The Ransomville Speedway 2013 season officially kicked off on Jan. 1 with the 13th annual Hangover 150. A great crowd was on hand to scratch that racing itch despite very chilly temperatures. With the event officially in the record books, the focus has turned to the upcoming regular season, which is tentatively set to kick off in late April.

The Niagara Falls Country Club informs that, weather permitting, it will provide cross-country skiing on the NFCC grounds for its membership this winter.

Niagara County Community College announced that Gemma Fournier, surgical technology program coordinator, was recently selected as one of 10 recipients of the 2012 Fellow of the Association of Surgical Technologists at the Association of Surgical Technologists national conference held in Washington, D.C.

After a lengthy illness, Ernest "Ernie" Murdoch, 73, of Lewiston passed away on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013, in Mount St. Mary's Hospital.

I want to thank my legislative colleagues for your vote of confidence in selecting me as the 2013 chairman of the Niagara County Legislature. It is an honor and a pleasure to address you this evening (Jan. 2) on the state of the county.

Niagara University will present a full slate of service and awareness activities beginning Monday, Jan. 21, in observance of the federal holiday that marks the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union, the largest locally owned credit union in Western New York, will celebrate the grand opening of its newest location on Wednesday, Jan. 23. The new branch is located at 721 Center St., in the Village of Lewiston.

All members of the community are invited to attend and take part in the special promotions.

Mount St. Mary's Hospital has acknowledged that both its neighborhood health center and on-campus primary care medical services have earned the prestigious designation as Patient-Centered Medical Homes by the National Committee on Quality Assurance. Both facilities earned Level 3 designation, the highest level that can be achieved.

For the third consecutive year, Niagara University's American Chemical Society student chapter has been recognized by the ACS Committee on Education.

Join the Historical Association of Lewiston as it presents 18th century tavern music of the Niagara Frontier at the new Lewiston Stone House at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21.

Led by Commodore Jason Suitor, the Youngstown Yacht Club has begun its 82nd year of operations in 2013. Located at 491 Water St., in the Village of Youngstown, the club is open to boaters and non- boaters alike.

St. Peter R.C. School will hold a "Cyber Safety Night" for all interested parents on Thursday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. in the school cafeteria on North Sixth Street.

What began with two guys, a bar and a pizza place has, five years later, morphed into one of Lewiston's most successful eateries.

You asked for it.

In response to patron requests, the Village Bake Shoppe is now serving sandwiches. Five different paninis are on the menu, and include "The Meltdown," a Cuban, the "Gucci" grilled cheese, ham and mozzarella, and turkey and bacon club.

In November 2011, this column wrote about the effects of E-10 gasoline in your boat, your automobile, lawn mower and farm equipment. Most of us have been lucky, especially those using the new fuel additives/stabilizers such as K-9, which is made right here on Balmer Road.

Lewiston just can't quench its thirst for history.

The first Lewiston Cocktail Festival will take place on Saturday, March 2.

You can say one thing about Steve Reiter and the Lewiston Town Board: They certainly operate quickly.

George Osborne, president of Artpark & Company and former chairman of the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, handed over the meeting gavel to the new board chairman, Richard J. Haight PE, vice president of engineering at Advanced Design Group of Lewiston.

New York's Department of Environmental Conservation announced this week it has extended the public comment period for a draft permit renewal application on file from CWM Chemical Services LLC to 60 days, and will now close comments on March 29.

CWM, a Waste Management company, currently owns and operates a commercial facility for the treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous and industrial non-hazardous wastes on an approximately 710-acre site on Balmer Road in the Town of Porter.

It was sweets for a cause as The Lewiston Village Pub and Restaurant presented "Cupcakes for a Crown" last Sunday. Featured was a student cupcake competition fundraiser, with proceeds going to assist Lewiston-Porter freshman Grace Breen as she prepares to enter as a representative in the Miss Teen USA Contest.

Niagara County Community College hosted more than 800 students from 22 Western New York school districts at Tech Wars 2013 on Wednesday. Competitions ranged from RC Heavyweight Sumo Robotics to 3D Modeling and CO2 Car Races.

The Us TOO Prostate Cancer Support Group will hear from Philip J. Aliotta, MD, MSHA, FACS, CPI, a urologist at Western New York Urology Associates, at its meeting on Thursday, Jan. 17, at Mount St. Mary's Hospital.

A gull watch is set for 10 a.m. Jan 26 at Artpark in Lewiston. Join Buffalo Audubon Society's Naturalist Tom Kerr for a hike along the gorge to view the different species of gulls that spend their winters on the Niagara River. Learn about what attracts them to the river and how they survive while they are here.

The Friends of Local History will present a lecture by noted DeVeaux historian Lewis F. Buttery, Jr. The lecture, a PowerPoint presentation, will take place Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the auditorium of the Niagara Falls Public Library, 1425 Main St. The program runs from 6 to 8 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Niagara University's Office of Continuing Education is accepting registrations for its winter/spring 2013 schedule of courses. Credit-free classes are offered in person and online.

Mount St. Mary's Neighborhood Health Center recently accepted a donation of $2,000 from BMP America Inc. of Medina. The funds will be used to assist those in need who visit the health center at 3101 Ninth St., in Niagara Falls.

The outdoor skating rinks at DeVeaux Woods and Reservoir state parks are open and ready for business. This will be the fourth season at DeVeaux (rink never froze in 2012) and the inaugural season at Reservoir.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce has launched its new website, www.niagarariverregion.com, with 360 Professional Services Group.

On his first full week on the job, Congressman Chris Collins, NY-27, met with approximately 40 local farmers Monday afternoon to talk about what they want to see as part of a new farm bill.

On Saturday, Jan. 19, visitors to Old Fort Niagara will have the opportunity to snowshoe back in time and find themselves engaged in a woods battle between British and French forces.

The Center for Women at Mount St. Mary's Hospital welcomed its first baby of 2013.

At the November board meeting of the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, elections were held to fill open positions and appoint a new chairman of the board.

Youngstown Recreation will start its youth basketball league on Tuesday, Jan. 8. All games will be played at the Red Brick School village center gym, 240 Lockport St., in Youngstown.

The 13th annual Hangover 150 took center stage on New Year's Day. A bright chilly day greeted fans, drivers, and crewmembers as a total of 97 cars took to the frozen 1/2-mile oval. A great crowd was on hand - many arriving by snowmobile. You don't see that too often on race day.

PHOTOS: The village's newest wine bar is opening its doors to the community.

After a string of successful walk-throughs for small groups of people, the Lewiston Stone House is now ready to welcome the general public.

New Year's resolutions for many people are hardly ever given a second thought as to how hard they are to keep. You might resolve to yourself, "I'm going to eat healthy and wise this year," or, "I'm going to walk, run, exercise, and get in the outdoors more."

The New Year saw the swearing in of a new justice for the Town of Porter. Newly elected Wayne Pollow took his oath of office from Porter Justice David Truesdale before friends and family Tuesday at Porter Town Hall.

The Niagara Falls Country Club announces the following for the month of January.

While the biggies were seen in New York City, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, even Lewiston, New Year's celebrations also included events in Wilson and Ransomville.

The Town of Lewiston Town Board saw a relatively quiet December, with a work session and final audit being the meetings of note for the month.