On Friday, the OBSERVER featured a photo of an important segment of our community on the front page: volunteers. That group played a tremendous role in the Farm Festival happening over the past weekend. As usual, the event made for some congestion on Main and Temple streets. Besides packing ...

One reason given to spend more than $1 million on a hangar at the Chautauqua County Airport in Jamestown is, basically, if you don’t take the state’s money, you won’t get the state’s money in the future. We have no reason to doubt the county official who said it because similar ...

In April, the Dunkirk Common Council learned it was receiving about $225,000 from Market New York to help fund the Great Lakes Grand Prix event that took place last weekend. It was a significant chunk of change. But in the aftermath of last week’s pathetic turnout — in terms of the ...

Here are some of the best — and worst — of the week: BEST LIGHTHOUSE ON SCREEN — Tonight is the world premiere of “Widow’s Point” starring actor Craig Sheffer. The movie by Fredonia native Gregory Lamberson was partly filmed at the Dunkirk Lighthouse. The movie will be shown ...

A new complaint is coming from President Donald Trump’s critics — though the wiser politicians among them probably will hesitate before saying too much. Some analysts were predicting this week that the federal government’s budget deficit during the coming fiscal year will exceed $1 ...

Our city neighbor in the south county is looking to Dunkirk as an example. Outgoing Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi is hoping to do what its north-county neighbor did: construct a splash pad. Jamestown representatives were here earlier this week to look at one of the gems of Wright Park. In recent ...

You have likely seen them on the roads. License plates in New York state that have become unreadable — even on some of the newer editions. It was almost like it was planned from the start. Of course the state is blaming the damages on oxidizing and peeling, but that never happened in the ...

This year’s edition of the Great Lakes Grand Prix was more of a splish than a splash. Weather conditions throughout the weekend, especially heavy rains and thunderstorms, put the Saturday and Sunday happenings in question for many who were planning to attend. “This is not an easy event to ...

District 23 for Congress in New York state is quite lengthy. It runs from Chautauqua County all the way to just outside of Binghamton along the Southern Tier and covers 11 counties. It also has some political balance. Ithaca and Tompkins County almost always lean left while the western ...

Give U.S. Rep. Tom Reed credit. He is consistent in his message on wind turbines. And when it comes to individual governments — and the structures being placed on land — New York State has made it clear that leaders of each municipality will have a say whether the structures get built. ...

Here are some of the best — and worst — of the week: Best STOCKTON HEADSTONE — A local Revolutionary War veteran’s grave site has been provided a new headstone after the original one was destroyed. His family was able to secure a headstone after learning about the stone and ...

A 33-year-old Southern California man’s murderous rampage earlier this month was a reminder of the futility of relying on gun control laws to curb violence. He used knives to kill four people in Santa Ana and Garden Grove. After the man was apprehended, one police official described him as ...

There is no excuse for government agencies to not let the public know of an upcoming meeting, even if it is one that is being scheduled in a hurry. But that is what the Dunkirk Housing Authority carelessly did on June 17. It held a meeting with no public notice. It broke the law. It is not ...

Last week marked an 11-year anniversary of the Chautauqua & Erie County Sports Fishery Advisory Board’s annual Lake Erie Experience. On one day, usually a Wednesday in August, charterboat captains lead crews of elected officials and dignitaries on a morning tour of fishing. For those ...

For the record, we do not care how Dunkirk Common Council member Don Williams Jr. votes one election day. That is his private decision. But how Williams votes as an elected official is another matter. Last week, he again tried to play both sides. In continuing his push for four-year council ...

There has been plenty of discussion — good and bad — about the improvements to the Dunkirk Pier. The timing was bad. It’s just not the same. Why do it all? Today, however, marks a new beginning for what could be one of the city’s signature sites — now and in the future. The project, ...

Even with the dissolution of the villages of Forestville and Cherry Creek within the past three years, Chautauqua County still has too many layers of government. On Tuesday, residents in Sinclairville could be the next domino to fall. During the spring, a grass-roots effort was made by a ...

Here are some of the best — and worst — of the week: BEST ANSON MEMORIAL — We want to applaud those involved in the rededication of the Anson memorial which is now in Memorial Park. Daniel F. Anson was a professional Dunkirk firefighter who died Aug. 9, 1979. In his obituary it states ...

Exactly why the pitiful, sick weaklings who murdered 31 people in Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso, Texas, committed their horrific deeds may never be known. But as always, the reaction has been calls that the government do more to prevent mass killings. Stricter gun control laws already have been ...

It seems as though it would be a no-brainer, but it does send a reminder especially when outside the limits of a village or a city. Started in the early 2000s, reflective signs help not only motorists but emergency responders find homes in the dark of night. The Brocton and Portland fire ...