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In Our Opinion

We May Be On A Long-Awaited New Path For Chautauqua Lake

There’s often little agreement when it comes to Chautauqua Lake. This year, in our opinion, most reasonable people agreed that conditions on the lake were a mess, particularly in the south basin. The rise of elodea,which is not classified by the DEC as an invasive plant, was a particular problem in the south basin. It’s worth noting that A.J. Reyes, the project lead on Chautauqua Lake at GEI Consultants, didn’t think issues in the south basin were caused by any particular management decisions or actions, though he did say the large amount of elodea growth seems out of the ...

Nixing Annual Hunger Survey Won’t Mean Fewer Hungry Children

President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is anything but for the nation’s poorest families. Among the numerous cruel elements to the new spending plan are food-program cuts that are expected to increase “food insecurity” — also known as hunger — for millions of Americans, including children. What terrible optics going into the midterm election season. But no worries. Trump’s administration this month announced how it intends to address the politically inconvenient specter of coddling billionaires at the expense of impoverished Americans who will go hungry: It’s ...

Without Consequences For Not Filing, Fiscal Stress Rankings Are Pointless

State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office released its latest fiscal stress rankings last week. Don’t look to see Jamestown, Fredonia or Dunkirk on the lists though. They didn’t file the required reports in time to be included in the rankings. Those who pay attention to local budgets know the news isn’t good for Dunkirk, which is getting by on loans from the state while staving off a financial control board by the skin of its teeth. Fredonia’s village budget approved in April came with a 65% tax increase. Jamestown, meanwhile, is in the best shape of the three but ...

Enforcing Traffic Laws Is Answer To Falconer Traffic Complaints

Central Avenue in Falconer isn’t the only street in the area where residents want something done to calm traffic. But ultimately, all of the new stop signs, reflective strips or new speed limit signs posted every 20 feet won’t slow down traffic the way neighborhood residents expect them to unless we’re talking about the installation of speed bumps. That’s not to say speed or failure to obey existing signs aren’t a problem. They are, whether we’re talking about Central Avenue in Falconer or Newland Avenue in Jamestown or Norby Road in Kiantone. The behavior of drivers is ...

Democrats Need To Learn Their Lesson From Bail Reform, Halt Act

A state prisons panel is recommending changes to the state’s HALT Act that governs the way state prisons use solitary confinement. The panel is requesting state legislators make 10 changes, most notably clarification that sexual harassment, lewd conduct, extortion, and attempted escape are behaviors that make someone eligible for solitary confinement greater flexibility in allowing solitary confinement for acts that are heinous and destructive modifications to existing positive incentive programs. It remains to be seen what the state Legislature does when it has the opportunity to ...

Chautauqua, Mayville School Merger Can’t Be Last Of Its Kind

It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since Chautauqua Lake Central School opened its doors. School officials plan to host an open house on Oct. 4 to commemorate the occasion complete with a video presentation, guided walking tours of the building, and a brunch. Festivities will begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude around noon. Twenty five years is a long time, and we hope the Mayville and Chautauqua communities take a moment this year to celebrate both their school building and the vote that created it. Because if you think 25 years is a long time, consider the fact that February ...