Hi, can somebody address what’s going on with the 621 Diner? Is it out of business? They’ve been running ads in the paper, but we went by there and the windows are covered up. Is this yet another place that’s gone out of business? Maybe somebody from the village could respond in SPEAK OUT.

Bill Heniff, director of Community Development, responded that he had spoken with Jason Paskewitz, the operator of the 621 Diner and “He noted that they have another restaurant business in downtown Chicago and he found it too difficult to operate a restaurant in the city and one in the suburbs.  For economic reasons, they want to keep their business operations consolidated in the City of Chicago.” –JAC

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We were told we were going to get change, but what we’re getting is the third term of Bill Clinton. Everybody who Barack Obama has picked for his cabinet served under Bill Clinton; and as far as more change goes, he is loading up with lobbyists, folks. As far as his 2.5 million new jobs in two years, every president since Ronald Reagan has created 2.5 million jobs in their first year. So, I guess the change we’re getting is less jobs than we have had in the last 30 years. Boy, this is going to be some great change.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. I’d like to say how sorry I am to see Tower Printer moving. I’d like to say that I have enjoyed reading their window sign all these years.

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Hi, I’m calling in response to the person who wants to know why there were five squad cars helping someone retrieve a parrot from a tree. I’d rather think of this as a nice, sleepy little town where our officers are available to help citizens rather than be someplace where they’re so busy rounding up criminals like communities where they’ve just had murders. Luckily, we don’t have to worry about that, do we?

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Someone called in to SPEAK OUT for the Nov. 19 edition complaining about police leaving their cars running when they go into stores and other things like that and they wanted them to turn them off to save gas. You really don’t understand that we pay for police to be on duty all the time. If they go into a store and there’s a crime going on, they may need to get back to their car and report that in. If we had it your way, they would have to start the car, fire up the computer, get to the right systems, log in and then start working. By then, the crime is committed and the person has run away. Just let the police do their job. Try managing your own life and cleaning your own house.

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Two quick comments about the new lights on Main Street. One, if you’re driving from the south to the north, on the east side of the street, there are not two or three lights there of the same distance. Whatever happened to a symmetrical view? Second of all, on the west side of the street, has anybody noticed that the utility lines are touching the poles, or the power’s going on with the light? This will cause those poles to get scraped, the paint to come off that will lead to rust. I would like an answer on the utility poles; why they’re not straight and why wires are rubbing on them. It’s my tax dollars and I’m sure I’m paying quite a lot for the electricity.

“Due to the numerous underground utilities and narrow right-of-way, each street light foundation had to be individually located in tight constraints. The utility companies are nearly finished moving their cables to their permanent positions, off the poles. Each pole has been and will again be inspected to ensure perfect condition before the project is closed out,” said Dave Gorman, assistant director of public works. –JAC

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It’s good to see that Rick Soderstrom will challenge Bill Mueller for the village presidency next spring. Rick will get my vote. Under huge pressure from preservationists, Rick did what was in the best interest of Lombardians and voted against the enormous taxpayer-funded condo proposal for the former DuPage Theatre. Imagine the mess we would be in if that plan had gone through. Bill Mueller vetoed the majority decision only to have his veto overturned by the board. It’s time for new leadership.

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To the staunch Republican supporter out there, yes, I do blame Bush for the banking industry mess, when his administration was in charge six of the eight years he was in office. I also blame him for the mess that the economy is in, and I have no idea what Clinton has to do with anything. If you want to blame anybody for not getting bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, it would be Bush’s father not going far enough.

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Well, Barack Obama campaigned for change, but hmm, let’s see. He has chosen for his administration some politicians who were part of the Clinton administration. That’s change? And, if he really means it, then he will get rid of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and their ilk. That would be real change.

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Villa Park calling. Let’s get the election signs down in Villa Park. The election’s been over for five weeks. We still see Christmas lights up for years. Let’s hope that’s not going to happen with the election signs. This town is getting very tacky.

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Could you please get a question answered for me? I’ve lived in this neighborhood for well over 25 years. On Maple, just east of Grace, it seems every year, they repair the same patch of street, the same pieces of concrete. I can’t understand why they would repair the same piece of street unless there is something wrong. I really wonder what it is. Could you please let me know?

Dave Gorman, assistant director of public works, responded: “The water main on this block has broken eight times over the past 10 years, including three times under the concrete panel in question. This section of main will be replaced when the pavement is reconstructed as part of the village’s Capital Improvement Plan.” –JAC

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Listen carefully, ladies and gentlemen. Dick Durbin, the left-wing liberal who spends our money like there’s no end to it, now he wants Bush to give freedom to George Ryan. I say, I’m with you, Dick Durbin, so long as you spend the time in jail. Let Ryan go home and you sit in jail in his place. Then I will OK your plan. A man’s family died.

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Way to go, Lombard. The building construction and housing industry is down the drain. Builders are going under right and left; big companies, little companies, and you decide it’s time to impose further restrictions on them—a 6-foot chain link fence, two signs, all mandatory for construction. They also have to have port-a-potties on every site. Just keep piling it on and see if we can put our local guys under.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling at 6:10. I just saw a street cleaner going down my street. I was thinking to myself, that man has to probably be on double time by now. Could someone find out what does one of our village employees make at 6:10 p.m.? Not necessarily the dollar amount, but is that man on time-and-a-half or double time, and why aren’t we cleaning our streets during regular hours?

Dave Gorman, assistant director of public works, replied: “The Village’s two street sweepers operate all day as well as overtime during the couple of weeks each year when leaves are falling in order to keep storm inlets open and protect against flooding.  Employees are compensated for such overtime at time and a half.” –JAC

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In the hard economic times, right now it’s snowing out, and you hear that the surrounding villages and communities can’t afford salt because it’s $140 a ton. Well, that’s a basic service. Here’s an idea how you can buy the salt for your constituents. Why don’t you start cutting back? Get rid of the assistant’s assistant; get rid of the assistant? In other words, let the village manager do a village manager’s job, and let him have his subordinates, not high-priced people do the work. Start laying off. Assistant principals? A principal of this, a principal of that? Let one principal do the job, you know?