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Opinion

Can county legislators actually say no?

In Our Opinion

We still struggle to justify automatic pay raises each year for Chautauqua County lawmakers - though judging from last week’s vote Republican lawmakers have no such struggle. In 2024, the county legislature voted to increase the base salary of individual legislators from $9,000 to $14,732, an increase of about 64%. It was the first pay hike in about 20 years. It’s a failing of the legislature that, in our opinion, they’re overcorrecting with the automatic pay raises now. The only reason the legislature didn’t get a raise over the course of 20 years is that the body ...

Theatre’s Use Of AI In Advertising Is Small Potatoes

In Our Opinion

When one sees a 12 panel post on Facebook from a local institution, it’s fair to assume the news isn’t good. So there was a bit of breath-holding when we read through a post by the Lucille Ball Little Theatre recently. We didn’t have to read much of the statement before we were able to exhale. Aubrey Russell, the theatre’s board president, was discussing the use of artificial intelligence in some of the theatre’s social media and advertising. The news could have been much worse. We understand the concerns over the use of artificial intelligence. We have them as well in ...

What Good, But Previously Dismissed, Ideas Could We Be Ready For Now?

In Our Opinion

On its own, it’s not the biggest news that the towns of Ellington and Charlotte are looking to merge courts and share one judge. In 2021, the towns of Sherman, Mina, French Creek and Clymer merged their courts to a single operation. That was followed by the towns of Harmony and North Harmony court merger that took effect Jan. 1, 2025. These mergers are a logical reaction to the county’s declining population and the resulting decrease in rural court caseloads. There is no good reason why Ellington and Charlotte should not move forward with a formal court merger since they already ...

Blaming New York Won’t Bring Chautauqua County Jobs Back

Local Commentaries

Bush Industries is closing, leaving more than 200 people without work in the south of the county. In a region that has already absorbed losses from Truck-Lite and Serta, this is not just another closure. It’s a blow to the foundation of our community. And once again, instead of sitting with that reality and doing the hard work to solve it, our Republican leadership is reaching for a familiar script. Blame New York State. Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Andrew Molitor both pointed to “burdensome regulations” and the cost of doing business in New York as the ...

UPMC Ready To Respond After Facility Closures

Letters To The Editor

To The Reader’s Forum: The health needs of a community can change over time, especially in rural areas. What matters most is making sure people can get care close to home, when they need it. You may have seen that Bradford Regional Medical Center recently closed its inpatient and emergency department services. Changes like this can be difficult for patients, families and the community — and can raise questions about where to turn for care. At UPMC, our focus is to make sure care remains accessible, reliable, and easy to navigate. We are committed to supporting ...

A Beautiful Day On The Expressway

Local Commentaries

Most people now call it I-86, but I still call it the “Southern Tier Expressway.” That expresses what it truly is. On an overcast day last fall, my wife and I were returning from the Syracuse area where one of our kids lives. It is quicker to take the Thruway to get home, but I always opt for the back roads and the expressway that threads through the hills of the Southern Tier. As we came up the big hill heading west from Bath, the clouds were almost touching the ground as we came to the summit of the pass at Howard. When we drove by Hornell, I said to my wife, “I think ...