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The OBSERVER’s View

The OBSERVER’s View

It’s hard to imagine a time when the Chautauqua Belle wasn’t a fixture on the waters of Chautauqua Lake. But that’s exactly what our reality would be if not for James Webster, the Rochester man who had the vision to bring a paddlewheel steamship to Chautauqua Lake in the early 1970s. Webster collaborated with Capt. Alan Bates, who designed the ship around the same time Bates designed the Natchez, another steamship still in use in New Orleans. For a time, Mayville was marketed as Steamship Village when the Chautauqua Belle was still in its relative infancy, and many still make ...

Standing for America, our anthem

Commentary

Two teenagers with rifles hid in the forest and marveled at the sight before them. Daniel Wells and Henry Macomas didn't understand why anyone, especially a British general who didn't want to be shot, would dress himself in a bright red coat and sit on a white horse 100 yards in front of them. All they knew was the Red Coats had burned Washington D.C. a few days earlier and now they had come to burn Baltimore. Well, Daniel and Henry would not stand for that, so the boys took careful aim and fired. To this day we don't know if it was Daniel or Henry who's shot found its mark. All we ...

More than food when dining out

Commentary

Eating out at a restaurant can be tricky business. Many of the bad things that might happen are purely accidental. They are unavoidable, random surprises, like when a waitress trips and drops a tray of hot tamales on your head, or the woman in the booth behind you chokes on a fish bone, or you discover a hair clip in your spaghetti. However, other potential incidents might be anticipated, or at least better understood, with some insight as to what really goes on behind the scenes in places like Applebees, Olive Garden, Outback, and other popular restaurants. The hostess or host is ...

Village water meeting remarks, moments and mindbenders

Commentary

On Thursday, July 9, members of Save Our Reservoir and other interested and concerned citizens attended the Water Forum sponsored by the Village of Fredonia, The Chautauqua County Health Department and LaBella Engineering. The event was held at the yet to be renovated new location of Pomfret Town Hall. Observations, thoughts and lingering questions from this group of citizens and from me regarding this meeting and Fredonia’s water project are listed below. Driving to the future location of Pomfret Town Hall it was noticeable that there are no sidewalks which would allow for ...

Democratic Socialists are transparent in who they are

Commentary

The less-radical Democrats (there are still some) are getting nervous because they cannot hide the take-over of the Democrat Party by the radical Marxists (communists) who are calling the shots now. The take-over of the Democrat Party by Marxists has been in the works since Chicago 1968 and has come to fruition through the relentless efforts of people dedicated to Totalitarian rule over the masses while we slept. Receipts are provided below. All socialism requires elimination of private property and takeover of the means of production and distribution by the Government ...

No bang for buck in parking revenue

The OBSERVER’s View

In the big scheme of things, revenue from parking is a pittance to the village of Fredonia coffers. According to the 2026-27 budget, only $25,000 is expected to be collected. That is extremely minimal. In fact, with each trustee making $6,000 per year, that cash coming in does not even cover their salaries. But in a struggling downtown, the village is moving forward with a hearing on a new web app that allows motorists who stop for shopping or to do business downtown to pay via cell phone for a space. On Monday, a public hearing was to take place on the proposed change. That was ...