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Opinion

Homelessness proving to be an intractable problem

In Our Opinion

The population of homeless in Chautauqua County didn’t explode last year like it did in the last two-year study by Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office. That first study of homelessness put a number to the increase (103% from January 2022 through January 2024) in homelessness we had been seeing all around us. The increase is a lot less in 2025 than it was in 2024 - 23.7% year-over-year. That’s the good news, if one can call it that. The bad news is that homelessness across the state decreased by 7.9% over the same time period, though that decrease was largely driven by New ...

SKF’s foray into humanoids come at interesting time

In Our Opinion

SKF officials have jumped into the humanoid robot market with a new joint venture with LeaderDrive, a Chinese company focused on high-precision transmission components for robot joints. SKF is focusing on the application of humanoids powered by Embodied AI technology in industrial settings after a thorough study to identify a potential role for the company in the humanoid market, concluding it should focus on humanoids for industrial applications. We don’t know if any of the bearings that would be part of a humanoid robots product would ever make its way to SKF’s Falconer ...

Camera coverage could help police Fairmount, Fairdale avenue intersection

In Our Opinion

Lakewood-Busti police are applying for a grant that would include funding for a camera at the intersection of Fairdale and Fairmount avenues. While we have been wary of the increasing use of cameras - particularly in neighborhoods where there can be an expectation of privacy - we can’t disagree with the reasons why Matthew Bentley, Lakewood-Busti police chief, would want to have camera coverage of this particular intersection. Despite the intersection’s presence in a series of intersections with stop lights that also include turn arrow signals, Fairmount and Fairdale is an area ...

Amazon deal could be boon for local company

In Our Opinion

It was roughly six years ago that Chautauqua County made a pitch for an Amazon regional distribution center that, when completed, would have been one of the largest in the world. County Executive PJ Wendel, Mark Geise, county IDA director and former U.S. Rep. Tom Reed all advocated for Amazon to consider Chautauqua County, which was pushing land the county owns in Ripley as well as the Mason Industrial Park in Ellicott. The project never came to fruition, but there was a lot of genuine excitement around the possibility at the time. Last week Amazon made a quieter entry into ...

Protect American semiconductor industry the right way

Local Commentaries

Any parent knows there is a fine line between supporting a child and smothering a child. Parents want the best for their children, and are usually willing to sacrifice for it. That can mean investing in education and training. It can mean taking an active role in activities. It can mean spending time and energy to make sure the child has opportunities to make lots of money. However, it is possible to do too much and go too far. At some point the parent has done enough, and it is up to the child to succeed. That’s where the country finds itself with semiconductors. The industry has ...

Review Chautauqua Institution’s national historic landmark status

Local Commentaries

The National Park Service ought to undertake a formal review of whether Chautauqua Institution continues to meet the standards required for National Historic Landmark designation. I am struck by how different parts of the grounds now feel. The scale, roof forms, materials, and contemporary architectural vocabulary of the Roe Green Theater Center, Greene Family Commons and the many of the newly built and renovated homes are noticeably out of character with much of Chautauqua's historic built environment. Chautauqua Institution’s National Historic Landmark status recognizes one of ...