It is excellent to see the Dunkirk City School system moving ahead with a districtwide safety plan. Last month, School Resource Officer Steven Zentz discussed an overview of the idea to the city Board of Education, which is still in the early stages. “There are representatives from every ...

What is the truth behind the recent events that have happened at the Dunkirk Housing Authority? While the August meeting last week was quiet, July was eye-opening. Residents wanted answers on missing funds, policy changes and water pressure problems. Authority board members have little power ...

There were no winners in the latest dispute that took place last week at the Fredonia Village Board meeting. Attorney Dan Gard, who is not elected, took the stage so to speak to blast both Trustees Roger Britz and Doug Essek. Gard wanted to publicly let residents know on July 29 that Britz ...

There is a wave of dissension surrounding the Holiday Harbor at Chadwick Bay marina in the city — and most of it centers around the Common Council. Once again, the topic of who is responsible for the upkeep of the facility came up at a meeting in July. At least two councilmen — Andrew ...

Here are some of the best — and worst — of the week: BEST CAMP NUMBERS — The “Summer Better Than Others Day Camp” at Camp Gross, sponsored by the city of Dunkirk continues to be popular. According to Ryan Hall, recreation program coordinator, attendance has been fantastic. ...

U.S. senators were told last week that the federal government should have a bigger role in protecting states’ election systems from computer hackers such as those working for Russia. That sounds reasonable. Proposals that Uncle Sam have more power over us almost always do. A report ...

Merging of municipal courts does not need to be problematic. In fact, the village of Brocton and town of Portland are already utilizing this practice. With courts in 27 towns, 13 villages and two cities, that is a major burden on the Chautauqua County district attorney’s office. Patrick ...

Dunkirk resident Jeff Robinson is not finished yet. Even after last weekend’s beach cleanup that included at least 100 volunteers in the city, Robinson plans to continue to work on Point Gratiot beaches. Good for him. Many in this community are quick to point out what is wrong. Few, ...

Act One may be complete, but there is still time to take in what is becoming a popular annual event. On the Dunkirk Lighthouse grounds, the third Shakespeare on the Lake will be around for four more shows. Last week, “Hamlet” was the featured attraction while “The Two Gentlemen of ...

Dunkirk’s school board moved quickly earlier this month to separate itself from former Superintendent Dr. James Tracy. What it did not do — ever — was to apologize for a snarky, insensitive remark that came from that office after a phone call on May 17. Two days after a Dunkirk High ...

We already know many of the negative implications to the closing of the former NRG Energy Inc. power plant on the city waterfront. An ugly facility sits idle. There are only two people at monitoring the site when there were once hundreds of workers. The payment in lieu of taxes to the city, ...

Here are some of the best — and worst — of the week: BEST STEEPLE CLOCK — The new clock placed in the Fredonia Family Church Building looks great. Yes, it is different than the original steeple, but this new steeple is actually designed after the first steeple the church ever had, not ...

In 2012, after the addictive properties of opioid pain pills were known, drug companies shipped 12.6 billion of them to U.S. pharmacies. That works out to about 38 each for every man, woman and child in this country. No wonder drug companies involved in lawsuits over marketing of opioid ...

With at least two superintendent positions opening up in our region, chances are the new hires at these districts will be getting some nice compensation packages. According to On Board, a publication of the New York State School Boards Association, the average salary for superintendents in ...

The dismissal of SAFE Act-related charges against Ben Wassell is the end of a long and arduous legal journey for the Silver Creek man. While the Fourth Department Appellate Division’s ruling in Wassell’s case doesn’t satisfy those who believe the SAFE Act violates the Second Amendment ...

Sometimes it takes more than a village, as town of Pomfret board members learned during a recent meeting. While discussing renovations at Russell Joy Park, town Highway Superintendent Jude Gardner mentioned a number of recent improvements. These include a new pavilion roof, a paint job by the ...

Maybe cooler temperatures in the coming days will bring fewer accidents to area roads. Last week, for all intents and purposes, was a trying one. Last Monday, a State Police car was hit while responding to an accident. Stories of bravery by the construction workers on the New York State ...

No brand of binoculars can clearly tell anyone what downtown Dunkirk will look like in the next five years, especially Central Avenue. Since the major Masonic Temple fire of February 2010, the former main drag of the city becomes a ghost town in the late afternoon. Retail shops are a heavy ...

Here are some of the best — and worst — of the week: BEST COUNTY FAIR — It’s been a hot week, but a good one at the Chautauqua County Fair. There’s been plenty of action on the grandstands, the 4-Hers have had many of their animals and projects on display, people in the community ...

Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein is among the sleaziest of perverts, if federal authorities are to be believed. Given his 2008 guilty plea to charges he had sex with minors in Florida, there is no reason to discount charges he faces now in New York. Outrage already has been expressed over the ...