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Sports Gambling Debate Is Far From Over

In Our Opinion

More than $2 billion a month is spent on sports betting in New York state - including a record $2.64 billion in October 2025. Needless to say there was pent-up demand when state legislators approved online sports betting back in 2022. And, let’s be honest, the state was looking for a new revenue stream to pay for new programs. It was a match made in heaven. But the longer we go down the road with mobile sports betting the more some legislators are having second thoughts. It’s obvious that, in their zeal for new money to spend and the cacophony of people pushing for mobile ...

Lessons Learned From Capra

Local Commentaries

Coming home from college for winter break, I decided to revisit a classic winter film while recovering from my wisdom teeth extraction. That movie was It’s a Wonderful Life, directed by Frank Capra. Although the film was released in 1946, it contains themes that transcend eras. One element in particular stood out to me this time around: the conduct of Mr. Potter, the film’s main antagonist. His fixation on money and control feels eerily similar to how modern private equity reshapes communities one acquisition at a time. What I appreciate most about Capra’s portrayal of Potter ...

Years Of Fulfilling Christmas Dreams

Local Commentaries

Marcy’s vacation week offers a holiday column excerpted from her book, Rounding Third … originally from 2006. Christmastime is pure nostalgia. Many of my holiday memories began with our children’s arrival. I will never forget the total exhaustion of falling into bed after filling the last stocking and cleaning up the toy construction evidence. The elves who visited our house weren’t super handy or organized. Depending on how successful last-minute wrapping and battery searches were, bedtime followed – during a lucky year at 2:00am. Often much later. I never felt as stringy ...

Punishments Must Be Harsher For Student-Teacher Sex Crimes

In Our Opinion

Twice in less than two months, area teachers have been accused of inappropriate conduct with students. First came news that the Westfield Academy and Central School Board of Education was aware of claims against a current staff member accused of inappropriate behavior. Then, just a couple of weeks ago, a Pine Valley teacher and coach was charged with charged with third-degree sexual abuse, forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child. Slisz turned himself in at the Chautauqua County Jail for central arraignment. He is to answer the charges in the Town of Cherry Creek ...

Closure Of College Fitness Facility Upsets City Resident, Longtime User

Local Commentaries

The following is a response to an opinion in the Jamestown Post-Journal on Dec. 4, 2025. I was a JCC Total Fitness member from 2000 to 2020, until it was closed down by the state in early March 2020 due to COVID. JCC Life Fitness had to close, half way through my 2019-2020 membership. In 2024 I found out via word of mouth that JCC Total Fitness had reopened. I closed my Planet Fitness membership which I had from fall 2022 to March 2024 and I rejoined JCC Total Fitness. I have gone to Life Fitness the last 1.5 years, five days a week for 1.5 hours each day. I don’t go to the YMCA due ...

The Lake Freezes Before Christmas

Local Commentaries

We have lived on Chautauqua Lake now for over 30 years and have very seldom seen the lake, as it now is, iced-over before Christmas. It may have happened once or twice before, but then, I think, it was only partially frozen. The snowfall this year has also been significant, i.e. the kind of snow you usually see in January or February. At last count, the Village of Mayville had recorded 58.9 inches of snow. We have already seen, in December, a few ice fishermen on the lake—a scene that usually takes place in mid to late January. Winter is upon us! The other day an eagle landed out ...