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Staying Interested In The Weather

It started with me at an early age. Our farm was located on top of a hill, and we could see the weather coming from the west and then view it to the east as it descended upon Frewsburg and then into the hills around Frew Run and Bone Run. Weather became even more a part of my life when I started flying. When you first start flying a plane, you can only fly when the weather is good...it takes time to earn an instrument ticket so that you can fly in clouds and in low visibility. Back then, we had just the beginnings of weather radar, and so the FAA Flight Service Stations across the ...

Now Is The Time

There have been a lot of changes in the funding priorities of our federal government during the past six months. As a result, more and more responsibilities will be moved back to the states and local governments, if they haven’t already been, and many funds already allocated to some local projects will likely be clawed back. This comes at a time when it appears funds for many other federal programs we and our neighbors rely upon, like food assistance and health care, also appear likely to be reduced. These changes, and others, will probably make the difficult financial situations ...

Drive Sword Through Wetlands Regulations

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE—Humanity has devastated the natural state of Chautauqua Lake, thereby making weeds far worse than they otherwise would have been. This is primarily because of ● what humanity dumped into Chautauqua Lake generations ago and ● insufficiently constraining weeds in recent decades. A weed-clogged Chautauqua Lake is not—repeat, not—the natural state of the lake. Thus, insufficiently constraining weeds not only devastates nature but also defies nature. Please tell all of that to advocates of New York state Department of Environmental Conservation, or DEC, ...

Trump’s Economic Policies Are Taking U.S. Backward

Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Company, has taken six trips to China to study their automotive industry. “It’s the most humbling thing I’ve ever seen“, he said after returning from his latest trip. “They have far superior in-vehicle technology,” the Ford CEO said. “You get in, you don’t have to pair your phone. Automatically, your whole digital life is mirrored in the car. You have an AI companion that you can talk to … All the automatic payment is already there. You can buy movie tickets. It has facial recognition so it knows who’s in which seat and which media you ...

Bridge Project Progresses Despite Issues

For those who use the Chautauqua Lake Bridge on a daily basis, there has been recent good news—there is now a “temporary” exit ramp for Bemus Point on the eastbound lane just as you cross the bridge. Businesses in Bemus and the Village had been asking that this be done, and, to its credit, the State DOT made the decision to do so. It complicates things a bit for workers and contractors who had been accessing the bridge from the east side. They will now have to come in from the west side in order to avoid traffic using the new exit ramp. But, the new arrangement, thus far, seems ...

“New School Year, New Possibilities”

As a public-school educator for 25 years, I have enjoyed an annual fresh start in early September. New students, new teachers, new pencils, new books to read… the excitement of our students coming back and the feeling that the opportunities are endless are definite perks of the job. Aside from the best day of the school year – High School Graduation – it’s my favorite time to work in schools. Last August, I attended a “Professional Learning Communities” Summit with several of my colleagues. It was an outstanding opportunity to hear world-renowned educators provide data and ...