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The OBSERVER’s View

SHOOTINGS: ‘Targeted’ incidents are still a danger

Jamestown has seen four targeted shootings in the past three weeks. On Aug. 3, city police responded to Lafayette Street near Isabella Avenue for a reported gunshot complaint, with a man arriving at UPMC Chautauqua a short time later with an injury police said was consistent with a gunshot wound. A short time later officers were dispatched to a report of a gunshot complaint in the area near Columbia Avenue. Officers found rounds had struck a home in the neighborhood, with no injuries to anyone in the neighborhood. Three more shootings Friday and Saturday followed. The first shooting ...

FREDONIA: High-priced lawyers seeking an increase

It is no secret this corner is not fond of the village of Fredonia’s attorneys. In 2021, the firm advocated a closed-door meeting that went by the name of a “retreat” to keep the public away. It was an illegal meeting, but since there are no penalties other than shaming, the out-of-town firm was OK with that. Remember, these lawyers work for the municipal boards, not the residents those elected officials represent. So we’re not surprised they are looking for a pay increase — since the last two years have not been as lucrative as 2021 was for the Webster Szyanyi group. ...

COUNTY: Oversight missing in canceled meeting

The Chautauqua County Legislature’s Planning and Economic Development Committee won’t hold its regularly scheduled meeting this week. There is apparently nothing for legislators to do. We find it hard to believe that, absent delegated work from the County Executive’s office, there is nothing regarding planning or economic development activities for legislators to do. Quite the opposite, the lack of agenda items is an opportune time for county legislators to discuss any number of topics. Among them: how effective do legislators think the bed tax spending not reserved for ...

COUNTY: Overlooking real bridge issues

More than a week ago everyone was talking about a social media post that raised concerns, once again, about safety of the Veterans Memorial Bridge across Chautauqua Lake. It’s a story The Post-Journal first reported months ago. State Transportation Department officials reassured officials in Bemus Point the bridge is safe to use after our reporting on the matter, and they did so again early this week in an attempt to put out fires on social media. The Veterans Memorial Bridge project bears watching. As we said a couple of months ago, though, we have to take the state at their ...

WESTFIELD SCHOOL: Numbers back post elimination

Westfield Academy & Central School’s decision to eliminate a teaching position was not a popular move in the spring with some. But it was responsible. Last month, two second-grade teachers attended a board meeting in an effort to get the district to reconsider not replacing the position held by Samantha Eklund. She resigned her position as of June. In order to keep taxes down, the board decided it would be better to not fill the position — rather than add it back. Superintendent Michael Cipolla indicates the numbers correspond with the choice. “As of today, the two sections ...

NATION: Holidays crucial to our healing

Although much of the national attention is ­– and will continue to be — focused on developments related to the Nov. 5 presidential election, the world beyond the political front is far from being in slumber mode. For example, on the retail front, merchants are not sitting back, intent on waiting until after Halloween to make important decisions associated with the busy Christmas shopping season. Many merchants already are “knee deep” in planning for the products with which their shelves will be stocked in the weeks leading up to Dec. 25. Also on their mind and capturing ...