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‘No Kings’ rally includes royal absurdity

Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. John Fetterman told his party to stop with the Nazi and fascist rhetoric. That clearly went out the window at the recent “No Kings” protest. In Jamestown alone, signs labeling the president and MAGA as Nazis and fascists could be spotted everywhere you looked as in “Super callous fascist, racist, sexist, Nazi POTUS.” So much for Fetterman’s admonition. Rumblings among Democrats seek to oust him out of office. The Nazi signs were outdone by vulgarities and profanities lacing other signs.People carrying around placards plastered with F-bombs ...

Good progress being made on bridge

Though we have had little rain this fall, the good weather has been helpful to those reconstructing the Chautauqua Lake Bridge. As you head east over the lake from the Stow side on I-86, you can see the open, raw girders where a substantial amount of concrete decking has been removed. There has also been a lot of new concrete decking laid—especially on the Bemus side. There had been some concern about the potential movement of steel as the weight of the old concrete was removed. There is always some movement when this is done as there is some flex in all steel. In crossing the ...

Lots of treats in past Halloweens

When I was a wee lad, my mother Vivian took me for a walk after supper. It was a beautiful late October night. A harvest moon was shining down, so bright that it almost seemed like daytime. The stillness of that hallowed evening was suddenly interrupted by a child’s screams. Mine. I had looked up at a nearby house’s porch and there it was. A monster. Actually, a carved pumpkin illuminated by a lit candle and featuring big, scary eyes and a mouth filled with sharp teeth with which to eat me. It seems that every Halloween thereafter mom would regale anyone who’d listen about my ...

Bigger picture in Paint CHQ: Area must celebrate collaborations

I am writing in response to the OBSERVER’s View (Oct. 6), which highlighted the Paint CHQ program and the editors’ concerns about the use of county resources for the mural project. The editorial notes that the Paint CHQ program did not use county funding, because the County Planning Department found alternative sources to carry out the mural project. However, it also mentions that county staff time was spent on this initiative, leading to the argument that this time was a waste of county resources and taxpayers’ money. I appreciate the editorial’s acknowledgment of these ...

At home and U.S., millions of voices matter

No Kings Day was a celebration of the rule of law. We are a nation of laws. We were the first nation on earth to say “We make our own laws.” “We the People” decide for ourselves what the law is. Our democracy is endangered by this Lawless President. This week President Donald Trump began demolishing the East Wing of the Whitehouse. Normally there are preservation boards and commissions to be consulted when tearing down a historic building like the Whitehouse. He just went ahead and brought in the bulldozer. It’s way too symbolic of what he is doing to our government. Think ...

Programs lack diversity of thought

CHAUTAUQUA—Let’s pick up where we left off last week. Chautauqua Institution began the 2025 season with a hopeful sign that renewed enthusiasm for diversity of thought was in the air. That continued during the 2025 season. ≤≤≤ Meanwhile, an organization annually invites a speaker to Chautauqua Institution. Chautauqua doesn’t select the speaker. The organization does. It’s legally separate from Chautauqua, and its principal location isn’t in Chautauqua. Following the 2023 speaker, this column reviewed the organization’s Chautauqua speakers over the years and ...