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Becoming Isolated From Family, Friends

What is ripping apart our social fabric? Is it the effects of the COVID lockdown? Is it political bitterness? Consider weddings and funerals. In years past, I thought about Social Security in terms of myself or my wife and immediate family. I never consciously thought about childhood friends or acquaintances. But, whether I knew it or not, they were “in the picture” as I decided which political issues to support. When I considered whether to donate to a charity, I never consciously thought about whether that charity was a favorite of this or that grandchild. Who does — ...

A Man Is Tortured By Alcoholic Wife

The second of three installments offered a touch more substantive insights into my client, Mason. He’s a retired nurse practitioner. He has siblings, children and grandchildren, and a few friends and acquaintances. He states that his energy is drained. He otherwise appears healthy. Nevertheless, he signed a consent form to allow me access to information sharing with both his PCP and good friend, Christian. Prior to the third visit, I made contact with Mason’s PCP. She shared some vital information. She’d been encouraging Mason to seek therapy. His BP was high, though not ...

Bunker Mentality Supports Area Spikes?

The primary responsibility of the Chautauqua County Department of Health and the County Executive’s Office throughout the COVID-19 crisis is to protect the lives and health of all Chautauqua County residents. In response to the article printed in the Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, Post-Journal entitled “Drastic Rise,” I would like to issue the following statement. There was no decision by Chautauqua County Government to say we deliberately waited or wished the situation at Fieldbrook Foods would go away. To the contrary, on Thursday, Aug. 20, we were informed that there was a ...

City Expands Transparency Efforts

It was my goal when I ran for Mayor to make city government more transparent and open to the public we serve. We started immediately after my inauguration by continuing the new practice of streaming City Council meetings online through the city website. Sometimes a crisis has a way of moving forward technology in unexpected, positive ways. When the pandemic caused all but essential operations to shut down, we were easily able to transition to streaming City Council meetings and other board meetings to the City website and eventually to social media. This simple act has resulted in ...

Governmental Pecking Order Comes In Focus

Most Americans are generally familiar that there is a “pecking order” when it comes to government. The federal government sits at the top, then come the states followed by the counties, and then all of the various forms of local government from towns to cities to villages and then school districts. In New York state, townships and cities tend to be deemed at the same level — at least when it comes to the property tax. A town cannot tax county property but it can tax a city — case in point, the town of Poland taxes the city of Jamestown for its investments in the town including ...

Better Sooner Than Later

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE — Imagine the impression of Native Americans who, however long ago, first laid eyes on Chautauqua Lake. With all of their respect for the natural world, they must have thought this lake was a treasure. The first Europeans to encounter it, just over two centuries ago, must have thought the same. The same is true of those who almost a century and a half ago founded what in many ways would become an iconic American cultural institution on the shores of the lake. The lake is a natural resource that has attracted tourists from near and far for generations. It’s ...