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Forgotten men had major revolutionary role

Commentary

The fate of the American colonies rested in the hands of two men in August of 1777 in the Mohawk Valley of upstate New York. And one wasn’t “General” Nicholas Herkimer who led his men, some 800 members of the Tryon County Militia, including nine of my relatives, into a trap at Oriskany where between four and five hundred of them were slaughtered. The battlefield became a dead man’s land as the bodies of most of the slain were never retrieved. How bloody was the battle? Pulitzer Prize winner Rich Atkinson writes (The Fate of the Day) that in 1777, 1,517 Americans were killed in ...

The OBSERVER’s View: Some bright spots for Blakeman campaign

The OBSERVER’s View

As November gets closer, so do the polls for governor in New York state. Earlier this month, a Siena Poll found Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul leads Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman 49-39%. "With less than three months till Election Day, Hochul holds a 10-point lead over Blakeman, 49-39%, not crossing the magic 50% mark. In June, among registered voters, Hochul's lead was twice as large, 52-32%," Siena pollster Steven Greenberg said. "At this point four years ago, August 2022, when Hochul was just finishing her first year as governor, she led her opponent, former ...

Reason for Trump’s shaky ground

Peoples column

Editor, OBSERVER: There are reasons to dislike President Donald Trump. Some include: Waged war without Congressional approval. Blocked release of Epstein files. Destroyed East Wing. Committed murder on the high seas. Pardoned 1,600 convicted criminals. Litigated frivolous "revenge" lawsuits. Tariffed and alienated most of our allies. Abused and killed US citizens by way of his ICE army. These are just a few of the reasons many Americans have come to despise Trump and the dreadful GOP. When the midterms roll around, Trump will start hearing the word "no" from the victorious ...

Are mainstream Dems taking back the wheel?

Commentary

You couldn't find a wackier candidate than Francesca Hong, the Democratic Socialist vying to become the governor of Wisconsin. She wanted to defund police and abolish ICE, topping it all off with a call to end Thanksgiving. "Saturday Night Live" couldn't have made her up. Hong lost the Democratic primary but left behind some sobering thoughts. She finished second by only a hair and against a sterling Democrat with relevant experience. The winner, David Crowley, is the Milwaukee County executive and an African American born into poverty. Crowley will face off against Republican Rep. ...

The tails that wag the political dogs

Commentary

There has been a lot of “hoopla” recently about how the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are taking over the Democratic Party. At least that is what conservative tabloids like the New York Post and their allies would make you think. In truth, the history of the Democratic Party, at least in New York State, is that there has always been a “free-for-all,” especially in New York City, between the liberal wing of the Democratic Party and what are called the “regulars,”—those with a more centrist view of politics. Back when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was Governor of New ...

The OBSERVER’s View: Village always appreciates Farm Fest

The OBSERVER’s View

Ready or not, the largest Fredonia event is ready to fill Barker Common this weekend. Starting Friday, the annual Farm Festival will get started and continue through Sunday. "We're excited, we have a lot of new things coming in this year," said organizer Lauren Boyle at a recent village meeting. "We have a street square dance coming in, we have a petting zoo coming in. We have a ton of presentations throughout the weekend." One event Boyle mentioned was a live performance of "Hamlet" in the gazebo by Main Street Studios. Co-organizer Greg Krauza also noted the Fredonia Farmers ...