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Opinion

County Response To SNAP Withholding Is Underwhelming

Local Commentaries

What are we to make of Trump’s handling of the SNAP “crisis”—one of his own making? Because he hasn’t offered a logical explanation of why anyone would want their fellow Americans to go hungry when the government is sitting on the resources they need, we have to read the contextual tea leaves. Before we do, a crucial caveat: the government shutdown isn’t an excuse; SNAP benefits have never been curtailed during previous shutdowns. This time, a federal court has ordered the administration to continue these benefits, but Trump is resisting that order. Given Trump’s ...

No Reason Not To Help The Poor

Local Commentaries

My church, Zion Covenant of Jamestown, is sponsoring a refugee family with seven kids. The father works as a janitor in a public elementary school making $16 an hour. Why is our government threatening their SNAP benefits? Some say the Democrats are at fault, but why is a federal judge ordering the Trump administration to release the contingency funds for SNAP benefits, and not the Democrats? Massachusetts US District Judge Indira Talwani is telling “the administration [that it] must access the contingency funding to pay the benefits and had until (November 3) to report back to the ...

Lots Of Red Flags In Spin From ‘Blueprint’

Editor's Corner

With under three weeks until Election Day, high-ranking Chautauqua County officials joined in on the blame game. It was not aimed at campaign opponents, but a much larger entity: New York state. Almost giddy, the dignitaries pointed out a recently released report by the Public Policy ...

Socialism Is More Intense Liberalism

Local Commentaries

There was a time when both major political parties had a substantial number of liberals and conservatives. But over the course of the lifetime of everyone reading this column today, liberals have shifted to the Democrats, while conservatives have shifted to the Republicans. That has led—within the GOP—to a philosophical shift that has been, on balance, good for the GOP and good for the country. ♦♦♦ The shift within the GOP isn’t the only shift. Yet the shift within the Democrat party has been, on balance, bad for the party and the country. How many Democrat ...

Court Decision Shines Light On Growing Energy Dilemma

In Our Opinion

Local officials have spoken loud and clear - they support Rep. Nick Langworthy’s Energy Choice Act. That bill seeks to prohibit states or local governments from banning an energy service’s connection, reconnection, modification, installation, or expansion based on the type or source of energy to be delivered. It’s a bill that seeks to protect those who heat with natural gas as states, including New York, increasingly push to end the use of natural gas in favor of solar and wind. The problem is Langworthy’s proposal is federal, while the problem local officials have to ...

Region Could Benefit From Santa’s House Expansion

In Our Opinion

Falconer Rotary Club and Falconer officials are looking for grant funding - including NY Forward grants - to expand operations at the Santa House and surrounding park in Falconer. Some of the improvements are small right now - improving handicapped accessibility in and out of the Santa House. A range of bigger projects include expanding the decorations in the Santa House to better transform the entire park into a winter wonderland so the space can be used throughout the entire winter season. Such projects could include updating the electricity within the house, as well as adding ...