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Opinion

Making progress on Code Blue site

The OBSERVER’s View

We’ve been critical of the lack of progress on transitional housing programs for the homeless in Chautauqua County in recent weeks. Transitional housing is still moving too slowly for our liking, but it’s good to see the county beginning to push for increased services in the north county. Jamestown’s homeless population exploded over the past few years, but the issue is becoming more pronounced in the north county too. We have to give credit where it’s due. And it’s good to see the county is working to find a Code Blue site for the north county similar to the ROME shelter ...

Lessons learned on a trip to Ohio

Commentary

Recently, we took a road trip to Ohio with another couple. It was a good break from the winter doldrums. We stopped to see old friends, renew old memories and revisit old, familiar places. Ohio seems like it will never end. There are places of beautiful rolling hills, but then there are the seemingly endless, flat plains of the great craton...the corn belt that spans across several states in the Midwest. We drove for three days and never left the State of Ohio. One of the rewards of seeing old friends is that it is easy. Though you may not have seen them for several years, you ...

Energy mandates hurting upstate

Commentary

New York’s winter deep freeze and record-breaking snowfalls are a stark reminder that reliable, affordable energy isn’t optional — it’s essential to keeping families warm, communities safe, and the economy running. Yet the policy choices made in Albany are out of step with those basic goals. It is becoming increasingly clear that the mandates in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act have weakened grid reliability and driven up costs for working families and Main Street businesses. Enacted in 2019, the CLCPA set ambitious clean energy targets and aggressive ...

COUNTY: Waivers no factor in smoking rates

The OBSERVER’s View

Chautauqua County officials want to push the remaining organizations that have indoor smoking waivers to go smokefree. Smoking indoors in public places became largely illegal in New York state with the passage of the Clean Indoor Air Act on July 24, 2003, banning smoking in most workplaces, restaurants, and bars. There are five remaining private organizations with waivers to allow indoor smoking - and those five clubs will begin paying more for the privilege: $300 annually to $650 in 2026, and to $1,000 in 2027. We can’t argue with the health benefits of going smokefree. There are ...

Don’t cancel Dr. Seuss

Commentary

On March 2, schools all over the country celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday. This day and week is often called Read Across America. Theodor Seuss Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, was born March 2, 1904, and died Sept. 24, 1991. Seuss died on my 28th birthday. I’m not sure exactly what to make of that ...

Expensive entities have few options

The OBSERVER’s View

What’s being considered in northern Chautauqua County is long overdue. Within the past months, Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel has led the way in talks for a major merger between the city of Dunkirk, village of Fredonia and towns of Dunkirk and Pomfret. To those who are on the outside, it is an obvious solution. Closer to home, we tend to fight these suggestions because there’s comfort in consistency. But within the last two years, it has become clear that area municipal governments are letting down those they serve. Property taxes increased 84% in the city in 2025 and 54% ...