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Dear Editor:
Loved your article on ALDI, I have
shopped at ALDI for many years, I’m
fortunate now to live only two blocks
away from the ALDI.
It’s a great store to shop at especially
at holiday time (Thanksgiving/
Christmas). Their frozen ButterBall
Turkeys are always .99 cent a
pound. When we get heavy snow on
the ground, I purchase their salt, only
.33 cent a box, normally I buy about
9 boxes at a time, runs about $2.97
plus tax. Also for your parties they
have cheese balls which is a favorite
of mine, for $1.99 a ball. They have
Cranberry, Grape and Wild Berry
cocktail drinks at holiday time.
Another favorite of mine is also
the Jumbo Fried Shrimp, only $2.99
a box, for Shrimp Salad, I also buy
the Frozen Jumbo Shrimp runs about
$3.89. Last summer I catered a Trunk
party for my Niece, and I served a
Shrimp Salad prepared with the Jumbo
Frozen Shrimp and the guest are
still talking about it! I also purchased
some Tuna in Lemon sauce, it was
one of those “Special Purchases” they
advertise throughout the year. I was a
little skeptical at first, the tuna was
so delicious, I wish I had purchase
several more cans.
I was in Aldi about 2 weeks ago,
they had marked down some of their
Christmas items, I bought a container
of Chocolate covered Macadamia for
$1.99, a jar of Cranberry Chutney for
a $1.29., neither one of these items
was pass the expiration date. I almost
forgot, they have small smoked sausages,
great for breakfast and I bought
some for a party, I steamed them and
stuck a toothpick thru them and served
with a sauce, they run around $2.29 a
package. Some other items worthy of
mention is their Thick Sliced Bacon
under $4.00. Throughout the year
they feature speciality desserts, many
are German, the only thing they don’t
carry are pancakes, and I love pancakes.
They have waffles, they have biscuits,
but no pancakes. For breakfast I love
hashbrowns, therefore Aldi is the place
to pickup my hashbrowns, I fry them
up and bring them to the workplace
for the whole week, only $1.49 a package,
I love their Sunday hours, on my
way from Church, I will swing by and
pick up a few items.
The store and parking area are
well-kept, the Manager and Crew
are helpful and courteous. Even if a
line is
long it’s goes very fast, the cashiers
are well-trained and speedy. I miss
Jewel, but I’m saving more money at
Aldi.
I’m very appreciative of this store.
Hope they stay awhile.
Ann Jarrett

Dear Editor:
Thanks for the great article about the
new Aldi. I always used to laugh at
Aldi people but have become a big
fan. The savings are incredible and
the Aldi system is very well thought
out, especially the quick checkout.
There is always something new and
usually closeouts at very low prices.
The employees are extremely hard
working probably because they make
a good wage with benefits. Also,
thanks for the heads-up on Save-ALot
stores. I have to check that out.
Mike Berkowitz
Editor’s note: In regard to the
Aldi article, which truly created a
stir (a really big one as you can see
here!), I wish to correct one item.
ALDI does own Trader Joe’s, but not
Sav-A-Lot. Indeed, those stores were
started as direct competitors. My
apologies and thank you, Ken.

Dear Editor:
I am so glad you wrote an article
about Aldi. I discovered it about 15
yrs ago when I was a newly divorced
single mom of 3 little kids, making
about $25,000 a year and struggling
because day care was taking up nearly
50% of my income. My grocery
budget was about $40 a week at that
time and Aldi was the only place I
could get a week’s worth of groceries
on that budget. As the years went
on I continued to shop at Aldi as the
quality of the food is just as good as
the name brands. You can make an
entire Spaghetti meal for 4 for under
$7.00, this includes the pasta, sauce,
1lb of ground turkey & garlic bread.
Fast forward 15 years.. I am now
making triple the amount of money
I was making when I first started
shopping at Aldi, but I continue to
shop there. I don’t understand why
someone would want to spend $3.49
for milk when you can get it for under
$2.00. Aldi prices are sometimes
50% less than the name brands. I
actually just returned from my biweekly
grocery trip and got an entire
overflowing cart worth of groceries
for $140, I had over 9 LARGE Aldi
bags full of food. If I had went to
one of the bigger grocery stores I
would have spent well over $200!!!
I am also glad you brought up the
Trader Joe’s connection... I also shop
there but have to drive all the way
to Orland Park for the nearest one.
When the Jewel shut down I immediately
thought it would be a great
location for a Trader Joe’s. I submitted
a request on their website to see
if they would consider Blue Island
for a location. I know Jewel doesn’t
want a grocery store there but I am
hoping they would reconsider since
Trader Joe’s is more of a specialty
grocer and not an actual supermarket.
I know the entire building it
too much square footage for them
but maybe we can have them lease
half of the building and find another
retailer for the other half, maybe
World Market or the fitness center,
Cardinal Fitness.
Blue Island is filled with Middle
Class hard working people looking
for ways to cut back and Aldi is
definitely worth checking out!!!
Tonia Cerny

Dear Editor:
Every time we come to a primary,
a lot of people are left out of the
process. If you are an independent
voter, in order to vote, you’re compelled
to vote for one party. What if
you like some Democrats and some
Republicans or even an independent?
I think you should be able to
have a ballot that shows all candidates.
That way you can pick the
candidates you want. For instance if
you want a certain person for Governor,
you can’t vote for another. I can
only think of one reason the election
board wants the present system is so
the party that wins knows who they
owe favors to and knows who they
will ignore, or at times, make life
rough on someone just because they
voted the other way. I won’t be voting
this time around. Change the
rules and treat us fair!
Carl F Rollberg

Dear Editor,
I know that Ms. Eskra’s letter about
city council was tongue-in-cheek
when she commented about the “dirt
bike path” of Maple Avenue, but she
brought up a topic near and dear to
my heart (other than repaving Blue
Island’s streets!).
The city of Blue Island is supporting
the creation of the Cal-Sag mixed
use trail. The Cal-Sag trail will be a
huge asset to this city on so many
levels. We will gain a paved, non-motorized,
26 mile long transit corridor
that will connect Lemont on the west
to Burhnam on the east--and include
all the communities in between--such
as Palos Heights, Crestwood and
Alsip. The trail will allow people to
get to and from work or play, to get
physically active for free, to enjoy
time with nature, to learn about local
history, to cut down on pollution, and
even to reduce car traffic on our roads.
An added benefit is that it will
become an economic draw for our
community. Since Blue Island is
strategically placed on two Metra
lines, there will be many people who
will use our town to access the trail.
Those people will likely spend a few
dollars supporting the community.
The historic nature of Blue Island will
attract even more trail users to check
out our uptown, visit local restaurants,
and otherwise enjoy the city.
One needs only look to Frankfort for
an excellent example; The Old Plank
Road trail drives a lot of the business
in that town.
Many Blue Islanders are working
hard to see the Cal-Sag trail become
reality. Come join us at the Friends
of the Cal-Sag Trail (www.calsagtrail.
org) on the 4th Tuesday of each
month to learn about how you can
help. Meetings alternate between the
Alsip and Palos Heights rec centers
and are held at 7 pm.
Jane Healy

Dear Editor:
The January 27 Forum correspondence
from the reader Candace
Carr, (CARR home-garden-holiday)
admonishing--- even scolding, the
townspeople to attend city council
meetings was Pollyannaish, par excellence.
It is useless for the sheep of Blue
Island to propose vegetarianism when
the wolves with their superior dentition
are in power. A few years ago
I graced my presence at several city
council get-togethers and compared
firsthand my high school tutoring in
civics with the political facts-of- life.
At the near end of the reunion, the
public was granted a few hurried minutes
to put into words, their dissatisfactions;
however, it was conspicuous
that the mayor, his honor and the city
council elders appeared uninterested,
even annoyed as seemingly anticipating
quick adjournment. A middle
aged man, apparently a regular, had
some observations as the mayor shot
him his you’re-a-crackpot stare and
hurried him along. One lady struggled
to point out a driving hazard to
the public as his honor, growled “will
look into it” and yet months later I
recognized the same defect unrepaired.
When I was a schoolboy, I recall
one teacher exhorting the class to put
in writing concerns to our elected officials so we too, could be part of participatory
democracy. Well recently I
did take her up on her suggestion and
put pen to paper to my senators and
congress person to suggest a more
humane approach to immigration, yet
nary a we-got-your-letter postcard did
I receive.
I also ventured to write his honor,
the mayor and my alderpersons to
suggest expanding city voting privileges
to all adult residents in town,
including the thousands of tax-paying,
law-abiding, illegal Americans, who
call Blue Island home, with the hope
of more public involvement in city
problems, but alas no acknowledgment
of my dispatch.
What has the municipality done
about the crumbling streets? The nuisance
of railroad noise ? Re-planting
trees? Unhappily, the city fathers, like
the politicos in far away Washington,
answers, essentially to the well-heeled
and influential, yet virtually all Blue
Islanders lack membership in that
club.
Last week the U.S. Supreme Court
gave mega-corporations the green
light to splurge millions, nay billions,
of riches they rip off the public, to
promote their money making schemes
by allowing unrestricted cash flow to
politicians! Their logic was down to
earth: giving money to elected officials
is a constitutionally protected right of
free speech extended to American big
business ! (?)
Sorry Candace, the mayor and the
political powerful will not listen to the
cash- strapped public. As Mark Twain
observed over a hundred years ago,
“We have the best government money
can buy.”
Rather than end on a sour note, let’s
keep in mind that the best way to
change the world is to change ourselves
and discover how to be content
in our tiny nook of the universe. No
need to sharpen our fingernails, give
Rome time as the acid rain and greenhouse
gases will eventually crumble
those marble columns.
Meantime, me thinks I will go
back and mop my kitchen floor, at
least that muck can be cleansed away.
Juan P. Cueva, M.D.

Dear Editor,
It is my pleasure again to thank
the wonderful paramedics that came
to my rescue on December 15, 2009. I had fallen in my kitchen and was
unable to get up. My son called 911.
How quickly the following Paramedics
arrived – Dennis Connell and Adam
Staszewski. Having skilled professionals
such as these in the City of Blue
Island should make every citizen assured
that they are in good hands and
will be taken care of by compassionate,
caring people. I congratulate the
Fire Department for services rendered
in the past and in the future. Keep
up the good work to all of you gentlemen.
I am home from the hospital and
feeling great. Thank you very much.
Nancy L. Thompson

Dear Editor,
We would like to thank Folgers
Flag & Decorating for their donation
of balsam garland to the City of
Blue Island . The garland was used to
decorate City Hall and the Blue Island
Library during the holidays.
We not only appreciate the donation
of garland, but the Folgers
Family’s commitment to Blue Island!
The City of Blue Island

Dear Editor,
The City of Blue Island’s 2009
Rock-Around-the-Clock New Year’s
Eve Celebration continued the tradition
of seeing in the New Year with a
professional Fireworks Display thanks
to generous donations from the following:
Ken Young Food Distributors
Inc.; G&W Electric Co., Beggar’s Pizza;
Fraternal Order of Eagles #1332,
Double Play Saloon, Three Sisters
Antique Mall (The Murphy Family),
Mall Managers (the Brienzo Family),
Mayor Peloquin and the Progress
Party, Blue Island Area Chamber of
Commerce & Industry, Korbakes
Liquors, Tenochtitan Restorante (the
Rodriquez Family), Andrew Knoell
and Earl Summers, Tom Hawley and
Tome Mantel, Greg Lochow, Sandy
Addison Miller and Tom Miller, the
McDermott Family, the Poulsen Family,
and the Sklom Family.
Just one more example of why Blue
Island is such a great community!
City of Blue Island

Dear Editor:
I read with interest your feature
article on Jebsen’s Hardware on Olde
Western Avenue in Blue Island. Thank
you for spotlighting a retail treasure.
Upon entry with a bell on the front
door to the well-worn wooden floor,
Jebsen’s Hardware has character! The
staff is knowledgeable and their assistance
valuable.
Last Thanksgiving weekend I
stopped by for a new strainer for my
1930s porcelain kitchen sink that was
experiencing problems with a clogged
drain. A helpful Jeben’s staff member
told me to try Dawn’s Dishwasher
soap and hot water to degrease the
pipe. It worked!
Hardware Stores like Schreibers on
131st and Western Avenue hold fond
memories for this native Blue Islander.
I remember getting skate keys there
for my metal skates and the wonderment
of browsing the aisles for all the
variety of items.
Please feature other Blue Island
establishments who are part of our
business district. I so enjoy your
newspaper. Thank you.
Madeline M. Spurck

Dear Editor,
I wish to take exception to the letter
by Linda M. Eskra in which Ms.
Eskra heaps scorn on the subject of
bike routes in Blue Island . I would
like to point out to Ms. Eskra that
she is beating the wrong horse. The
city administration is guiltless when it
comes to the subject of providing new
bicycle routes in Blue Island.
The efforts to develop a new bike
route program in our community are
the result of hard work by citizens and
groups who have devoted a great deal
of time and effort over the last ten
years. Now these efforts are beginning
to result in securing grants, and donations
to cover required matching finds
from sources outside of the local tax
base. The only thing asked of the city
administration thus far has been enabling
authorization to allow the effort
to continue. Ms. Eskra has chosen to
heap ridicule and scorn on these civic
minded efforts in order to have a few
cheap yuks! Ms. Eskra is beating the
wrong horse with the wrong whip, for
the wrong reasons.
I want to extend my appreciation to
those citizens who are still active in the
project, and still have the inspiration
and stamina to continue their volunteer
efforts in behalf of our community
– even when others citizens ridicule
their effort. Sadly.
R. C. Young

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