Mayor Wilfred Rosas is correct to assume the COVID-19 crisis could be lessening by the summer — here and across the nation. While many are complaining not enough are being vaccinated — and Chautauqua County’s rate is close to the state average — the process is getting faster.

That means by June, there could be summer events and a greater number of residents gathering. However, there is great uncertainty to when that day will actually be.

So, for now, Rosas has announced it’s unlikely there will be a parade on Memorial Day. “I’m not too optimistic about the Memorial Day Parade, that is one of our biggest events,” Rosas said. “It draws in thousands of people. Currently the state is saying that they are allowing now up to 200 people for outdoor events and the Memorial Day Parade is obviously going to draw in more people than that.”

He was much more optimistic, however, about another summer holiday: the Fourth of July. As we all know, if there is fireworks on that evening, there will be a crowd.