It came about in a whisper during the Chautauqua County Board of Health meeting: a methadone clinic has been approved for Dunkirk. It is supposed to be located at Main and Third streets and be operated by the Acacia Network.

Now the big question: Just how long will it take to open and will the fears voiced by the community be apparent?

In years past, many were concerned a facility like this would bring the wrong element of person to Dunkirk or that a treatment center would increase crime. We will not know those answers until an opening occurs.

As Mike Tramuta notes on Page D1 today, there is a need for this type of treatment. Just how the region embraces this, however, is the big question moving forward.