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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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