Niagara County Community College will host a spring 2013 job fair on Tuesday, April 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Main Cafeteria, G-Building, on the campus at 3111 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn. The job fair is free and open to the public.

Community Missions of Niagara Frontier will host its 11th annual Feet or Famine Walk on Saturday, April 27. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. at Whirlpool State Park, with the walk following shortly after at 11:15 a.m. Around 100-200 walkers are expected to attend, and pets on leashes are welcome.

Support continues to build with favorable news heard on the proposed Town of Lewiston Civic Center.

Metro Mattress, upstate New York's largest mattress retailer, has launched its "50 Beds in 50 Days" charitable program in the Buffalo area. This is the fourth year of the program, which promises to donate mattresses to charitable organizations throughout the Buffalo area that provide services for children in need, individuals suffering from abuse, those who are ill and in need of care, veterans, and people who are homeless or underserved.

Bob Koshinski, vice president and general manager of WBBZ-TV has announced Western New York's "hometown television station" will celebrating Dyngus Day with a special telecast of "Dyngus Day Diary" on Monday April 1, at 10:30 p.m. (with encore presentations Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Friday at 7:30p.m.). "Dyngus Day Diary" will be hosted by Ed Dobosiewicz and Laurie Lisowski Frey.

Kelly Stephens of Wheatfield, center, organized a successful fundraiser Sunday at St. James Lutheran Church in Bergholz to benefit Akron Canine Rescued Angels.

The Town of Niagara Town Board on Tuesday voted to begin the SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review) process and take all necessary steps to have lead agency status on the planned expansion of Fashion Outlets mall.

The Wheatfield Town Board's approval Monday of the town's Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and Comprehensive Master Plan doesn't mean work by the committee members is over.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that construction will soon begin on a $7.2 million project to rehabilitate four bridges along NY Route 33, the Kensington Expressway, in Erie County.

Community Missions of Niagara Frontier will present its annual spring concert, "Gospel Fest," on Friday, April 26, at 7 p.m. This year's program will be held at First Baptist Church, 554 Main St. (corner of Fourth), Niagara Falls. Doors open for seating at 6:30 p.m. "Gospel Fest" is a free, family-friendly event that is open to the public.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli has announced agreements with Best Buy and Bed Bath & Beyond to encourage their suppliers to report on workplace safety, human and worker rights and environmental compliance.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-Lewiston, has helped finalize a third consecutive on-time state budget. Ceretto remarked the fiscally responsible state spending plan includes the lowest middle-class tax rates in 60 years, as well as additional tax relief for middle-class families. It also includes funding that will benefit students, seniors and businesses in Western New York.

This week marks the annual tradition of removing the ice boom from the Niagara River, a sign of spring, but this year also a sign of progress for Buffalo's waterfront.

The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation has awarded a three-year grant to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center to establish and operate Project Runway, a community-based program to reduce drug and alcohol and drug abuse by young women.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti was successful in fighting for increased school aid for school districts located in the 60th Senate District. The New York State Legislature passed its third consecutive on-time budget, which included an increase for every school district located in Grisanti's district.

Assemblyman John Ceretto stood with his colleagues from both sides of the aisle in an effort to restore a $90 million cut in funding to non-profit providers who care for the developmentally disabled. The budget amendment was defeated by the Assembly Majority.

The cheers coming from First Niagara Center Friday will be different than usual.

Those in attendance will be praising God, and not the blue and gold of the Buffalo Sabres.

The Buffalo Zoo's polar bear cub will be out on exhibit during public hours beginning Friday, March 29. Visitors to the Buffalo Zoo can view the now famous cub, nicknamed Luna, during limited viewing hours every day from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the exotic domestic animals exhibit near the zoo's main entrance.

The University at Buffalo announces First Niagara has given to UB a parcel of land to be used in the construction of the university's new School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

Dean Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau, released the following statement Wednesday:

Old Fort Niagara is looking for outgoing individuals who enjoy history to serve as volunteer tour guides for the 2013 season.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center patients and their families will soon be enjoying the latest advances in hospital care following Wednesday's dedication and blessing of a new 24-bed medical-surgical inpatient unit.

State Sen. George Maziarz, R-C-Newfane, has announced the recently adopted New York state budget includes a $75 million increase in funding for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program, or CHIPS. This is the first increase in funding since the 2008-09 budget.

Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara, the Niagara County Chapter of NYSARC Inc., celebrated Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month this March with a month-long special project.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and Congressman Brian Higgins stood Wednesday with Visit Buffalo Niagara President Dottie Gallagher-Cohen, local veterans and business representatives to protest the Department of Veterans Affairs decision to "postpone" the 27th annual "Warriors on the Waterfront" Golden Age Games, scheduled to have taken place in Western New York beginning May 30.

Lockport Community Television will hold its next orientation session at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2, at its studio, 293 Niagara St., Lockport. Attendees can receive training using LCTV's new, high-definition portable equipment, which volunteers can use to produce their own programs.

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University will be closed to the public during Niagara University's holiday recess, Thursday, March 28 through Monday, April 1. The museum reopens with regular hours on Tuesday, April 2.

The New York State Senate has passed the state budget on time for the third consecutive year, Sen. Patrick M. Gallivan announced Wednesday. The spending plan adheres to a self-imposed 2 percent spending cap, contains significant tax relief for middle-class families and businesses, and also addresses some of the unique challenges facing Western New York.

On Wednesday, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, NY-25, sent a letter to Assistant Secretary Jo-Ellen Darcy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, requesting that funding be made available for the repair all harbors in Lake Ontario impacted by "Superstorm" Sandy.

Employees of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center voted overwhelmingly last Thursday to authorize their negotiating committee to plan a picket of the hospital if negotiations failed to achieve a settlement by week's end. When talks failed to progress last Friday, the employee committee notified the hospital that staff would picket on April 3 if no agreement was reached by that date.

With spring on our doorstep and a beautiful summer filled with family fun ahead, Artpark has put out the call to spruce up the green areas of the Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park. Come and celebrate Parks & Trails New York and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation's "I Love My Park Day" on Saturday, May 4, at Artpark.

State Sen. Patrick M. Gallivan has announced that, after weeks of negotiating, the final enacted state budget will include a provision to boost the film production industry in upstate New York.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will host a dedication and blessing of its new inpatient medical-surgical unit at 11 a.m. Wednesday. The event will be held on the second floor of the hospital's Schoellkopf Building (S-2).

The Niagara Catholic Jr./Sr. High School faculty and staff have donated a $1,000 tuition waiver, which will benefit an incoming seventh grade student for the 2013-14 school year.

The DiMino Lower Niagara Running Series is gearing up for another great running season with a generous $10,000 donation from Anthony DiMino, owner of Tops in Lewiston, and the addition of three new races.

The Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center board of directors confirmed its 2013 slate of officers and re-elected six incumbent board members to three-year terms at its annual meeting Monday.

State Sen. George Maziarz, R-C-Newfane, has announced two pieces of energy legislation that he sponsors are expected to be passed by the New York State Senate by Tuesday evening.

Dr. Gary Praetzel, dean of Niagara University's College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, has been elected to the board of directors of the Darwin Martin House.

On Monday, the State Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation that increases the penalty level for killing or injuring a police dog to a Class D felony. This legislation was sponsored by Sen. George D. Maziarz.

The Women of the Moose, Lower Niagara, recently presented a donation to the Our Lady of Peace Nursing Care Residence. The funds will be used to provide hair-styling services to residents in need.