A naming contest that the Buffalo Zoo conducted to select a permanent name for its polar bear cub has ended. The cub will keep what started as her nickname among zookeepers and will be officially known as Luna.

A potential new treatment strategy for patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is on the horizon, thanks to research by neuroscientists now at the University at Buffalo's Hunter James Kelly Research Institute and their colleagues in Italy and England.

Congressman Chris Collins, NY-27, issued the following statement Friday following the passage of legislation ending sequester furloughs for air traffic controllers:

The Niagara County Builders Association's annual Parade of Homes Show will kick off on Saturday, May 4. The event is free and open to the public. Five builders will present seven houses in the Niagara County and Grand Island areas over the course of three weekends.

Erie County Legislator Kevin Hardwick reminds residents that the annual Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is on Saturday, April 27, and several sites across Erie County will accept medications from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Father's Day Classic Car Show and Lawn Mower Race, benefiting the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life of Grand Island, will be held again this year on West River Parkway at Long Road, Sunday, June 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, will receive the 2013 Liberty Bell Award, the highest award that is bestowed at the Annual Law Day Luncheon of the Bar Association of Erie County.

Assemblyman John Ceretto is teaming up with the Firemen's Association of the State of New York to help promote this year's statewide volunteer firefighter recruitment drive, Recruit NY, which will take place at firehouses across the state on April 27-28.

Earlier this week, U.S. Congresswoman Louise Slaughter congratulated Sunnking, a local e-recycling business, on winning the Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Quality Award for work in dismantling, refurbishing and recycling electronic waste.

As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the nationally recognized Clothesline Project exhibit will be on display through Friday, April 26, at the Niagara County Community College, Sanborn campus, Student Center, Room G201.

With spring finally seeming to warm up, plans are in the works to reopen Wheatfield's Farmers Market.

At Monday's Town Board meeting, the board approved moving the market to the front of Town Hall, instead of the rear parking area between the Community Center and Youth Center. Town Attorney Bob O'Toole said the market's vendors expressed strong preference for the new location that will be immediately visible to those approaching Town Hall at 2800 Church Road. Parking will remain in the rear of Town Hall. The change, for safety reasons, must be approved by the St. Johnsburg Volunteer Fire Co.

O'Toole said an opening day for the market has yet to be set.

Holy Ghost Lutheran Church "Helping Hands" and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans are sponsoring two events to benefit Judi Jagow, a resident of Bergholz, who has cancer.

The five Town of Wheatfield volunteer fire companies will open their doors to area residents this weekend as part of a statewide program called RecruitNY. Special events for kids and adults, as well as information on how to become a volunteer firefighter, will be offered.

Like most volunteer fire departments, the Town of Wheatfield fire companies need to bolster their emergency responder numbers, so they can continue to provide the optimum level of protection for their residents.

On Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28, the five fire companies that serve Wheatfield will hold open houses for a unified recruitment drive, as part of National Volunteer Week 2013.

The Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp. will welcome the seventh annual I Love New York Empire State Tourism Conference, titled "Building Our Empire," from May 1-3. This is the first time the annual conference will be held outside of the Albany region in many years.

We have the most comprehensive list of Artpark events and pictures around -- plus a video presentation of the "Tuesday in the Park" and "Coors Light Wednesdays" schedule.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-C-Lewiston, joined his Republican Assembly colleagues Wednesday at the State Capitol to advocate for legislation that would establish "recall" to help clean up Albany by removing unfit and corrupt elected officials from office.

As spring weather brings more outdoor work by individuals, contractors and excavators, National Grid offers an important safety message: Call before you dig.

The Buffalo Sabres have announced the Sabres Green Team will join the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy to plant 23 trees at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Buffalo on Saturday, May 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Applications are still available for the 47th Annual Lewiston Art Festival, which will be held Saturday, Aug. 10, and Sunday, Aug. 11, in the Village of Lewiston.

Assemblyman John Ceretto is again accepting applications in his district office for New York Conference of Italian-American State Legislators scholarships. The group will award four $1,500 scholarships - two academic and two athletic - to student applicants from around New York state.

After becoming chairman of the Niagara County Republican Committee Wednesday, Niagara County Industrial Development Agency Chairman Scott P. Kiedrowski has announced he will be stepping down from the IDA board.

Michael J. Norris, who has served as Niagara County Republican chairman since November 2009, announced Wednesday he is leaving the position of county chairman effective immediately.

Artpark President George Osborne announced the venue's 2013 summer events schedule at a press conference Wednesday morning.

State Sen. George Maziarz, R-C-Newfane, has announced legislation he championed in the Senate was passed Tuesday. This legislation, Senate bill 2522, has two primary purposes.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, announced Tuesday the passage of the Protect Our Children Act, which helps to protect children from cruel and repeated maltreatment. The bill, which was sponsored by Grisanti, originally passed the Senate last year, but did not pass the Assembly.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, renewed his call Tuesday for New York to get tough on puppy mills with his sponsorship of bill S.3753, which would allow forward-thinking local governments to regulate commercial pet breeders and pet stores.

North Tonawanda Mayor Robert G. Ortt announced plans for a three-concert series titled "Cornerstone's Niagara River Rocks" at Gratwick Riverside Park on Sundays, June 9, July 14 and Aug 25. Primus, The Tea Party and Rusted Root will be the featured bands for the lineup.

SPCA Serving Erie County volunteers to receive 30 percent discount at Erie County Dunkin' Donuts Restaurants as a thank you for community service

The Karen Albond Courage in Caring Award was established in 2005 to honor individuals in the Niagara community who persevere in service to others despite physical or developmental disabilities, or chronic illness. The award is presented at HANCI's annual meeting and luncheon, to be held this year on June 6.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, has introduced legislation to protect dogs and cats from what animal advocates worldwide deem animal abuse. Senate bill S.2271 would prohibit devocalization, an elective procedure in which vocal cords are cut just to alter an animal's voice.

The Erie Canal Discovery Center has announced the winners of its Erie Canal Song Contest. This is the sixth year for the contest, and its popularity has been growing each year.

Comedy, country music, up-tempo rock and more come to Western New York; 
lineup includes B.B. King, Howie Mandel, Alabama, Brad Garrett, Huey Lewis and The Go-Go's.

Eight Niagara University students - three women and five men - will be shaving their heads this Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the student union to raise awareness and financial support for young adults with cancer.

Counting Crows and The Wallflowers will kick off the 15th annual "Buffalo Place Rocks" Canalside Concert Series presented by M&T Bank and produced by Buffalo Place Inc. in downtown Buffalo at the Erie Canal Harbor Central Wharf on Friday, June 28. The concert runs from 6 until 11 p.m.

Congressman Brian Higgins, NY-26, a member of the Congressional Great Lakes Task Force, has introduced legislation to provide grants to upgrade wastewater treatment plants in the Great Lakes basin.

Heart of Niagara Animal Rescue will hold a volunteer meeting Wednesday, May 1, from 6-8 p.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church, 915 Oneida St., Lewiston. Topics of discussion include volunteer opportunities to help with current and future fundraising programs, including upcoming events, as well as hands-on work with the animals, including transport and fostering.

Isa Witte, a student matriculating toward a dual degree from Niagara University and the International University of Applied Sciences in Germany, received the Best Undergraduate Research Paper Award at the 2013 Korea America Hospitality and Tourism Educators Association (KAHTEA) Conference.

On Friday, Erie Community College and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz joined educators and local officials to honor community leaders as part of the college's annual Advisory Council Partner and Community Appreciation Breakfast event inside its North Campus Spring Center Café.

On Tuesday, April 30, the Niagara-Wheatfield Honor Society will run its third annual Technology Night from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in the Niagara-Wheatfield High School Room E101. Students will provide free computer instruction and assistance to senior citizens or other community members who would like to update their technology skills.

Community Missions of Niagara Frontier Inc. will host its 11th annual Feet or Famine Walk on Saturday, April 27, at Whirlpool State Park.