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OLYMPICS: Added results to hockey wins

The OBSERVER’s View

It was not the miracle many of us witnessed in 1980 when the United States men’s hockey team knocked off the Soviet Union in stunning fashion before winning gold at Lake Placid during the Olympics. But there was no doubting the magic. Backed by a superb performance by goalie Connor Hallebuyck, the U.S. team defeated Canada, 2-1, in overtime on Sunday morning. It was an event that captivated both countries, which held watch parties across their respective nations during the early hours. “This is all about our country right now,” said Jack Hughes, who lost at least one and maybe ...

SUNY’s important Black History lessons

Commentary

For the past several years in recognition of Black History Month, the Herkimer County Hunger Coalition and Greater Herkimer Lions Club have each donated a book to Herkimer County elementary and high schools and local libraries. Among the selections have been the “Sweet and Sour Book,” “Weary Blues” and “Not Without Laughter” by Langston Hughes, James Baldwin’s “Go Tell It on The Mountain” Angie Thomas’ “The Hate U Give” and “Stamped” by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. When asked recently why I began what’s become an annual tradition, my answer was a ...

New York State: Passing the buck to municipalities

The OBSERVER’s View

New York state officials are good at writing blank checks with your state tax dollars. New state regulations that take effect this year are writing more blank checks – this time with your local tax dollars. Town of Ellicott officials recently approved a contract with an emergency vet while also setting a maximum amount of money to be spent on the care of animals picked up by the dog control officer in need of treatment. The purpose of the secondary shelter is to have an overflow location if the Chautauqua County Humane Society is too full to take in dogs from the town, something ...

County doesn’t need nuclear NRG

Commentary

George Borello wants you to spend hundreds of millions of dollars for electricity you don’t need. NRG shut down the Dunkirk plant in 2016 because there was no market for the expensive electricity it generated. George now wants to re-power the NRG plant but his recent editorial promoting the idea was filled with half-truths and misinformation. His claim that then Governor Cuomo bowed “to political pressure from the advocates on the far left” ignores the fact that the original repowering project was placed on hold in 2015 when another power company, the Entergy Group, filed a ...

Affordable health care is a human right

Commentary

Patients at Roswell Park Cancer Institute are offered financial counseling to help them figure out how they are going to pay for their care. I was blessed with excellent health insurance coverage so I declined the counseling. As the statements from Roswell and Highmark Blue Cross and Blue ...

Musician always displayed spirit, soul

Commentary

Soul. I’m writing about this because a friend of mine, who embodied the essence of soul, recently passed away. To me, Rob Scheuer was the epitome of soulfulness, both as a performing musician and a human being. In music, Soul suggests the ability of any musician, black or white or whatever, to play with emotion, or “feel.” Performing music soulfully takes more than technical ability. It requires the musician to seize the opportunity to express his or her love of music and to do it with conviction – purposefully, consistently, joyfully or painfully, as if every song might be the ...