Breaking News

Our Opinion

Our opinion: Legislature should change assessment rules

For months there have been complaints and concerns - largely from the region’s senior citizens - over steep assessment increases as Warren County’s first property revaluation since 1989 comes to a close. Of course, part of the problem is the fact that the county is trying to make up for 36 years’ worth of property assessment changes in one year. The “base year” assessing that is allowed under state law allows local governments to go years - or in our case, decades - in between formal property reassessments until lack of taxing capacity eventually forces their hands. ...

Our opinion: Take time for Kinzua Beach survey

Changes are coming to Kinzua Beach and the Kinzua Point Information Center. We don’t know when those changes are coming, especially in our current federal funding climate. But the U.S. Forest Service is taking initial steps toward improvements at sites located on the Allegheny Reservoir along Route 50 in Warren County. USDA officials said both locations typically have few visitors and there are no current partnerships to support long-term maintenance and upkeep. So, what suggestions do Warren County residents have to increase use of the areas for both visitors and locals? Those ...

Our opinion: No more kicking Clark Street garage can down the road

A 100-day renovation of the Clark Street Parking Garage will begin this fall. On the plus side, there are enough vacant spaces in the garage that no one who uses the ramp now will have to make new parking arrangements. And, city officials made what we think is the right decision in adding a contingency fund to the project so that, ideally, if something unforeseen comes up contractors can simply deal with it rather than wait for the council’s approval. Everyone wants this rehabilitation project to finish by next spring both to make sure grant funding for the project doesn’t expire ...

Editor’s corner: Viability of senior care sites a growing crisis

WESTFIELD, N.Y. — Shortly after celebrating the birth of her fourth child, Becky Shioleno learned her life would be undergoing another major change. As a licensed practical nurse, she has worked at the Westfield Absolut location at 26 Cass St. for 13 years. Come Oct. 20, Shioleno will be ...

Our opinion: Giving back to the Allegheny

The 17th annual Allegheny River Cleanup is coming up in a couple of weeks. Last year, nearly 200 volunteers removed more than 12 cubic yards of trash and 32 tires, along with 5,700 pounds of recyclable metal contributed by the community and collected on the river. That’s a lot of trash taken out of the river - and there’s more work to be done this year. There are three clean-up areas this year: – Thursday, Sept. 11 – Buckaloons to Wildwood Inn; – Friday, Sept. 12 – Wildwood Inn to Tidioute; and – Saturday, Sept. 13 – Allegheny Outfitters to Buckaloons. And, ...

Our opinion: Keeping promises at schools

There is a lot of uneasiness among some who have children attending schools in the Warren County School District this year. The closure of two high schools creates new routines for students and their parents who have been used to the familiar rhythms of Sheffield and Youngsville high schools. Those rhythms will be different this year, but eventually everyone will settle in. Children typically are more resilient than adults think they are. A lot of promises were made over the past year as the community went through the closure process of Youngsville and Sheffield high schools. We ...