Federal Actions Can’t Be Condoned

February 7, 2026

You cannot consider yourself an informed citizen and condone what this administration is allowing ICE to do in our communities. You cannot rationalize targeting states with immigrant numbers in the low 500,000’s such as Minnesota while ignoring states such as Texas with numbers over 6 million. This is the result of a president whose only “vision” is vengeance, cruelty, and greed. He is the only president in our history that has put the United States on the Human Rights Watch List. The Homeland Security funding bill is attempting to maintain ICE’s annual budget of ...

Majority Leader: Review Needed For Affordability Proposals

February 7, 2026

During the January 28, 2026 meeting of the Chautauqua County Legislature, two resolutions; Resolution 18‑26 (the “Affordability Act of 2026”) and Resolution 19‑26 (Amend Senior Real Property Tax Exemption) were brought directly to the floor without having gone through the Legislature’s required committee process. Because neither item was submitted through the proper channels and neither qualified as an emergency resolution, the Legislature appropriately voted to refer both resolutions to committee. This action was not a rejection of affordability measures nor senior tax ...

Trump Derangement Syndrome Is Severe

February 6, 2026

Here we are at the first anniversary of the Trump presidency. Or the fifth, depending on how you count. * * * Many things are striking about it. One of them is the number of his opponents with Trump Derangement Syndrome. Another is the severity of their Trump Derangement Syndrome. Is derangement a new malady among opponents of presidents standing athwart the statist agenda? No, of course not. Yet Trump Derangement Syndrome is different in both the number of his opponents who have it and in its severity. So what’s up? If those with Trump Derangement Syndrome are ...

Having A Sweet Tooth During A Blizzard

January 31, 2026

By Marcy O’Brien Running out of Werther’s hard caramels doesn’t qualify as an earth-shattering crisis. Unless the only hard candy left in the house are the candy canes hanging on the Christmas tree. And they of course contain sugar. I’m supposed to limit my sugar intake. Werther’s, a German company, has been making their butterscotch-flavored morsel since 1909. They sell their candies in 100 countries. Here in the States, the candy has developed a reputation as a senior citizen favorite. Last Christmas, my grandson, Malcolm, said my candy dish was full of “old lady ...

Telling Secrets To A Machine

January 31, 2026

I know people who are using ChatGPT as their personal therapist, and they always seem amazed by the quality of Chat’s answers. I’m guessing a great percentage of the questions posed to Chat go something like this: “This guy I like never called me back, and so I texted him, and he wrote a flat answer back with no emojis, and so I tried to call him like two days later, and he never picked up and never called back, and I don’t know what to do. Do you think he likes me?” And Chat will answer with something like this: “No.” Chat is definitely not the “Girl, give him ...

Memorable Tales Of Lorna Doone

January 31, 2026

Lorna Doone is a historical romance novel that was written by R.D. Blackmore, and was first published in 1869. To be perfectly honest, that’s about all I really know about it. I do have, however, some very fond memories of a different Lorna Doone, and its place in my past, and present. Back in the days of growing up at 92 Bowen St. in Jamestown, Saturday mornings were planned out for us, before we could plan anything else. On some Saturdays, my brother Lou and I had Altar Server (Knights of the Altar) meetings at St. James Church, and after coming home we each found a note from mom ...