The Erie County Department of Environment and Planning ("DEP") has announced changes to the yearly household hazardous waste collection schedule following a comprehensive review of the program.

Erie County Clerk Michael Kearns on Friday announced that, due to the recent blizzard that canceled the first day of extending the downtown auto bureau by an additional hour, change would now begin Thursday, Feb. 28.

The annual Rotary Club of Grand Island's Undie Sunday has added three additional donation locations.

Dr. Celia Spacone will present a suicide prevention program from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, at Riverside-Salem United Church of Christ Cottage, 3449 West River Road, Grand Island.

The new eatery Nikki's Eats in Sandy Beach was the vision not of its eponymous owner, Nikki Pelsoni, but her spouse.

The Joint Commission on Public Ethics announced Feb. 7 that it and the Legislative Ethics Commission reached a settlement agreement, including a $10,000 fine, to resolve its investigation into violations of the Public Officers Law by former New York State Sen. Marc Panepinto for making unwanted sexual advances toward a staff member and attempting to obstruct JCOPE's ensuing investigation.

Erie County Legislator Kevin Hardwick stopped by the Pfc. Charles N. DeGlopper Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 9249 on Tuesday, Feb. 12, to present a check for $5,000 to the VFW, American Legion and the DeGlopper Memorial Park Expansion Committee. These funds are from the 2018 Erie County budget and will go towards the expansion expenses.

Thursday night, the Grand Island Vikings defeated the Lockport Lions, 45-33 in the Niagara Frontier League title game at Lockport High School.

The Erie County Department of Budget and Management on Tuesday announced final sales tax receipts for 2018 were 4.25 percent greater than 2017, the largest one-year increase since 2011, despite slowing growth in the fourth quarter of the year. Erie County realized additional sales tax revenue of $12.565 million over budget in 2018, while the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority share of sales tax was $559,000 over budget, leaving Erie County with net revenue of $12.006 million.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has appointed Karen King, Ph.D., as commissioner of the Office of Public Advocacy for Erie County, overseeing the county Commission on the Status of Women (ECCSW), the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and the Office for the Disabled. King currently serves as executive director of the ECCSW, connecting women with the resources they need to reach their full potential and recommending measures to coordinate, consolidate and expand the resources and services available to women in Erie County.

Town of Grand Island Supervisor Nathan McMurray on Monday announced he will not seek re-election.

Organizers of the Niagara Footprint Festival received a proclamation from the Grand Island Town Board praising their success in establishing the first-ever winter event.

The biggest home basketball crowd in decades packed the Grand Island High School gymnasium for the retirement ceremony of Julie Roth Neville's basketball jersey Friday.

The Grand Island Town Board is stepping up to convey residents' complaints to state elected officials in Albany regarding frequent overcharges on E-ZPass statements.

The timing of this year's Rotary Club of Grand Island's Undie Sunday to benefit the homeless in Niagara Falls, Buffalo and surrounding areas is ideal considering the recent below-zero temperatures during the Blizzard of 2019. Beginning on Sunday, Feb. 10, and concluding on Sunday, Feb. 24, Island residents are encouraged to donate the basic needs of new and unused underclothing and socks for homeless men, women and children.

The Grand Island Republican Committee has announced its endorsed candidates for this election cycle. From left: Mike Madigan, Town Council; Pattie Frentzel, town clerk; John Whitney, town supervisor; Tom Digati, Town Council; and Mark Nemeth, town justice.

The children of Rosemary and Richard (Bud) Whiting have announced the 75th wedding anniversary of their parents on March 4, 2019. The immediate family will celebrate on Saturday, March 2, with a luncheon at The Terrace at Delaware Park's Marcy Casino.

Grand Island Relay For Life has announced these upcoming events. Relay For Life, with the theme "Cooking Up a Cure," will take place at Veterans Park from 4 p.m. to midnight Friday, June 7.

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz has introduced a resolution that would provide a temporary extension of the interest-free period to pay Erie County property taxes by 90 days after the end of the furlough period for individuals furloughed by the federal government or non-pay federal employees due to a period of a lapse in discretionary appropriations by the federal government. The resolution will be considered by the Erie County Legislature today.

The University at Buffalo-led initiative to generate 100 megawatts of on- and off-site renewable energy hit a milestone today with the issuing of requests for proposals. RFPs went out for on-site installations at each of the five partner institutions in the project: UB, SUNY Buffalo State, SUNY Erie, the City of Buffalo and Erie County.

In an effort to reduce the availability of unused prescription drugs to people struggling with addiction, New York State Sen. Chris Jacobs announced his office is partnering with the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPPS) to distribute thousands of Deterra Drug Deactivation Systems throughout Western New York.

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced the New York State Department of Labor's Office of Special Investigations named Erie County second in New York for recovering the highest in total restitution from unemployment insurance benefits fraud cases last year.

Last week, the Small Business Council presented Assemblyman Angelo J. Morinello the Guardian of Small Business Award "for his consistent advocacy for small businesses in New York state," a press release stated. This prestigious award is presented to legislators who vote in support of small businesses and "who champion issues affecting businesses in New York state."

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz appointed Timothy Hogues to the office of commissioner of personnel for Erie County. Hogues, who has served as commissioner of senior services since 2016, begins in his new role today.

Brutal cold, white-outs and snow caused Grand Island school and government closures this week.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced Wednesday that Montana International LLC has been selected through the New York state procurement process to operate concessions at Beaver Island State Park and the Big Six Marina on Grand Island.

The Niagara Footprint Festival defied the cold and snow Saturday at Beaver Island State Park and drew hundreds of visitors to a winter festival in its first showing.

Overcharges from the new cashless tolling at Grand Island bridges is on the agenda for Monday's Grand Island Town Board work session meeting.

The Grand Island Democratic Party is seeking candidates to fill town positions of supervisor, Town Council (two), town clerk, and town justice for this fall.

The usually scheduled Grand Island Town Board meeting for the third Monday of the month is canceled for February as members of the town government attend the annual Association of Towns conference.

The 2018 hunting seasons in New York tallied the lowest number of recorded hunting-related shooting incidents (HRSIs) - and tied the 2016 mark (13) as the safest on record, Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos announced.

Pinto Sanitation issued the following statement on Wednesday, via the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce: "Due to the weather, Wednesday's garbage collection services on Grand Island are cancelled and will be picked up next week Wednesday instead, or on your normal collection day next week."

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz has issued a travel advisory, in effect until further notice, for the City of Buffalo and all of northern Erie County due to a winter storm that could leave snow accumulations of up to 2 feet in some areas by Thursday morning. The entire region will see lake-effect snow, blowing and drifting snow, and extreme cold temperatures and wind chills over the next 36 hours and into Thursday. The travel advisory urges against any unnecessary travel during this period, and using extreme caution if travel is unavoidable.

The Town of Grand Island's insurance carrier will reimburse the town for nearly all of its loss from a theft in the Golden Age Center.