Breaking News

The OBSERVER’s View

Brocton: New playground an important piece

Bans on cell phones within schools across the state has been one of the bigger discussions in recent months from area districts. By many accounts, the effort is showing plenty of signs of success. Getting youth outside is one more important aspect. With technology surrounding young minds, there is definitely a need to get moving. This week, Brocton Elementary School celebrated that effort in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new playground. During an event Monday, students, staff, families, Board of Education members, and community supporters gathered to celebrate this ...

SCHOOLS: CVCS quickly kept everyone safe

In the must-know immediately high-tech world, some individuals can become upset and disappointed by not having notice of significant procedures taking place in their neighborhood or local school. That is exactly what transpired Monday at Cassadaga Valley Central School. To their credit, the district reacted immediately when told of a shooting incident that took place that morning in the village of Sinclairville. For more than two hours, the school was placed in a “lockout” situation. It is a standard safety protocol designed to protect students and staff when there is a potential ...

New YORK STATE: Work on school holiday proposal

It made little sense last January for most Chautauqua County schools to be closed in observance of the Asian New Year. In fact, in our opinion, the best place for children to be in order to learn about the Asian New Year would be in schools given that most parents know relatively little about the Asian New Year. That’s understandable given that the majority of New Yorkers celebrate the New Year on Jan. 1 every year. As the state continues to debate and add new dates to the state’s list of public holidays, two things should be considered in our opinion. Some bills apply solely ...

New York State: Put baby food proposal on menu

There should be, in our opinion, general approval among state lawmakers that there should be more testing of the baby food parents find on store shelves. The federal Food and Drug Administration earlier this year set new, lower maximum levels for lead in baby foods like jarred fruits and vegetables, yogurts and dry cereal, part of an effort to cut young kids’ exposure to the toxic metal that causes developmental and neurological problems. The agency issued final guidance that it estimated could reduce lead exposure from processed baby foods by about 20% to 30%. The limits are ...

GOVERNMENT: Comments speak to lack of sacrifice

Rising fees and a 54% tax increase in the village of Fredonia spotlight something this corner has railed against for decades: the continued growing of government with a declining tax base is a formula for disaster. During the village’s public hearing on the plan to hike water and sewer rates — by 60 cents and $1 per thousand gallons used — there was plenty of opposition voiced from those who spoke. One resident’s remarks, however, asked an important question while sending a message. “I got rid of my land line, my cable TV I reduced, got rid of satellite radio, stopped ...

Sheridan: Justice reduction is one solution

Sheridan voters are being asked to consider downsizing the number of justices from two to one in the November general election. Though we back the idea, we do believe Chautauqua County is just dragging its feet when it comes to court consolidations. As we have seen in the town of Hanover, a reduced system — now that the village of Silver Creek abolished its village court — has been working without issues for years. In Sheridan, the town has been operating with one justice for the majority of the year with Lydia Romer, a Town Justice for nearly two decades, out on medical leave. ...