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In Our Opinion

As School Returns, Bullying Unfortunately Does As Well

Young people’s return to their classrooms each fall usually is a routine, uneventful exercise, even for young men and women transitioning from high school to a college environment. They’ve gone through the proverbial ritual of clothes-buying over the latter part of the summer, as well as having stocked up on pens and pencils, notebooks and other such necessities, not to mention the electronics — devices such as computers, printers and cellphones. Even for those students who would much prefer additional freedom from classes, tests and homework, the final summer-vacation days ...

DEC Should Delay Enforcement Of New Watershed Regulations

It’s time, in our opinion, for everyone to take a deep breath and regroup on the subject of new state watershed regulations. We’re not entirely sure the state Legislature intended the lakes to be included in the watershed regulations. It’s not clear that the regulations considered what should be done with developed shoreline when the regulations were drafted. And we have yet to hear a good explanation for how the state DEC is going to manage hundreds of thousands of acres of additional watersheds that would fall within its purview the way the regulations are written. It’s ...

We’re Treating Symptoms Of Drug Use, Not The Cause

It’s outstanding news that opioid overdoses have gone down by more than half over the past year. Fewer families are grieving the loss of a loved one to the throes of drug addiction. Fewer lives are being snuffed out - and that is a true cause for celebration. Much of the credit for the progress in decreasing the number of overdose deaths goes to the increasing acceptance of drug overdose reversal medications like nalaxone, which if administered quickly can give people a new lease on life. Medication assisted treatment in the Chautauqua County Jail is also beneficial, though one ...

CPS Levels Are Improving. What About CPS Quality?

It’s good to hear that staffing levels are improving in the county Child Protective Services Department and that caseworkers are handling normal caseloads. But, as we’ve said in this space before, making employees’ lives easier is only half of the battle when it comes to CPS oversight. And it still seems as if county lawmakers only care about workers’ complaints. Legislator Susan Parker, D-Fredonia, is pushing county officials for a written plan of what happens when law enforcement is not available. Laurie Dolce, director of certification for the Department of Social ...

Without Limits, Allowing Chickens In The City Is For The Birds

Timothy Smart is looking for city approval to have chickens on his Harding Avenue property. Most neighbors don’t seem to have a problem with Harding’s chickens - except, that is, for the neighbor who made a complaint with the city Development Department. Smart’s request prompted an application to the city Zoning Board of Appeals, whose members - rightly, in our opinion - referred Smart to the City Council to advocate for a change in city ordinances that clearly state chickens and other livestock aren’t allowed in the city. So what should the council do with Smart’s ...

Some Voices May Be Irritating – But We Need To Listen To Them

What do discussions over wetlands regulations and Jamestown’s homeless have in common? The alarm bells over both situations were raised largely by people operating outside the typical government apparatus set up to deal with those issues. Remember, back in February, that it was Jim Wehrfritz who called attention to wetland regulations he worried could end up hurting property values and make it more difficult to use what he feels are proven strategies to help manage invasive weeds in the lake. Wehrfritz’ role was worth remembering this week when County Executive PJ Wendel went ...