Speak Outs
Today's calls: Revive unions; likes new movie section; where's the proof on rogue cop? Good job on litter; kudos to Humpfer, Sigwalt; Noland and Jones; carnival complaint

House panel approves pay raise for troops

WASHINGTON---- The House Armed Services Committee approved a bill early Thursday that authorizes $601.4 billion in defense spending for next year, including a 3.9 percent pay raise for troops.

Keep campaign back-and-forth on the high road
Hillary Clinton wasted no time revving up her attack machine after her disappointing showing in this week's Democratic presidential primaries. The New York senator herself made the baldly racial claim that her rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, couldn't win in the general election because less-educated whites didn't like him. Meanwhile, aide Paul Begala said in a race against the certain Republican nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, Obama's support would be limited to "eggheads and African-Americans."

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Same old story on potholes; ignoring the public on recalls; kids' weather art beautiful; evil of socialism; second the motion on Dundees merger; Lucky brings luck; serve Elgin first; too many cars; one problem leads to another; use money on inspectors; let the people decide

The dog ate my homework
Primary and elementary schools are right to focus on the basics, but last week brought troubling news that a multibillion-dollar national initiative to improve reading among young students appears to have fallen flat.

Speak Outs
Today's calls: People should register dogs; let court decide shop owner's guilt/innocence; know how Indians felt; Elgin's east side neglected; cost of justice; false hope; blueprint for terrorists; protecting the governor; control oil profits; so there

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Bicyclists need to obey rules of road, too; personal vendetta; why does store have food labels only in Spanish? Blame Miley Cyrus, her parents for controversy; Sarto shock wave; sweet sound from WEPS; drugs abound

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Don't plant new trees too close; reduce bus trips; consumer-unfriendly; scam watch on rebate; follow tollway rules; settle this like men in Carpentersville; all should pay for ambulance; bring back vehicle stickers

Candidates need to take Economics 101
Democratic officials have been poking fun at John McCain over his self-deprecating acknowledgment that he really doesn't know much about economics.

Ink from Elsewhere
Today's ink: Congress takes steps to protect us from genetic data misuse; Fed must halt rate cuts to guard against flareup of inflation

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Protest roundabout to Elgin council; store boats, RVs; park safety; where are cops?; oil price protest; bogus excuse on Marine at prom; war drumbeat; rich make claims, too; a good deal; home sweet home; earned citizenship

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Overtrimming by ComEd; thanks, I think; unfenced pools in Elgin; can't wait to vote in Carpentersville; crime control; pull-off areas needed for bus stops; it's about the land

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Crack down on loud tailpipes; war spending; Elgin department heads complacent; focus on Elgin's east side

Speak Outs
Today's calls: More South Elgin squads makes sense; not a good gamble; why no free pickup day in Carpentersville? Not much protection; Sarto is the problem; 'class warfare' just appalling; regulate pit bulls; tap casino cash for streets; replace 222 Locust

Blame 'em both for missteps with economy
After still more bad news about the economy, President George W. Bush and leading Democrats began playing the blame game with particular vigor last week. We say fie on both sides, for there is enormous blame to go around.

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Help seniors cope with rising prices; more patrols needed at U.S. 20 and Shales; Drake Field paint color awful; building entrances facing wrong direction; obituaries a last farewell; slowpokes on Bowes; no need to hurry on Villa Olivia; no civil rights violation by U46; no roundabout at Summit-Dundee; another suggestion

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Liked Bailey column; urges adaptive reuse of D.C. Cook property; challenge judges on elections; teachers pay in District 303; fill gaping holes in road; we have enough laws; Carpentersville board battle; ICE checkpoints

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Carpentersville cop should use time better; took too long; love Gail Borden; did golf dress code change? Black and white; kudos to 'Pirates' cast; "Normal"?

Border security backers' fence folly over for now
Americans wonder why the U.S.-Mexico border is so porous and why the U.S. government has such a tough time keeping out illegal drugs and undocumented immigrants.

Ink from Elsewhere
Today's ink: Recruitment of felons a disturbing sign; Requiring ID too costly for some; People visit parks to avoid just this

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Yesterday's airfares, today; Trouble ahead at Dundee and Summit; Hard to see the good; Cost of stamps; Put mulch on paths; For emergency only; Government dropped the ball; Get moving; How do they know? Parked squad cars

Bush's NCLB sent to detention for time being
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has been barnstorming the nation, trying to salvage President George W. Bush's signature education policy: the vigorously debated No Child Left Behind Act.

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Questions East Dundee expenses; rough pavement on Walnut; parents, take charge; why the economy suffers; waiting to be fixed in Elgin; have them now; harmless pranks; committing more crimes; avoid dictatorship in Carpentersville; another Casa Linda; where to park? Your property, your freedom; irony

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Remove ladder; giving teens a chance; puzzled about fence questions; a win-win; downtown churches; food vendors; what about pedestrians? See for yourself; special treatment; villages should merge now

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Taking squad car home; Clinton-Rove comparison unfair; no progress on McLean; let scavengers be; garbage can offenses; trash haulers, be neater

Shoulder cost for the war's unseen wounds
The Rand Corp. recently released a study suggesting that as many as 300,000 U.S. troops who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan may be suffering from severe depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Another 320,000 may have suffered traumatic brain injury, although that total includes about 21,000 of those suffering from depression or PTSD.

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Not much of a gun law; Elgin grant decision unfair; red-light cameras a boon to taxpayers; Elgin memorial parking a concern; no monkey business in South Elgin parks; city should police itself; Elgin grant better spent; U46 honchos notified; mulch, don't burn; makes no difference; get down to business in Carpentersville; replace entire Carpentersville board

Speak Outs
Today's calls: More questions on South Elgin squad cars; waste of money; fill potholes properly; pray for troops; earmark lottery cash; Elgin should focus on basic services

McCain and Bush: Looking more alike
The Democratic candidates for president are working hard to convince voters that a John McCain presidency would be the equivalent of a third term for George W. Bush. McCain is making their job easier.

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Outsider needed at east-side rec center; keep emissions test center open; sign of future in Carpentersville; new agenda; Dial-A-Bus rates up; taking too long; shouldn't be that way

Ink from Elsewhere
Today's ink: Senate should approve reporters shield law; high court ruling may spawn more executions

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Build roads before homes; one opinion; nationalize oil industry; emissions station closing won't save us money; bad decision; longer sentences won't help; fine all airlines; build a storage barn; false info about Condoleezza Rice; shouldn't be a delegate; leave Humpfer alone

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Don't try this at home; roundabout a step backward; nonsensical decision on cutting number of emissions testing sites; likes WEPS; don't feed squirrels; got themselves in trouble; it's about the law, not race; noise laws; cyclone fences

Speak Outs
Today's calls: East Dundee should merge now; all kids playing in trees are monkeys; political correctness; add to Elgin Sports Complex; no roundabout at Dundee/Summit; get out of Iraq now

Speak Outs
Today's calls: One-day electric boycott; why they're happy; city making parking worse; more crashes likely on Shales; set speed trap in Carpentersville; won't stop unwanted calls; scanning the headlines; guns and safety

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Traffic flow on U.S. 20; distracted bus driver? Inspect Westwind Tower, too; gas hike omen; idea for downtown recreation; ward system redux

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Too much information; overtime, downtime; look on phone bill; more than one area affected; nearby problem; cut down on South Elgin cop cars; think about it

Speak Outs
Today's calls: More laws useless; fix Elgin's roads first; harder to sell; here's the motive; clean out Elgin high-rise; Humpfer and Bill Clinton; don't like inspectors

Ink from Elsewhere
Today's ink: Paring fuel costs should be Congress' top priority; Speaker Pelosi's tactics on trade pact out of line; snuff out Olympics torch run tradition

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Kudos to Elgin cops; supports pump price protest; contacting AT&T; move to the country; we're in sad shape; put ROPE officer there; need traffic control at Highland and Lyle; wake up; mall shooting motive; $4 at the pump; thanks!

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Historic mistake; stop foot-dragging; no justice; be a good neighbor; hypocritical; human growth hormone report

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Crime stats in Carpentersville; classy image in South Elgin; cut back mail delivery; luxury cinema; dump truck parking; what a relief; cut off foreign aid; not much to look at; don't get it; bad choices

Speak Outs
Today's calls: Clinton, Obama not doing their jobs; no traffic circle at Summit and Dundee; Elgin should save the expense; Hispanics and churches; apples and oranges