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.

Every year, volunteers from the Historical Association of Lewiston meet to wash and put a coat of wax on Lewiston's two large-scale bronze monuments. Last Sunday's weather was perfect and the crew met at the Freedom Crossing and Tuscarora Heroes monuments to perform their magic.

"Holiday Kick-Off Lewiston Style" will take place Saturday, Nov. 10. Inspirations on Canvas owner Kathy Pignatora and You & Me proprietor Laura Mann Falsetti came up with the idea, hoping to spur additional foot traffic in a traditionally slow time of year.

The Community Survivors Group recently raised a whopping $21,000 at a one-day benefit event held at The Lewiston Stone House.

In recognition of Veterans Day, on Saturday, Oct. 20, the Fin-Feather-Fur Conservation Society in Lewiston (3F Club) played host to a small group representing the country's recent past heroes of conflict.

Mary Alice "Ginger" McNally died peacefully at Niagara Hospice in Lockport, New York, on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018. She was the daughter of Maj. Gen. Clinton F. and Mary Rossen Robinson.

The New York Power Authority announced that it is nearing the three-quarters mark in a $460 million infrastructure improvement project at its Lewiston Pump Generating Plant. The multiyear program allows NYPA to continue to provide low-cost power and power proceeds to businesses in Western New York and statewide tied to thousands of jobs and billions in capital investments that have positively impacted the state economy. The midpoint of the upgrades was announced by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in March 2017.

Artpark & Company invites the public to attend an open rehearsal at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, in the Artpark Gallery. Admission is free. The audience is asked to wear warm clothing. Show runtime is one hour with no intermission.

Children from Imagination Station went trick-or-treating to Village of Lewiston businesses on Wednesday morning. Among their stops was a visit to the Orange Cat Coffee Co. on Center Street. The youth were greeted and given treats by owners Michael Broderick and Robin Faulring, and staff members David Loraine and Nina Baldassara.