In the mounds of paperwork accompanying legal counsels for developer Jerome Williams and Lewiston Management Group LLC (the plaintiffs), Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours and the Village of Lewiston (the defendants), one tiny bit of information was missing Thursday in State Supreme Court: the original argument bringing the opposing sides before Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr. Without an attachment of complaint in a motion to dismiss, Kloch said, "I cannot do what I would love to do," and that is shelve Williams' case, which alleges the village violated the public trust doctrine.

The plaintiff contends the village's 2002 lease with the tourism company is contrary to the required usage of the waterfront land's easement, which is for the public benefit as a public recreation area.

The Western New York community is still shaken over the suicide death of Williamsville North student Jamey Rodemeyer.

Dr. Sherri Lashomb and former resident Bill Kellick met up with one another at the Pan American Games.

Lewiston's cool and classy lounge, Hops-N-Vines, located at 490 Center St., will host a five-day musical experience beginning Tuesday, Nov. 1. All shows begin at 8 p.m.

The Artpark & Company annual meeting was held Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the Niagara Falls Country Club to confirm the re-election of officers and new directors to the board. The meeting reviewed the successful 2011 season, which broke attendance records and saw programming growth with the expansion of children's camps, the return of the "Edges" Outdoor Sculpture Competition, the rise in popularity of the Niagara Wine Trail Wine & Culinary Festival, and the introduction of the new "Fairy House Festival."

Christopher H. Brown of Brown & Company LLP was re-elected for a fifth season as chairman of the Artpark & Company board of directors.

Get your candy bags ready!

Calling all ghosts, mummies, Draculas and Disney princesses -- get your candy bags ready! Trick-or-treating is just around the corner, literally. Local towns and villages have announced their respective Halloween trick-or-treat hours, along with a host of parties and parades, ensuring all little monsters can gather as much of their favorite treats in one evening as possible.

November is Native American Heritage Month and Old Fort Niagara is celebrating by hosting a series of special programs.

On Nov. 5, 6 and 12, the fort will offer workshops on traditional Native American skills, such as finger weaving, cornhusk twining, beadwork, quillwork and basketry. The cost of each workshop is $40, and all necessary materials are provided. A full list of workshops and scheduling information is available on the fort's website www.oldfortniagara.org, or by calling 745-7611.

The first night of the popular "Haunted Fortress" fundraiser at Old Fort Niagara was a great success. A perfect autumn evening greeted 1,200 people as they came to the fort Saturday for a good time and to help raise money for programming.

The Niagara County Auxiliary Police hosts a pair of open houses.

Senior high school students in Western New York are invited to participate in next year's War of 1812 speech and art competition, as part of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Queenston Heights. Events are scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 12-14, 2012.

Planning is now under way to mark the 75th anniversary of 4-H in Niagara County.

The Village of Youngstown Recreation Department hosts its annual Halloween party.

by Terry Duffy
Look for some changes in local U.S. Postal Service operations, starting next month.

As part of a national effort to address deficits and operation costs in the Postal Service, over past months USPS officials have been considering structural changes, including staff changes, consolidations and even closure of facilities throughout the country. Postal facilities large and small have been under review, including many in the Buffalo area.

by Terry Duffy
The Town of Lewiston continues in the preliminary stage for its 2012 budget, as department heads finalize and submit requests on a tentative $15.6 million spending plan, portions of which are expected to be discussed on Monday, Oct. 24.

That evening the Town Board also will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m., prior to its regular meeting, to consider an override by Lewiston of the state's 2 percent property tax cap.

"We have had town increases. We have to figure out how to adjust," Town Supervisor Steve Reiter told board members last month.

Members of Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope invite area residents to attend a public meeting Sunday, Oct. 23, from 3 to 5 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Niagara Falls, 311 First St.

According to NOAH organizers, the meeting will focus on three issues of interest to the Niagara County community: the extension of the millionaire's tax; local hiring on area projects; and a discussion on the issue of hazardous waste in the towns of Lewiston and Porter, presented by the Porter environmental group Residents for Responsible Government.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for Brennan's Irish Pub, 418 Main St., Youngstown.

On the minds of most school administrators, teachers and parents are incidents both locally and nationally involving bullying.

Lewiston-Porter School District residents were told at Tuesday evening's Board of Education session that Lew-Port officials take reported incidents of bullying and harassment seriously, and that those incidents are fully investigated and appropriate actions are taken.

The Lewiston Public Library, 305 S. Eighth St., in the Village of Lewiston, announces the following programs, events and activities for the month of November.

Lewiston's Hops-N-Vines is hosting its first-ever pumpkin-carving contest.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-Lewiston, and State Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, sent a letter Wednesday to New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey in order to find out what steps her department is taking to revitalizing state parks throughout Niagara County and to win support for legislation to restructure the state's funding to provide more local control over park resources and revenues.

Simonson: "Flames Through Lewiston" "will be bigger than ever."

In keeping with Niagara Frontier Publications' policy of restricting the printing of letters to the editor received two weeks prior to the general election, readers are advised that letters about candidates seeking political office will not be accepted after this week's issues.

As the crisp chill hits the air and the colored leaves fall to the ground, the ghosts and goblins of Lewiston's historic past begin to creep out of the dark night - especially around Halloween.

Porter Town Board members wrestled with a number of financial matters at separate sessions on Monday and Thursday.

The Lake Ontario Ordnance Works Community Action Council has announced it will meet next week to review the Sept. 28 U.S. Army Corps workshop findings on the Interim Waste Containment Structure at the Niagara Falls Storage Site.

The LOOW CAC meeting will be held Thursday, Oct. 20, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the Alumni Room of the Community Resource Building, located on the northern end of the Lewiston-Porter School District Creek Road campus.

After what he called "eight enjoyable years," Lewiston restaurateur Jim Lewis is moving on. He is finalizing a deal to sell his business, The Steelhead, to Alfonse Muto, president of Pine Pharmacy.

"We had a ball here," Lewis said, noting he's happy with his decision. "The right guy's buying it."

Wednesday evening, the Town of Porter Republican Committee honored the Baker family at its annual fall fundraiser, held at the Youngstown Volunteer Fire Co. firehall.

Niagara Feline Friends is running a low-cost spay/neuter clinic for cats, which is open to anyone - regardless of income. The $75 fee also includes distemper and rabies shots.

Fall is in the air. It's time to taste the sixth annual Winetique Festival on Sunday, Oct. 16, in Sanborn.

First Presbyterian Church of Lewiston hosts its second annual "Pooch Parade" and blessing of the animals on Saturday, Oct. 15.

Old Fort Niagara's centuries-old buildings offer more than a few ghost stories, from the headless ghost that reputedly haunts the 1726 French Castle to unexplained shadows, slamming doors, and eerie orbs. Area residents will have an opportunity to experience the fort's mysterious past during "The Haunted Fortress," set for Saturday nights, Oct. 22 and 29.

For the fourth year in a row, Mount St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center will host "A Conference on Healthcare for Women" to raise awareness among women in the local community on a wide array of issues and actions that can help improve their health. This year's daylong conference, which focuses on family health, is Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Conference Center Niagara Falls.

The Lewiston Lions donated to and attended a recent fundraiser for Mark Haseley, 62, who was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease in 2009.

The Town of Porter Republican Committee invites the community to its 2011 fundraiser, Wednesday, Oct. 12, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Youngstown Volunteer Fire Co. firehall, 625 Third St.

The Town of Porter Historical Society announces its October meeting and program will feature a presentation by Sue Eck illustrating the parallel evolution of Ellsworth Statler and his adopted city, Buffalo, from 1896 through 1925. The meeting takes place Monday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Cora Gushee Room of the Youngstown Red Brick School Village Center.

The Lewiston Writers Group announces a writing workshop titled "Breaking the Rules of Writing and Migrating into Other Genres" will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Hodgepodge Café, 72 Webster St., North Tonawanda.

Artpark has one goal in mind for the 2012 summer season: smaller crowds watching bigger musical acts.

by Joshua Maloni

My brother and I don't share the same tastes.

He's a purple shirt and green Converse-clad Dave Matthews follower. Me, I'm a black and white and Nike-d fan of U2 and alt-rock. We don't agree about music, fashion, sports, politics or which "Godfather" movie is best (by the way, Matt, it's the first one).

But there's one thing my brother and I always agree on, and that's the taste of a breakfast bagel sandwich at Tommy George's The Villa Coffee House.

If you're desperately clinging to every last piece of summer, it is probable that a delicious cone of custard is one of those things. Hibbard's Custard in Lewiston is serving up its delectable homemade ice cream until the end of October.

A popular Lewiston spot, located behind the historic Little Yellow House on Center Street, will receive the designation of an 1812 Bicentennial Honorary International Peace Garden on Saturday, Oct. 15. The designation is expected to attract international visitors as well as residents of the binational region. All will experience the natural beauty the garden provides, while commemorating the peace that has existed between Canada and the U.S. over the past 200 years.