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In Our Opinion

Expansion Of Starry Stonewort In Chautauqua Lake Is Worrisome

There’s a lot to unpack from Saturday’s Chautauqua Lake Symposium. The county-backed event brought a packed house to the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel to hear from DEC officials, the Army Corps of Engineers, groups studying conditions on Chautauqua Lake and politicians representing the area in Albany and Washington, D.C. For all the good things that were discussed Saturday, however, one growing issue stands out. Starry stonewort continues to expand its presence in the lake. Dr. Rob Richardson of North Carolina State University’s Aquatic Plant Management Program noted what was once ...

Water Is Anything But Free

We’re about to spend a heck of a lot of money here in Chautauqua County to secure a basic resource. Of course, we’re talking about water projects. The Chautauqua Town Board meeting recently approved an $8.19 million project for construction in town Water District #2, which includes Chautauqua Lake Estates and the Villas at Chautauqua Point in the Dewittville area. Last year Chautauqua officials approved a $9,312,000 expansion of Water District 5 between the village of Mayville and Chautauqua Institution. Mayville officials recently approved a $5,170,715 bid to S. St. George ...

Judge Should Push Outside Income Limits To 2027

A judge’s decision this month approving the state Legislature’s decision to limit lawmakers’ outside income struck perhaps the most odious part of the law. Judge Alison Napolitano of state Supreme Court in Suffolk County ruled the state can’t strip legislators of their voting rights if they exceed outside income limits. Legislators’ base pay increased from $110,000 to $142,000 a year while outside income limits are capped to $35,000 a year. It’s a win for voters who faced the very real possibility that they could be left without a voice in the legislature if their elected ...

Group Effort Needed For Bemus Point Businesses Affected By Bridge Project

For the past couple of months, Bemus Point officials have fielded complaints from village businesses that sales are down in part, they say, because travelers are struggling to get into the village with the exit to the village closed as work continues on the Veterans Memorial Bridge over Chautauqua Lake. In February, the problem was tractor-trailers getting off at the wrong exit for Jamestown and ending up in the middle of the village. Last week village officials discussed issues raised by village businesses. Mayor Jeff Molnar is trying to set up a meeting with the state DOT and Larry ...

City Should Invest In Gateway Lofts Project

City Council members will have an interesting question before them at this month’s voting session regarding the Gateway Lofts project. Thus far, the supportive housing project - whose price tag has grown to $77 million - has been kept somewhat at arm’s length from City Council members with most of the discussion taking place at the Planning Commission level. The project is beginning to pick up steam for seemingly the first time in years, and it’s time for the council to weigh in. Crystal Surdyk, city development director, is proposing to reallocate $640,000 in previously ...

Panama Presents Opportunity To Share Administration

The Panama Central School Board of Education has been meeting over the past week to discuss candidates to serve as the district’s interim superintendent after Aaron Wolfe resigned to take a position in Wellsville. Wolfe had been in Panama since 2022 after the retirement of former Panama superintendent Bert Lictus. Once an interim superintendent is hired, we hope the district continues down a path it started with Lictus and looks to share the position with a neighboring school district. Paama and Clymer were ahead of the curve when it came to sharing positions, including sharing ...