After a March 30 Fredonia Village Board Meeting two members of Save Our Reservoir and I had a cordial and pleasant conversation with Trustee Ben Brauchler on the steps of Village Hall. During that conversation I asked Brauchler what he thought of the water cost projections made by former ...

The Fourth of July is the holiday I dread most. It’s not because I am unpatriotic. It’s just that I have no taste for explosions and screeching missiles, which go on here in Dunkirk from early evening to late at night, and from mid June until the end of July. It’s also because Rocco, our ...

MECOSTA, Mich.—When this columnist was a newspaper reporter, one of the editors was fond of saying we needed to write in a way that would hold people’s attention when the kids were screaming, the dog was barking, and the television was on. Today’s column doesn’t follow that rule. So ...

What shall we sing to America to celebrate our 250th birthday? “This Land is Your Land” is a good one. It’s been a staple for patriotic gatherings; we all know the first verse by heart. It sings the praises of this country’s beautiful landscapes and declares that it belongs to you ...

Sunday was opening day at Chautauqua, and like all Sundays during the 9-week season, admission was free. Ginger, my BFF from New York City, is visiting us this week for the holiday. She joined me Sunday as the interim president of Chautauqua Institution opened its 153rd season just before the ...

Very often the thought arises of how lucky I was to be born and live out my life in the greatest nation that has ever existed on this planet. While we have our faults and we’ve made mistakes; I know that our nation is the major force for good on this planet. What follows is the story of ...