The Rev. Monsignor David G. LiPuma has been chosen by Mayor Anne Welch and trustees as the 2019 Village of Lewiston Citizen of the Year. He has made a positive impact in the community leading and bringing people together while instilling the true sense of what community is all about.

Last Saturday, DeGiulio's Pharmacy hosted a prize reception for winners of The Lewiston-Porter Sentinel Easter coloring contest.

An exciting new vibe is starting to be felt up in Youngstown.

While 2018 was the year in which The Silo Restaurant looked to its past, 2019 is all about looking to - and preserving - the future.

As part of the recent "Shop Hop" event in Lewiston, the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce held a contest to name the Easter Bunny. More than 70 entries were submitted. The Chamber of Commerce staff had a hard time deciding what name would be best. After much consideration, the winning name is "Mary Hoppins."

As we enter into spring, it is a great time to reflect on what the Lewiston Kiwanis has been up to and take a look into the near future.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, along with the City of Niagara Falls, broke ground Wednesday on a comfort station that will service parkgoers at DeVeaux Woods State Park.

Gary Zanardi has been chosen by Town of Porter Supervisor Duffy Johnston and the Town Board as the 2019 Town of Porter Citizen of the Year.

Glenn Wienke has been chosen by Town of Lewiston Supervisor Steve Broderick and Town Board as the 2019 Town of Lewiston Citizen of the Year.

The Lewiston Smelt Festival is the official start of the village's summer slate of activities. It is an enjoyable evening where, despite the weather - which is often about 55 and overcast - friends gather together to mingle, listen to live music and eat the #FriesWithEyes.

For the second year in a row, readers voted Apple Granny Restaurant as "Best Fish Fry" in Western New York. A record 2,006 votes were cast in the Niagara Frontier Publications contest.

The Youngstown Business and Professional Association held its annual spring get-together on Tuesday at the Ontario House (Stone Jug) in Youngstown.

As the Rev. Monsignor David LiPuma was preparing to take on a second six-year term at St. Peter's - and continue overseeing St. Bernard's in Youngstown - the Most Rev. Richard Malone presented him with a new "daunting" challenge: shepherding Our Lady of Victory Basilica, the Lackawanna site founded by the Venerable Nelson Baker.

A sure (and satisfying) sign of spring: Hibbard's Original Frozen Custard officially opened for the 2019 season on Monday.

Patrons hopped to Lewiston on Saturday to participate in the first "Shop Hop." The spring and Easter-themed event provided a plethora of shopping deals across the business district, as well as an appearance by the Easter Bunny.

The Home Assistance Referral Team's annual "Rockin' with HART" fundraiser was staged Saturday at the Lewiston Event Center on Cayuga Street. The event included a basket raffle, a 50/50 split and a batch of celebrity bartenders vying for tips for HART.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce G-Mac's Inn as the recipient of the 2019 Sanborn Business of the Year Award. The restaurant has grown quickly over the past two years, revitalizing a historic building in Sanborn and bringing new business to the community.

Tin Pan Alley's pending sale is one of many changes across Ken Bryan and Eric Matthews' four-restaurant footprint.

The Old Fort Niagara Association recently recognized its corps of volunteers, who collectively contributed 40,858 hours to reenacting, guiding tours and assisting with special events and programs in 2018, at an annual volunteer breakfast ceremony held in the fort's Officers' Club.

There is a new Center Street exit and entry into the Rite Aid plaza.

Rock legend Burton Cummings and special guest Andre-Philippe Gagnon will perform in the Artpark Amphitheater on July 2 as part of "Tuesdays in the Park presented by M&T Bank." Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday.

Brickyard Brewing Company patrons on Sunday got a taste of summer, a taste of barbecue, and a taste of what's to come this summer in Lewiston.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce The Youngstown Galley as the 2019 Youngstown Business of the Year.

Roger Passero's Viva Nostalgia store, already home to Lewiston's coolest pop-culture toys, is now home to a radio station playing Top 40 tunes and showcasing Lewiston businesses and events. WVNR - Viva Nostalgia Radio - launched earlier this month at www.vivanostalgiaradio.com. The community station primarily focuses on two things: Music and Lewiston.

When the Antonacci and Colucci families opened the Como Deli on Center Street three weeks ago, they expected to be busy.

The 20th annual Jack Beatty Memorial Hospice Cruise and Clambake is an opportunity for Niagara County residents to enjoy cookout and clambake fare on the blissful blue waters of the lower Niagara and Lake Ontario. The event is scheduled for Friday, July 12, at the historic Youngstown Yacht Club, come rain or shine. The cruise and clambake is a fundraiser for Niagara Hospice, a local nonprofit located in Lockport.

Saturday afternoon, several local boys basketball players from Niagara Frontier League schools gathered at City Honors High School for the 2019 Silver Hoops Classic.

The Taste of Lewiston is returning this year - but with a twist.

Casa Antica is known for its authentic, from-scratch Italian dishes (including gnocchi Bolognese, rigatoni vodka, risotto with scallops and pork bracciole), as well as fresh fish specials, pizzas, antipasti and award-winning Arborio rice balls.

The two Lewiston projects endorsed last week by the Greenway Commission will receive funding, following approval from the Host Communities Standing Committee on Tuesday.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce on Friday held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Samana Salt Spa. Owners Cheryl Krouse and Jim Fittante, and their children, welcomed elected leaders, fellow retailers and friends to their establishment, located at 700 Center St., Lewiston.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Ransomville Speedway is the recipient of the 2019 Ransomville Business of the Year Award. The honor is given to a business or organization that has showed dedication and service to the community.

Discussions about the "Lower River Road Town Park," considered for the Lewiston waterfront, hit a snag Monday, as the Lewiston Town Board opted to table any further action on the project and ask for additional testing.

The Home Assistance Referral Team's annual "Rockin' with HART" fundraiser will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Lewiston Event Center, 845 Cayuga St. The event includes a basket raffle, a 50/50 split and a batch of celebrity bartenders. Admission is free.

On Tuesday, nine members of the Niagara River Greenway Commission voted both the Mason's Mission Playground at Marilyn Toohey Park and the Veterans of Foreign Wars "Circle of Honor" consistent with the Greenway Plan. The two Town of Lewiston-sponsored projects will now be considered for funding from the Host Communities Standing Committee.

Lewiston Council on the Arts is looking for the most creative high school student artists to participate in the 35th annual KeyBank Chalk Walk competition, which will be held during the Lewiston Art Festival from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10.

It had been the best season in 41 years for the Lewiston-Porter Lancers boys basketball team, but, Saturday, the squad ran into a juggernaut in undefeated Pittsford-Mendon of Section VI. The Lancers historic season came to a close with an 87-55 loss in the Far West Regionals.

The Como Deli on Center Street opened on Tuesday, and has already become a favorite with Lewiston residents. This delicatessen is the third for the Antonacci and Colucci families, who run the iconic Como Restaurant on Pine Avenue in Niagara Falls.

The Historical Association of Lewiston welcomed the community to the Brickyard Brewing Company on Tuesday for a special treat: Emmy Award-winning photojournalist Isadore "Izzy" Bleckman and his wife, Mary Roseberry, screened the documentary "Risking Everything: A Story of Niagara's Freedom Seekers." The 33-minute film chronicles Lewiston's role in the Underground Railroad, juxtaposing stories with sculptor Susan Geissler's work in creating the Freedom Crossing Monument.

The Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees held a reception on Monday to thank the new Frontier House owners for purchasing the vacant building and its one acre of land. Prior to the get-together, William Paladino, Jeff Williams and Bill Game were introduced to the public at a 6 p.m. work session.