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How do big stars see those not in spotlight?

From a common person’s perspective, the elite class consists of a wide range of villains, heroes, and eccentrics. It is populated by individuals who, by virtue of superior intellect, talent, inheritance, criminal activity or plain luck, enjoy a privileged life. They have, by book, hook or crook, managed to position themselves beyond most of the everyday issues that confront the everyday man. Unless their line of work requires public relations of some sort, the upper crust of society occupies a space within a bubble. Probably the most mysterious of the elites are the super rich — ...

Making the right karate connection

I grew up watching Bruce Lee movies and Kung Fu the television series starring David Carradine. I was fascinated with the martial arts. No way my parents were going to let me study karate. When I was a senior in high school I signed up for evening karate classes at Fredonia State. They were inexpensive and taught by a SUNY student. Sensei Jim was a macho jerk but I wanted to learn karate so badly I would have taken affordable classes from anyone. Jim the sensei jerk said I had real potential but I sure didn’t like his attitude. He bragged about how he worked as a bouncer at a local ...

Turbine troubles keep spinning in county

Six hundred-foot industrial wind turbines across Chautauqua County? No! Residents suffering from “wind turbine sickness” who live with turbines in Arkwright, Cassadaga, and Forestville-Villenova have described the symptoms they experience to the Chautauqua County Health Board in March 2026. “When the turbines are spinning, I experience adverse health effects including headaches, severe migraines, sleep disruption, dizziness, tinnitus, nausea and vomiting — spontaneous vomiting, equilibrium disruptions, and heart issues - not severe ones - mostly just palpitation, rapid ...

Dunkirk’s standards keep lowering the bar

I am so disappointed in our community. A headline article of what should be no news because it reads like an afternoon soap opera script appears on the front page of the local paper. No facts. No proof. All gossip. A lot of “allegations.” I am so disappointed. In its front page, top of the page article there are allegations of misconduct, abuse of alcohol, and personal misbehavior — all given as though we are on the Facebook level of gossip. Can Dunkirk sink any lower? Can we be the laughingstock of the county to a greater degree? Everything in the article is gossip. ...

Wetlands law challenge takes surprising turn

CHAUTAUQUA LAKE—The court challenge to New York’s wetlands law has taken a surprising, fascinating turn. To understand this, let’s pick up where we left off six weeks ago. That’s when acting state Supreme Court Justice Richard Platkin struck down the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation’s, or DEC’s, wetlands regulations. * * * Such law can be devastating for Chautauqua County, particularly because of the impact on Chautauqua Lake. By increasing controls over what the DEC labels as wetlands, the law can turn Chautauqua Lake into a weed farm, hinder ...

Piles and piles of paper piles

Are you drowning in paper like I am? If the computer age was supposed to eliminate paper piles, it’s doing a lousy job. Yes, I know I am supposed to convert all my accounts to paperless – and for the most part, I have. My credit card statements are electronic. The insurance, the bank, gas bill, water bill and township sewer bill all arrive to my inbox monthly. Despite many tries, I have been unable to convince the Pennelec people that this is a convenient idea. When the mail comes each afternoon, a new pile arrives in our mailbox. Occasionally it’s just the newspaper and ...