Letter: Three reasons why we love the Raceway Woods
First, Raceway Woods has the best volunteers, bar none. Our last work day on May 31 brought out more than 50 volunteers for a day of brush cutting, tree planting and trail grooming. It is more than work for our volunteers, who range in age from kindergarten to senior citizens. It has become a place to meet friends while contributing to the community. We love our volunteers!

The Ombudsman
Today's issues: Courier shouldn't run columns by Ann Coulter; give us more notice of upcoming events

Letter: Thanks to supporters of South Elgin Tag Days
Approximately 1,000 people in Illinois have ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), and about 250 more are diagnosed each year.

Valley View: Democracy a missing ingredient in election nominating process
The United States prides itself on its democratic principles and in fact promotes them around the world. Former President Jimmy Carter is called to various "third" world nations to monitor elections to make sure they are run fairly. We are even at war now with Iraq, trying to force democracy on the Iraqi people.

Letter: Lawmakers give lip service to our mass transit needs
Congressman Peter Roskam's bill to protect the STAR Line project is yet another attempt to appease the NIMBYs while doing nothing at all.

Valley View: Real change would be Democrats, Republicans working together
Change seems to be the driving point in this election. Senator Barack Obama said, "With the help of the Clintons, we're going to bring unity to the Democratic Party, and that's how we're going to bring about unity in America."

Letters
Today's letters: Death penalty reforms make for good justice; Hampshire chamber thanks supporters of recent street dance; stripes on curb would be reminder of parking rules; motorist's apology great example to son, rest of us

Valley Views: Ask Kane sheriff to release data on arrested illegals
Doug Heaton, president of Elgin's Association for Legal Americans, wrote Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez for information on how his office and the immigration office of ICE worked to screen for illegals.

The Ombudsman
Today's issue: Seems like Bailey's on both sides of this issue

Letters
Today's letters: Put state in charge of copper recycling; don't forfeit Bill of Rights to get drunks off road; some suggestions for next Town Hall meeting

Letter: Don't pay for Iraqi oil with lives of our military
Our country was attacked by people with a great hatred of our way of life. Our government found out where these individuals came from, and with worldwide support for our use of military force, our country was truly encouraged to defeat the terrorists and their Afghan nation supporters.

Got an opinion? Let's hear it
Our readers have no shortage of opinions. That's why the Viewpoint page showcases the voices and concerns of the community through letters to the editor, Speak Out, and columns and editorials written by staffers.

Letters
Today's letters: McCain leads by example on campaign financing; third rail systems still exist, may be wave of future; Democrats hypocritical about ending Iraq war; St. Charles Kiwanians thank golf outing supporters

Letter: It's not the responsibility of US or Illinois taxpayers to fund those projects
The Honorable Bill Foster has proposed several projects for Elgin to be paid for by the federal government. The total amount is $8.025 million.

Letters
Today's letters: Area Kane County Board members had hand in park buy; disagree with editorial on Supreme Court ruling; patriot group thanks supporters, participants

The Ombudsman
Today's issues: Did liberals push Coulter off the Viewpoint page?

More publicity would have helped Amazing Race event

Letter: Noverini's pledge on contributions no big deal
When I was a child, I told my mother that I was going to give up liver for Lent. My mother, the wife of a career Army officer, could freeze a person she disfavored with a glance at 300 yards. When I thawed out, my mother advised that she knew that I would never eat liver and that she understood that I meant to say that I was giving up ice cream.

Letters
Today's letters: Criticism of Foster on oil issue wrongheaded; letter writer doesn't understand the issue

Letter: D300 board must honor promises to referendum voters
Recently, the Eastside Study Committee presented three scenarios to the District 300 Board of Education to help alleviate overcrowding and provide extended-day kindergarten and preschool opportunities for qualifying students.

Letters
Today's letters: Golf 'clubhouse' not built with golfers in mind; letters confuse debate over immigrants vs. illegals; Big Oil content to do nothing about gas prices

Letters
Today's letters: Older neighborhoods at back of line for street repairs; applaud Noverini for campaign donor pledge

Letter: Elgin home care nurses should have first-responder status
The Weather Channel and news headlines remind us daily of the increased incidence of natural disasters in our communities. James McCarthy, professor of biological oceanography at Harvard University, shares, "As the world warms, we expect more and more intense tropical hurricanes and cyclones."

The Ombudsman
Today's issues: We don't encourage empty gestures; where to find Bandits games schedules

Letters: Public works projects tied to gambling expansion
Funding for the governor's Illinois Works program increased from $25 billion to $31 billion to $34 billion during the final days of the legislative session. The Senate linked gambling expansion bills with the capital construction program and passed the package full of pet projects on the last day of session. Now politicians at every level are lobbying the public to put pressure on the House to pass this gambling expansion scheme.

Letters
Today's letters: Immigrants have had a positive impact on U.S.; Munson's gas tax plan would help consumers

Letters

Foster's fuzzy math good only for laughs

Letter: Hampshire group thanks supporters, sponsors
The Women's Service League of Hampshire would like to thank our wonderful community for its support of our second annual Celebrity Bartending Bash. This year's evening was an even greater success, and once again our local celebrities drew a huge crowd.

Letters
LETTERS

The Ombudsman
Today's question: Why does The Courier list garage sales from other areas?

Letter: Is controlling what we eat our job or government's?
In regard to Kyle Livengood's letter to the editor on regulating fast-food offerings, I agree completely. I am a 5-foot-10-inch male and I weigh about 160 pounds. Unfortunately, I normally have to buy two "meal deals" when I eat at a fast-food restaurant because I am hungry and I suppose that I get a bit too much exercise.

Illinois needs own Proposition 13
The mood of constituents I serve is "furious" -- a toxic mixture of justifiable anger and frustration. Decent but desperate people feel themselves being squeezed between the realities of 25 percent property tax increases in some parts of Aurora, Geneva and Kendall County; 33 percent gas and grocery price hikes; shrinking home equity; and then political so-called leaders whose best answers are to ridiculously sue OPEC oil producers, demand pay raises for themselves, selfishly profit from $2 million land deals on earmarked highways that 75 to 85 percent of the people who live there voted in five different referenda that they don't want; and on and on.