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Council approves comptroller post

The Dunkirk Common Council unanimously approved adding a comptroller position to City Hall. Councilors said they amended the law enacting the position after hearing concerns from city residents. Councilman Frank Torain said prior to voting that the final law eliminates redundancies and clearly spells out a division of duties between the fiscal affairs officer and the comptroller. “We don’t want that to be political, and that person will be highly qualified,” Torain said earlier in the meeting. The final draft of the law was not in the agenda packet sent to the OBSERVER. A ...

Cassadaga Honor Guard visits 12 cemeteries on Memorial Day

CASSADAGA — Memorial Day Monday was a day to pay tribute to fallen veterans by the Honor Guard of the Cassadaga American Legion Post 1280 in 12 local cemeteries. Members of the Legion Honor Guard gathered at the Cassadaga American Legion Post 1280 at 6 a.m., and left the Legion hall at ...

Dunkirk’s Dispenza inducted into state Veterans Hall

Dunkirk resident and U.S. Army veteran Lori Dispenza joined fellow honorees from across New York State to be celebrated at the 2026 New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame ceremony in Albany on Tuesday, with state Sen. George Borrello on hand to present the award. A Portland native, ...

SEFPRO To Eliminate Line, 79 Jobs

A new business plan at Saint-Gobain, corporate owner of the SEFPRO facility in Falconer, is leading to the loss of 79 jobs at the local plant. Saint-Gobain officials are ending production of its Alumina-Zirconia-Silica line at the Falconer facility, which was formerly known as Monofrax. The ...

Towns embrace partnership for dog shelter

The news that the Chautauqua County Legislature has voted to provide $67,050 for the construction of a dog shelter facility in Ripley, which will be used by the Towns of Ripley, Clymer and Mina, was gladly received by all three municipalities. "We appreciate being able to work with a couple ...

Opera House to present Ten Cent Howl

The 1891 Fredonia Opera House Performing Arts Center will present popular regional band Ten Cent Howl in concert on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Back before computers and cell phones and i-everything, when we were still trying to find our way, in the corners and pockets of our country when things ...