Local Columnists

Recreational marijuana will someday be legalized in New York state; there’s too much momentum in that direction with progressive-minded Democrats in f...

Imagine you make your living crafting gorgeous pottery bowls, mugs and plates. You know precisely what your materials cost and how many hours are requ...

On April 3, Olean Police and Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office emergency and special response team members, including a K-9 unit, surrounded a house...

More and more Democrats have begun to call for the establishment of a “single-payer” healthcare system in the U.S. to replace the flawed Affordable Ca...

This season marks the ninth year that the formal Litter Control Program in Olean has been in effect. The primary focus of all the volunteers is to add...

When was the last time you enjoyed a good belly laugh? How did it make you feel? Would it surprise you to learn that medical studies show laughter rea...

Sen. Lindsey Graham has distinguished himself as a clear-eyed and vehement champion of equal justice, and never more so than in the past week, as the ...

The “bomb cyclone” that dumped rain on Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri and killed four people now threatens wider regions downstream of swollen rivers and...

Afew months ago, Gavin Newsom, during his campaign for governor of California, declared that the death penalty was the law of the land. He said he wou...

Cattaraugus County recently received what in school language would be a failing grade for health: F. When our county Health Outcomes were compared wit...

I’ve learned this week that sometimes it takes a bit of determination, maybe even tenacity for the task, to get to a desired goal. In a previous colum...

With each criminal conviction the state of New York matter-of-factly tells the defendants how long they will spend behind bars. Hidden from view, in t...

During a recent trip to South America, I interviewed several natives of Colombia to find out their views on the troubles in Venezuela and the United S...

Have you ever gone to an everything-goes auction or estate sale? While browsing, you might see some unique items. Not only do you not know what they a...

In June 2016, almost three years ago, 17 million citizens of the United Kingdom voted to exit the European Union — more than have ever voted for anyth...

During the next few weeks, we are going to hear a lot about Robert Mueller as he has delivered his report about the 2016 election. Mueller was born at...

Every spring, I get the same migraine over village elections. I handle the same calls every year — calling villages beforehand to find out who’s on th...

During a recent visit to Colombia, I made a point of asking several Colombians about their views on the situation in Venezuela. Not surprisingly, thei...