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In Our Opinion

Frustrated By Lack Of Snow Days? School Calendar Isn’t Helping

There were plenty of complaints - loud ones - about how the Jamestown Public Schools District handled cold, snowy weather over the past couple of weeks. It’s not like these are new complaints. We hear them every year - particularly in Jamestown when roads may be passable but sidewalks often aren’t when children in some city neighborhoods have to trudge their way to school. No school district will navigate school closings to everyone’s satisfaction every year. But the thin line schools have always faced when making the decision to stay open or to close when the weather is ...

County Hall Of Fame Induction Comes As Sirianni’s Career Climbs

In a few weeks, Nick Sirianni will add the title of Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame member to his already glowing resume. The Southwestern High School graduate has another prize in sight. We’re talking, of course, about the title of Super Bowl champion. Buffalo Bills fans had hoped the hometown team would be playing in the big game on Feb. 9. Their hopes were dashed - again - by the Kansas City Chiefs. Sirianni has his own history with the Chiefs, having lost to the two-time defending Super Bowl champions back in 2023 by a 38-35 score. Whatever happens in New Orleans on Feb. 9, ...

What To Do With Homeless During The Day?

One of the issues raised by neighbors of the Code Blue homeless shelter operated by ROME on Washington Street is easily solved. A locking garbage dumpster will solve the problem of garbage stored behind the building being strewn throughout the area as has been reported to some City Council members. It’s an issue, but a minor one that is easily rectified. A bigger issue is what to do when the homeless leave the evening shelters - and it’s not something ROME or the city can easily solve. Over the past couple of years, panhandling has been on the rise throughout the city as the ...

Lake Plan Debate Is Fascinating, Infuriating At The Same Time

Chautauqua Lake Property Owners Association members have been making the rounds of town and village board meetings in the past month or so asking for support of a Chautauqua Lake management plan drafted by researchers from North Carolina State University. The plan was funded by the Chautauqua Lake Watershed and Management Alliance in 2023 at the request of the Chautauqua Lake Partnership and completed in July 2024 Since then, it has gained little traction here. As we noted in this space recently, there has been familiar opposition to the plan along familiar old lines. We hope area ...

Trump Ambitious Entering Second Term

A “golden age,” one in which the United States of America can aim even higher than the moon, was proclaimed Monday during President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration speech. And while Elon Musk may have thrown his hands in the air to cheer the goal to “pursue our manifest destiny into the stars,” and “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars,” ordinary Americans were more likely to find a common reason to cheer in Trump’s promise to seek a broad government effort to reduce inflation and reduce prices. Though he must be careful to avoid the executive overreach that ...

Persell Guardrail Talk Has Gone On Long Enough

We have no doubt that, from an engineering perspective, there is no need for a guardrail between Baker Street and Hazeltine Avenue in front of Persell Middle School. The road reconfiguring project last summer should have eliminated the need for a guardrail. But engineering reports don’t take into account a couple of factors that make reinstalling the guardrail in front of the school useful when things move from pen and paper to real life. First, as much as drivers should have to slow down to turn onto Hazeltine Avenue, we live in Western New York and in a high-poverty area. Do we ...