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.

A prominent cardiologist will join a local business executive in chairing the 22nd annual Niagara Cup Classic.

Plans are shaping up for the fifth annual Lewiston Region Tour of Kitchens, taking place Saturday and Sunday, June 8 and 9, from 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at select addresses in Lewiston and Youngstown.

Spring has finally arrived in Lewiston and with it the 18th annual Lewiston Family Spring Fling. This is the way to celebrate that winter is over and a time to renew old friendships and make new ones.

The Auxiliary of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will hold its 12th annual "Rock-A-Thon" on Friday, April 26, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the hospital's upper lobby.

The Lewiston/Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotary Club celebrated 75 years of service to the community with a dinner at Water Street Landing.

The game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins scheduled for tonight at TD Garden has been postponed, the National Hockey League announced today.

The Niagara Region PTA is sponsoring the annual fourth- and fifth-grade spelling bee on Saturday, April 20, at the Lockport High School Auditorium, 250 Lincoln Ave.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-C-I-Lewiston, is sponsoring the bipartisan Public Assistance Integrity Act in the Assembly. The bill is designed to prevent public assistance money from being spent at casinos, liquor stores, tobacco retailers and adult entertainment facilities.

Less than one month after Appeal Week 2013 ended, volunteers for the annual Appeal in support of Catholic Charities of Buffalo must raise $1 million more to reach this year's $10.7 million campaign goal.

Realtors around the nation will hold open houses Saturday and Sunday during Realtor Open House Weekend. Thousands of people who have listed their home for sale will open their doors with a Realtor as host, for those interested to look around. In Western New York alone, there are more than 700 open houses this weekend.

The New York Power Authority is encouraging visitors of all ages to participate in a sculpture contest that will be one of the featured events at its "Every Day is Earth Day" celebration, Saturday, April 27, at the Niagara hydroelectric power plant's admission-free visitors center, the Power Vista.

The It Happened to Alexa Foundation, founded by Tom and Stacey Branchini, honors the courage of their daughter, Alexa, who survived a traumatic rape by a stranger who broke into her college dormitory the second week of her freshman year. The foundation provides financial, emotional and advocacy assistance to victims who prosecute their attackers.

To honor the victims of the Boston Marathon tragedy, the Newfane Saturday Running Group will host a 2.6-mile run/walk/bike/roll on Saturday, April 20, starting at 9 a.m.

Congressman Brian Higgins, NY-26, is sounding the alarm on a proposal within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's fiscal year 2014 budget, which requests a study to determine the feasibility of collecting a fee from pedestrians and passenger vehicles crossing between the U.S. and Canada by land.

Dr. Doug Tewksbury, an assistant professor of communication studies at Niagara University, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to conduct research at the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition at McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario) in the fall of 2013.

The West Street Elementary School Parent Group annual basket auction and chicken barbecue last year was an "awesome" success, according to Co-President Jeff Haseley. Check out what's planned for this year's event.

NBC Sports Network's "Wednesday Night Rivalry" telecast featuring the Buffalo Sabres against the Boston Bruins resulted in record-setting regular-season viewership.

Dr. Timothy Ireland has been appointed dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Niagara University, effective June 1.

The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce has named Paul Leuchner, recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award, as Civic Person of the Year

The annual Wheatfield Lions Club Spring Pancake Breakfast and Basket Raffle will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at the Henry Scibisz Five Senses Nature Park Clubhouse, located on Ward Road next to the American Legion Post 1451.

There's never been a more important time for Americans to unite and pledge that when they "see something," they "say something."

National Infant Immunization Week is being held April 20 through 27. This is an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and to celebrate the achievements of immunization programs in promoting healthy communities throughout the United States.

Congressman Brian Higgins, NY-26, received confirmation that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has authorized $22 million for the next stage of Buffalo River restoration. The federal funding will be matched dollar for dollar by a consortium of non-federal funding partners, through a partnership agreement between the Honeywell Corporation and Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, for a combined $44 million project.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has announced that the golf course at Beaver Island State Park is now open.

It may not yet be a "Tough Mudder" or even a "Spartan Race," but an upcoming physical challenge at Niagara University is anything but basic.

Well, come to think of it, it is.

New Directions Youth and Family Services, Western New York's leading provider of services for at-risk children and families, invites the community to join the organization for an evening of fine wines, music and gourmet hors d'oeuvres at the fourth annual "Wines of Distinction" fundraiser.

Supermarket Liquors and Wines has signed on to be a platinum sponsor for Artpark's 40th anniversary gala on June 1. Owner Chris Castellani has personally donated two bottles of wine from his own collection.

Wild Kritters of Niagara County Inc., an organization that cares for injured and orphaned wildlife, hosts its seventh annual basket raffle Sunday, April 21, at the 3F Conservation Club, 904 Swann Road, Youngstown.

The Niagara County Industrial Development Agency board of directors has accepted applications for assistance from Power Greenhouse Integration LLC for a greenhouse renovation project in the Town of Wheatfield and Plati Niagara Inc. LLC for another new hotel in Niagara Falls.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, the Village of Lewiston and The Silo Restaurant, in cooperation with the Niagara River Anglers, will celebrate one of the region's most famous natural resources as they host the Lewiston Smelt Festival on Friday, May 3, at the foot of Center Street along the Lewiston waterfront.

Congressman Brian Higgins, NY-26, recently took to the House of Representatives Floor to raise awareness of the need for a renewed national focus on preventing, treating and caring for those with Alzheimer's disease.

Niagara County Fourth District Coroner Richard W. Rutland resigned Tuesday, citing "personal reasons" in a two-sentence letter of resignation to county lawmakers. The resignation takes effect April 30.

The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association has filed a motion for preliminary injunction in federal court in Buffalo seeking to stop enforcement of various provisions of the Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013. At the same time, the association also filed a motion for expedited hearing on its motion for a preliminary injunction.

The Niagara Catholic Jr./Sr. High School board of trustees announced Tuesday Ronald K. Buggs has officially taken on the role of president/principal of the school. He replaces Robert DiFrancesco, who retired in March.

CMS @ The Chapel, part of the Christian Musician Summit series, is taking registrations for its May 3 and 4 event at The Chapel at Crosspoint in Buffalo. The conference, a popular event of workshops and performances, features some of the top musicians in the Christian music industry.

Join the C.A.F.E. of Niagara County group on Monday, April 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. for a free summer services fair for people with developmental disabilities.