Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman Tuesday joined 37 states and the District of Columbia in announcing a multimillion settlement with Google over its unauthorized collection of data from unsecured wireless networks nationwide.

The New York State Senate has approved a 2013-14 budget resolution, proposed by the Senate Majority Coalition, that focuses on helping businesses create new jobs, investing additional funds in education and transportation, providing mandate relief to local governments, and restoring proposed cuts to women's health programs as well programs for the developmentally disabled.

Researchers from Roswell Park Cancer Institute and four collaborating institutions have evaluated the effectiveness of a novel curriculum to safely train surgeons on the da Vinci Surgical System, which is used to perform robot-assisted surgeries.

More than 2,500 guests will fill The Conference & Event Center Niagara Falls, 101 Old Falls St., for the 31st annual St. Patrick's Day Celebration, hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-C-Lewiston, helped pass legislation he co-sponsored to support the development of the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad as a premier destination for both academic research and tourism.

The Western New York Regional Council has announced that its workgroup on tourism will host three public input sessions to seek feedback on the "Path Through History," a program aimed at increasing heritage tourism across New York state.

After 17 years on the air at WGRZ, and 25 years in radio and television in Western New York, Pete Gallivan is trading in his microphone and camera. He has accepted a job in government, outside of television.

Artpark in Lewiston is kicking off its 40th anniversary season with a gala evening on Saturday, June 1. The celebration event will take place in the scenic Outdoor Amphitheater area overlooking the Niagara River gorge. The evening will be highlighted by entertainment and a gala dinner.

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail "Blue Byway Seminar" set for April 13 at the Clarion Conference Center and Marina in Dunkirk features the worlds of forensic weather forecasting, shipwrecks and underwater exploration, maritime history, and coastal recreation - including diving and paddlesports.

Niagara University's Office of Continuing Education, in collaboration with Sodexo food services, is presenting a sushi-cooking demonstration on Friday, March 22, with renowned executive chef Billy O'Donnell.

Dean Norton, president of New York farm Bureau, released the following statement on Monday:

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and ways and means committee Chairman Herman D. Farrell Jr. announced Monday the Assembly's 2013-14 budget proposal of nearly $142 billion, which closes an estimated $1.4 billion budget gap, increases aid to struggling municipalities statewide, helps communities rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, and makes critical restorations to social services programs and to providers of services to individuals with disabilities.

On Monday, the New York State Senate approved a 2013-14 budget resolution, proposed by the Senate Majority Coalition, that focuses on helping businesses create new jobs, investing additional funds in education and transportation, providing mandate relief to local governments, and restoring proposed cuts to women's health programs as well programs for the developmentally disabled.

As the B. Thomas Golisano Center for Integrated Sciences takes shape on the south side of campus, Niagara University faculty members continue to investigate ways to furnish the state-of-the-art facility with the latest in scientific instrumentation.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-C-I-Lewiston, helped pass the Assembly budget resolution Monday, which increased state education aid to schools by $834 million on a year-to-year basis, secured $120 million to better treat the developmentally disabled, enhanced aid to community college students and provided additional funding for local road and bridge work.

Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp., Visit Buffalo Niagara and Wyoming County Chamber & Tourism are partnering with www.TripCentral.ca to participate in a Canadian consumer based marketing and sales program now through March 31.

The overall program is being conducted and managed by TripCentral.ca, one of Canada's largest and most established Internet drive vacation distributors. Accommodations and attractions from all three counties are participating in the "Vacation Station," a live branded kiosk in Toronto's Union Station (the main transportation hub in the region and busiest building in Canada).

Beginning Wednesday, March 13, several roads around First Niagara Center will be shut down due to the start of construction on the HARBORcenter property. Also beginning Wednesday morning, patrons of the Sabres Store and the arena box office will be able to park in the arena's parking ramp at no charge.

The pre-order deadline for Easter flowers and arrangements has been extended until Tuesday, March 12. The floral decorations are provided by the Niagara Floral Center and Greenhouse of Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara.

To mark Brain Awareness Week (March 11-17), the Western New York Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association is offering a number of classes geared toward outlining the differences between forgetfulness and dementia, and recognizing when loss of memory may be an indication of more serious cognitive problems.

Honor Flight Buffalo will begin its fourth year of flying World War II veterans on May 11 and June 15.

As all three Seneca Casinos in Western New York continue to grow and the expanded Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino prepares for a fall 2013 opening, Seneca Gaming Corp. will provide multiple job fairs this spring to increase its team member base.

The Lewiston Garden Club is now seeking candidates for its $1,000 scholarship for 2013.

In recognition of The Fresh Air Fund's 137th summer of bringing together New York City children and volunteer host families in New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has recognized March 20 "Fresh Air Fund Day" throughout the state.

On Thursday, March 14, Peace of the City Ministries will convene an evening of advocacy, truth-telling and fundraising for Buffalo's children at the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg.

The University at Buffalo Department of Visual Studies will host Dr. S. Hollis Clayson, professor of art history and Bergen Evans Professor in the Humanities at Northwestern University.

Chart-topping '60s band The Grass Roots will be one of the highlights Saturday, March 9, of the Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center's Black Tie-Dye Gala Dinner & Auction. The concert is part of the Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center Foundation's '60s-themed event at the Seneca Niagara Casino Events Center. The annual gala raises money to support the programs of Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center.

On Friday morning, New York State Sen. George Maziarz, New York State Assemblywoman Jane Corwin, New York State Assemblyman John Ceretto and New York State Assemblyman Ray Walter addressed Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed 2013-14 budget. Specifically the delegation took exception to the proposed 6 percent cut to the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities for community-based non-profit organizations, which would impact 120,000 people.

More than an office or a single site for service, the Niagara Health Home is a one-stop care management network that provides an unprecedented level of care coordination and service linkages to patients and their families.

Those attending Aquarium SEAsonings 2013 on March 7 enjoyed not only the Aquarium of Niagara's usual attractions, but food and wine samplings. A variety of businesses provided tastes of everything from salads and bruschetta to salted caramels and tiramisu.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, is the co-sponsor of S.2755, which would allow professional mixed martial arts events to be held within New York state. On Wednesday, he voted "yes," and the bill passed the Senate by a margin of 47 to 15.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Friday that New York will construct a new traffic ramp that will connect the U.S. Peace Bridge Plaza directly to the northbound Thruway I-190. The new ramp is part of the New York Gateway Connections improvement project, which will reconfigure access to the U.S. Peace Bridge Plaza, reducing congestion and improving traffic flow for both commercial and private vehicles.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti is congratulating Majority leaders on the restoration of $120 million in spending cuts for people with development disabilities.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Mental Health Committee Chair Aileen Gunther announced the Assembly's budget proposal would restore $120 million in critical funding to the state Office of People with Developmental Disabilities for services provided by nonprofit organizations that serve individuals with developmental disabilities.

The programs and services provided through non-profits under the auspices of OPWDD help improve the quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities. These programs help to develop home, personal, behavioral, recreational and social skills to ensure greater independence in their day-to-day lives. In order to ensure these services are not compromised, the Assembly proposes to restore $120 million to mitigate the governor's proposed 6 percent rate reduction to nonprofit providers.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-C-Lewiston, met earlier this week with James Tomkins, Grand Island highway superintendent, in the Assembly chamber. They discussed the importance of increasing state support for the region's roads and bridges.

The Niagara County Community College Small Business Development Center has opened a new office at the Niagara USA Chamber in Sanborn. The SBDC satellite office will help entrepreneurs meet the challenges of owning and operating small businesses in Niagara County while promoting economic growth and stability throughout Western New York.

Patients who suffer from the painful, often disabling, symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome often are surprised to find that behavioral changes, not drugs, provide significant relief.

The website that's visited daily by tens of thousands of tax professionals, taxpayers and local officials statewide - www.tax.ny.gov - is now streamlined for easier navigation, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance announced Thursday.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-C-Lewiston, ranking member on the Assembly tourism committee, is calling on the State Assembly to follow the Senate's lead and pass legislation to legalize mixed martial arts in New York.

Rick Ohler, award-winning columnist for The East Aurora Advertiser and author of the local bestseller "Have You Lived Here All Your Life?" . . . Not Yet," will speak at the Roycroft Power House, 31 S. Grove St., East Aurora, on March 9 at 1 p.m. The talk, sponsored by Preservation Buffalo Niagara, is part of its "Buffalo Talks" series.

Vincent J. Miller, Ph.D., the Gudorf Chair in Catholic Theology and Culture at the University of Dayton, will deliver an address on "The Church and Work for Justice in the World: From Vatican II to Today" at Niagara University's Alumni Chapel on March 20 at 5:30 p.m.