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Peoples column

Finding new things to eat

Ready for more suggested recipes? I do suspect one would now have to wait until the lovely days of spring and summer to continue gathering the goodies. But let’s go. Marsh-marigold (Cowslip): Collected before the plant has finished blossoming, the young leaves (with the stalks removed) are excellent cooked for 20-30 min. in 2 or 3 changes of boiling water. The flowerbuds can be used as capers when boiled for 10 min. in 2 changes of water and pickled in hot vinegar. Do not drink the juice in which the buds have been pickled. Do not eat raw. Cowslip contains an acrid poison that is ...

There’s balance to placing blame

Editor, OBSERVER: I have a genial response to a recent letter. Should the Democratic governorship and Democratic supermajorities in both houses of the New York State Legislature share in the blame for our county’s woes? When they legislate, all counties are affected. PAUL N. DiPALMA, Fredonia

Placing focus on what matters

Editor, OBSERVER: I thought you might like to have a second version of my previous letter. I am very grateful for your publishing the first version. I continue to find myself floundering among enormous amounts of information coming at me from hundreds of sources. I find that it helps me and perhaps may help other readers to re-focus on what is important: ¯ Resolutions, not conflict. ¯ Civil rights, not totalitarianism. ¯ Moral methods, not any means. ¯ Helping, not exploiting. ¯ Justice, not a police state. ¯ Realism, not socialism. ¯ Peaceful society, not an ...

Praise for county on ’22 budget

Editor, OBSERVER: Last month, the Chautauqua County Legislature unanimously adopted a historic 2022 budget resulting in a property tax rate reduction of 40 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation or 4.7% along with a tax levy reduction of just over $270,000. Furthermore, this historic county budget is structurally balanced which means that no fund balance or savings were used to balance expenses with revenues. This wonderful accomplishment was achieved by county elected officials from both parties working together with the executive branch to deliver remarkable results for the taxpayers ...

Veterans set example for all of us

By RAY LENARCIC A huge shout out to our veterans. Thanks for your service to this country. To begin with, I’m not a veteran. But I am the person I am today because of them. My Uncle Bob, one of the four “Fightin” Van Slyke brothers from Little Falls, was my role model growing up. Along with several friends, the star basketball player and scholar forwent his senior year to enlist in the Army Air Corps. Between 1944 and early 1945, he flew 41 missions as a Navigator-Bombardier in a B-26 Marauder with the 454th Bomb Squadron. At 20, 1st Lieutenant Van Slyke returned home with a ...

Those who make America great

November is a time to remember our military, our veterans, and the birthday of the US Marine Corps. November 11 is Veterans Day and we remember all our veterans and those currently serving in the US Military. And November 10 is the 246th birthday of the US Marine Corps. It was November 10, 1775 when the US Marine Corps was founded in Philadelphia. PA. Indeed, this is a time to remember. The story of America has been written, in large part, by the selfless and noble deeds of hard working and dedicated men and women committed to liberty and justice in a free society. Our American ...