Opinion

The OBSERVER’s View: Faltering Fredonia keeps leaking cash

The OBSERVER’s View August 13, 2026

You do not need to have a background in accounting to understand the troubles that continue with the village of Fredonia’s finances. Besides having a negative fund balance that is near $1 million, two of its major revenue sources are struggling. According to figures announced at a meeting earlier this month, the water and sewer funds both spent more than they took in for 2025-26, according to the treasurer's figures. Year-end revenue for the water fund was $2,190,004 against $2,540,000 in expenses. That comes out to a net income of minus $349,996. The fund balance in place registered ...

Socialism is a lot more take than give

Commentary August 13, 2026

I don’t seem like a nag on the subject, but I think we should take the rise of the Democratic Socialist/Marxist movement in the Democratic Party seriously. I doubt if any of their candidates will win in the general election in November, but with adequate financial support and a committed ...

Growing up alongside the tube

Commentary August 13, 2026

Recently, a friend mentioned that as a kid she watched Howdy Doody. When she laughed and sang the musical intro, “It’s Howdy Doody time,” I stunned myself by singing every word to the show’s opening song. Where did that come from? That night I reminisced about Howdy and some of my ...

People’s column

Peoples column August 12, 2026

Region needs to hear both sides Editor, OBSERVER: Thank you kindly Paul Somerfeldt, for standing up at a recent Dunkirk Economic Development meeting. Until now, we have been hearing from boosters of nuclear reactors and data centers. Those private companies have a clear agenda: — Purchase relatively inexpensive land. — Use a large body of water for heat load transfer.See: http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2019/ph241/clark1/. — Take tax benefits which we pay to the state. — Sell energy to large urban areas. — Gain short term profits. There ...

Is now the time for police merger?

The OBSERVER’s View August 12, 2026

Across Dunkirk and Fredonia – the north county’s two largest municipalities — there are a total of five law-enforcement agencies that can oversee the city and village. Besides their own departments, University Police, New York State Police and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department are always nearby. This for a total of 22,000 residents, that includes a State University campus. With financial troubles evident in the two governments, something has to give. Population continues to decrease while costs keep going up. On the positive side, both municipal departments have ...

U.S. needs to take threats seriously

Commentary August 12, 2026

Imploring a young audience to “discard the stuck-on-stupid card,” retired Lieutenant Colonel Alan West then quoted poet Maya Angelou, “When people show you who they are the first time, believe them.” Spoken not just once, “Death to America” has been bellowed a gazillion times by Islamic Shias in Iran and elsewhere including Dearborn, Mich. Do you believe them? If not, you own a “stuck-on-stupid” card. In New York City, Muslims on Times Square incessantly shouted, “Allahu Akbar.” The leader addressing the hyped-up horde said sarcastically, “Don’t scare ...