After a 3-0 start to the season, the Niagara-Wheatfield Falcons football team was finally handed its first loss from Jamestown, Friday night. The Red Raiders defeated the Falcons, 26-14.

At Starpoint's Regan Intermediate School the theme of the year is the Power of Yet.  Principal Monica Daigler said it's all about the growth mindset.

The North Tonawanda Botanical Garden Organization will sponsor a community workday from 9 a.m. until noon, Saturday, Oct. 6, at the North Tonawanda Botanical Garden, 1825 Sweeney St.

Ohio Street School Principal Michael Hiller said everyone at the North Tonawanda City School District is excited about the new One District, One Book initiative. 

On Sept. 22, the Shawnee Sno-Chiefs Snowmobile Club will host its 20th annual Snowmobile Grass Drags/ATV Races/Vintage Snowmobile Show.

The Das Haus German Heritage Museum invites the public to its annual harvest dinner, which celebrates and commemorates the 175th anniversary of migrations of the Old Lutheran Prussian German settlers the local region, starting the congregations of St. Martins, Holy Ghost and St. Peters churches.

Last Friday, seniors and community members joined Drifa Seiwell at the Wheatfield Community Center for a 100th birthday celebration. Seiwell was joined by her son, Roy, as well as senior director Arlene Mante and councilmen Larry Helwig and Gil Doucet.

On Saturday and Sunday Oct. 6 and 7, the Sanborn Business Association will present Autumn Fest in Sanborn at the Sanborn-Lewiston Farm Museum grounds, 2660 Saunders Settlement Road. The event, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature a vendor show, country crafts, food, music, kids activities, wagon rides and a basket auction.

Everyone in Niagara County can usually admit the region is notorious for helping each other out and having each other's backs. For 12-year-old, Town of Niagara resident and Edward Town Middle School student Samantha Tierney, that has been her mindset for years now.

The Starpoint Spartans boys modified soccer team will play for a good cause this season as the team shows its support for the Ronald McDonald House of Buffalo. In its first game Monday, the Spartans wore the signature Ronald McDonald red and white socks.

Last fall, Falcons athletics accrued four Niagara Frontier League titles. As of now, this season's teams are on pace to do the same and then some.

Last season, the Niagara-Wheatfield boys soccer team won four games and lost two, but tied seven times. Every game seemed to wind up in a tie. In 2018, ties are turning into victories for the Falcons.

For the last three years, Niagara-Wheatfield girls swimming and diving has set up quite a history. After not winning a Niagara Frontier League title until 2015, the team started their own little legacy by clinching a share of the NFL titles in 2016 and 2017. For 2018, Falcons coach Mike Corsaro thinks title No. 4 could be in reach, too.

On Tuesday night, at the Town of Niagara Town Board's monthly meeting, Supervisor Lee Wallace and the board took time to recognize several children who volunteered in the fourth annual Neaten Up Niagara.

Last Saturday, families and children alike gathered at Veterans Memorial Community Park in the Town of Niagara for the 21st annual "Kidz 'N' Kites" celebration.

Last Thursday, Town of Wheatfield residents voted in the primary election for Wheatfield town justice. This election was between Angela Stamm-Philipps and Charles Naughton.

The Niagara Small Business Development Center will host a free small business/lender matchmaker event from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 21, at the new Learning Commons building on campus, 3111 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn.

U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that Michael Yount, 47, of Lancaster, who was convicted of making a materially false statement, was sentenced to serve two years probation by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Wolford also ordered the defendant to perform 100 hours of community service "that directly contributes to the betterment of this community's environment."

Residents of the towns of Niagara and Lewiston were able to breathe a little easier after Tuesday night's Town of Niagara Town Board meeting. In front of a jam-packed audience at Town of Niagara Town Hall, the board issued a positive declaration for the preliminary plat for the Bri Estates subdivision.

"Halloween Spooktacular," the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum's annual Halloween party, will take place from 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12. It is ideal for even the youngest members of the family. The Herschell Carrousel Factory encourages visitors to dress up for the event.

Niagara County Community College distinguished alumna and nationally acclaimed artist Susan Geissler, Class of 1974, recently donated a sculpture to the NCCC Child Development Center. The sculpture, "Puddle Jumper," is based on childhood memories of rainy-day playtimes. It will be permanently displayed in the center's foyer inside the new NCCC Learning Commons on the Sanborn campus.

It wasn't the best start for the Niagara-Wheatfield Falcons football team Thursday night, but in the end, the team prevailed in its first road game of the season. The Falcons rolled over the Hamburg Bulldogs, 35-12, Thursday night at Howe Field on the Hamburg High School campus.

At this year's Peach Festival, Santana Sawma was crowned the new Peach Queen. She steps in place of 2017-18 Niagara County Peach Queen Jamie Hagerty, who raised $4,000 for Hillside Family of Agencies through multiple fundraisers, as well as volunteering for numerous causes in Niagara County.

The Tonawanda ECG Lions Club, in cooperation with Niagara Falls Medical Center and Windsong Radiology, will be bringing the Mobile Breast Screening Unit to the Valu Plaza, 1365 Nash Road, North Tonawanda, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 21.

As a personal care aide with HANCI, a person can join one of the five fastest-growing jobs according to AARP. One can also earn a good living with benefits, work flexible hours and change lives for the better.

North Tonawanda Mayor Arthur G. Pappas announced Friday that North Tonawanda Special Waste Drop-Off Day will be held between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6 at the Department of Public Works facility, 758 Erie Ave., North Tonawanda.

Join Niagara County Community College and the Niagara Orleans Counselors Association as they host the 24th annual college fair from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20, on the NCCC campus. 

Orleans/Niagara BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Clark Godshall recently received a check from New York State Sen. Robert Ortt for $50,000. 

The Niagara-Wheatfield Falcons girls soccer team is special, with the ability to score at a steady pace, but keep opposing teams off the board as well. The team is coming off a stellar 14-2 regular season last year, but they were ousted in the semifinals of the Section VI Class AA tournament.

On Saturday, before Niagara-Wheatfield's football game versus Frontier, the team and members of the Niagara-Wheatfield football family represented the Michael Ziegler "Heart of a Falcon" Scholarship award in the Out of the Darkness walk at Delaware Park in Buffalo.

After more than 60 years of supporting individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, the Niagara County chapter of NYSARC Inc., Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara Inc., and the NYSARC Inc. Cattaraugus County chapter, an affiliate of The ReHabilitation Center, announced that the board of directors of both agencies have approved the merger of the two organizations.

Niagara-Wheatfield girls tennis coach Kristin Janese always says year in and year out, "I want to improve off of last season's record." This year, that's tough to do, because her squad last season went 14-0. Nevertheless, she hopes for much of the same in 2018.

This past week, the Niagara-Wheatfield Falcons fall athletic teams continued their ways. A couple teams also started up their seasons: the girls swimming and diving team, along with boys and girls cross country.

The Town of Wheatfield Town Board met Monday night for their first meeting of the month. At the light meeting, the board discussed increases to certain permit and building fees in the town.

If you've lived in the Town of Niagara long enough, you've more than likely heard of, or ran into, Jim Walsh.