Breaking News

Commentary

Wetlands law challenge takes surprising turn

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE—The court challenge to New York’s wetlands law has taken a surprising, fascinating turn. To understand this, let’s pick up where we left off six weeks ago. That’s when acting state Supreme Court Justice Richard Platkin struck down the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation’s, or DEC’s, wetlands regulations. * * * Such law can be devastating for Chautauqua County, particularly because of the impact on Chautauqua Lake. By increasing controls over what the DEC labels as wetlands, the law can turn Chautauqua Lake into a weed farm, hinder ...

Piles and piles of paper piles

Are you drowning in paper like I am? If the computer age was supposed to eliminate paper piles, it’s doing a lousy job. Yes, I know I am supposed to convert all my accounts to paperless – and for the most part, I have. My credit card statements are electronic. The insurance, the bank, gas bill, water bill and township sewer bill all arrive to my inbox monthly. Despite many tries, I have been unable to convince the Pennelec people that this is a convenient idea. When the mail comes each afternoon, a new pile arrives in our mailbox. Occasionally it’s just the newspaper and ...

Many hands are dirty in slave history

The United Nations General Assembly, that playground for dictators, terrorists and supporters of terrorists, on March 25 passed a resolution condemning the Transatlantic slave trade by a 123-3 vote with 52 spineless nations abstaining including Great Britain, France and Portugal, all of whom imported millions of slaves to their Caribbean and South American colonies. Three nations voted no including the U.S., Israel, and Argentina. The resolution declared the “transatlantic” slave trade was the “gravest crime” ever committed against humanity. The resolution ...

Water issues no splash at SUNY

Fredonians and students alike can agree on one thing: something must be done about the water. As a member of both camps, I see a connecting thread between us. We all have a right to safe drinking water and we’re wasting time and money with our current infrastructure. The boil water advisories are hostile to all of us and in the words of Mayor Michael Ferguson, “this community would be a ghost town if we don't stop this”. We’re being shortchanged and our community — locals and students — doesn’t have to take it. We have faced the 10th boil water advisory in the last ...

Democrats are having an election

Editor's note: This column has been updated with a time correction for Saturday's debate. There hasn’t been much publicity about it, but the Democrats are having a Primary Election on Tuesday, June 23. Democrats are noted for being somewhat scrappy and independent-minded, so this should not be a surprise. As a matter of fact, having elections is a good thing. There are two individuals who are now vying for the Democratic nomination to run against our current Congressman in the fall election–Aaron Geis and Kevin Stocker. Since Geis is from the Southern Tier (Olean,) he might be ...

Eyes bigger than stomach? Take a pill

The Dyson Airwrap is $749.99. The Netflix you want, without ads, with all of the content recorded in Ultra HD, costs $26.99. SKIMS just collab’d with Nike, and the collection just dropped, and it’s hot, and it’ll run you $129 (plus shipping and handling) for a pair of leggings with a 29-inch inseam.  It’s not required that you buy any of these things (even though everyone has it/that/them, from your circle of real-life friends to the one in your phone), but it certainly doesn’t hurt. Overconsumption doesn’t stop at ...