With a little more than 75 days until the Congressional primary in New York 23rd’s District, support is coalescing around Tracy Mitrano, one of six Democratic candidates running. In recent weeks, Mitrano has gained the endorsements of notable political leaders across the District and both the ...

This is response to the commentary “Fire hydrants in Fredonia need attention” (April 12). Let me start by saying I felt that the OBSERVER should have reached out to us in regards to this matter before publishing the commentary to find out the reason for the situation. That being said, I ...

This is a cautionary tale for the love for a dog. Our little dog, Zoey, is a poodle/bichon mix, only about 20 pounds, and pure white. She is the joy of our retired life; and she is currently in the Orchard Park Veterinary Medical Center. She is clinging to life and there is no assurance she ...

Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson has made statements in the press regarding the Chautauqua County Legislature actions in finalizing the 2018 budget that we believe need to be clarified. Mr. Swanson is reported to have said that during the last budget session he spoke to ...

Hillary Clinton has done it again. While speaking to an audience in India recently, she said that an important reason for President Trump’s victory in 2016 was “backward” looking voters who “didn’t like black people getting rights” or women in the workplace and women who couldn’t ...

I’m writing in response to your editorial “U.S. Supreme Court: Ruling could change how unions operate” (April 5). Currently in the public sector, members pay union dues while those who choose not to be members pay agency shop or fair share fees, and those fees are equal to the dues paid ...

Shepherds give us a picture of someone who cares about and cares for others. It is that caring that makes the metaphor of a shepherd so accurate in describing the reality of Jesus Christ’s relationship to people. The center of that caring is love. For Jesus Christ that caring love is the ...

On Sept. 7, 2010, I walked into the OBSERVER and later attended my first meeting. It was the Silver Creek Village Board meeting and I went in hoping I would do a good job. This past week I attended my last meeting for the paper. But, this time I walked out as city editor and with the honor of ...

In light of the mounting concerns we are feeling about the aims of the Republican-led Congress and the increasing distrust of the president, his actions and motives, it is time to be speaking up. The office of the President of the United States has never been filled by someone who seems to ...

Unless I am struck with an amazing idea while waiting at a bus stop or for a concert to begin (I do always carry pad and pen in purse), I tend to write these Musings first in a lined notebook. I find all those red marks that hop onto the screen to be disconcerting. It’s harder to concentrate ...

Modern life is contradictory. The first step in sorting out facts from false claims is to question everything. Lately, up is down and down is up. We all believe appearances are deceiving, yet many partisans of this or that point of view choose to trust the appearance of something rather than ...

Last month, there was a massive anti-gun protest in Washington, D.C. and more than 800 satellite protests. It is estimated that it involved at 1.2 million to 2 million people, thus, making it one of the largest protests in U.S. history. The protests were in part a response to the shooting in ...

A recent report states that 36 Republican U.S. representatives will not seek re-election in November. U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello of Pennsylvania became the 37th Representative to withdraw from the November elections within the last month. In a typical year, about 22 seated Republicans announce ...

Life on earth for humanity has been a tough row to hoe, at least up until the last few generations when we have finally conquered enough natural science to make our lives much easier. Even Ben Franklin would be amazed to see how far we’ve come in such a short time. Is that going to ...

This article is in reference to all freeloaders who live off of the hard-working taxpayers in this country and state. I recently heard a story about a woman who was very upset and thinks the only people who have morality are the taxpayers who work for a living and support the freeloaders of ...

It is always sad when we have a tragedy such as the Parkland, Fla., shooting but it’s important that we keep this in perspective if we really care about protecting children. In the case of Parkland it’s shocking that law enforcement at the school failed to protect the kids, that the ...

There are concerned people in the village of Brocton and of the town of Portland who believe no individual or organization, however well intentioned, has the either the moral prerogative or legal right to impose their arbitrary will upon an unwilling community; rather, it is the right and ...

I read your reporting headlined, “Low milk prices continue to hurt area farmers” in the OBSERVER (March 12) with interest. It was mainly accurate and factual. What caught my attention were the remarks — or lack thereof — by a Clymer farmer David White. He speaks of the current ...

American philosopher William James (Varieties of Religious Experience, 1901-02/2012) argued religion is good when its pragmatic results are good. Thus, the pragmatic criterion amounts to what clear-cut difference does religion make in practical life, whether positive or not, and for whom? It ...