Look at headlines

To "I love Calumet City": Look at the headlines. Mailman shot. Shooting at River Oaks. Body found in home. It's endless. I've been born and raised in that town. No, I didn't move when the first African-Americans moved in, but I wish I had. I moved when my home was robbed and my children were threatened, my car vandalized and I was called racial slurs. -- Hobart

I had to move

In response to "I love Calumet City": I, too, love Calumet City, but am also crying. I didn't move when the first blacks came. But when they came, I was faced with wild parties and garbage thrown in my yard. And the block was white. I'm looking for the answer. How does one stay? I had to move. Now my home is boarded. -- Tinley Park

I didn't move

To the person who loves Calumet City: I'm with the person from Kouts. I didn't move when the first black family came, and my home has been broken into four times, garage vandalized, windows broken, railing broken, garbage thrown about and a dead rat on my porch. And I've been taunted. Should I go on? -- Calumet City

Thanks, McDermott

A note of thanks to Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. for his great coaching job of the Little League Indians this summer. He showed a good example of sportsmanship, enthusiasm, support and encouragement to these 6- and 7-year-olds. -- Munster

What's in solids?

So, BP, what exactly is in the total suspended solids? A microscopic bit of what? A carcinogen? A teratogen? Both? All you are saying is that it is a solid and it floats. There has to be more. -- Munster

Hoosiers, ban smoking

Illinois has done it. Now it's time for Indiana to follow. It's great to see local restaurants (Round the Clock in Highland) become smoke-free. How great would it be if everywhere was smoke-free? It will be great that my two young sons will never have to be exposed to the poisons. Also, smoking in cars with children should have the same punishment as a DUI. It's endangering people's lives without them having a say in it. Hurry, Indiana. -- Highland

Paper earns money

No rights were violated (by printing a newspaper in Spanish). Evidently, this person from Hammond cannot do math, because if he or she did, they would know that one out of every seven Americans is of Hispanic decent. Do the math. That's right, money. Unless you are ready to replace the money that the Hispanics are shelling out to read the newspaper, stop your whining. Oh, I almost forgot, Spanish was spoken here first. -- Lake Station

Don't sacrifice health

I am not against expanding BP's Whiting Refinery if our environment is being protected. If BP can spend nearly $4 billion to expand their Whiting Refinery, why can't they spend a little more to keep Lake Michigan clean? If you are willing to sacrifice your health because you believe gas prices are going to come down, then I feel sorry for you. We live next to one of the largest refineries in North America, and how much are you paying for gas now? -- Munster

Don't shed any tears

To those of you fools who voted BP should have a right to dump their toxins in Lake Michigan, remember, when your children and grandchildren get poisoned or die, I better not see one tear shed from your heartless eye. Just recall that you think it's OK for them to pollute us more than they already have. I am ashamed to call you fellow American citizens. -- Highland

To you nonsmokers

To all you nonsmokers, you people have a lot more to worry about than people who smoke. Like people taking drugs and driving, cell phone use while driving, they can't even turn on their turn signals. My dad is 83 years old, lived with smokers almost all his life, and he is in very good health. People die every day, and not from smokers' smoke. If we kill people, then try us for murder. -- Griffith

Let me vote for Herak

Thurm Ferree's editorial on the Lake County election board was informative. I've lived in Highland for 40-plus years and used to be proud of our town board. The last few years, it has seemed to have lost its grasp of making good decisions. Mark Herak is needed for the town no matter what party he is in. I hope the election board will grant me the privilege of voting for Mark Herak in the coming election. -- Highland

Flood response sad

I'm one of the residents affected by the flooding (in Hammond). The city is doing nothing to help us with the aftermath. I'm grateful to the Salvation Army for offering cleanup kits, but what good can come from that if they are not open on Saturday to pick them up? They should have been open for a few hours so we can pick them up. Who wants to live with the mess until Monday? If they are in, then they should answer the phone. -- Hammond