Breaking News

Opinion

The OBSERVER’s View: Voicing concerns on public comment

The OBSERVER’s View

Public comment is making the news in the north county following concerns in both the town of Arkwright and the village of Fredonia. Within the last month, the municipalities — for better or worse — have addressed the issue. Fredonia took the most drastic step. For at least three months, trustees and Mayor Michael Ferguson have said they will still allow comment through written statements, but no longer for speakers in a 3-2 vote Monday. “Our thin skinned mayor doesn’t like being corrected, fact checked or criticized for his missteps. He especially does not like being ...

There’s no fine line between right, wrong

Commentary

The anti-ICE protests continue outside the Delaney Hall ICE facility in New Jersey. Protesters are now mostly out of state professionals. It all began on May 22, after detainees at the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark launched a hunger and labor strike over alleged poor living ...

Time working against water system

Commentary

Let’s talk about the Fredonia water project, which we have recently begun, to switch our water source from the village’s own reservoir to Lake Erie water purchased from Dunkirk. The project is projected to run about $13 million. So far we have received grants totaling a bit more than $7 million for it, and we are bonding the rest over a 30-year period while continuing to seek additional grants. A small but vocal group has been screaming that this water is going to cost more than what you are currently paying for water. I agree, this is true, although I will point out that even if ...

Can council, mayor get on same page?

The OBSERVER’s View

Even though Mayor Kate Wdowiasz does not have to be at city Common Council meetings, according to the city charter, observertoday.com poll respondents are not of the same opinion. In answering our weekly poll question, “Even though not required, should the Dunkirk mayor attend Common Council meetings?” 85% want her there with 15% saying she can take a pass. Wdowiasz decided in May she would no longer be attending the twice-monthly gatherings, stating she does not believe enough business is getting done. After witnessing the last council meeting — with only three members in ...

The politics of data centers

Commentary

Recently, the New York State Legislature passed a one-year moratorium on building new data centers. That tends to be the way in New York. If it is controversial, let’s punt the issue down the road and deal with it later. Of course, no one voting for the proposal agreed to give up their cell phones or other devices. Everybody wants those. That’s where we get our news, weather, messages and virtually everything these days—navigating your car, streaming football games, asking “Siri” who was President 50 years ago. We can get it all—welcome to the world of data! Admittedly, ...

The OBSERVER’s View: Using caution during summer drives

The OBSERVER’s View

Days into the summer season and motorcycle safety must be on the minds of motorists. Within the last month, a pair of fatal accidents in Erie County have taken place — in the towns of Evans and Collins. Erie County Sheriff’s Department noted the most recent investigation involving a 23-year-old is under investigation that took place Saturday afternoon in Collins. How unfortunate. Recent statistics find motorcycles continue to be overrepresented in serious traffic accidents, according to Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data ...