Breaking News

Local Commentaries

Immigration And The American Dream

I am a third-generation American citizen. My grandfather was born here, to immigrant parents who came from Alcamo, Sicily to the United States, looking for a better life. As an Italian-American and a Roman Catholic, he experienced job discrimination and prejudice, as the culture of the day stereotyped Italians a lazy and untrustworthy. My grandfather would rarely tell the stories of what life was like, as a first-generation American. He was hardworking, resilient, funny – and he shielded us from just how difficult his life was. This week, I was deeply troubled by Congressman Nick ...

Bad Calls Don’t Diminish Bills’, Fans’ Accomplishments

ORCHARD PARK—In the days before the 2025 American Football Conference championship game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, there circulated many spoofs humorously suggesting that National Football League referees were in cahoots with the Chiefs. Yes, you saw them, didn’t you? You saw, for example, spoof photos of referees wearing not black and white stripes but red and white stripes with the Chiefs’ insignia on the shirts. You saw spoof movies of referees making calls favoring the Chiefs. Although the spoofs were—and continue to be—funny, no one ...

Turning 65 And Wondering About Medicare And Social Security Benefits

Question: I am turning 65 in April of 2025 and wondering about Medicare and Social Security Benefits. Should I be signing up now for Medicare and Social Security? Answer: First, I want to say; “Happy early birthday!” I know that April sounds warm and sunny to me, and it will come quicker than we think! This 65th birthday is an especially exciting year for many people. We often think of retirement and relaxing more. This may or may not be your situation, but you need some information about Medicare and Social Security. The answer is different for both of these benefits so I will ...

Life Goes On!

When I was cleaning out one of my drawers, I came across this little folder. Of course, I took time to see what it was. It said it was favorite quotes from “Good Old Days” books. There were quotes from many noted people. One, interested me. It was from Robert Frost. It said, “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life – it goes on.” For anyone in my age bracket that is particularly certain. We have all experienced many losses. We have lost parents, siblings, children, and spouses. Anyone who has experienced the loss of a spouse has been through ...

Sewer Construction Is Underway

It may be the middle of winter, but that has not stopped construction of new sewers for the west side of Chautauqua Lake. It is now underway. As you head toward Mayville from Hogan’s Hut on Route 394, you come up a hill and just beyond the crest, on the right-hand side, you will see the staging area for what is going on. There are coils of plastic pipe, sluices that may be needed, a construction trailer and various pieces of construction equipment...all associated with extending sewers from Stow up to Prendergast Point. A couple of weeks ago as the cold snap began, the first ...

Create A Centralized Lake Authority

It is time to return to and implement the first requirement in County Executive Borrello’s Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) agreed to by the County and over twenty-five Lake stakeholders in 2019. We must form the Centralized Lake Authority, a legal entity consisting of elected representatives. And, the NCSU Lake Management Plan, prepared under the auspices of the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance (Alliance) with local foundation and County funding, is ready to be the Comprehensive Lake Management Strategy, the CLMS, as in the original MOA, in 2025. Unfortunately, ...