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Peoples column

People’s column

Preserving freedom takes work at home Editor, OBSERVER: Next year, our nation will mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Our founders gave us the framework that made the United States the greatest nation in history. Preserving that legacy is both our right and our duty. Here in New York, our freedoms are under constant attack. The majority party in Albany is attempting to control everything; from how we can heat our homes and prepare our food, to what type of vehicles and school buses we can drive, to how we can protect and defend our families. ...

People’s column

U.S. lost without faith Editor, OBSERVER: Food for thought: The demonstrations last week against “No Kings” were estimated at 7 million people voicing their anger at Washington. I wonder how many of those people attended temple or church that weekend. Why are churches empty or closed? Maybe, instead of complaining to politicians who do not listen, we should turn to a different kind of sign, the sign of the cross where there is someone eternally listening to our hopes and prayers. Think about it. RICHARD SAJDAK, Fredonia

People’s column

Worry about mayor, not treasurer post Editor, OBSERVER: There is no monetary benefit to the taxpayers of the City of Dunkirk by making the change in the charter as put forth on the ballot in November. Moving the position of treasurer from elected to under the auspices of the finance dept does nothing. A better action would be to eliminate the position of mayor as an elected position and hire a city manager. One whose education and experience enables him or her to direct the electees and navigate the Systems of a city in today’s world. We would benefit from this by ...

People’s column

NFL should punt on Bad Bunny Editor, OBSERVER: In April 2023, Bud Light, at that time the top beer brand in the United States, ran an ad campaign featuring Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender male who poses as a woman. In the month following the advertisement, Bud Light’s sales fell between 11 and 26%. Bud Light lost its status as the top-selling beer in the United States – a spot it had held for 20 years. As of February of this year, sales had not recovered. Some Conservatives dropped out of watching pro football during COVID when the league embraced social justice causes such as ...

People’s column

Decommissioning turbines is costly proposition Editor, OBSERVER: Our financially strapped towns and land leasers must not expect debt-ridden NYS [or anyone] to bail them out for insufficient decommissioning funds for end-of-life wind and solar projects. Reported decommissioning costs are highly speculative, poorly understood and depend on the project’s design, location, the specific time of decommissioning and variations in disposal and recycling methods. Published in August 2025, the report titled “Assessment of Decommissioning Costs and Financing Models for Onshore Wind ...

People’s column

Do not discount advances in BESS Editor, OBSERVER: In regard to the piece with the headline “BESS catastrophe can be prevented” that was published last month in the OBSERVER, I do have some concerns. First, the author writes about lithium ion BESS projects and their myriad dangers. Grid scale Li- ion BESS projects began operating about 15 to 20 years ago. In searching for Li-ion BESS failures in general, a study, “Safety Aspects of Stationary Battery Energy Storage Systems,” tracked stationary BESS failures (fires, explosions, etc.). The report mentioned about 10 BESS ...