It’s disheartening that so many calls in last week’s column were from proud supporters of the president. I hope things turn out for the best for our country, but I cannot support a godless man who belittles the service of veterans (see his statements on John McCain), stokes racial animosity (see his fixation on the NFL, when there are so many real problems to address), belittles women (the only women he respects are on FOX) and believes not in serving his country but in profiting from it (and selling cheap Chinese souvenirs). He has the richest, least qualified cabinet in history, who are actively harming our country with their ineptitude and greed. Actual scientists and scholars are being purged to make room for unqualified political appointees—this will have long-lasting detrimental effects. The 1 percent will continue to make more and more money, but I fear that the majority of our country that has been left behind during the “recovery” from the recession will continue to struggle. That is what I’ll never understand: the president rails against the elite, but he and his gang are rich, coastal elites. They own yachts. How could anyone think this administration cares about everyday Americans?
* * *When will someone admit there aren’t too many guns, there are too many killers? Someone has to pick up the gun and use it. Many criminals have them. How do you stop that when they are coming over our open borders illegally? Maybe we have to go back to the police having control over the situation, but when they do, they lose their job or go to jail and the criminals are still on the streets. The protesting gets everyone riled up and makes the situation worse. Father Pfleger should take the people into his church and teach them the Ten Commandments and the value of a life. Guns aren’t the problem. The person who shoots the gun is.
* * *Lombard calling: I wanted to talk about that show on Channel 7, “The View.” It’s just awful. Whoopi Goldberg and that Joy Behar—she makes me sick! I was thinking about some of the other Trump haters they could put on that show, and I came up with this list—Maxine Waters, Nancy Pelosi, Madonna, Ashley Judd, and how about that hideous red-headed comedian that got into trouble last year, Kathy Griffin? What a bunch of miserable sourpusses!
* * *In the recent Plum Library Gazette, Director Kruser offers a seemingly cheery, optimistic “spin” that things are moving along. They will undoubtedly face issues with the village with a variance request for parking, to what expense? Just as the park district board was adamant to keep the air rights agreement, the library board seems to be digging in its heels, refusing to consider a land swap with the park district, even it if has meant spending in the six-digit figures to keep altering plans. Residents said they wanted the library downtown, according to the library, but after all this time, why not ask again and see if that answer has changed? While many have expressed outrage, where are the residents to speak out at board meetings, hold the board’s feet to the fire and maybe even pursue some recourse to get some of our money back? For those who voted for it, don’t you feel at least a little buyer’s remorse? Maybe you can afford to have your money sitting in some account; I feel anything but cheerful that my increased tax dollars are sitting in some other bank account besides mine.
* * *Hello Falcons football parents: I’m glad you think that your kid will be playing in the next Superbowl! You know what the rest of the neighborhood is sick of? You guys flying down our roads, blocking our driveways and acting like you own the place. Nobody begrudges your child’s fun in the sun with these sports, but we’re sick of the way you treat the neighborhood. Have some respect, or go away.
* * *I see that the person who responded about the parking at Helen Plum Library, all you quoted her was the review that somebody had done. That wasn’t very helpful. Why can’t the people of Lombard have a say? Why did you have to go have a study done?
Your comment was forwarded to Helen Plum Library officials, who responded: “The Village of Lombard requested that the Helen Plum Library hire Gewalt Hamilton, an independent consultant, to conduct a traffic study, review parking requirements. The library collected a great deal of input from the Lombard community during the referendum campaign. We surveyed the community, sent out fliers and newsletters, and held more than 50 community engagement meetings to present our proposed plan and receive feedback. The new library drive-through service, the increased number of meeting and study spaces, new technology training areas and larger teen and youth services spaces will be provided in response to that feedback.”—JAC
* * *This is to the library officials who responded to my complaint about the lack of handicapped spots in front of the library. Your response to me to say there are further spaces available in the medical building parking lot or to park on Park Avenue, how dismissive of you, how insulting to me. Don’t you think if I could walk that distance I would have or could have? I can’t do it. Get with the program. Start serving the whole community of people with the library services. This is completely insulting, disappointing and unacceptable.
* * *Lombard calling. Last Night pool party at Paradise Bay—a thank you to the patrons. Wonderful. That Dave does a great job. Come to Paradise Bay before they close for the season. Wonderful job, Lombard Park District.
* * *I wanted to go to a coffee house in Villa Park for a cup of coffee. I was unable to. There are two no smoking signs right on the door and yet there are four people out there on chairs and three of them are smoking cigarettes. I don’t know why this is allowed. They are only about 6 feet from the door if that, yet the coffee house allows people to smoke out there and Villa Park allows them to break the law. This has been going on for an awfully long time. I spoke with the owner and with the bakery people next door and they don’t like the smoke either, but it seems like nothing is being done. Now I’m passing it for the second time to try to go in and now there are five people smoking out there. Thank you.
Editors’ note: Village of Villa Park officials in June responded to a similar complaint, saying, “The Village of Villa Park encourages patrons or employees of establishments that fail to comply with any provisions of the Smoke-Free Illinois Act to file a complaint with an enforcement agency. If the violating business is located within Villa Park, please contact the Illinois Department of Public Health at 217-782-4977 or Villa Park Police at 630-834-7447. In order to investigate, officers will need to know the location of the business, the date of the violation and whether the violation is ongoing. The village reminds local businesses that it is their responsibility to comply with all federal, state and local statutes. Visit www.smoke-free.illinois.gov/sf_info_wp.htm for more information.”—JAC
* * *I’m someone who supports most of Donald Trump’s policies, such as enforcing the border, cutting taxes instead of raising them like they do all the time in this god-forsaken state, fewer regulations on businesses, and pulling out of the Iranian nuclear deal. I also give the president credit for the economy; it’s certainly much better than it ever was under the great Obama. But then there’s Trump himself. Why does he need to constantly spout off about everything on Twitter? He went off on LeBron James. I know LeBron doesn’t like him, but I heard that he opened a school for at-risk children in his hometown in Ohio. Stop being so childish and give LeBron some credit. Now, Trump has been ranting again about NFL players not standing for the national anthem. I get it. I think they should stand for the anthem, too, but enough already! Please get off your phone and run the country.
* * *I’m tired of Father Pfleger and all these storefront ministers protesting, allowing the city to have to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect them. Maybe what they need to do is preach from their pulpit, “Thou shalt not kill.” And if you want to march in a protest, march down a street where the gangbangers live and let Father Pfleger and all these other ministers spray paint an X on the sidewalk in front of the gangbangers’ houses. Let the police get a search warrant for that house, let them go in and confiscate weapons and arrest the person who belongs to the gang for owning illegal guns. Maybe that’s what you should do instead of wasting my time, my money, my taxes and inconveniencing me during rush hour traffic. Your protests on Lake Shore Drive and in the park accomplished nothing.
* * *Good morning, Lombard. This call is in response to a call made to SPEAK OUT a few weeks ago. It concerned the restaurant Santino’s and the caller was wondering why the restaurant closed. Well, my husband, my son and I had a much different experience than the caller. Hopefully a decent Italian restaurant opens in its place. Bon appetit.
* * *As a Christian I can’t understand how others who call themselves Christians can support Trump, who has been married three times and reportedly had affairs with two porn stars that we know of and take little children who don’t know our language away from their parents. When Joseph and Mary went to Egypt with young Jesus, even though they were foreigners, they never separated Jesus from his parents. I’m in my 80s and Trump is by far the worst president we have had in my lifetime. I fear what he will do next and from what I read, he has influenced our enemies and he has befriended our enemies, Russia and North Korea, and alienated our European allies. As a believer I have to answer to a higher power than Trump. Thank you.
* * *Hi. This is for Illinois and the world. Go Trump.
* * *Lombard calling. Thank you to the person who was going by my home on 900 block of Hammerschmidt last Sunday. Apparently my newspaper had come out of the wrapping and was all over the place and someone took the time to gather it all up and place it on my front porch so I could still enjoy it. So thank you very much and I’ll pass it forward.
