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Peoples column

People’s column

Gambling takes toll on youth Editor, OBSERVER: Underage gambling is a growing concern in New York state. The explosion of internet gambling and gaming opportunities — combined with the inescapable advertising and marketing of gaming and gambling everywhere from television to the corner store — relentlessly expose our children to enticing messages of winning, risk-taking and excitement from a very early age. Alarming statistics reveal that almost 40 percent of youth ages 12-17 have gambled this past year with in-game items or real money, and 30 percent of these youth state ...

People’s column

DPW does great job with leaves Editor, OBSERVER: Tony Gugino and his crew picked up our leaves on Wednesday, Nov. 27 and they did a great job. We want to thank him and his crew for a nice job done. Mr. Gugino is a terrific supervisor for the village of Fredonia. He’s smart and he knows the business. We were lucky to get Tony. Nice job Tony! FRANK DeJOHN, Fredonia Veterans need more respect Editor, OBSERVER: I’m a law-abiding citizen of Dunkirk. I’m 68 years old, a veteran and have been disabled for more than 10 years. After reading the article in the OBSERVER ...

Students contribute in Silver Creek

Editor, OBSERVER: I recently attended the Dr. Seuss musical put on by the Silver Creek Middle School under the direction of Mr. Phillip McMullen. It involved 100 students and all of them did a great job and were like professionals singing and acting. The scenery was also made by students and seats were reserved for the evening. I was told they shared the microphones and it was good and clear. Congratulations to the students for their hard work and a great thank you to Mr. McMullen for all his hard work preparing all those students. It was great. On another note, a big thank you ...

Community support benefits girls hoops

Editor, OBSERVER: We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ginger Pokoj and Big Rick’s One Stop, Mike Porpiglia and La Casa D’Mangia, the Dom Polski Club and its members, WDOE and all the patrons who attended our recent rib dinner and basket raffle fund-raiser. Without the generous support of our community, it would not have been possible. We look forward to seeing you all in the stands to help cheer us on this season! Thank you again for our generous support! JESSICA BEEHLER, TACHIANA GARCIA, OCTAVIA PORTER, AMARI CARTER, KYMI NANCE, OLIVIA SMITH, KEITSHARYS ...

People’s column

Mayor must help in transition Editor, OBSERVER: I would like to quote the Fredonia outgoing mayor’s Facebook post from Nov. 5: “In fairness to tonight’s election, and to me, starting tomorrow I will only do my very basic duties, meetings and paper signing when needed. Grants, infrastructure projects, hospital, communications with the state, and other meetings should be taken over by anyone who is willing to do so.” Who does this? I would like to remind Mayor Athanasia Landis that she is still being paid by our tax dollars, and that her job now is to make the transition ...

School professionals are major contributors

Editor, OBSERVER: In 2007, the New York State Legislature officially established the third Tuesday of November as “School-Related Professionals Recognition Day.” This Recognition Day is today, Nov. 19. We would like to publicly acknowledge the hard work that these men and women do every day, working side-by-side with other educational professionals that often go unrecognized within the school community as a whole. Who are School-Related Professionals and what do they do? Around New York state, more than 90,000 individuals are teaching assistants, school nurses, health office ...