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Opinion

Americans still allowed to disagree with president

Commentary

The topics I write about that seem to get the most response from readers have to do with dogs or politics. I’m always glad to hear from the good dog people. Not so much from political hacks, on either side. I recently posted a piece that was, I’ll admit, a harsh and perhaps overly generalized rendering of Trump supporters. Apparently I offended some folks who had previously been readers of my peculiar ramblings. It’s not that I lament losing a reader or two. It’s that ever since I graduated from being a ninth-grade hyperactive bully and all around major jerk (several relapses ...

Artificial Intelligence can benefit region

Commentary

Any mention of Artificial Intelligence (AI) these days is bound to generate a wide variety of responses. Some are overly excited by what they have heard about its potential while others are fearful of it. That’s largely because most people don’t fully understand AI yet. That often happens when any new technology begins to emerge. It takes people time to wrap their heads around anything that is likely to change the way they have always done something. They need to figure out how to adapt so they can use it in beneficial ways. Just like during previous technological revolutions, ...

Already relief in police costs

The OBSERVER’s View

There has been recent discussion regarding inequity between the town of Hanover and the village of Silver Creek policing contract with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Department. In the big picture, however, we do not see it. Earlier this month, Silver Creek wanted to pay less of the total cost of the deal while the town would pick up a bit more. In Mayor Kathy Tampio’s eyes, this was due to population — and a larger number of incidents outside the village. “In consideration of these statistics and in an effort to truly be fair to our village taxpayers, we would agree to ...

Lack of fairness in federal tax

Peoples column

Editor, OBSERVER: Many of us are looking forward to a check for a return on overpayment on our 2025 federal income tax. Others are expecting to pay a little more on April 15. I have never minded paying my federal tax. I kind of look at it as payment of club dues for the privilege of living in this great country. What does bother me is that companies like Tesla had a profit of $5.7 billion and paid no federal income tax for 2025. A big fat zero. At the corporate tax rate of 21% they avoided $1.2 billion in federal tax. And they are not alone. The four big Tech Companies combined had ...

No Kings participants relish freedom, peace

Commentary

Today, Saturday, March 28, there will be more than 3,000 No Kings demonstrations all across the country. They will be a celebration of our First Amendment right “peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for the redress of grievances.” We are a nation of laws and we want to stay that way, with free and fair elections. Locally there are several options. Jamestown will be hosting a rally in Dow Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Chautauqua Institution is hosting one at 67 Bester Plaza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Here in the North County Marchers will gather at Cottage Street ...

Affordability keeps getting more expensive

Editor's corner

Almost every level of bureaucracy is guilty of overusing the word affordability. As prices keep rising — whether due to inflation, at the grocery store or painfully within the last two weeks at the gas pump — that phrase gets repeated more than nightly “Law & Order” reruns. Let’s be ...