New State University of New York at Fredonia President Dr. Stephen Kolison Jr. knew their would be challenges during his first semester at the helm. Besides dealing with a COVID-19 dilemma, there also would be extraordinary financial challenges facing the local institution of higher ...
Service after attacks took toll on many Editor, OBSERVER: As the 19th anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks on America passes, it is with a somber heart I remember that day and the days and months following. As a member of the New York State Police, like so many of my brothers and ...
The pandemic became real for me in mid-March, as my partner and I decided to refrain from visiting family for the duration of the crisis — a period we hoped would prove brief. Normally, we’d make the trip to Fredonia to see my parents every couple of weekends, depending on what was going on ...
The Post Office is in trouble. Louis DeJoy, postmaster general, is ordering workers to destroy sorting machines. He is removing mailboxes. He is allowing mail to pile up. There have been congressional hearings about the destruction of the USPS system. In those hearings, DeJoy was asked if he ...
Thirty years ago — 1990 Fredonia State University College has been ranked 57th in Money magazine’s fall 1990 guide to the 200 best buys in American institutes of higher education. Only two public universities from western New York were on the list. The other, besides Fredonia State, was ...
Concern over use of mail-in ballots for the November general election is building. Critics of the process fall into two categories: those who worry about vote fraud and those who insist many Americans may be “disenfranchised” by the system. Indeed, fraud is something of a concern — but ...
Editor, OBSERVER: Is anyone asking this question: what happened to our water supply? Fredonia in the past enjoyed the best tasting water, year after year. With the absence of the Carriage House, the demand on the water has drastically decreased, so you can’t blame the warm summer. ...
Sept. 22 is elephant Appreciation Day. (Who dreams these things up?) While I don’t suppose any of us expect to see an elephant in our backyards, they are interesting for a brief study. Allow me to skip the description other than to note differences: The African or bush elephant is the ...
Thrity years ago — 1990 Dana Best, a former Fredonia resident, finished second recently in the Academic Honor Society National Golf Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Annually, more than 2,000 golfers attempt to qualify at one of the 14 regional qualifier tournaments. Best is a 1979 graduate ...
Incumbents, even those with interim in their title, maintain a tremendous amount of control regarding the narrative of the campaign season. Holding office gives those who serve us plenty of clout and connections to their constituents whether it be through the media or major events. For the ...
We are missing a north county tradition this weekend. As we noted on Tuesday’s front page, the third annual blessing of the grapes, which normally kicks off the Festival of Grapes in Silver Creek, was held that morning. But what isn’t held is something residents here and across Western ...
When that wind turbine or solar panel array goes up in the field behind your house remember the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act that was passed as part of the state budget this spring. This was at a time when most of us were more concerned with COVID-19 rather ...
Thirty years ago — 1990 The Dunkirk branch of Goldome, 51 E. 4th St., has announced the winners of its children’s coloring contest. The winners, who received a $25 bond, are Jessica Galardo of Dunkirk, age 5; Drew Anderson of Forestville, 7; Julie Saletta of Fredonia, 9; and Beth Eppolito ...
Ken Shearer, Mayville mayor, is doing the right thing in looking at ways to alert village residents more quickly when there is an emergency. Shearer is proposing using SlickText, a Jamestown company, to notify residents of emergencies by text message to their cell phones. Residents would ...
“We cling to our own point of view, as though everything depended on it. Yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away.” — Zhuang Zhou, Chinese Philosopher Transitioning from one season to the next, whether speaking from the astronomical or mere ...
ORCHARD PARK — Buffalo Bills’ fans, listed as the “12th Man” on the team’s wall of fame, as a whole are among the National Football League’s most enthusiastic. Lots of other words describe them. “Loyal” is at or near the top of the list. Bills’ fans face all sorts of ...
Thirty years ago — 1990 Connie Miller Bartlett of Sheridan won a $500 gift certificate from Holliday Jewelers, 35 E. Main St., Fredonia as the winner of the oldest sales receipt contest. Connie brought in a sales receipt for her wedding ring dated Aug. 18, 1955. Howard Holliday purchased ...
Progress never comes easy in Dunkirk and the north county. Even when it does happen, in the case of the cold storage facility on Roberts Road, obstacles remain. Most recently, the county Industrial Development Agency has been attempting to work with Refresco for an easement to the neighboring ...
Experience has taught us this: addiction is not something you want to tackle alone. Group treatment, mutual aid fellowships, like Alcoholics Anonymous, and good-old supportive friends have long proven this principle. In recovery, together is better than alone. Finding strength in numbers is ...
Thirty years ago — 1990 The Barker Common Fountain, located in the west Barker Common park and badly damaged in the early morning of Aug. 30 is in need of major repair. According to experts, the cost will run high to repair the 90-year-old fountain which was donated to the village by ...