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Vehicle Plate Fraud Is Driven By NYC

Local Commentaries

When I was on the campaign trail for Chautauqua County Clerk, the news stories about possible wrongdoing at our county DMV locations were impossible to miss. County residents were receiving toll charges, in some cases thousands of dollars, for tolls and speeding infractions on license plates they’d surrendered to one of our DMVs. This was a terrible situation for the victims spending countless hours fighting fines and fees they weren’t responsible for. When I was elected, tackling this issue became my top priority. After taking office January 1, I visited all three county DMV ...

When Will It Ever Stop, Or Won’t It?

Local Commentaries

Back on December 15th after awakening at my usual 2 a.m.-ish time, I found an email on my phone from the New York Times (they are trying to recruit me as a subscriber), as I do about a dozen times a day. The first story they shared before all the popups thwarted my attempt to read more, was the sad story of the brutal murder of actor/director Rob Reiner and his wife. After I read what I could before cursing the popups, I’d read a few of the comments that followed the story. One of the first ones was a remark calling Reiner a brutal liberal Democrat who should have just kept his mouth ...

Residency Trajectory Still Going South

Editor's Corner

Latest U.S. Census projections should not have New Yorkers in the doldrums, but they are far from a beacon of hope. According to the estimates released in late January, the Empire State saw a smidgeon of growth in 2025 when compared to the previous year with a gain of more than 1,000 ...

Survivors Deserve Full Transparency In Epstein Case

In Our Opinion

“The more Epstein documents get released, the more we see how he had so many powerful friends, and that’s ultimately what helped him,” commented the US lawyer Lisa Bloom in an interview with the Guardian this week. As Ms Bloom, who represents 11 of Jeffrey Epstein’s dogged and brave victims, drily notes: “That’s not the way the justice system is supposed to work.” From the outset, the Epstein affair has offered a textbook example of the ability of the influential and well-connected to avoid scrutiny and intimidate those who would exert it. A ruthless pursuit of ...

Sometimes Doing Nothing Is Right

Local Commentaries

MAYVILLE—Sometimes the most forward-thinking among us are those first to realize they took a wrong turn, and then reverse course and take the right road. In that light, congratulations go to the Chautauqua County legislature. Let’s set the stage. During its regular meetings, the legislature has two privileges of the floor—times when anyone, including legislators themselves, can publicly address the legislature, subject to time limits and, of course, limits of decorum. Under current rules, the first privilege is at the beginning of the meeting. Then, comments must be ...

Vandalism, Thefts From Veterans Is Ridiculous

In Our Opinion

A couple of days ago in this space, we again noted the rising use of cameras in the area. There are legitimate privacy concerns that should be addressed as our society turns to technology to help improve public safety. It’s also worth noting the nuisance crimes that are helping drive society to technology. Recently, we reported on an issue discussed by the city Veterans Commission regarding thefts and vandalism at Lakeview Cemetery. The city has received multiple reports of bronze markers and other items being removed or stolen from gravesites and memorials, not just in Lakeview ...