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Bridge Project Progresses Despite Issues

For those who use the Chautauqua Lake Bridge on a daily basis, there has been recent good news—there is now a “temporary” exit ramp for Bemus Point on the eastbound lane just as you cross the bridge. Businesses in Bemus and the Village had been asking that this be done, and, to its credit, the State DOT made the decision to do so. It complicates things a bit for workers and contractors who had been accessing the bridge from the east side. They will now have to come in from the west side in order to avoid traffic using the new exit ramp. But, the new arrangement, thus far, seems ...

“New School Year, New Possibilities”

As a public-school educator for 25 years, I have enjoyed an annual fresh start in early September. New students, new teachers, new pencils, new books to read… the excitement of our students coming back and the feeling that the opportunities are endless are definite perks of the job. Aside from the best day of the school year – High School Graduation – it’s my favorite time to work in schools. Last August, I attended a “Professional Learning Communities” Summit with several of my colleagues. It was an outstanding opportunity to hear world-renowned educators provide data and ...

A View From Lake Erie

I (Michael Dee) have lived most of my life on Lake Erie. In 1955 my dad escaped the city and bought a place on the lake, hoping to expand a boat livery there. But the devil fools with the best laid plans. Lake Erie nearly died in the 1960s, as did our boat livery. Today, while fishing five miles out, I ponder the magnificent fishery, the tranquility of a summer day, the impressive spring waterfowl migration, the majesty of winter ice, and the awesome storms of Lake Erie that rival the surges of hurricanes. Twenty-five thousand years ago the half-mile thick glacier that covered us for ...

Justice Requires Pardoning Jason McGuire

GENESEO—No one could have reasonably anticipated that at 5 p.m. on summer of 2025 Fridays, supporters of Rev. Jason McGuire would gather with him near the Livingston County jail entrance just before his surrender for weekend-long incarceration. Yet that’s what has happened. ♦♦♦ McGuire, a former Livingston County Conservative party, or LCCP, chair, and the current executive director of New York Families Foundation and New York Families Action, is bright, personable, cheerful, dedicated, and principled, all of which make him an effective advocate. According to ...

Comedy Connecting And Bonding The Community

We were heartened and encouraged by The Post-Journal’s recent editorial (August 16, 2025) noting that comedy is Jamestown’s unique strength – and we couldn’t agree more. The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival, now in its 35th year, once again welcomed visitors from 43 states and brought some of the brightest stars in comedy to our community. Together, the National Comedy Center, the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, and the festival make Jamestown comedy’s hometown – a place where comedy is both celebrated and shared. Each August, the Lucille Ball Comedy Festival brings visitors ...

A Barbecue In The Backyard

I read someplace, a long time ago, that this phrase was once used by former General and President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, in describing who an American was. Ike is purported to have said something along the line that: “Americans are people who enjoy having a barbecue in their own backyard.” It sounds a bit “hoaky,” but I can envision him saying it, and it really does say a lot about who we are. We like our free time and are good at having fun doing it. Whether you are at a ball game, out on your boat on the lake, or sitting down in the backyard having a ...