This is Lombard calling. I’ve lived here for nine years on Martha Street, and now on St. Charles and the 100 block they’ve decided to finally tear down the cleaners. Unfortunately, that was a parking lot for about 15-20 cars and suddenly, we’re thrown out. Thanks, Mr. Mueller; thanks a lot. Once again, another mess up. I also watch Channel 6 and saw the board meeting—please, ladies, stick with it and fight this man on putting more parking over by the railroad tracks. They’re loud enough, they’re bad enough. We have enough trains going through here, Mr. Mueller.

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I heard something and am wondering if it’s true. I heard Bob Biggins received a DUI. I also heard that this has been kept hush-hush because of the election. I’d really like to know if this is true of not. If it’s not true, you don’t even have to print it.

Biggins was arrested for DUI at the end of May in Springfield. After his arrest he released a prepared statement that read: “I made a serious lapse in judgment and sincerely apologize to my family and those I represent who may be disappointed today. I take full responsibility for my actions and will face any and all legal consequences.” Biggins pleaded guilty and received a six-month suspension on his driver’s license, a year of court supervision and a fine of $1,200, according to the news reports. Based on news accounts available on the Internet, there was no attempt to keep his arrest hush-hush. —JAC

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I read in a daily newspaper that Village of Lombard bought the old silo property for $750,000 to control its destiny. First, why is the village in the business of buying real estate? Second, why have other owners not developed the land? Based on downtown redevelopment—or lack thereof—I wonder if the village might make it difficult for potential new businesses. President Mueller even said of the property, “We should control it rather than someone else.” And one trustee also said, “Things could start popping." Yeah, right. Lastly, the article said the village bought the land in foreclosure to a developer with potentially undesirable plans for its use. I’d like to know what they needed to prevent at a cost of $750,000.

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. My daughter goes to the Villa Park schools, and I was just wondering. Every year at Jackson, they have people handing out Bibles. I don’t understand why this is allowed by the schools, with everything that is going on and I saw this year that the guys were touching the kids, like high-fiving them and slapping their hands and stuff. You know what? I don’t appreciate that with my kids. I don’t know why the Islamic Foundation gets sheriffs out on the days with things. Why don’t we as taxpayers get sheriffs or police to stand here with the people who are handing Bibles to our kids? I’d like some answers.

Elementary School District 45 Superintendent Dr. Janice M. Rosales responded: “The United States Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech. People have the right to stand in the public right-of-way and pass out materials; in this case, Bibles. It is a protected activity. They must not interfere with the students’ ability to pass on the sidewalks or insist that the students take the materials. Teachers and administrators in District 45 provide education on what students should do when approached by strangers. We hope that all parents also will remind their children to not talk with or take gifts from strangers, to continue on their way and to notify an adult if a stranger causes concern.”—LWS

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I think we should all thank President Bush for gas prices being around $2.35 a gallon. I mean, if he gets the blame when gas is over $4 a gallon, shouldn’t he get the credit when gas is this price? Oh, I forgot. Everything bad is Bush’s fault and he has nothing to do with anything that’s good.

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I am from Lombard and I am calling about the Lombard Park District’s annual festival in the fall. I was reading in another paper how all these people from other surrounding towns come to take advantage of our festival. I don’t know if our park district is intending to subsidize all these people coming for the pumpkins and the candy, and all the treats for the festival. I know most other towns have their own. If this is what’s going to be happening every year, maybe we should charge those people who do not pay taxes to the Lombard Park District. They can help subsidize it since they’re taking advantage of it. I know our park district is not just getting money off trees—it’s out of our pockets.

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The village curfew for trick-or-treating on Halloween at 7 p.m. ruined trick-or-treating for the kids. We had no trick-or-treaters come.

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Someone shot my cat with a pellet gun and broke her leg. She had to have a pin put in and has to stay at the vet hospital for two weeks. She is the grandma of my three cats. She is very gentle and friendly; she didn’t wander far, but likes to sun herself on a front sidewalk. Even though it was Halloween time, I don’t think the fact that she is a black cat had anything to do with it. I’ve heard that people who enjoy being cruel to animals graduate to humans.

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I am in Lombard, heading northbound on Main Street, just about to cross Roosevelt, and all I see are a bunch of ugly light poles with a bunch of cheesy lamps. There are so many light poles, there are so many lamps on either side. Why wouldn’t they have just picked one side to put those lamps on? Why did they put them on both sides? Right mixed in with those ugly utility poles? I just don’t understand, Lombard, it is so frustrating to live here. I can’t take it anymore. Who is running this town? Did anybody plan this out and think that this was going to look good? What is the matter with you people? Who is in charge here? It is like eye pollution; it’s the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen in Lombard.

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All I can say is this. Thank God for the Democrats, that they didn’t allow George Bush and his Republican regime to put Social Security into the stock market like they wanted to. Had they done that, we would have lost Social Security too. Just think how many seniors and disabled people would have been out of luck because of that. God bless America.

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Hi, I have recently heard that the new Moran Water Park is going to have a name change. Have these Johnny-come-lately commissioners ever looked back in park district history to see all that Mr. Moran did in his 40 years of working for them? He helped pass the referendum for the first pool, he helped build the log cabin, he helped put the lights up at the ball fields on Finley and you name it, he did it. This man truly, truly deserves to have that new pool named after him and I feel sorry for these commissioners who feel they have to honor themselves, because that’s what they’re trying to do—honor themselves and not a single one of them will ever come close to what Mr. Moran did for the park district.

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Lombard calling. I just read in another paper that Villa Park is not going to be moving their skate park because they lost their grant of $356,000. Is that what these kids want us to put up—$356,000 for a place to play? Get a soccer ball and give up skateboarding. There are plenty of places to play soccer.

Paulina Jimenez, chairperson of the Villa Park Skatepark Committee, responded: “Sorry to give you the bad news, but the skate park plans in Villa Park haven’t changed. We are a community of diversity and we should encourage our kids to pursue their interest and passion. My son plays soccer and skateboarding; there are many places to play soccer but not many places that are safe to practice skateboarding. There are 12 million skateboarders in America and it is the sixth most popular sport in the country. A skate park is a safe place where the skateboarders can practice their sport. The skateboarders are very passionate about their sport and it takes a lot of practice and persistence to do the tricks that they do. With all the problems today, including juvenile delinquency and obesity, we can certainly support this healthy, positive activity through a new and improved skate park.” —LWS