By spring, Wheatfield residents should be wheeling out 64-gallon totes filled with recyclables to the end of their driveways every other week.

The Town Board on Monday awarded a three-year contract for refuse and recycling to Modern Disposal. Supervisor Bob Cliffe said Modern offered the town the best deal and the most return on recycling over the other two bidders, Waste Management and Allied Recycling.

Modern offered a guaranteed minimum recycling rebate to the town of $30,000 per year, which would reduce the town's total three-year cost for refuse removal to $2,466,548 or less. The contract includes the possibility of two two-year extensions.

Final contract details have yet to be negotiated with Modern and a bid awarded for the totes.

An official signing ceremony was held at Niagara-Wheatfield High School for senior Caitlin Attfield, who will attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Before overfilling that plate with fat-laden, high-calorie foods this holiday season, consider this: Experts say not only are Americans getting fatter, but the numbers of those who develop diabetes is growing significantly.

Town of Niagara resident Nick Occhipinti and his grandson, Vinny, drop off a donation at the bin in Town Hall supporting the second annual "Peanut Butter & Jelly Drive" to help area food pantries feed less fortunate families with children.

Organizers of the annual Electric Lights Parade are so excited about the results of the "care a ton" food drive, they've decided to extend the collection.

Horizon Health Services has applied to the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services for permission to establish an addiction service satellite center at the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.

If approved, the integrated center for primary care and addiction would be the first of its kind in Niagara County and one of the first in the state.

"This is a groundbreaking approach that will meet a very pressing community need. The integrated center takes a one-stop approach to serving patients, making it more convenient for patients to access a broader range of services at a single location," said Memorial Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sheila K. Kee.

The Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education, reeling from an audit report received at last week's regular meeting, is looking at extra workshop meetings in upcoming off-meeting weeks to deal with some hard decisions on future school district spending.

On Nov. 2, Wayne Drescher of Drescher & Malecki presented a report on the district's external audit, which showed the district could end up having a deficit as high as nearly $8 million for the 2012-13 school year.

On Election Day, Holy Ghost Lutheran School will have hundreds of homemade baked goods for sale starting at 6 a.m.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, for Election Day.

Wheatfield has the most contested town races (supervisor and two Town Board seats), while Town of Niagara has only one (highway supervisor). In county races, all voters will vote in the county clerk race, and depending on district, some also will vote for County Legislature candidates.

Wheatfield Supervisor Robert B. Cliffe is seeking re-election to a second term, running on the Republican, Conservative and Independence lines, while Donald J. Wallace is running on the Democratic and Working Families lines. Wheatfield councilmen Larry L. Helwig (R, C, I) and Gilbert G. Doucet (R, C, WF, I) are seeking re-election. Opposing them are Robert J. Pino (D) and Barbara A. Lange (D). Town Clerk Kathleen M. Harrington and Superintendent of Highways Arthur F. Kroening are running unopposed.

The show is over for The YellowJackets from the University of Rochester on NBC's "The Sing-Off."

St. Vincent De Paul Parish's Youth Ministry is holding a pumpkin sale fundraiser through Oct. 31.

Shown are the youngest members of Rotary Club of Niagara County Central.

by Olivia Bitetti

Take a break from raiding the Halloween candy this Saturday and head to Military Road in Town of Niagara for the annual Niagara Electric Lights Parade.

Organized by the Town of Niagara Business and Professional Association, the event is designed not only to get the upcoming holiday season rolling, but also to ensure needy local residents have full bellies when Thanksgiving arrives.

Wheatfield residents might see an even bigger tax decrease in 2012.

The Wheatfield Farmers Market is sponsoring a Customer-Family Appreciation Day on Wednesday, Oct. 26, which is the last day of operations for the market's second season.

The market provides a source for local fresh produce, specialty food items and crafts. For its closing day, it also will provide free hot dogs to all customers, courtesy of the Hot Dog King. The YMCA will provide a bounce house, face painting and a fall-themed crafts table for children.

Hours are 3 to 7 p.m. in the Town Hall parking lot.

This year's message from the National Fire Protection Association was "Protect Your Family From Fire."

The Town of Niagara Town Board approved two new laws.

Niagara-Wheatfield High School will present the play "Did Someone Say, Murder?" by David J. LeMaster at 7 p.m. Oct. 20, 21 and 22. Directed by English teacher Tammy Dobe, it is a murder-mystery comedy involving 25 students who will be acting, assistant directing and helping out backstage.

Work continues on the Niagara County Water District transmission main project along Lockport Road, Mapleton Road and Shawnee Road. As part of this work, an existing culvert will be replaced, requiring the closure of a section of Lockport Road in Wheatfield starting Monday, Oct. 17.

The location of the culvert is on Lockport Road between Nash Road and the Eagle Chase subdivision. Only local traffic will be accommodated along Lockport Road between Ward and Shawnee roads. The closing of this section of the road should last about one week.

The Niagara River Greenway Host Communities Standing Committee on Oct. 4 approved $6.1 million for improvements to the Niagara-Wheatfield High School campus, including a new nature trail.

The project is part of an $11 million capital improvement bond issue approved by school district voters last fall under the stipulation that the $6 million portion of the project would not go forward unless Greenway funds were approved.

A reduction in the highway tax of $20.78, or 3.4 percent, for the typical homeowner assessed at $125,000 is part of Wheatfield Supervisor Bob Cliffe's tentative $11.899 million budget for 2012.

Several years ago, the Agriculture Focus Group wrote a "Right to Farm" law for the Town of Wheatfield, which was adopted by the Town Board. As part of that process, signs were requested to be posted at the entrances to the town.

The War of 1812 had a significant impact on Western New York and Canada, bringing fire and destruction, fighting and death, and a lasting place in history to both sides of the Niagara River.

Olivia Gonyea, a 10-year-old former pediatric patient at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, recently completed work as an assistant interior designer for Marrano/Marc Equity's "Raising the Roof," a fundraising project to benefit the cancer center.