Boats are money pits. No doubt about that. The bigger the boat, the bigger the pit to throw money into, but they sure do bring a lot of fun and pleasure for singles and families. You can fall in love with boats and boating, quicker than you can say "Happiness."

A "JayBrake Reunion Party," presented by Jay Brainard, former owner of JayBrake Enterprises in Lewiston, will take place Saturday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. at the Ice House Bar, 512 Third St., Niagara Falls.

Prior to the Town of Porter Historical Society meeting in Ransomville, Doug Diez, on behalf of the Ransomville Country Cruisers, made several check presentations.

Earlier this week, the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced completion of two U.S. General Services Administration projects to install new variable message signage units at the Peace Bridge and Lewiston-Queenston Bridge.

The Kiwanis Club of Lewiston recently held its installation banquet at the Niagara Frontier Country Club in Youngstown. Pictured above is newly elected President Jeff Sanderson. He is executive director for Rivershore Inc.

"Expenses have gone up, but there's still no town tax," stated Lewiston Finance Director Michael Johnson as a public hearing to consider override of the state's 2 percent tax cap got under way Monday at Town Hall.

Mount St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center will present a series of programs in November as part of its health education program and event series. November is Diabetes Awareness Month.

Joe Petrozzi, and his son Russ, of Capitol Cleaners, are again collecting, cleaning and giving gently used coats and other winter wear to needy families in Western New York. The days for distribution to the community are Saturdays, Oct. 27 and Nov. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The New York Power Authority and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation on Tuesday marked the completion of a $6 million upgrade at Reservoir State Park in the Town of Lewiston and Town of Niagara at a ceremonial ribbon-cutting.

The New York State Thruway Authority and New York State Troop T are reminding motorists of the danger of deer season with their annual "Antler Alert." Most deer-vehicle collisions occur from October through December.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will conduct a flu shot clinic for adults ages 18 and older on Saturday, Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The clinic will be held in the Medical Center Auditorium, 621 10th St.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will present a free program to help residents and business owners understand the changes mandated by federal health care reform on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Niagara Falls High School, 4455 Porter Road.

Local author Michael F. Rizzo will speak about his new book, "Gangsters and Organized Crime in Buffalo," at the next Historical Association of Lewiston meeting, on Monday, Oct. 29, at First Presbyterian Church, 505 Cayuga St. The free event begins at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Western New York Heritage Press, the not-for-profit publisher of Western New York Heritage magazine, has just released the first volume in its series of three annuals, commemorating the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

On Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 6), First Presbyterian Church is hosting a Mini-Bazaar and White elephant sale. The event runs from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the corner of South Fifth and Cayuga streets, Lewiston.

State Sen. George Maziarz, R-C-Newfane, has been awarded a score of "A" by New Yorkers for Better Libraries. Maziarz received a 115, constituting an "A" on the grading scale from the organization.

The Niagara University Danceline will sponsoring its fourth annual dance clinic for girls ages 6 to 14 on Sunday, Dec. 16, at NU.

Niagara University is opening its doors to prospective students Saturday, Oct. 27, from noon to 3:30 p.m. The university's fall open house is an opportunity for prospective students and their families to obtain information and ask questions relevant to their academic and extracurricular interests.

The Town of Porter Democratic Committee will honor several local residents as well as former federal and state legislators at a breakfast to be held on Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Niagara Frontier Country Club, 1058 Lake Road, beginning at 10 a.m.

Richard Fortier and Tim Badeneyck, both of Niagara Falls, found the fall perch running in Wilson Harbor off the north dock at the Tuscarora State Park launch ramp.

Topics at Monday's Porter Town Board meeting included recycling, 2013 budget talks, chamber funding and zoning. But the biggest matter by far came from residents concerned about a possible closing of W.H. Stevenson Elementary School in Ransomville by the Wilson Central School District.

Debbie Parker, Candy Ingwersen and other Ransomville residents told the board of the possibility. It will be "financially devastating to Ransomville," said Parker.

They came, voiced their opinions and then some. But, in the end, the matter remained far from settled.

Calarco Chiropractic, a new member of the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, celebrated an open house and ribbon-cutting on Sunday, Oct. 14. Located at 781 Cayuga St., Suite 3, Dr. Michael Calarco welcomed family and friends to his office.

Niagara Frontier Publications' Skip Mazenauer, publisher of the Sentinel, poses with Casa Antica manager Robert Herman, chef Charlie Soldano and the "Casa Girls" outside of the Italian restaurant.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce held a "Business Blender" Thursday at Town Hall, the Village of Lewiston's newest Center Street restaurant.

The Lewiston Council on the Arts was awarded a $3,000 implementation grant for "Tuscarora Bead Work from 1812 to Present" from the New York Council for the Humanities. The money will fund a binational exhibit of Native American beadwork from the Tuscarora Reservation in Lewiston and the Six Nations Reservation in Ontario, Canada, to be held during Native American Heritage Month (November).

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University invites readers to a free lecture on Sunday, Oct. 21, beginning at 2 p.m. Dr. Robert M. Giannetti will present a reading and interpretation of Alexander Wilson's poem, "The Foresters," which describes a journey, by foot, from the lower Niagara River to Niagara Falls in the autumn of 1804.

Transitowne's special used car sale continues this weekend in Lewiston.Vehicles are on display in the CVS Pharmacy plaza parking lot, next to Nico Floor Coverings.

On Oct. 12, Lewiston was home to the largest battery of 1812-period artillery ever assembled in one place, at one time.

A Town of Lewiston committee formed to look into the practicality of building a multimillion-dollar recreational and senior center has identified the Lewiston-Porter school campus as an ideal site.

Jack Lyon, owner of 700 Center St. - a proposed wine store - has agreed to repair his building's wood siding and to use cedar siding (instead of vinyl or a wood alternative) on his addition and dormers. He emailed the Village of Lewiston Planning Board a new proposal on Monday morning. It was approved Monday night by both the Planning Board and the Village Board of Trustees.

The Niagara County Office for the Aging sponsored a birthday party at the Lewiston Senior Center for individuals in Niagara County who turned 100 or older this year.

Niagara University's College of Hospitality and Tourism Management held its 12th annual convocation Thursday, Oct. 18, in the university's Alumni Chapel. Sponsored by the Maid of the Mist Corp., the convocation is the college's showcase event.

The Erie Canal Discovery Center welcomes local author Ron Mazzarella who will present a free, family-friendly program and book reading at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10. Material will come from his children's publication, "There's a Whale in the Canal."

The New York Power Authority will hold its annual "Halloween Spooktacular" on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the admission-free Power Vista, the visitors center for the Niagara Power Project, at 5777 Lewiston Road, Lewiston.

This little story is about trailerable boats like the ones I have owned through the years. Don't do what I did one time, do what I didn't do. Listen up and you'll get the "drift."

One winter I prepared my boat for winter storage outside in my backyard. I covered it, left loose ends for ventilation, tightened up the cover around the edges so I wouldn't have a water problem, and didn't look at it until the following spring.

The co-chairs for the upcoming "Pink Elephant Auction and Luncheon" are looking forward to the event on Oct. 20 at the Niagara Falls Country Club. Pictured, from left, Jessica Freeman, Maureen Ingham and Marsha Piccirillo get some of the nearly 200 baskets ready.

Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania and western Vermont, has launched Tops' "50th Anniversary Free For All Gigantic Grocery Giveaway."

Sea Scouts Ship 1812 will host a recruitment and open house on Thursday, Oct. 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Village of Lewiston Red Brick Municipal Building, 145 N. Fourth St.

The Niagara County Department of Mental Health recently recognized three members of its community services board of directors.