We agree 110 percent about the value of the Chautauqua County 4-H program for youth in our region and for the county as a whole. And yes, most certainly the loss of county funding has been terribly detrimental to 4-H.
For a time, the local 4-H organization was getting upward of $100,000 from the county government. That was pared down over the years to some $25,000 last year. This year, the legislature eliminated 4-H funding altogether in order to help the county budget stay under the state-ordered 2 percent cap on property tax increases.
So we wonder whether you noticed this week that a county legislator who is four-square against selling the money-losing County Home to a private nursing home owner- and thus saving millions of tax dollars every year - is also stating her four-square support for restoring funding for the 4-H program?
Thumbs up, then, to whoever helps Minority Leader Lori Cornell of Jamestown put two and two together: Stop pouring millions of tax dollars into the County Home and you'll have the money you need to fund a worthy program like the 4-H.
Tryouts next weekend for a Christmas holiday performance of The Nutcracker ballet?
Yes. It is here already. Thumbs up to those of you who answer a call by the Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet for adults and children - some who can dance and some who can't - to try out for its December production of The Nutcracker. Auditions are 1 to 5 p.m. next Saturday, Sept. 8, at the ballet's studio, 9 Falconer St., Jamestown. For more information, call the CRYB at 664-9766 or visit www.cryb.net
Heavens to Betsy, the next thing we know, we'll be hearing that folks are starting construction of the living Christmas tree.
Along with those tryouts next weekend, thumbs up to the annual YMCA Battle of the Businesses getting under way. Yes, The P-J gang is participating again. In fact, we have been thinking that sometime soon we probably should consider perhaps figuring out when we might set a date to, well, you know, actually get together for some practices.
It seems more likely at this point that, as usual, we will just show up and have a good time with the friendly competition.
We'll see you there.