On Friday, the Niagara USA Chamber announced its award winners for the Chamber Honors Gala on March 22. Honorees include Nik Wallenda, the Rev. Joseph Levesque, Dr. James Klyczek, Certo Brothers and Timothy Mulvey of Mulvey Construction. Wallenda will also serve as keynote speaker for the event.

Some of the 64 Pomeranians rescued from squalid conditions in Lockport over the weekend started leaving the SPCA of Niagara for new homes Wednesday.

John Jr. and Frances Herstek are still each other's valentines.

While celebrity marriages today sometimes can be measured in days and weeks, the Wheatfield couple will celebrate 71 years together on Feb. 7.

The Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy is immediately accepting applications for its next class of sworn recruits and pre-employment students.

While on his second deployment in Afghanistan, U.S. Marine Cpl. Paul Schaus was left a double amputee after stepping on a landmine during a firefight with insurgents in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on June 5, 2009.

A world premiere adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "Treasure Island" by Wheatfield playwright L. Don Swartz will be presented at the Ghostlight Theatre, 170 Schenck St., North Tonawanda, on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.; Feb. 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23 at 8 p.m.; and on Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.

Congratulations to the Niagara-Wheatfield boys varsity swimming and diving team on its third consecutive Niagara Frontier League Championship.

Members of the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center team gathered at the hospital's main entrance Friday to show their support for the 10th annual National Wear Red/Go Red for Women Day, an event dedicated to raising awareness and funds to battle heart disease in women.

The Wheatfield Town Board on Monday authorized Supervisor Bob Cliffe to contact the state Department of Transportation seeking an earlier date for improvement of Niagara Falls Boulevard in the town.

Ever wonder what it would be like to smack somebody with a pie like in the old slapstick comedies?

LaSalle Pride Inc., in conjunction with the LaSalle Library, will present a lecture on Griffon Manor at 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 4, in the library's second floor meeting room, 8728 Buffalo Ave.

The Level 4 Niagara Team from Gleason's School of Gymnastics recently participated in the fifth annual Jacquie Hirsch Memorial Girls Buffalo Challenge, winning the first place team trophy with 189.25 cumulative points.

The Niagara-Wheatfield Varsity and JV girls' basketball teams held a fundraiser basketball game on Jan. 25 to support the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. The girls sold donation cards, wristbands and collected donations and raised a total of $1,600.

An open roof hatch and freezing weather combined last weekend to burst water valves and flood the old Summit Park Mall. A Niagara County Sheriff's Office patrol doing an area check at the mall early Sunday noticed water coming from the old Steve & Jerry's location.

Anthony, CEO of a commercial real estate agency in Raleigh, N.C., also noted that he currently is negotiating with two parties on the possible sale of the mall, which closed in 2009 except for exterior stores.

Mall owner Jim Anthony said Tuesday that damage estimates are still being completed, but will be considerably less than originally reported.

At the January Board meeting of the Niagara USA Chamber, elections were held to fill open positions. Christian Boron from M&T Bank was elected the as chairman, a position previously held by Kevin Schuler from LP Ciminelli.

The phrase "lucky dog" will have added meaning this February at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, as the casino hosts and sponsors "Wags, Whiskers & Wines," a fundraiser to benefit the Niagara County SPCA. The event takes place Sunday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m. at the Bear's Den Showroom.

When Allan Herschell first began producing carrousels in the 1880s, he was fortunate to have a local population of talented carvers to draw his workforce from. Over the decades, advances in technology brought first metal and then fiberglass animals, and the hand-carved horse became a thing of the past. While modern animals undoubtedly offer a number of technological advantages, the beauty and craftsmanship of the hand-carved horses from the golden age of carrousels are unmatched.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center has appointed Alicia Scott, RN, MSN, ANP-C, clinical coordinator of its state-designated Stroke Center effective immediately.

Niagara County Sheriff James Voutour was elected third vice president of the New York State Sheriffs' Association at the 79th annual Winter Training Conference this week in Albany. Above, Lt. Gov. Robert J. Duffy (left) with Sheriff Voutour following the swearing-in ceremony.

The Town of Niagara Active Hose Volunteer Fire Co. held its annual installation meeting on Jan. 19.

Kyle Jung, a senior at Niagara-Wheatfield and Dan Ruble, a senior from Wilson, took first place at the Niagara Frontier Automobile Dealers' AutoTech Competition on Jan. 19 at Erie Community College.

Niagara Hospice Director Kay Dekker, RN, BSN, has announced volunteer training dates for individuals who want to make a difference in the lives of nursing homes residents receiving hospice care.

A tied vote delayed action on a late resolution introduced by Councilman Danny Sklarski at the Town of Niagara Town Board meeting Tuesday.

The Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education approved a request from the Girls Soccer Booster Club to move forward with fundraising and develop plans for soccer shelters to be used for boys and girls soccer and lacrosse.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will offer a series of free health screenings during the next several weeks.

The Town of Niagara Business and Professional Association will hold its annual dinner and awards ceremony Thursday, Jan. 24, at the LaSalle Yacht Club in Niagara Falls.

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.

The towns of Wheatfield and Niagara are cooperating in a plan to bring a public dog park to the grounds of the SPCA of Niagara on Lockport Road.

The Wheatfield Town Board on Monday held three public hearings before getting its regular meeting under way.

Sheriff James R. Voutour has announced the Sheriff's Community Police Academy will be held Feb. 28 and every Thursday through May 30 at no cost.

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.

St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 6167 Walmore Road in Sanborn, will host its monthly contemporary worship gathering, "Saturday Night Alive," starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26.

The next Wheatfield Business Association social is set for Monday, Jan. 21, at the Walmore Inn, at the corner of Lockport and Walmore roads, Wheatfield.

Two Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Transportation Security Administration-certified Explosive Detection K-9 teams will assist with the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C.

Niagara County lawmakers are tasking a new government panel with devising shared services and consolidation agreements between the county and municipal governments with an eye toward cutting costs and red tape.

Niagara Cerebral Palsy, a non-profit agency providing high-quality care to children and adults with developmental disabilities, has announced that John J. M. Reardon was promoted to executive director and CEO. The agency also announced that Salvatore M. Passanese, Ph.D., has been elected president of the board of directors.

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 Wheatfield Picnic Committee is preparing for the 35th annual Wheatfield Family Picnic, to be held at Fairmount Park on Sunday, Aug. 25.

New York Air National Guard Col. John Higgins, a master navigator with more than 3,500 hours flying in the F-4 Phantom fighter, the F-111 bomber and the C-130 Hercules, will replace Col. Jim McCready as commander of the 107th Airlift Wing at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station on Saturday, Jan. 12.

Wheatfield held its annual reorganization meeting Jan. 2. The Town of Niagara held its reorganization Wednesday.