Talk of the County

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Updated: March 4, 2012 8:07AM

Sitting in judgment

This is in reply to the reader who suggested that we leave poor Judge Hall alone. Believe it or not, a good many citizens of Lake County think that the people who sit in judgment of us should have good judgment.

Park cleanup

That person is so right about Illinois Beach State Park. Why can’t these parks pull together and help each other out in these bad times. Everyone should be helping to clean all the parks.

Where’s the crime?

I read the News-Sun everyday and I see the different towns have police calls, break-ins, etc., but I never see anything about North Chicago regarding crime and other issues. There was a break-in recently and it wasn’t reported.

Rethink hiring

Regarding the article “Race quotas.” This is ridiculous to feel that you are being slighted when over 200 years or more African Americans have been slighted from inventions and everything else. I think the North Shore Sanitary District should have everyone in their employment, not just the white man. There have been plenty of opportunities where the white man was not qualified, but he got the position, and also took things that were not his. I believe you need to rethink a little longer regarding the way you do your hiring. We have African-American people that are very well qualified and should not be left behind because of a name on the application.

Racist attitude

This is regarding the North Chicago interim police chief and how they only want a black person. Isn’t this kind of racist? If the white people in other cities made that statement, they’d be racist. What’s with this racist attitude?

Why Purple Hearts?

Regarding the article in TOTC about the Purple Hearts that were awarded to the policemen in Gurnee. Who is the person that’s responsible for allowing this to happen. These five policemen did not make this decision, it was made for them. I agree with people that the Purple Heart was for the servicemen that are hurt beyond belief. These five policemen must realize themselves that to receive a Purple Heart, it wasn’t given with the intent that the Purple Heart was meant to be. Was it the mayor, the police chief or who did it go through to get approval to issue these awards to the five policemen?

Bring back food stamps

I know a great way to cut the budget. Get rid of the Link card and let them go back on food stamps. That would save a lot of money and a lot more people would be less lazy in this world.

Bring his money home

The United States does not collect an estimated $100 billion in taxes every year because of off-shore accounts in the Cayman Islands and other various locations. If Mitt Romney truly wants to become our president, he should show some leadership and bring his money home and start paying his fair share of taxes.

Cloth vs. disposable

Why aren’t cloth diapers offered instead of disposables at food pantries? Cloth diapers would be less expensive and ease the overflowing problems at the landfills.

Duct tape

The front page of the paper on Jan. 30 had a picture of a girl with duct tape on her upper lip followed by a full page story about a dozen kids who took a class for creative usage for duct tape. Seriously, you couldn’t come up with anything else to report on? The many uses of duct tape is really not what I buy a newspaper for. Besides, using a piece of duct tape for a mustache is just not really very creative, is it?

Cave people

Thanks, News-Sun, for at least being open to wind power through your Jan. 31 editorial “Blowing in the wind,” but I’m sure the cave people will complain about the wind turbines even if they just look like dots from the shore. Two-hundred coal-fired generators are going to be retired in the U.S and the shortfall has to be made up somewhere. Why not wind power?

Real problems

If the Waukegan aldermen and city clerk want to play policemen and write parking tickets, they should first have to pass a literacy test to prove they can read and write. Better yet, they should just spend their time trying to fix real problems in Waukegan.

Purple Hearts

Shame on the Gurnee Police Department for them to issue Purple Hearts for bruises, scratches and cut lips. It’s a disgrace. Evidently, no one running that department has been in the service or in combat. They owe the veterans a big apology.

Global warming?

It’s the end of January and it feels like April. Does anyone out there still doubt global warming?

Time for jobs

Congressman Dold and the Republicans have been in charge of the House of Representatives for a year now and they have yet to propose a single solitary jobs bill. They’ve named plenty of post offices and had plenty of anti-abortion legislation go through, but they can’t find time for the American worker.

A sad day

WKRS did convert to Spanish. It’s a sad day for Lake County and all the people that listened to WKRS. I remember listening to the station with my parents.

Four years

I want to thank the state for finally, after four years, getting Judge Hall to trial. That is four years too long. He has circumvented the system, is being paid and he’ll probably be found not guilty. This is your taxpayer money at work. Great, isn’t it?

Residency requirements

Pertaining to the hiring practices of the North Shore Sanitary District. Why is it that the majority of upper management reside in Wisconsin? What happened to residency requirements? Do we not have qualified people in Illinois? What’s wrong with these trustees?

Motive in the Harbor

Regarding the Feb. 1 article on retaliation in Winthrop Harbor for the New Year’s Eve event. Give me a break. It could be retaliation for anything. I’m sure there are many people that had motive for that!

Liberal Reagan

I keep reading comments about how President Obama is the most liberal president in our history. I know of another president who was more liberal. Before he got into politics, he was a union president. He raised taxes 11 times; one of these tax increases was among the largest in our history. He gave amnesty to three million illegal immigrants. One of his greatest accomplishments was to work closely with the opposition party to save Social Security. His name was Ronald Reagan.

DUI trial

The DUI trial against Judge Hall is now, once again, scheduled for May. His alleged DUI arrest was more than four years ago. His continuances over all these years is truly one of the biggest jokes in our wonderful judicial system. I wonder if he, as a presiding judge for someone else’s DUI trial, would continue their case for more than four years? I don’t think so. This is a terrible slap in the face for our judicial system.

Under construction

What is going on with the Mobil gas station located at Green Bay and Blanchard roads in Waukegan? This place has been closed and under construction for two years. What’s taking so long?

No better

Obama proposed that the official age for dropping out of school be raised to 18. Of course, our Democratic governor jumped on that bandwagon for a like program in Illinois. Immediately, educators claimed that such a program would require more money. It seems that every time we provide more money for education, the unions find ways to funnel it to increased pay and benefits for teachers. But the kids are no better educated.

Give ’em a chance

In response to “Your actions” in TOTC and anyone else who finds it acceptable to discriminate against convicted felons. When a court has handed down a sentence for a crime, whether that be probation, jail, treatment or what have you and said sentence has been served, at that point a person’s debt to society has been paid by the judgment of the courts. Remember that when supporting barring ex-criminals from employment. When these people have tried to become productive members of society and face constant rejection, what choice do they have but to return to crimes to put money in their pockets? That or Section 8, welfare and Link cards. Keep that in mind when you’re being mugged or whining about how people are paying for their groceries. Give ’em a chance. Chances are they’ll be a harder, more productive worker because they were given an opportunity and have something to prove.

Held accountable

To the person who said George W. Bush should be held accountable for lies he allegedly said back in 2003: Do you think we will be asking the same thing for Barack Obama’s lies now or nine years from now?

TB San

To the Waukegan aldermen who think you should preserve the TB Sanatorium. You should come and work in the building for at least five to 10 years! There has been a lot of progress made over the last 15 years to this building, but it really does not need to remain standing because you think it is a good idea! If you feel it does, then give the Health Department dollars to build a new building. Oh wait, the city of Waukegan doesn’t have any money! Think before you react for a change.