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The Difficult Decision To Downsize

Local Commentaries

When you get to be my age, if you haven’t already, you start to think about downsizing the footprint of your life. It makes common sense to do so—the kids are grown and on their own, you are tired of mowing the grass and maintaining the house, and you just don’t need as much room anymore. But, there is more to it than that. You are also becoming aware that you won’t live forever, and having things more simple in your life is good, not only for you, but for your family, for your friends and for those around you. Some of this is also health driven. Your body and back just ...

Nixing Annual Hunger Survey Won’t Mean Fewer Hungry Children

In Our Opinion

President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is anything but for the nation’s poorest families. Among the numerous cruel elements to the new spending plan are food-program cuts that are expected to increase “food insecurity” — also known as hunger — for millions of Americans, including children. What terrible optics going into the midterm election season. But no worries. Trump’s administration this month announced how it intends to address the politically inconvenient specter of coddling billionaires at the expense of impoverished Americans who will go hungry: It’s ...

Inciting Violence Isn’t Protected Speech

Local Commentaries

Let’s pick up where we left off last week. Intolerance directly or indirectly begetting (1) threats of or (2) actual physical violence may ultimately reflect something along the spectrum from disrespect for others to disregard of the rule of law. It’s often smart to pull back on the rhetorical reins long before loose language rises to the level of implicit threats, much less explicit threats. Since the Sept. 10 assassination of Charles James Kirk, many have called for pulling back on the rhetorical reins. Toning it down. Being respectful of others. Such calls have been ...

State GOP Brass Comfy In Small Victories

Editor's Corner

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s re-election campaign more than a year away already appears to be navigating in troubled waters. After proposing a $51.5 billion spending plan that had revenues exceeding expenses by $4.5 billion, Senate Republicans rejected the proposal, seeking an option ...

Without Consequences For Not Filing, Fiscal Stress Rankings Are Pointless

In Our Opinion

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office released its latest fiscal stress rankings last week. Don’t look to see Jamestown, Fredonia or Dunkirk on the lists though. They didn’t file the required reports in time to be included in the rankings. Those who pay attention to local budgets know the news isn’t good for Dunkirk, which is getting by on loans from the state while staving off a financial control board by the skin of its teeth. Fredonia’s village budget approved in April came with a 65% tax increase. Jamestown, meanwhile, is in the best shape of the three but ...

Enforcing Traffic Laws Is Answer To Falconer Traffic Complaints

In Our Opinion

Central Avenue in Falconer isn’t the only street in the area where residents want something done to calm traffic. But ultimately, all of the new stop signs, reflective strips or new speed limit signs posted every 20 feet won’t slow down traffic the way neighborhood residents expect them to unless we’re talking about the installation of speed bumps. That’s not to say speed or failure to obey existing signs aren’t a problem. They are, whether we’re talking about Central Avenue in Falconer or Newland Avenue in Jamestown or Norby Road in Kiantone. The behavior of drivers is ...