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In Our Opinion

County Is Stepping Up On Municipal Merger Proposals

Too often, we look to New York state government for money to help solve our problems. One of those problems has been the merger of local governments and school districts. We still don’t think the state has been proactive enough on that front, particularly after the 2008-09 Lundine Commission’s recommendations focused on local government consolidation. And we’ve been critical in the past of the county not pushing harder when it comes to shared services proposals. So it’s hard to criticize County Executive PJ Wendel for finding county money to help with two current merger ...

It’s Up To The Community To Save Ribfest

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. An event with a familiar name struggles to get volunteers after years of successful operation. Or, organizers decide they want to focus on other things and make the decision to cut their losses. In either case, the community that didn’t hear the pleas for volunteers before the announcement ends up swooping in at the last minute to save the event. It’s becoming an all too familiar tale in Chautauqua County. The Downtown Jamestown Cruise-In, Mayville’s Winterfest, Jamestown’s holiday parade, the turning of the Chadakoin River Green. ...

Loss Of Refresco Is Simply Latest Blow For Ag Industry

Farming has been a way of life for many in Chautauqua County for as long as there has been a Chautauqua County. That way of life is increasingly difficult, as we were all reminded recently when news broke that Refresco, a grape processing plant located on Talcott Street in Dunkirk, is ending its relationship with 126 grape growers throughout the region. Officials with the Lake Erie Regional Grape Project have known since the end of the 2025 grape harvest that growers need to make changes. Jennifer Phillips Russo, Cornell Lake Erie Regional Grape Program Team Leader and Viticulture ...

Frewsburg Takes Over As County’s New Title Town

For a small county, Chautauqua has had more than its share of championship-winning teams and athletes over the years. Add the 2024-25 and 2025-26 Frewsburg girls basketball team to that list. Led by Jadyn Trocki and coach Sierra Beaver, the Lady Bears have entered rarified air by winning back-to-back championships after losing three starters from the 2024-25 team to graduation. Frewsburg became the first Section VI girls program to win back-to-back titles since Pine Valley won three straight from 2003 to 2005. The Bears are also the sixth Class C program to go back to back and ...

State Lawmakers Don’t Deserve A $42K Pay Raise

Surely, New York’s Democrats can’t be serious with yet another proposal to increase legislative salaries. Unfortunately, at least one is. Sen. James Sanders, D-South Ozone Park, is proposing a new increase in lawmakers’ salaries from $142,000 to $180,000. We’d say the bill is an April Fool’s Day joke, but it was introduced March 2 instead of April 1. It’s only been three years since state legislators gave themselves a $32,000 raise in exchange for a $35,000 limit on outside income. Sanders says state lawmakers have earned the raise by overseeing one of the largest state ...

No, The City Isn’t Coming For Christmas Decorations, Displays

Well, that quick City Council Housing Committee discussion escalated quickly. We don’t think the City Council is coming for the Christmas displays that everyone enjoys in December. Nor do we think the city is going to all of the sudden start issuing code violation citations for Halloween or Fourth of July displays. By and large, people enjoy holiday decorations. Even the grinchiest curmudgeon in our midst can find a little joy in a beautiful Christmas display on a cold December night. You don’t have to be Jack Skellington to appreciate a neighbor’s Halloween when taking the ...