Soul. I’m writing about this because a friend of mine, who embodied the essence of soul, recently passed away. To me, Rob Scheuer was the epitome of soulfulness, both as a performing musician and a human being. In music, Soul suggests the ability of any musician, black or white or whatever, ...

When I was on the campaign trail for Chautauqua County Clerk, the news stories about possible wrongdoing at our county DMV locations were impossible to miss. County residents were receiving toll charges, in some cases thousands of dollars, for tolls and speeding infractions on license ...

It’s 1984 again. Government servitude is freedom. Violence is a peaceful protest. George Orwell’s masterpiece explores the historical reality of Socialism, and how “newspeak” and “doublespeak” have been used to manipulate naive people. Men can bear children. Healthcare can be ...

MAYVILLE — Sometimes the most forward-thinking among us are those first to realize they took a wrong turn, and then reverse course and take the right road. In that light, congratulations go to the Chautauqua County legislature. Let’s set the stage. During its regular meetings, the ...

The tiny village was named after its tranquil little lake. My dictionary defines placid as serene, gentle, calm. Writing last week’s column about the 1980 Olympics brought back memories that were anything but peaceful. The downtown streets were loud, crowded and fun. It doesn’t seem ...

The front page of a recent Friday edition of the OBSERVER was loaded with a lot of very interesting news. The first thing that caught my eye, as it usually does on Friday, was John D’Agostino’s Editor’s corner. It was another of his takes on the budgetary insanity that continues to ...