization they would continue to survive, but they can't, so they won't.

* * *

Lombard calling. Saturday morning. A single political party controls both houses of Congress and the White House and they let the government shut down. This is historic. Well, President Art of the Deal said that he would run the country like he ran his businesses. Just consider this Donnie John's sixth bankruptcy. I am sure that his father would be proud.

* * *

Wow! If you had the chance to attend the Upstate 8 Conference cheerleading competition on Wednesday night, lucky you! I’ve never seen Glenbard East that packed for a sporting event!  GBE was amazing — so much energy! Congrats to all the teams who competed and to Glenbard East for taking first. Conference champs. We are East!

* * *

I agree that 10 years is way too long for a new pool, but it is foolish to waste our taxpayer money on fixing a pool just because it is "close to home" for people. When I grew up our suburb had one pool, and we had to go 2 miles to get there — but we did, and often, too! And it was much larger than Villa Park. Please do not spend more money on a pool that will continue to need repairs that are just financially not responsible.