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Threats to U.S. science can hurt us all

In 2012 I packed up my possessions and left Jamestown to pursue a career and life in scientific research. My destination was Arlington, Texas, halfway across the country, where I had enrolled in the graduate program in biology at the University of Texas, Arlington. Aside from some short vacations, I had spent almost my entire life in Chautauqua County, as a student at Falconer Central School and Jamestown Community College, or in New York State more broadly, finishing my bachelor’s degree from SUNY in Syracuse. At the time I was so excited to live somewhere new, meet new people, and ...

Life is great. Cheese makes it better.

Truer words were never spoken. That quote by author Avery Aames sums up my lifelong love affair with cheese. After I stopped eating school cafeteria lunches, good old American cheese became a thing of my past. In college, I met a few French students who knew the cheese world. It was all new to me, but oh, what a discovery that new world was. Gruyere, blue, and brie? Sacre bleu! Where had you been all my life? When it was first explained to me that blue cheese was essentially mold – but in wedge shape – I gulped a bit. Then I smelled it. I still was not so sure. But the first bite ...

Politics is sour milk for upstate farms

Once again that huge, elitist tail that is New York City is wagging the sad emaciated body that is upstate New York. You may have read in a recent OBSERVER article that Democratic Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal who represents the Upper West Side of Manhattan and part of Hell’s Kitchen has teamed up with Democratic State Sen. Jabari Brisport who represents the 25th Senate District in Brooklyn to push legislation that would prevent the Department of Environmental Conservation from issuing new permits for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations or CAFOs that have 700 or more cows. New ...

The importance of Esprit De Corps

The importance of “esprit de corps” hit me recently as I was watching the workers on the sewer construction job now being built north of Stow on the west side of the lake. These French words refer to team spirit, to people respecting each other and working together for a common purpose. The construction workers on this job work as a team without a lot of shouting or being “bossed” around. They just do their jobs and expect those around them to do the same. It is obvious that they respect each other and like their jobs. One may be on a backhoe, another laying out the route ...

Drinking in the Fredonia Reservoir history

History of the Fredonia Water Works is interesting. It began in 1884 by the village of Fredonia acquiring lands and rights of way. The Map of the Fredonia Water Works Conduit Line and Location of the Reservoir is included as part of this article. Note the 7-foot high dam shown on the ...

Sponsors help build robotics program

The future of local robotics education is looking brighter thanks to generous support from community sponsors. Key contributions from organizations and businesses such as Dream It Do It and Miraclean have been pivotal. Their donations have not only helped young innovators refine their technical skills but also sparked plans to extend this opportunity to more schools across the county. Both Dream It Do It and Miraclean have expressed a clear, forward-thinking vision. They are committed to expanding the reach of robotics education by bringing hands-on STEM learning to additional ...