PHOTOS: The village's newest wine bar is opening its doors to the community.

After a string of successful walk-throughs for small groups of people, the Lewiston Stone House is now ready to welcome the general public.

State Sen. George Maziarz was joined Friday by representatives of the Niagara Aerospace Museum and local leaders to announce the museum's re-location to the old terminal building at the Niagara Falls International Airport.

For the sixth year in a row, Dunkin' Donuts and the American Red Cross are teaming up for the "Give a Pint, Get a Pound" campaign, which provides a coupon for a free pound of Dunkin' Donuts coffee* to all presenting donors at Red Cross blood drives in the greater Buffalo area during the month of January.

Staff and volunteers from the Niagara Hospice Alliance are gearing up for the 2013 spring bouquet sale. The sale will run March 4-10 with pre-sale bouquets being ordered now and throughout the month of February.

"Suneel's Celebrity Gala" will feature local celebrities competing against each other in various ballroom dance disciplines.

The St. Francis Guild, the auxiliary of Mount St. Mary's Hospital, recently presented hospital President and CEO Judith Maness, left, with a check in the amount of $60,000 from its 2012 fundraising efforts.

Well, the world didn't end.

We figured it wouldn't. Yet that didn't stop residents in the River Region from seizing each day and living life to the fullest this year.

Notable events of the past year.

Area companies and schools are invited to participate in the 27th annual Hospice Buffalo spring bouquet sale, presented by First Niagara, for the event's pre-sale phase held during January and February.

Local government and education leaders in the Niagara-Wheatfield Tribune circulation area were contacted to find out their opinions on happenings, both good and bad, in their areas for 2012 and what is ahead for 2013.

Anne and Dr. Richard Sawicki organize items for a silent auction that will be held at the 2013 Premier, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center's annual black tie dinner and entertainment gala.

Call it an early Christmas present.

Fourteen brave men and women unwrapped certificates of completion Friday, as the Niagara County Law Enforcement Academy held its 54th graduation ceremony - its third on the campus of Niagara University.

The Grand Island Neighbors Foundation and volunteers brought pallets of donated food to the Knights of Columbus hall on Whitehaven Road for unboxing, sorting and distribution to needy Island families at Christmas.

This time of year, it's not unusual to see lighted Santas, reindeer and snowmen decorating people's yards.

Danny Maerten's house on Niagara Road in Bergholz has a dinosaur.

Employees at Mount St. Mary's Hospital got into the holiday spirit by donating more than 175 wrapped gifts as part of an effort with the Heart, Love and Soul Food Pantry in Niagara Falls.

VIDEO: Seneca Gaming Corp. upped the ante on casino dining Thursday with the unveiling of the new Thunder Falls Buffet at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel in Niagara Falls USA.

Three regional artists whose work was featured in the Castellani Art Museum's exhibition "TopSpin 10: The Ten Year TopSpin Retrospective" were presented with Viewer's Choice Awards.

The extensive Christmas display at the home of Paul Greinert, 6962 Errick Road, is a Wheatfield holiday tradition. It was begun by his father, Edward Greinert, who initiated the display for his grandchildren and the community.

The lighted display, spread across the grounds, includes a manger scene, an igloo with penguins, snowmen, toy soldiers, a Santa house, train, elves, Santa and his sleigh, snowflakes, Christmas trees, signs, Mickey and Minnie Mouse and more.

Niagara Hospice and Northgate Health Care Facility recently held a holiday tree lighting celebration at Hospice at Jeanne's House - A Northgate and Niagara Hospice Collaboration. Prior to the tree lighting, residents throughout Northgate were serenaded with Christmas carols by more than 35 Boy Scouts from Pack 193 and their families.

Niagara County lawmakers approved a $321.8 million spending plan Tuesday night in Lockport, with a slight 1.2 percent property tax rate increase that is below the county's legally required 2 percent tax cap.

The approved budget sets a full value tax rate of $7.72 per $1,000 of assessed value, up slightly from the $7.63 rate in the 2012 spending plan. Despite the minimal uptick in rates, the fiscally conservative budget maintains deep cuts in county tax rates achieved over the course of the past decade

The Mount St. Mary's Foundation recently dedicated a "Wall of Donors" to formally recognize individuals and businesses that gave to its successful Breast Care Center capital campaign, which raised more than $1.2 million.

Despite a 50-17 loss Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks in Toronto, Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson told co-host Bob Koshinski that he is sticking by Coach Chan Gailey.

Members of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve joined Dunkin' Donuts franchisees and Basil Family of Dealerships representatives Friday for a large-scale shopping spree today at Toys "R" Us in Amherst to prepare the Toys for Tots program in Western New York for the holiday season.

Big changes may be in store for a prominent stretch of the Village of Lewiston.

The Buffalo-based Ellicott Development has purchased 756, 784-790 Center St., and adjacent vacant land on Onondaga Street (bordering North Eighth Street) from HoganWillig PLLC. Current tenants of these properties include The Country Doctor, Grandpaws Pet Emporium and Smith Brothers Pizza.

Ellicott Development CEO William Paladino signed the property transfer and has served as the point person on the $1.4 million transaction. The sale was finalized Nov. 7. William's father, former gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, founded Ellicott Development, a property management, leasing and development firm, in 1973.

At a surprise birthday party for Les Dumas, a Knights of Columbus member, guests brought contributions to Toys for Tots and the WNY Food Bank in lieu of birthday gifts.

St. John Lutheran School is helping support The Food Bank of WNY. In the past few weeks, students have been donating food items as part of their chapel offerings. They have collected more than 400 pounds of food and plan to donate more to help those in need during the Christmas season.

PHOTOS: The annual Christmas Senior Dance at the Wheatfield Community Center last Saturday drew a large crowd for a turkey dinner, dancing and prize drawings.

In celebration of the holidays, leather- and denim-clad members of Niagara Falls Harley Owners Group recently made their annual convoy to New Directions' Wyndham Lawn Home for Children in Lockport to give the children residents' holiday presents.

As millions of fans celebrated the success of the "Believe" album and accompanying sold-out "Believe" world tour, global superstar Justin Bieber announced additional 2013 shows on his headlining tour of North America, which includes a stop at First Niagara Center on July 15, 2013.

The cities of Niagara Falls and Salamanca continue to be hampered by population loss, decreased property values and a significant decline in revenue, according to two fiscal reports issued Monday by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The reports are the first in a series of fiscal profiles on cities across the state.

The reports detail the impact of the ongoing dispute over casino revenue on the two Western New York communities. The cities are home to casinos operated by the Seneca Nation - the Seneca Niagara Casino and the Seneca Allegany Casino. Niagara Falls and Salamanca have not received their "local share" of casino revenues since 2009, when the Senecas halted gambling compact payments to the state.

Imagine a street lined with flames and filled with chaos as dozens of Lewiston's citizens run barefoot through the night trying to escape attacks from British forces.

Competition was stiff this year for the People's Choice Award for Best Holiday Décor at the Historical Association of Lewiston's 2012 Tour of Homes. More than 1,000 ballots were cast and, while the numbers were close, the winner is ...

Hats off to Angelo Grande, who entered Niagara Frontier Publications' recent "Like Us on Facebook" contest and won a $50 gift certificate to Casa Antica, Lewiston's Italian restaurant at 490 Center St.

For the third year in a row, Kelly's Country Store, at 3121 Grand Island Blvd., is selling Christmas trees, with proceeds to benefit the Grand Island Lions Club's annual Special Kids Picnic, as well as the club's other service projects.

Dr. Stuart Weinstein is again offering the community an opportunity to brighten their holiday smiles and, at the same time, the financial outlook of families with members serving in the military.

Paul and Jan DePlato of Bergholz once again are offering a chance to see one of the area's largest Christmas displays, with an added bonus: a visit with Santa.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced an agreement Tuesday that will prevent the Maid of the Mist scenic boat excursions from shutting down. The multilateral agreement spearheaded by the governor provides for the Maid of the Mist to continue to operate in the Niagara Gorge and for it to produce increased revenues for Niagara Falls State Park.

The agreement will also lead to improvements of the boat tour experience for park visitors and will protect New York state from potential disruptions to a critical tourism attraction for decades to come.

Candles twinkle in the windows of the 286-year-old French Castle. Outside the imposing stone structure, lanterns line Old Fort Niagara's walkways as soldiers in cocked hats and wool coats prepare their muskets to perform a grand feu de joie, a firing of joy, in honor of the holiday season.

Niagara County Community College, in conjunction with the College Association of NCCC, will host "Santa's Workshop" weekends at the college's new Niagara Falls Culinary Institute through Dec. 24.

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