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Local Commentaries

Hot Weather Menus

With the hot weather last week, I was drawn to the idea of hot weather menus. When it is that hot you really do not think much of eating. Something quick, something cold is the menu of choice. Of course, you get hungry, but the easier the menu the more appealing it is. Now that I am on my ...

To Save Chickens, Coonicide Is Justified

I committed coonicide last week. A month earlier, I had caught a raccoon by using a Havahart live trap near our chickens’ roosting space in our old barn. I hauled it over the hill and across the creek, and then I released it. No more. The first raccoon had been trapped after two of ...

It’s Easy To See Institution’s Importance

After suffering through a couple of COVID years, this year Chautauqua Institution is returning to full-strength. After nearly 150 years, the programming and nine-week season have become central to what living here means for us. When you live on West Lake Road (Route 394) it is easy to see ...

Parochial Schools Are Back In

The U.S. Supreme Court’s term ends shortly before July 4. Some opinions released just before a term’s end are especially important. Some opinions released just before a term’s end receive a lot of press attention in advance. Yet not all especially important opinions receive such ...

An Unexpected Source Of Help Prompts Self-Examination

This is the third and final installment of a vignette about a man named Casey. He’s been laid off from work for well past a year. He collects unemployment benefits to pay his bills. He lives with his dog, Beauty. COVID-19 led to his job loss. He has no clear view of his future. He pays ...

The Gift

In our lifetime we receive many gifts, but none as important as the gift of life. Our mothers gave us the ultimate gift. Whether we were conceived in love or otherwise, our mothers went through nine months of preparation for our birth. When you are pregnant you do not really think about ...