Officials from the towns of Lewiston and Porter are advising River Region residents to be on a lookout for a possible scam involving an out-of-town party seeking to perform testing on their water.

Come Monday, Sept. 3, a Niagara County favorite - the annual Youngstown Labor Day Parade - returns to the village and all are invited. Presented by the Village of Youngstown and the parade committee, Mayor Raleigh Reynolds extends the invitation to residents from throughout the River Region to "join in the celebration."

Veterans of Foreign Wars Downriver Post No. 7487 members Matt Zarosl and Vince Canosa (left two) on Thursday presented an award to DiMino Tops Lewiston owner Anthony DiMino and his son, John (right two).

Somewhere around the age of 9 is when Veronica Swift started doing her own thing.

The Northwest Jazz Festival, Lewiston, NY, has become one of the region's premier summer music events, with more than 40,000 visitors annually enjoying over 30 performances, culinary samplings and wine tastings along Center Street. Now in its 17th year, the 2018 edition is slated for Aug. 24-25. Headliners include Veronica Swift and The Benny Green Trio on Friday, and Elio Villafranca (pictured) and the Jass Syncopators on Saturday.

Barker Lions recently sponsored "Lions Night at the Ransomville Races." Lions members from Lockport, Newfane, Wilson, Town of Niagara and Lewiston joined the Barker club. Past District governors Sharon Battaglia, John Hake and Jim Muscoriel joined current District Gov. Jeff Jarvis at the event. To celebrate, trophies were given by the Lions to the winning racers.

Works by artist NC Miller are on exhibit in a show at Artpark titled "Proposals," now through Sept. 29. An artist talk and reception will be held from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, in the Artpark Gallery across from the box office. Admission and parking are free.

Over 80 people attended the grand opening of the Orleans/Niagara BOCES' Workforce Training Center in Niagara Falls on Aug. 8. 

Niagara's Choice Federal Credit Union is holding its fifth annual charity golf outing on Monday, Aug. 27, at Niagara Frontier Golf Club in Youngstown. The proceeds of this event will support the Niagara SPCA.

Theatre in the Mist, along with Cornerstone Community FCU, presents "Disney's Mary Poppins" from Friday, Sept. 7, through Saturday, Sept. 22, at The Performing Arts Center at Niagara Falls High School, 4455 Porter Road.

At the request of Mayor Anne Welch, the New York State Department of Transportation has patched up portions of Center Street - Ninth and Center, in particular. Crewmembers have been out in force this month, and were seen working near Tops on Monday.

The Lakeview Animal Sanctuary has been a refuge since 1983. Operated by Sandi Pfohl and her dedicated volunteers, the sanctuary is a nonprofit, no-kill home for all animals - from exotics to farm. The sanctuary tries to adopt-out its animals, but many stay for years, because they have ailments, injury, daily medication, other special needs ... or just to enjoy their senior years.

Memorabilia from Niagara Catholic High School, including trophies, portraits, banners and clothing, will be sold at a private sale for alumni, former staff, and family at the school, 520 66th St., on Thursday Aug. 23.The event will run from 4 to 7 p.m., and all items will be sold for cash on a first-come, first-served basis.

This year's race, presented by Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union, will be held Saturday, Sept. 15. Runners will compete for prize money, and trophies will be awarded to the top overall male and female finishers.

Jerald I. Wolfgang, chairman of the annual Niagara County Peach Festival Parade, announced the Lewiston Kiwanis Club is seeking units for this year's march. The parade will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, on Center Street in Lewiston. The route will start at the Red Brick Municipal Building on North Fourth Street, cross over to Center Street, and continue to Academy Park.

The Rotary Club of Lewiston and Niagara-on-the-Lake participated in the Lewiston Art Festival weekend as members have done for the past 47 years.

Sheriff James R. Voutour announced Niagara County law enforcement agencies will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church will hold a rain or shine yard sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 25; and 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Aug. 26, at the church, 220 Young St. (corner of Young and McChesney streets), Wilson.

The Niagara County Peach Festival recipe contest will be held at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, on the stage at Academy Park in the Village of Lewiston. The 2018 event is sponsored by the Niagara Falls Culinary Institute, Niagara Gazette and Niagara Frontier Publications.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday for Niagara Outfitters. As the outdoors company has no brick and mortar location, the event took place at the foot of Water Street in Lewiston.

The 52nd annual Lewiston Art Festival took place over the weekend, with more than 175 top artists along Center Street, and future exhibitors on display via the high school KeyBank Chalk Walk competition and College Alley.

The 52nd annual Lewiston Art Festival has begun.

In an article last week, The Silo Restaurant proprietor Alan Hastings said customers come first. He's taking those words and putting them into action, offering River Region customers two special end-of-the-season offers.

The Lewiston-Porter High School Academy of International Business and Finance invites all to discover more about the its offerings during a summer fundraiser from 5-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, on the grounds of the Youngstown Yacht Club.

This summer, Ransomville's Porter Empty Return is celebrating five years of serving communities from Lewiston to Olcott, and all areas around and between.

The legendary bacon cheeseburger at Apple Granny Restaurant has recently become a big brother to two new sandwich creations: a barbecue burger, and a burger topped with mac-and-cheese.

As more and more people visit the Lewiston Artisan Market in Academy Park, the neighboring Syros Restaurant has seen an influx of new customers. These folks couldn't pick a better time to visit than Saturdays, when the Greek-American restaurant offers its signature specials: discounted steak and eggs in the morning, and ribs and lamb shanks in the afternoon and evening.

Meet the new man behind the counter at Villa Coffee House.

The field test will include aerial and hand distribution of rabies vaccine-containing baits (ONRAB brand). Hand baiting may begin after Aug. 13 through the end of month. Fixed wing aircraft distribution will occur Aug. 15 (for two or three days) and helicopter distribution will occur Aug. 23 (four to five days), all weather dependent.

The Niagara River Greenway Commission will meet Tuesday, Sept. 18, to determine the consistency of the 61st round of projects. The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. in the Niagara Falls City Council Chambers at City Hall, 745 Main St. The general meeting will be preceded at 2 p.m. by the business meeting.

A historic fort with a past that spans more than 300 years will be the focus of RIT's Big Shot next month, as the community photographic project travels to the Canadian border to capture a dramatic nighttime image.

The volunteers of Bond Lake Park will hold their annual BugFest on Sunday, Aug. 19, at Bond Lake Park. Everyone is invited to join from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Bond Lake Nature Center on Lower Mountain Road in the Town of Lewiston.

Old Fort Niagara's busy season of re-enactments continues with "Soldiers of the Revolution," Aug. 18-19, when the fort's staff and volunteers will work with visiting re-enacting units to share history from the American Revolution on the Niagara Frontier. During this event, visitors will gain an understanding of early America through the perspectives of the colonial rebels versus those who remained loyal to the British crown, called loyalists.

Two legendary rock 'n' roll superstars joined forces on Tuesday at Artpark.

The Brickyard Pub & B.B.Q. will be the site of Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara's annual "Celebrity Bartending - Battle of the Businesses" event on Thursday, Aug. 16. The event runs from 5:30-9 p.m. and will benefit the more than 600 individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities the agency supports.

One of the most iconic restaurant businesses in Western New York is set to make its Lewiston debut later this year. The Como Restaurant will open up a deli at the corner of Center and South Sixth streets, inside what used to be Melloni's Meats and, most recently, Cal's Grinders. The Village of Lewiston location will be operated by the Antonacci and Colucci families.

The St. Francis Guild auxiliary of Mount St. Mary's Hospital will hold its 38th annual Pink Elephant Auction from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20, at the Niagara Crossing, 100 Center St., Lewiston.

The 38th annual Louis J. Fernandez Memorial Golf Classic raised more than $23,000 this year. The event is coordinated by the board of associates.

This weekend, Lewiston will be the place to visit with one of its busiest events on the calendar.