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The OBSERVER’s View

DUNKIRK: Era of city tunnel needs to end

Dunkirk’s Robin Street pedestrian tunnel is one more truckload of trouble for the city. It is filled with trash, a location for drug deals and has its share of graffiti. Is it any wonder Randy Woodbury wants to close the pedestrian underpass of Norfolk Southern railroad tracks in conjunction with a repaving project on nearby West Third Street? Last week the city’s Department of Public Works director floated the idea at a committee meeting. “If there has to be a safety fence to keep kids from crossing (the tracks) at grade, we’ll do it,” he said. Woodbury noted the ...

Fredonia: Tough to balance downtown parking

Fredonia, in its quest to find more revenues, is looking to revamp its parking collection fee through an agreement with HONKMobile USA Ltd. Last week, trustees approved moving forward with a contract with the company. HONKMobile USA Ltd. is the American arm of Toronto-based HONK, a company that works with municipalities to install parking systems which revolve around cellular phones and QR codes. Signs replace parking meters and the signs contain information on how to pay for parking spaces through use of a cell phone and the Internet. According to an article over the weekend, the ...

Drug Battle Another attempt with fentanyl

It was fitting that Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-23, visited Jamestown last month to speak about the HALT (Halt All Lethal Trafficking of) Fentanyl Act. In 2017, fentanyl didn’t show up on the Jamestown Police Department’s list of most-seized drugs for either 2015 or 2016 in the department’s annual report. Fast forward to this year’s report. Fentanyl rose to second on the list of most-seized drugs, trailing only methamphetamine, at 1,090.50 grams. Over the preceding six years, fentanyl seizures in Jamestown grew from 161 grams to 308 grams, 857 grams, 5,552 grams, 9,384 grams and ...

NORTH COUNTY: Fiscal ineptitude drains taxpayers

Want to know why the largest north county governments have been run so poorly in recent years? All one had to do was read the coverage of this week’s Finance Committee meeting in the city of Dunkirk. Staff writer M.J. Stafford summed it up well in one paragraph: “For the first time in memory, Treasurer Mark Woods freely handed out a financial report to members of the public, without anyone needing to ask. The report showed a city bank balance of exactly $493,548.26 as of July 31.” Is it any wonder why the government is so good at spending your money? Most often, these elected ...

COUNTY: Video captures peril of police work

Video released last month by state Attorney General Letitia James of an officer-involved shooting in Mina earlier this year is graphic, disturbing and not for the faint of heart. It’s also an unfortunately real depiction of police work here in Chautauqua County, particularly when officers are responding to domestic incidents that are all too prevalent here. James released footage July 25 from two body-worn cameras that her office obtained as part of its ongoing investigation into the death of 66-year-old Mark Bemis, who died on June 18 following an encounter with members of the ...

FISHING: Walleye keeping region in spotlight

Walleye continue to be a great catch for Dunkirk and the Lake Erie region. Last week, the Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club held an exciting and eventful Walleye Derby. This week, the stakes are even higher. Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s National Walleye Tour, presented by Progressive, is making its return Thursday and Friday bringing elite anglers, national attention, and a boost to the local economy. This two-day tournament will feature elite competition in one of the country’s most productive walleye fisheries. Anglers will launch at 7 each morning from the Chadwick Bay ...