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THRUWAY: Closing interstate always a tough call

The OBSERVER’s View

Even though we are battle tested, there is no telling when winter will take a turn for the worse. That is exactly what happened around 1 p.m. Tuesday. Blizzard and whiteout conditions took over much of the north county — especially on the State Thruway that led to at least three accidents, including one with multiple vehicles. With the weather deteriorating, first responders that included the Fredonia Fire Department and Thruway State Police made it to the scene. Minor injuries were reported, but it begs the question: should the state Thruway have been closed? For those witnessing ...

Three sheets to the wind

Commentary

I’ve missed that wonderful aroma of sheets and towels coming in from the fresh air. Sadly, my house deed states, “no clotheslines,” meaning no tee shirts flapping in the wind on a sunny day. Generations X and Y have probably never inhaled that glorious smell. Now all our sheets come out of the dryer. The manufacturers have tried, but there is still money to be made by the person who gets that little delight just right. Yesterday, I had reason to mourn the loss of that washday joy – the only good part of the laundry process I remember from being a kid. I was sorting sheets – ...

A presidency with no limits

Commentary

Whether you like our current President or not, one thing that seems to characterize his actions is that there seems to be no limits in what he can do. In a recent two-hour interview with members of the press, he was asked if there were any limits to his global power. President Trump said: “Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It is the only thing that can stop me.” His answer did not mention any Constitutional limitations to his power. The public now is beginning to understand this as reflected in the recent “No Kings” demonstrations that sprung up around ...

Video adds to fear in ICE shooting

Commentary

On Jan. 7, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers approached a maroon Honda Pilot idling at an angle on a two-lane street where traffic could still pass. The driver, Renee Nicole Good, waved an ICE vehicle around it and it pulled through. A second vehicle stopped. Officers exited and began shouting commands. At least one officer recorded the encounter on his phone as he walked around the front of the vehicle. Video shows the passenger, Good’s wife, standing outside the car filming ICE activity from the side of the road—citizen action protected by the First ...

CAMPAIGN: Catholic school seeks sustainability

The OBSERVER’s View

It seems as though it is a battle for survival every year for Northern Chautauqua Catholic School. As it stands, the facility remains the only Catholic school in Chautauqua County as the other locations could not sustain. Despite its success, NCCS needs more assistance. This week, the school announced the launch of Campaign 157, an effort to strengthen and sustain private Catholic education in Chautauqua County. The campaign marks the 157-year anniversary of the completion of the school’s historic building originally called Columbus Hall — perhaps the oldest private elementary ...

CONGRESS: Office closure a sign of our times

The OBSERVER’s View

Our political discourse is not in a good place across the country. The closure of Rep. Nick Langworthy’s Jamestown office after what the congressman termed credible threats and calls for violence directed at Langworthy is proof of that. It would be nice to see charges if the threats are credible, as Langworthy says they are. Given vandalism at Langworthy’s office in Jamestown and a suspicious package sent to Langworthy’s Clarence office, both of which took place within the past 12 months, we can understand the need for caution if only to protect Langworthy’s office staff who ...