The members of the Youngstown Volunteer Fire Co. are actively raising funds for a new ambulance, and they need your help. The new ambulance fund, "Survives on donations alone," explained YFC Trustee Greg Robertson Sr.

Several of the key writers from the recently published binational book, "From the Mouth of the Lower Niagara River: Stories of Four Historic Communities," will be present at the Lewiston Public Library on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m., for a special book signing event.

Visitors to Youngstown's "Christmas in the Village" program on Saturday, Dec. 8, will have the opportunity to enter a drawing for free family passes to Old Fort Niagara's popular "Castle by Candlelight" programs scheduled for Saturday nights, Dec. 15 and 22.

The holiday season is here with shopping, baking and decorating under way. Holiday events and activities are happening all over Niagara County and next weekend will be no exception, with "Christmas in the Village" in Youngstown.

Black Friday doesn't have to be associated with "big box" stores and middle-of-the-night wake-up calls any longer. Local retailers in The Village of Lewiston came together this year for Lewiston's first retail district-wide Black Friday event.

The annual Lewiston Christmas Walk, hosted by the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, is taking place this weekend and next in the Village of Lewiston.

It's coming into that wintry season again and, before you know it, the roads will be covered with snow.

The New York State Department and Environmental Conservation announced this week the scheduling of public hearings on a permit renewal application and draft permit on file with DEC for CWM Chemical Services LLC's continued operations in Porter. Now under way, the renewal permit process public comment period continues to Jan. 28, 2013.

Last weekend's Christmas buying extravaganza featured Black Friday sales at area malls and in the Village of Lewiston, and Small Business Saturday in northern Niagara County areas.

The Lewiston-Porter Athletic Department is holding its Athletic Hall of Fame Celebration Weekend on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7 and 8, in conjunction with the eighth annual James Walker Basketball Tournament.

The Sanborn Area Historical Society will host its Holiday Open House at the Schoolhouse Museum on Niagara Street from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2.

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University will host its sixth annual Holiday Bash on Friday, Dec. 14, from 5 to 8 p.m. Celebrate the holidays with friends in the central gallery of Niagara University's Castellani Art Museum.

With a lead in ballots greater than the amount of ballots remaining, Assemblyman John D. Ceretto, R-C-I-Lewiston, has declared victory in his re-election campaign in the newly created 145th Assembly District.

PHOTOS: The Center for Women at Mount St. Mary's Hospital was formally unveiled to the public on Wednesday, Nov. 28, with a blessing and open house.

The St. Francis Guild of Mount St. Mary's Hospital will hold its annual Holiday Bazaar on Friday, Dec. 7, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. It will be held in the hospital's south (main) lobby. Gift items will be offered along with holiday centerpieces, gift baskets, candy, scarves, cosmetics, jewelry and boutique items.

Owner Sherry McDonald and The End of the Road Boutique celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, business and community leaders, elected officials and friends and family.

Students from Lewiston Dance Center are shown above rehearsing for the Village of Lewiston Christmas tree lighting at the Hennepin Park Gazebo. This weekend's holiday ceremony kicks off many activities planned in the village.

For Rick Updegrove, leader of the Niagara County Legislature's Republican Majority, convincing his caucus to support the third annual Peanut Butter and Jelly Drive may have been the easiest thing he's done all year.

It's also the most rewarding.

Assemblyman John Ceretto said Monday that his lead over Bob Restaino in New York's 145th Assembly District race has grown by 147 to 1,052 votes; up from an election night total of 905.

The Erie Canal Discovery Center, 24 Church St., Lockport, welcomes local author Marilyn Foote, who will present a free, family friendly, program and book reading at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, from her children's book series "Puddinhead."

At its Wednesday, Nov. 7, meeting, the Kiwanis Club of Lewiston presented representatives of Special Spaces with a $200 donation.

If you live in Lewiston, you have probably seen Keith Radford in and out of the local restaurants and coffee shops with his beloved dog, Frankie.

Village of Lewiston trustees presented Town of Lewiston Recreation Department Director Mike Dashineau with a check for $5,000. The money represents the village's contribution to the town-leased rink.

The Town of Lewiston Board was proactive as it moved on various financial fronts Monday. It approved a restructured $16.640 million town budget for 2013; reviewed a number of improvements for the soon-to-open ice rink at Academy Park and heard more on the benefits of Lewiston's new surplus electrical power sales package.

Last month, the Youngstown Lions Club presented its 2012-13 "Imagine Peace" poster contest winner, Brooke Williams, with a $50 check for taking top honors in this year's contest.

Lewiston-Porter Partners in Education reports its next meeting will be Monday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m. in the Lewiston-Porter High School library.

PHOTOS: While the Niagara Falls Wintergarden is now gone, its holiday magic lives on in Lewiston.

The Lewiston Choraleers will present "A Christmas Potpourri 2012" on Dec. 1, 2, 8 and 9 at six area churches.

Do you want to help your children discover the magic of the North Pole this holiday season? If so, the Medina Railroad Museum has the perfect idea for your family: A "Polar Express" train ride is just the ticket. You'll feel like you're in your own "Polar Express" book and movie adventure.

PHOTOS: Anyone who ends up sick of turkey and Black Friday sales this week can find a little oasis of peace and beauty, complete with a camel, at Lewiston's Our Lady of Fatima Shrine.

The Historical Association of Lewiston is looking for volunteers to be scared, fearful 1812 Lewiston villagers in its last nighttime "Flames Through Lewiston" event on Saturday, Dec. 15. The event starts at 6:30 p.m., but volunteers are asked to gather at the Red Brick Municipal Building, 145 N. Fourth St., at 5 p.m. for further instructions.

The hills at Artpark will be alive with "The Sound of Music" in July 2013 as part of the summer-long celebration of Artpark's 40th anniversary.

The Welcome Center at the entrance to Krueger Park in Wilson was dedicated on Monday, Nov. 20. Wilson Deputy Mayor Bernie Leiker and State Sen. George Maziarz addressed the crowd before the ribbon cutting.

The Sanborn Fire Company Band will perform its annual Christmas concert on Sunday, Nov. 25, at 7 p.m.

The Erie Canal Discovery Center has announced a new series of weekly documentary movies, "Movies & Popcorn," to be shown every Saturday this winter at 11 a.m., beginning Saturday, Dec. 15.

The Center for Women at Mount St. Mary's Hospital has recently completed two phases of a three-phase, $2 million renovation on the second floor of the hospital to further enhance the women's and maternity services it provides to the community.

Congratulations to the Harley Davidson pumpkin, which took first place in Niagara Frontier Publications' recent carving/decorating contest. The big pumpkin eating the small pumpkin finished in second place, while the green witch pumpkin ended up in third.

Year after year, scores of Lewistonians awake in the middle of the night on the day after Thanksgiving to head out to chain stores and kick-start their holiday shopping. It's a popular tradition ... that Lewiston retailers hope to end next week.

Business Insider, an award-winning, New York City-based website, has named Lewiston to its "10 Best Small Towns in America" list. The online publication cited Lewiston's placement in the Rand McNally/USA Today "Best of the Road" competition, its historic significance, and proximity to Niagara Falls in ranking the municipality No. 5.

In the past two years, Lewiston's restaurants were twice featured on the Travel Channel, its Historical Association events (including the "Battle of Queenston Heights Commemoration and Re-enactment") garnered national press, and its largest venue, Artpark, picked up a sixth award from Buffalo Spree magazine for its presentation and outdoor facilities.

With the 2012 elections now history, members of the Lake Ontario Ordinance Works Community Action Council met this week to begin the strategy process toward approaching area members of Congress.