Learn what is needed to be prepared in an emergency at "Cultures of Preparedness: Strengthening Partnerships to Build a Stronger Community," from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, on the Niagara University campus.

Niagara SPCA announced a major milestone: More than 15,000 animals have been saved since the organization became no-kill in 2012.

After losing to the Niagara-Wheatfield Falcons early in the season, 5-0, the Lewiston-Porter Lancers boys soccer team chances of winning the Niagara Frontier League finals Wednesday night may have seemed slim to some. The Lancers were quick to prove the doubters wrong, though, as Lewiston-Porter defeated the Falcons, 1-0, to clinch the program's first NFL title since 2010.

It was a night of upsets at Gene Masters Field on the Grand Island High School campus Wednesday night. In the first Niagara Frontier League boys soccer title matchup, Lewiston-Porter defeated Niagara-Wheatfield. For the girls title, the North Tonawanda Lumberjacks kept the upset specials alive, as they defeated the Grand Island Vikings, 2-1, to win the NFL crown.

Empower, a not-for-profit organization that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will hold its fourth annual "Living the Values" Awards Luncheon at noon on Friday, Oct. 25, at Four Points by Sheraton, 7001 Buffalo Ave. Tickets are $35, and may be reserved at 716-297-0798, ext. 120, or [email protected]

Niagara County Sheriff James R. Voutour on Tuesday announced he will retire Dec 30.

Diamonds in the Ruff, a local nonprofit animal rescue, will hold its annual "Fall Fling" chowder sale and basket raffle from noon until 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13. The event will be held at the Shawnee Fire Hall, 3747 Lockport Road, Sanborn.

The Town of Niagara Business and Professionals Association is proud to announce that the organization will donate $500 to each of the four charities that received food donations collected at previous years parades. These charities include Community Missions, St. Vincent DePaul, Niagara Presbyterian Church and Niagara Gospel Rescue Mission.

Niagara-Wheatfield Senior High School will continue to be administered by Jeffrey White for the rest of the school year following the resignation of Michael Mann, now former principal of the over 1,200 students who attend the school.

Students from the Orleans and Niagara Career and Technical Education Centers recently spent a day at the IUOE Local 17 Headquarters in Lakeview to tour the 13th annual Western New York Construction Career Days.

Fourteen licensed practical nursing students graduated Oct. 8 from the Orleans/Niagara BOCES' Niagara Falls Workforce Development and Training Center. Orleans/Niagara BOCES Director of Career and Technical Education Joe Steinmetz and Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster made speeches and congratulated them on their achievement.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the North Tonawanda History Museum, Karen Wielinski will present her experience in 2009 when a Continental Airlines passenger flight crashed into her home in Clarence, killing 50 passengers and her husband who was in another room of the house.

Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls is celebrating breast cancer awareness month with a "Shop Fashionably for a Cause" initiative throughout the month of October. From Oct. 1-31, Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls will offer a pink savings pass for $5, with 100% of proceeds benefitting the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.

On Thursday, Oct. 17, State University of New York Chancellor Dr. Kristina M. Johnson will host the first Educational Opportunity Program Honors Awards Ceremony at the SUNY Global Center in Manhattan. This inaugural event will honor students from 41 SUNY campuses across New York state, including Alisha Rivers, a radiologic technology major from Niagara County Community College.

The Out of Darkness Walk in Lockport will start with registration at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13. Walkers start at 1:30 p.m. and will journey one of two paths: one path on the south side following the Erie Canal for one mile and back, and the other on the north side following the canal for two miles and back. Participants will meet at the Lockport Locks Pavilion.

The Career and Technical Education teachers at the Niagara and Orleans Career and Technical Education Centers depend on local industry leaders to help them design their course curriculum and provide internships for real-world experiences for students. These leaders sit on advisory committees and meet with teachers on a regular basis. Not only do they give up their free time, they often donate goods and machinery and offer valuable opportunities to the students in the Orleans/Niagara BOCES classes.

The Niagara-Wheatfield Lady Falcons volleyball team continues to roll in 2019, as the squad defeated the Grand Island Vikings, 3-0, Thursday night in the Falcons Den.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, along with the City of Niagara Falls, cut the ribbon today on a new comfort station, as well as the city's first dog park, in DeVeaux Woods State Park.

The play "Night of the Living Dead" by Lori Allen Ohm will be presented at the Ghostlight Theatre, 170 Schenck St., North Tonawanda, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24. Performances continue at 8 p.m. Oct. 25-26, and at 2 p.m. Oct. 27. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online at www.starrynighttheatre.com or by calling the theater at 716-743-1614.

The Aquarium of Niagara has been ramping up its own piece of property to properly serve both locals and visitors alike. For the past few years, the aquarium has made big changes such as "Penguin Coast" in 2018 and "Aliens of the Sea" in 2019. On Sept. 27, it announced even more construction to create a new - interactive - habitat for some of nature's misunderstood children in the sea. It's called the "M&T Bank Shark & Ray Bay"

The Town of Wheatfield Board heard two presentations during its bimonthly board meeting, both of which involved changes, physical and intergovernmental, as well as opportunities to come.

On Tuesday, the City of North Tonawanda City Council was hit with a hurricane of emotion, testimonials and support during a very vocal public input session after all the motions and resolutions had been made and voted on by the council.

Tree Top Pizza & Grill is back at 4900 Saunders Settlement Road to the delight of its customers. Nathan Addenbrooke, the son of the original owners, has taken the helm of the business and will be serving the classic, not deep-dish, not thin-crust, but completely authentic "pizza pie" that his fans have learned to crave.

The American Legion is 100 years old and Wheatfield American Legion Post 1451 is planning to celebrate noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12.

Amy Shellman started her first business almost one month ago, but it's not an ordinary store or restaurant. It's called Sunsets and Souls Boutique, and while it's located in North Tonawanda, it won't be found on Payne Avenue or Oliver Street. A good place to look though might be the local library's computers.

Every 10 years, the U.S. government must complete a thorough population count. The accuracy of the report is crucial to each municipality as it secures federal funding and fair representation in Congress.

Niagara County Legislature Chairman Wm. Keith McNall, who represents the 13th District, has officially announced his candidacy for reelection.

The Weatherization Assistance Program was created at the federal level in 1976 in response to a national energy crisis. Since its inception, it has continued to serve as the nation's core program for delivering energy-efficient services to eligible households in every state in America, with priority given to the elderly, persons with disabilities, and households with children.

Niagara Hospice will celebrate the 28th anniversary of its longest-running fundraiser, "Cocktails and CA$H," at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. The event will be held at the Cornell Cooperative Extension at 4487 Lake Road, Lockport. It is presented by the Niagara Hospice board of directors.

The Herschell Carrousel Factory is hosting its annual "Halloween Spooktacular" event from 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at 180 Thompson St., North Tonawanda. "Spooktacular" is a scare-free Halloween event that is suited for even the youngest members of the family.

If you have kids between age 2 and 8 and are trying to have a nice day out of the house, this is your ticket to ride. Autumn Fest in Sanborn is coming back to the Farm Museum Grounds at 2660 Saunders Settlement Road from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5-6.

Kin Loch Farmstead is a sprawling, 37-acre plot on which Alex and Ryan Plante cultivated 2,000 lavender plants in 2018 and traded some growing space to Fran DePalma of Heirloom Soul Flowers. Since that time, the farm has outperformed expectations, receiving over 1,000 visitors during the summer who picked the freshly blooming lavender plants, take classes and experience country life.

The Niagara County Legislature last week unanimously approved $316,000 to support North Tonawanda's effort to upgrade Gratwick-Riverside Park.

Congressman Chris Collins recently announced $402,687.59 in federal funding for the Springwater Fire Co., Cambria Volunteer Fire Co., Terry's Corners Fire Co. and the Swormville Fire Co. Each grant was allocated through the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG), which is designed to help first-responders improve their capability to respond to fires and emergencies of all types.

In a take-two of a match earlier this month, Grand Island and Niagara-Wheatfield vied to be the best tennis team in the league. The result was the two teams are now tied at No. 1 after a 4-1 sweep by the Lady Falcons against the Vikings.