Current News

The Niagara Falls Country Club announces the following events of note taking place at its Country Club Trail clubhouse in Lewiston:

Unbelievable. The real Jesse Owens? The most successful athlete at the 1936 Summer Olympics? Well, no, but to hear Ed Mort tell his fishing story, you would think it was the real Jesse Owens that was born 100 years ago.

Members of the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center team gathered at the hospital's main entrance Friday to show their support for the 10th annual National Wear Red/Go Red for Women Day, an event dedicated to raising awareness and funds to battle heart disease in women.

Congressman Chris Collins, NY-27, announced Friday that his office was able to help Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown receive long-stalled federal grant money it was awarded several years ago.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson, San Jose Sharks left wing Patrick Marleau and Buffalo Sabres left wing Thomas Vanek have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the month of January.

Whether auditioners received a unanimous "yes" from Mariah, Randy, Nicki and Keith or had the judges battling over their fates, it's a clean slate in Hollywood for the lucky contestants who are one step closer to becoming the next "American Idol."

CBS announced Friday a new contract extension for NCIS star and executive producer Mark Harmon, and that the U.S. and global ratings phenomenon "NCIS" has been renewed for the 2013-14 season.

Weather permitting, the Lewiston Family Ice Rink at Academy Park will remain open through Sunday, Feb. 10.

The music department at Grand Island High School has turned its ship around 180 degrees in presenting "Anything Goes" as its spring musical this year.

Seventeen of the 20 nominees in the acting categories will be among more than 160 Oscar nominees who will gather at noon on Monday, Feb. 4, at the Beverly Hilton when the Academy honors this year's Oscar contenders at its annual Nominees Luncheon.

The Lewiston Council on the Arts has announced the "Lewiston Discovery Series," a new program for curious minds. The aim of the series is to share the "art of" an interesting mix of creative cultural topics. The series will be presented every other month beginning in February at the Historic Opera Hall, 732 Center St.

The programs will begin at 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be offered. No advance registration is required. A suggested $5 donation will benefit the LCA and the Opera Hall restoration fund.

The Buffalo Sabres are auctioning off a set of game-worn jerseys from the 2011-12 season. The online auction, which is set to end Monday, features both home and away jerseys worn by Sabres players.

Niagara University has announced it will relocate a portion of its Institute for Civic Engagement operations to the historic Park Place neighborhood, adjacent to downtown Niagara Falls. Within this office, located at 640 Park Place, will be the university's flagship community-based program, ReNU Niagara.

John French Wakeley, entered into rest Jan. 28, 2013. He was a resident of Grand Island.

The Wheatfield Town Board on Monday authorized Supervisor Bob Cliffe to contact the state Department of Transportation seeking an earlier date for improvement of Niagara Falls Boulevard in the town.

Ever wonder what it would be like to smack somebody with a pie like in the old slapstick comedies?

Hundreds of local businesses, community groups, hospitals, towns and schools will be wearing red on Feb. 1 to help raise awareness and funds to fight the number one killer of women - cardiovascular disease.

LaSalle Pride Inc., in conjunction with the LaSalle Library, will present a lecture on Griffon Manor at 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 4, in the library's second floor meeting room, 8728 Buffalo Ave.

The New York Power Authority will display historic photos and projects focusing on the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation during Black History Month in February at its admission-free visitors center, the Power Vista, 5777 Lewiston Road, Lewiston.

VA Western New York Healthcare System will celebrate African American History Month with events throughout February taking place in Freedom Hall, Room 301, 3495 Bailey Ave., Buffalo.

Niagara University's Family Business Center will hold its February breakfast forum Tuesday, from 7 to 9:30 a.m., at the Sonoma Grille, 5010 Main St., Snyder. William Wadsworth of Planned Futures Financial Group will speak on "The New Healthcare Laws and Changes that Business Owners Need to Know."

Niagara County Community College will offer a financial aid seminar for current and prospective students from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 9, as part of the State University of New York Statewide Student Financial Aid Days.

The Level 4 Niagara Team from Gleason's School of Gymnastics recently participated in the fifth annual Jacquie Hirsch Memorial Girls Buffalo Challenge, winning the first place team trophy with 189.25 cumulative points.

The Niagara-Wheatfield Varsity and JV girls' basketball teams held a fundraiser basketball game on Jan. 25 to support the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. The girls sold donation cards, wristbands and collected donations and raised a total of $1,600.

At its annual general meeting, the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, the binational entity that owns and operates the Rainbow, Whirlpool Rapids and Lewiston-Queenston bridges between Canada and the U.S., elected its slate of officers for 2013.

The following is a sampling of calls received by the Town of Niagara Police between Jan. 22 and 29. During that time period, patrols answered 156 calls.

An open roof hatch and freezing weather combined last weekend to burst water valves and flood the old Summit Park Mall. A Niagara County Sheriff's Office patrol doing an area check at the mall early Sunday noticed water coming from the old Steve & Jerry's location.

Anthony, CEO of a commercial real estate agency in Raleigh, N.C., also noted that he currently is negotiating with two parties on the possible sale of the mall, which closed in 2009 except for exterior stores.

Mall owner Jim Anthony said Tuesday that damage estimates are still being completed, but will be considerably less than originally reported.

CBS Sports, home of Super Bowl XLVII, Queen and Helmut VonLichten have teamed to re-mix the iconic rock classic "We Will Rock You" with "The NFL on CBS's" theme music to create a new anthem that will be featured in the opening main tease and throughout the network's game coverage of Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday, Feb. 3 (6 p.m.).

At the January Board meeting of the Niagara USA Chamber, elections were held to fill open positions. Christian Boron from M&T Bank was elected the as chairman, a position previously held by Kevin Schuler from LP Ciminelli.

The government/private sector commission charged with cutting back redundancies in government will begin work soon, now that the panel's membership has been finalized, Niagara County Legislature leaders announced Thursday.

World Champion Fighter Laila Ali and Australian pop singer and teen phenomenon Cody Simpson make special appearances on an inspirational episode of "The Biggest Loser: Challenge America," that airs on Monday, Feb. 4 (8 p.m.), marking the halfway point for season 14.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-C-Lewiston, will introduce legislation to legalize mixed martial arts in New York. The sport is expected to generate more than $5.2 million in economic activity a year in Western New York, plus additional revenue for the state. Currently, MMA is regulated and recognized by 36 out of 44 states that have athletic commissions, including California, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

In the week leading up to the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will present five public events celebrating this year's nominees. The Oscar Week events will feature screenings, film clips, and discussions with filmmakers and artists whose work has garnered nominations in the Animated Feature Film, Documentary, Foreign Language Film, Makeup and Hairstyling, and Short Film categories.

This year "tooth fairies" will be guiding more than 800 children and parents through the award-winning Teddy Bear Clinic onto dental cleanings and treatment at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine's 12th annual "Give Kids a Smile Day."

Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly led his team to the Super Bowl four consecutive times - a record that will be hard to match for future generations. The Bills, however, lost all four games. Since then, Kelly has never watched highlights of any of those games, he tells "CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood" in an interview to be broadcast Sunday, Feb. 3 (9 a.m.), on CBS.

The phrase "lucky dog" will have added meaning this February at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, as the casino hosts and sponsors "Wags, Whiskers & Wines," a fundraiser to benefit the Niagara County SPCA. The event takes place Sunday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m. at the Bear's Den Showroom.

The Buffalo Sabres have announced that MSG will air "Beyond Blue & Gold," a video series that takes fans behind the scenes of the Sabres organization, starting this Saturday, Feb. 2, at 1 p.m.

CBS Sports lead NFL analyst, New York Giants Super Bowl XXI MVP and 15-year NFL veteran Phil Simms, along with his play-by-play partner, Jim Nantz host a true football lovers show in unveiling the "Phil Simms All-Iron Team: Super Bowl Edition" on Sunday, Feb. 3 (1 p.m.), prior to "The Super Bowl Today" on the CBS Television Network.

Fourteen-time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys and current nominees Maroon 5 will join together for a special performance, in addition to a performance by current nominee Frank Ocean on The 55th Annual Grammy Awards broadcast. Current Grammy nominees Carly Rae Jepsen and Katy Perry, as well as actor Kaley Cuoco, actor Neil Patrick Harris, five-time Grammy winner Faith Hill, three-time Grammy winner Tim McGraw and four-time Grammy winner Keith Urban will appear as presenters.

Less than 24 hours before the 2012 Grammy Awards, the entertainment world was rocked with news of Whitney Houston's tragic death.