A special Christmas Mass will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26, at All Saints Chapel Mausoleum in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Lewiston.

Niagara County lawmakers approved a $321.8 million spending plan Tuesday night in Lockport, with a slight 1.2 percent property tax rate increase that is below the county's legally required 2 percent tax cap.

The approved budget sets a full value tax rate of $7.72 per $1,000 of assessed value, up slightly from the $7.63 rate in the 2012 spending plan. Despite the minimal uptick in rates, the fiscally conservative budget maintains deep cuts in county tax rates achieved over the course of the past decade

The Mount St. Mary's Foundation recently dedicated a "Wall of Donors" to formally recognize individuals and businesses that gave to its successful Breast Care Center capital campaign, which raised more than $1.2 million.

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University will be closed to the public during Niagara University's holiday break, Saturday, Dec. 22, through Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. The museum reopens with regular hours on Wednesday, Jan. 2.

A special Christmas Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, Dec. 26, at 5:30 p.m., at All Saints Chapel Mausoleum in Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Lewiston. Msgr. Thomas J. Moran, pastor of St. Bernard parish in Youngstown, will preside.

Niagara Frontier Bible Church, Upper Mountain Road at Bronson Drive, Lewiston, will be hold a special candlelight service on Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, at 5 p.m.

The Town of Lewiston continues to add sponsors to the Lewiston Family Ice Rink for its 2012-13 season.

Big changes may be in store for a prominent stretch of the Village of Lewiston.

The Buffalo-based Ellicott Development has purchased 756, 784-790 Center St., and adjacent vacant land on Onondaga Street (bordering North Eighth Street) from HoganWillig PLLC. Current tenants of these properties include The Country Doctor, Grandpaws Pet Emporium and Smith Brothers Pizza.

Ellicott Development CEO William Paladino signed the property transfer and has served as the point person on the $1.4 million transaction. The sale was finalized Nov. 7. William's father, former gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, founded Ellicott Development, a property management, leasing and development firm, in 1973.

Plans for a new recreation/community/senior center and a donation from an area hazardous waste landfiller were the newsmakers at opposite ends of an otherwise routine Lewiston Town Board work session Monday.

Emery Simon and Harold Hibbard recently purchased Frontier Lanes. They have renamed it the Lewiston Event Center, and plan to make full use of the almost three-acre property.

Over the course of 40 years, master technician Dennis Brochey has worked on more than 100,000 automobiles in his Center Street automotive shop. At the end of this month, he'll hang up his wrench.

The annual Niagara Electric Lights Parade, which took place on Saturday, Nov. 3, continues to share its generosity through its Parade Food Drive. Food bins are still available for food drop off until Dec. 21. Items will support Community Missions of Niagara Frontier.

Assemblyman John D. Ceretto has announced that the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has agreed to illuminate the Lewiston plateau dog park to provide a safe, well-lit area in which residents can walk their pets after work.

The third "Flames Through Lewiston" event will take place Saturday, Dec. 15, from 6:30 until 7 p.m. on Center Street. If you're planning to attend, here are some points to keep in mind.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday with new member Christina Zaroian, a licensed esthetician and the owner of La Pelle.

The Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, Niagara University president, was recently presented with a service award from the Turkish Cultural Center at Buffalo and the Peace Islands Institute.

The Village Vet of Lewiston, a new member of the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 7, at its new location, 720 Cayuga St. (behind Rite Aid plaza), in the Village of Lewiston.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 2, with new member Studio 763.

The Youngstown Lions Club's Holiday Lighting Contest will take place in Youngstown and Porter the evening of Saturday, Dec. 15.

Angel to Apple owner Jamie Symmonds is asking for the community's help in raising funds for a new point-of-sale system for her clothing and accessories boutique in the Village of Lewiston.

If you're the type of person whose Christmas spirit doesn't start to glow until the Grinch fibs to Cindy Lou Who, Charlie Brown props up his scraggly tree, Ralphie gets warned about shooting his eye out, or the bell rings on George Bailey's tree, Theatre in the Mist has just the ticket for you.

Whitetail deer are pretty smart critters and seem to know just when hunting season begins; they make themselves scarce immediately. They seem to head for parks, cemeteries, anyplace that has posted signs up, or by fleeing the country.

Imagine a street lined with flames and filled with chaos as dozens of Lewiston's citizens run barefoot through the night trying to escape attacks from British forces.

Amended zoning and green space were newsmakers at an otherwise routine Lewiston Town Board regular meeting late last month at Town Hall.

Competition was stiff this year for the People's Choice Award for Best Holiday Décor at the Historical Association of Lewiston's 2012 Tour of Homes. More than 1,000 ballots were cast and, while the numbers were close, the winner is ...

The Lewiston Choraleers present "Christmas Potpourri 2012" with performances Saturday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church (Old Stone Church), 505 Cayuga St., Lewiston; 7 p.m. at Bacon Memorial Presbyterian Church, 166 59th St., Niagara Falls; and Sunday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, 915 Oneida St., Lewiston.

The Youngstown Free Library announces the following programs and activities taking place in December.

Join Lewiston's small businesses this weekend for more Christmas Walk activities and discounts.

Start the new year off right. The "MOMentous Weekend," a retreat for moms, offers seminars presented by regional experts focusing on the topics of wellness and raising a family.

The Town of Lewiston Highway Department reports leaf and brush pickups continue for town residents.

The Niagara County Auxiliary Police is hosting an open house event for upcoming NCAP and New York State Peace Officer academies. The open house will be held on Sunday, Dec. 16, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Niagara County Emergency Management Facility, 5574 Niagara St. Ext., Lockport.

ROTC cadets from Niagara University, and students at Lewiston-Porter Middle School teamed up with the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Peter's Church in Lewiston to help families in need of assistance at Thanksgiving.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 829 and Cub Scout Pack 829 will spend Sunday afternoon, Dec. 9, collecting canned goods for the Youngstown/Porter Community Christmas Baskets. The collection effort will start at 2 p.m.

On Sunday, Dec. 9, the Village of Wilson will open up its streets and its heart to celebrate a community Christmas event titled, "A Very Country Christmas."

The New York Power Authority has kicked-off the holiday season with its annual Festival of Trees, running through Jan. 5. On Dec. 8, NYPA will hold its annual Deck the Halls holiday event featuring photos with Santa. Both events take place at the Niagara Power Vista, 5777 Lewiston Road.

The third annual Native American Benefit Concert will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Lewiston Opera Hall, 732 Center St., Lewiston.

PHOTO GALLERY: A long-standing tradition in Niagara Falls continues this holiday season. The Greater Niagara Ballet Company presents its 35th annual production of "The Nutcracker."

Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union, the largest locally owned credit union in Western New York, is announcing plans for a new branch located at 721 Center St., in the Village of Lewiston (inside the former HSBC). This latest branch will open in January 2013.

Candles twinkle in the windows of the 286-year-old French Castle. Outside the imposing stone structure, lanterns line Old Fort Niagara's walkways as soldiers in cocked hats and wool coats prepare their muskets to perform a grand feu de joie, a firing of joy, in honor of the holiday season.

During a Mass for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Niagara University community will celebrate the life of Brother Augustine Towey, C.M. The Mass will be held Saturday, Dec. 8, at 10 a.m. in the Alumni Chapel on the Niagara University campus. A small reception will follow in the Glynn Family Atrium in Bisgrove Hall.