When Marty Horanburg was named the 2012 Senior of the Year, Niagara County Office for the Aging Director Ken Genewick wanted a little help conferring the title on the longtime Newfane volunteer.

Assemblyman John Ceretto sent a letter Thursday to Gov. Andrew Cuomo requesting his assistance in helping to make Nik Wallenda's tightrope walk across the Niagara Falls gorge a free event for all New York residents.

One Niagara County lawmaker has upped the ante in efforts to have Olcott Beach named America's "Ultimate Fishing Town," launching a video that highlights the caliber of fishing off the popular summer destination.

The video, which invokes images from the movie "Jaws," clocks in at just under two and a half minutes, and features video shot by Legislator John Syracuse and an entourage as they reeled in one hefty salmon after another from the cold, deep waters off Olcott earlier this month.

The video comes in response to the World Fishing Network's online contest to name America's Ultimate Fishing Town, which has drawn a devoted effort locally and on Facebook.

Lewiston has taken the first step in winning a spot in the Rand McNally-USA Today 2012 Best Small Towns in America list. Thanks to the efforts of grassroots volunteers, Lewiston netted 806 votes to win the online portion of the "Best for Food" category.

"We won the online voting contest decisively," said volunteer Lee Simonson. The second highest vote getter was Burnsville, Minn., with 580 votes.

While the victory is sweet, Simonson said it is only part of the formula that will determine the ultimate "Best for Food" winner. Rand McNally and USA Today also will consider the quality of reviews and the opinion of traveling judges.

The results are not yet finalized but, in tabulations from Tuesday night, it appears that Village of Youngstown residents have opted to retain Democrat Mayor Raleigh Reynolds.

Lewiston-Porter School District voters approved a $40,472,775 budget on a 739 to 397 vote on Tuesday. The budget is less than 1 percent over last year's and calls for a tax levy of 3.51 percent.

The Lewiston Choraleers will kick off its sixth annual spring concert series on Saturday, June 2, at 1 p.m. at Porter on the Lake.

Old Fort Niagara will honor soldiers through three centuries on Memorial Day weekend as the historic site hosts "Soldiers through the Ages."

The Lewiston Council on the Arts released its schedule of 2012 events on Tuesday.

This summer, 10 Niagara University theater studies students and a number of students from the university's College of Business will study abroad for eight weeks at London's Anglo-American University.

The Lewiston Peace Garden, located in the Village Courtyard, 476 Center St., was selected to participate in Binational Doors Open 2012, taking place on Friday, June 15, through Sunday, June 17.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce hosts its next "Business Blender" on Thursday, May 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Niagara Frontier Country Club in Porter. The popular networking event includes complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar.

Angel to Apple Clothing Boutique celebrated its sixth anniversary May 12 in the Village of Lewiston.

Alex Schmitt, Eagle Scout candidate, and members of Lewiston Boy Scout Troop 855 descended upon Joseph Davis State Park to perform trail enhancement and remediation.

Sanborn residents came, listened and responded to a number of town rezoning proposals at a Wednesday evening session in the Sanborn firehall.

Ramona Lockhart and Kathy Zasucha (pictured) have been chosen by the Town of Porter Supervisor Merton Wiepert as the recipients of the 2012 Town of Porter Citizens of the Year Award.

Village of Youngstown GOP candidates Jack W. Bush Jr., Dorothy E. Riordan and Tim Lockhart.

The Mount St. Mary's Hospital Foundation held its second annual Reverse Draw Fundraiser on May 9 and raised nearly $12,000 to benefit The Center for Women at Mount St. Mary's Hospital, a one-stop health care facility for women of all ages.

If you drive down Center Street in the Village of Lewiston and notice the construction on The Brickyard Pub & B.B.Q's patio, don't worry: They are not getting rid of it, they are building on to the current one.

At a very sparsely attended public hearing, residents of the Lewiston Porter School District heard a detailed report on the proposed 2012-13 budget that they will vote on Tuesday.

Sponsors of the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce annual Awards Gala, gathered for a photo at the Niagara Falls Country Club in preparation for the June 8 event.

Two separate meetings - both featuring more involved discussion on the Interim Waste Containment Structure at Lake Ontario Ordnance Works site - took place this week by local citizens groups focused on LOOW and its future.

One of the largest regional outdoor writer/communications groups in the world - the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers - will hold their third annual Mega Media Event (referred to as the Cast and Blast) May 13-17 in historic Lewiston.

Excitement is building for the 20th annual 10 Mile Garage and Sidewalk Sale in the towns of Lewiston and Porter on June 1 and 2.

VIDEO: The Niagara Frontier Country Club in Porter will hold an "Open House Golf Tournament" on Saturday, May 19.

The Village of Lewiston issued a proclamation Monday in honor of National Safe Boating Week.

The Niagara County Refuse Disposal District teamed up Monday with the Village of Lewiston Department of Public Works to host an electronics-recycling event at the new eWaste collection site on South Eighth St.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Park Police made a presentation Wednesday to employees of the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours, lauding the binational company's rescue of Lindsay Burgess.

Diane Perri Roberts, chairwoman of the Lewiston Democratic Committee, announced this week the Democratic candidates for the June 19 Village of Lewiston elections are Therese Mudd, incumbent trustee, and village businessman Dennis Brochey.

The Lewiston Garden Club will hold its perennial plant sale on Saturday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Red Brick Municipal Building gym, North Fourth and Onondaga streets.

Students in the Lewiston-Porter Middle School Honor Society are cooking up a tribute to the War of 1812 Bicentennial by hosting a spaghetti dinner on Tuesday, May 15. Proceeds will benefit OFN's educational programming.

The Town of Porter Democratic Committee, which is representative of the Village of Youngstown and the Town of Porter, has announced its endorsement of two village incumbents.

Hibbard's Original Frozen Custard launched its new website, www.hibbardscustard.com, with 360 Professional Services Group.

Sisters Sophie and Lexi Lindamer received perfect scores on their 2012 NYSSMA Spring Evaluation Festival solos on April 21at Royalton-Hartland. Sophie and Lexi are both students at Lewiston-Porter Intermediate Education Center and take private lessons at Lewiston Music.

Scenes from the 2012 Smelt Festival: video and photo pages.

Lewiston-Porter voters will have the opportunity to review the district's proposed $40.472 million 2012-13 budget and $2.7 million capital improvement referendum, at a budget hearing Tuesday, May 8, at 6:30 p.m. in the board room of the Lew-Port Community Resource Center.

The Niagara Powerlifting Club was chosen by Town of Lewiston Supervisor Steven Reiter as the 2012 Town of Lewiston Citizen of the Year.

The Town of Porter Republican Party and the Village of Youngstown Republican Party announces the endorsement of Jack Bush and Tim Lockhart for village trustees, and Dotty Riordan for mayor.

The Lewiston Democratic Committee hosted U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Hochul, of the newly configured 27th District, at its Citizens of the Year brunch at the Niagara Frontier Country Club in Youngstown.

Lance Armstrong came to Buffalo for a swim?