Town of Lewiston Supervisor Steve Broderick and members of the Town Board, Village of Lewiston Mayor Anne Welch and trustees, Assemblyman Angelo Morinello and local business leaders joined together Saturday afternoon to officially open a new season of the Lewiston Family Ice Rink at Academy Park.

Small Business Saturday is dedicated to our backyard merchants: homegrown retailers who make and sell hard-to-find or handmade items, get to know and care for their customers, and give back to the community in ways that go beyond dollars and cents.

Visitors to Thursday's Lewiston Town Board session came away with a greater understanding on why town property owners will be contending with a tax increase for 2019 on the town's now $18,127,133 budget.

Last month, joining a host of Halloween celebrations going on throughout the River Region, Lewiston resident Mike Carroll presented yet another one of his now-famous get-togethers at the Brickyard Pub and B.B.Q.

Get ready to kick off your holiday season in the hamlet of Ransomville.

For a decade, former Angel to Apple owner Jamie Symmonds worked to unite businesses on Center Street. Most notably, she organized annual Black Friday events and street-long sales.Though Symmonds closed her own shop in 2016 to transition into other endeavors - most notably Willow Consulting - she hasn't stopped promoting local mom-and-pops.

The Village of Lewiston's plan to move Kiwanis' annual Peach Festival to the plateau raises a lot more questions than answers at this time. Kiwanis has been presenting their annual festival for almost 60 years and knows better than anyone the logistics and huge amount of time and coordination that goes into the planning. Their thoughts should be respected and given priority before weighing any decisions. Kiwanis has a long history of giving back to the village and being an integral part of our community.

Gallo Coal Fire Kitchen owner Michael Hibbard led a charge this week to provide turkeys to the Ransomville Care-n-Share Food Pantry - just in time for Thanksgiving pickup.

Thursday afternoon, Wilson High School's Ian Evans signed his national letter of intent to continue his baseball career at Elon University.

On Saturday, Nov. 24, the annual "Lighting of the Manor" will be held at the Winery at Marjim Manor, 7171 E. Lake Road, Appleton. Festivities begin at noon and run until 5 p.m. Join in as event organizers officially light the dozen or more Christmas trees and the myriad Hanukkah menorahs.

Niagara County's taxpayers can expect their property tax rates to be cut to a historic low next year, if the budget blueprint prepared by Niagara County Manager Rick Updegrove and Budget Director Dan Huntington is approved by county lawmakers next month.

Mount St. Mary's Hospital has unveiled a third series of works from artists of Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara.

The St. Francis Guild of Mount St. Mary's Hospital recently held a memorial Mass for members of the organization who passed away in 2018. Monsignor David LiPuma, pastor of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in Lewiston, presided at the event held in the hospital chapel.

Mount St. Mary's Hospital joined with the Our Lady of Peace Nursing Care Residence for a special appreciation luncheon to honor associates, volunteers and residents on Veterans Day.

The Zonta Club of Niagara Falls (New York) recognizes young women, ages 16-19, in the Lewiston-Porter, Niagara Wheatfield and Niagara Falls school districts for their commitment to volunteerism, community service, leadership and dedication to empowering women with the Young Woman in Public Affairs Award (YWPA).

Lewiston Music will present a "Carols for a Cause" music recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11. The event is a benefit the Heart, Love & Soul Food Pantry and Dining room at Stella Niagara Education Park, 4421 Lower River Road.

Music icon Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys brings the "Pet Sounds Final Performances Tour" to the Artpark Mainstage Theater at 8 p.m. June 15, 2019. Joined by original bandmate Al Jardine and guitarist Blondie Chapman, Wilson will perform the "Pet Sounds" album in its entirety along with deep cuts and hits.

Ann Magers, office coordinator in Niagara University's College of Arts & Sciences, was presented with NU's Outstanding Employee Award on Nov. 6 by the Rev. James J. Maher, C.M., president.

"Weird Al" Yankovic's "Strings Attached" tour will make an Artpark stop at 7 p.m. July 23 as part of the "Tuesdays in the Park presented by M&T Bank" 2019 concert series. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 16

Veterans were saluted Sunday - at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month - at a ceremony held inside Academy Park in Lewiston. The event was presented by Veterans of Foreign Wars Downriver Post No. 7487 and American Legion C.C. Kenney Lewiston Post 1083.

In the Town of Porter, taxes will also be going up - but they will remain within the 2 percent cap.

Property owners in the Town of Lewiston can anticipate a tax increase for 2019.

Village of Lewiston Mayor Anne Welch on Monday unveiled a conceptual plan to revitalize Academy Park. Proposed improvements would allow the municipality's most prominent green space to be used year-round.As a result, the Niagara County Peach Festival would need a new home. Welch and the Board of Trustees discussed this with members of the Lewiston Kiwanis Club, who run the annual event.

Despite calls by some its residents to dissolve, it appears that, for now, the Village of Youngstown is staying put on considering any changes.

Neal Urban Photography will bring its annual "Photos for Toys" drive to Youngstown this year. More than 150 families from all over Western New York will have a discounted photo shoot in a beautifully designed Christmas scene when they donate an unwrapped toy. Cradle Beach Camp in Angola will distribute presents.

Veterans Day 2018, observed Sunday, Nov. 11, brings new significance this year as it also marks the 100th anniversary of the ending of World War I (in addition to the nation's traditions of honoring its veterans who served in all wars, conflicts and in peacetime).

Old Fort Niagara will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting between nations during World War I with special activities on Veteran's Day, this Sunday, Nov. 11.

Strengthening its position as the area leader in quality and patient safety, Catholic Health has once again earned the region's highest overall score in the Leapfrog Group's fall 2018 hospital safety grade report - and the only "A" grades in Western New York. In the national report released Thursday, Catholic Health hospitals received four of only 12 "A" safety grades that were given in all of New York state.

Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Downriver Post No. 7487 will be distributing poppy flowers at DiMino Lewiston Tops on Friday and Saturday of this week. Donations received will go toward building a new memorial at Academy Park, as well as Lewiston-Porter and Patriot's Pen initiatives.

The Village of Lewiston Howard Hanna Real Estate Services branch recently held a 50/50 cash contest with a goal of raising funds for the John R. Oishei Children's Hospital. The initiative netted $2,000 for the Buffalo company.

The Lewiston Choraleers will kick off its popular holiday concert series at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 620 Center St., Lewiston, as part of the annual Lewiston Christmas Walk sponsored by the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce. Additional performances will be held in Niagara Falls and Lewiston.

The community is invited to participate in a free "Lunch & Learn" program from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14, at St. John's Episcopal Church, Main and Chestnut streets in Youngstown.

Mount St. Mary's Hospital will host its diabetes education program, titled "Taking Charge of Your Diabetes." This series of two classes will be held from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4, and Thursday, Dec. 6.

The St. Francis Guild of Mount St. Mary's Hospital will conduct its annual Holiday Market from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, in the hospital's south (main) lobby, 5300 Military Road, Lewiston. Gift items will be offered along with candy, baked goods, jams and jellies, holiday centerpieces, candles, jewelry and boutique gifts.

Our Lady of Fatima Shrine Knights of Columbus Council No. 14622 will host its 11th annual spaghetti dinner from 3-7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, in the Shrine Dining Hall, 1023 Swann Road, Lewiston.