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Sacred song service a note of comfort

CHAUTAUQUA—If you haven’t read John Whittaker’s page-one story on Chautauqua Institution in the July 19-20 edition of this newspaper, please pull it out of your recyclables. This well-written story is worth reading. Twice, maybe thrice. Chautauqua Institution is an extraordinary place. People from all over come to Chautauqua Institution during the nine-week summer season, and we’re fortunate to have the institution in our backyard. Yet Chautauqua Institution has challenges to meet. What’s striking about the Whittaker story is that Kyle Keogh, the institution’s ...

Caterwauling in the great outdoors

Finian, our Maine Coon cat, longs to be outdoors. He sits in the windows staring at the birds, the occasional chipmunk, and the resident bunny family. He paces, his huge furry tail swishing with urgency – the same swishing he displays as mealtime approaches. We have to work at keeping him safely indoors. Finian is not a warm and fuzzy personality. He’s loyal, just not cozy. He wants to be where I am, just not on me. When I head to the kitchen to prepare dinner, he follows. He follows me to bed at night, requiring five minutes of head and neck scratching before curling up behind my ...

Simple arithmetic with Education Department

Throughout the campaign and since his reelection President Donald Trump has made plain his intention to close or drastically shrink the size of the Department of Education. Teachers unions are vehemently opposed to the potential closure. They view such actions as detrimental to students. Teachers unions such as the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) have strongly criticized the Trump administration’s actions to date that include mass layoffs and executive orders aimed at reducing the department’s size and ...

Sedota always on ‘front line’ for village

I would like to take some time to recognize the public service to the village of Fredonia of James M. Sedota who recently died on July 15, 2025. I don’t believe many residents are aware of the responsible and demanding positions Jim held in village government. Jim served the village of Fredonia as village administrator for 30 years, a very demanding job. He also served during that same period as village clerk and village treasurer which were also demanding jobs. Jim held three important positions for our village at a modest salary. As village attorney, I served with Jim during all ...

Plenty happening on Chautauqua Lake

If you live on the west side of Chautauqua Lake, you know that the season at Chautauqua Institution has arrived because the traffic on Route 394 has doubled. It is not just people traveling to Chautauqua for its programs, it is people from Chautauqua heading for Lakewood to shop and buy groceries. You just have to get used to the traffic. It is best to slow down when you get on the road, and to expect that it may take you a minute or two longer to get to your destination. This is especially the case as there are now stoplight restrictions related to construction work on the ...

Local Economic Development group: County trails perfect for all seasons

Chautauqua County is home to a wealth of year-round outdoor recreation opportunities. Whether you like to swim, fish, hike, bike, ski, or find one of the many other ways to enjoy the natural world surrounding us, there are plenty of places to find exactly what you want in a thoroughly enjoyable setting. Some of the very best places to go include the more than 250 miles of recreational trails available throughout the county. Most of us take these trails for granted and don’t fully appreciate what an important economic development driver these trails are. In addition to providing ...