Behavior abhorrent

What year is this? I have heard racist remarks screamed from homes in my neighborhood as certain people drive by, people who also live in the neighborhood. What are they passing on to their children? I just moved from Chicago, and I feel like moving back because of all the comments I hear just casually from the "nice" people in my neighborhood. -- Crown Point

Region was hit hard

The cost of gas, food and taxes in Lake County is bad enough, but what I saw recently was so sad. A gas station raised the cost of a bag of ice by 50 cents. Consider the people after the tornado who had no way to keep their food cold. It will be tough for kids going back to school next week who live in Griffith and Highland. As I watched the lines around a fast-food restaurant block traffic, only then did I realize how much food so many have lost. -- Highland

Why isn't it dropping?

I keep reading that oil has hit an all-time low in the past few months, so why, when I paid $3.76 per gallon last week at Speedway in Lowell, is the price now $3.99? I simply can't believe we are being gouged still. It is unbelievable, but sadly true. I was asked recently by another senior how I would feel if I had to give up driving because of impaired abilities. I now believe the gas companies will force me to stop driving first. -- Lowell

Give citizens warning

Once again we have had a dangerous storm. Once again none of us heard any sirens go off until we opened our doors and could barely hear the sirens in Calumet City. What has to happen before there is a siren put in this area? Please, village officials, fix it before something heartbreaking happens. My heart goes out to those in Griffith at this sad time. -- Lansing

Bring residents relief

Hey Mayor Uran, is the Living Stones church running this part of town? The noise level is intolerable, and your staff says they are taking care of it, yet they never do. -- Crown Point

Took him long time

I'm tired of grandstanding politicians who do little to represent their constituents once in Washington. It's nice that Evan Bayh came to visit the people of the state who elected him to the Senate. Too bad it took Barack Obama to get him here. -- Schererville

Take care of us first

It's a shame Griffith doesn't qualify for federal assistance in the aftermath of the tornado -- not enough homes damaged or land destroyed. We have money for illegal immigrants and foreign countries, but we cannot take care of our own. Maybe we should stop paying all these taxes and save that money for when we need it. -- Valparaiso

Thanks for decency

Recently, I had an accident that caused a broken foot. Now I'm in a cast and wheelchair for a couple of months. I discovered that a lot of people do care and are willing to help you out when you need it. Thanks to everyone for a helping hand. It really makes me respect and admire permanently handicapped people. -- Munster

It's our responsibility

Why shouldn't the U.S. taxpayers pay for the reconstruction of Iraq? Didn't we destroy this country? Wait, I have a better solution. The U.S. taxpayers who supported Bush's war to destroy Iraq should pay for the reconstruction. The rest of us should be left alone.

-- Schererville

Give funds to schools

How much of Toll Road lease money is included in state surplus? I'm sure the schools should benefit from this extra money. If not, where is it being spent? -- Schererville

Cut city worker wages

Hobart is talking about charging a trash pickup fee. This will be added to our water bill. Councilmen said they need the money. That's easy -- reduce the salaries of everyone on the city payroll, and you'd be surprised how much more money you have. Most of us do not get the money you all get. -- Hobart