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Voting Rights Act Is Before High Court

Local Commentaries

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is before the U.S. Supreme Court again, this time in Louisiana v. Callais. After extensive back and forth among the state Legislature, the governor’s office, and the federal judiciary, Louisiana—with its six congressional districts—drew a second congressional district in which a majority of the residents are black. Drawing such a district would be one thing if the district—to put it in colloquial terms—were a normal-looking district. But this district isn’t a normal-looking district. Instead, it looks like a Rorschach test. To put it ...

Capital Handouts Keep Cities In Crisis

Editor's Corner

Somewhere in Albany, there has to be a money tree. How else can a state, with a proposed budget of more than $254 billion for the next year, keep doling out funds to fiscally strapped entities with absolutely no repercussions? That is exactly what happened less than a month ago when the ...

Community Support Still Needed For St. Susan Center

In Our Opinion

It was a surprise when St. Susan Center officials announced this week the center won’t be moving from Water Street to the former Jamestown Business College campus. There was a lot of excitement when the center was part of the announcement that the Conklin family had donated the former JBC campus to be used as a new home for the St. Susan Center and a new shelter for the UCAN City Mission. The part of the property that was to house St. Susan’s will need to find a new use that coexists with a shelter after the announcement Monday that the St. Susan Center will remain on Water Street ...

County Could Shift Taxes For Everyone

In Our Opinion

There was an interesting debate last week over an $8,000 increase to the income limit for Chautauqua County senior citizens to qualify for a property tax break. Legislator Dan Pavlock, R-Ellington, said the legislation proposed was not a “tax break” but more of a “tax shift,” because others will pay more since more seniors would be paying less. During committee meetings, Legislator Dalton Anthony, R-Frewsburg, noted that the more tax breaks are given to seniors, the more younger people have to pay. It was a notion that drew agreement from Legislator Fred Johnson, R-Westfield, ...

Support Remains Strong For School Merger — So Far

In Our Opinion

After almost a year of kicking the tires on a potential merger, support for a combined Clymer, Sherman and Panama school district remains strong among those who are engaging in the process early. Voters on the 2025 school budgets in the districts approved starting the discussion process with 73% approval in May 2025. Almost a year later, results from a community survey distributed to households in the three districts showed 78% of the 798 households responding still supporting the idea of a merger. That’s an encouraging sign as the talks head into the merger study phase. Residents ...

Support For Homeless Is Heartwarming

In Our Opinion

There are many things wrong with Jamestown, but a lack of compassionate residents isn’t one of them. Throughout the winter, community residents led by Diana Scott have been buying meals for the homeless spending the night at the ROME Code Blue shelter on Washington Street. Others have been donating clothing or hygienic items. Recently, a group named El Equipo held its own event at Joy Fellowship Church before making donations at shelters throughout the city. Conduit has continued its meals in Brooklyn Square on Sundays. The St. Susan Center remains as busy as ever. Community Helping ...