Grand Island's Dick Bessel Independence Day road race set another record for participation, race director Jim Masiello told runners at the starting line.

The Niagara River Anglers provided this youngster with the thrill of the catch at the Waste Management picnic last Friday.

The Niagara River Greenway Commission announces the seventh annual "Paddles Up Niagara" will take place along the southeastern shores of Grand Island on Saturday, July 28.

Last Saturday my grandson Jesse, son Danny, and I went on a little fishing excursion for bass on the lower Niagara. It was a bright, windless, and event-filled day as it seemed the fish wanted to show off.

One hundred-forty golfers took to the links June 5 at the Niagara Falls Country Club for the 21st Annual Niagara Cup Classic golf tournament.

Brenden Dewey led Team Sharks with four goals to beat Team USA 5-4 in one of many games that were held in the 24 Hours of Hockey at the Northtown Center in Amherst.

The level 4 gymnasts of Gleason's School of Gymnastics Niagara Team, pictured, competed at the Team Cup in Syracuse, the last meet of the 2011-12 season.

Father's Day found my wife and me on a car cruise to Olcott, and when we came over the Eighteen Mile Creek bridge and turned north, down the main drag into town we saw this little hamlet in the Town of Newfane bustling with people.

The "Nagara" River is a 103-mile-long river in Japan, and it is a popular river like our own famous Niagara River. In Japan there is also an ancient method of fishing the Nagara, and that is with a diving, fish-eating bird - the cormorant.

Every year, New York state offers a license-free fishing weekend, always the last full weekend in June. On Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24, you will be able to fish any and all New York state waters without a license.

The North Tonawanda History Museum's participation in New York Heritage Weekend included the Jim (Herk) Hurtubise Memorial Car Show. Hurtubise was a North Tonawanda racing legend and the museum has a permanent exhibit in his honor.

Eight Western New York Army and Air National Guardsmen represented New York at the annual Winston P. Wilson National Shooting Competition in Arkansas the last week in April.

The Mount St. Mary's Hospital Foundation held its second annual Reverse Draw Fundraiser on May 9 and raised nearly $12,000 to benefit The Center for Women at Mount St. Mary's Hospital, a one-stop health care facility for women of all ages.

The Niagara team from Gleason's School of Gymnastics, level 5, took home first place in the Spring Graffiti in Hamburg on April 21.

VIDEO: The Niagara Frontier Country Club in Porter will hold an "Open House Golf Tournament" on Saturday, May 19.

Lance Armstrong competed April 28 against Mary Eggers at the University at Buffalo in a fundraiser dubbed "Duel in the Pool." Proceeds went to Rochester's Teens Living with Cancer organization.

OK, you heard it here.

What is the difference between a steelhead trout and a rainbow trout? Around here in our watershed you could say they are the same, and people like to call them all "steelhead." Maybe it just sounds better. Genetically, they are both the same.

Ransomville Speedway reports that, in an effort to provide unity between two regional racetracks, both Ransomville and Canandaigua Motorsports Park will be offering a "Friendship Pass" to each of its competitors for the 2012 season.

The program will be allowed for Ransomville Speedway's Sportsman and Street Stock Division along with the Canandaigua Motorsports Park Sportsman and Pure Stock classes only. Each driver who chooses to use the Friendship Pass will be allowed to get a "buy one, get one free" pit pass. Each race team will be able to use the program for up to three of its members, which will allow six persons from each team to benefit.

The Coyotes had a great run exceeding the expectations of many and finishing their spring season 9-1-1. The team is comprised of players from Niagara Falls, Niagara Wheatfield, Lewiston, Amherst and Grand Island.

Niagara Hospice has announced the creation of the DiMino Lower Niagara 5K Series.

If you know a young person who would like to learn a new sport, why not consider sailing? Sailing is a lifelong sport, and there is no better time to learn it than when you are young.

On March 24, Presti Karate Centers hosted its 12th annual Kid's-only Karate tournament. A total of 150 children, ages 6 to 18, competed in weapons, kata and sparring.

The fourth annual "Run with the Rapids 5K Run/Walk" will be held on Saturday, May 19, in downtown Niagara Falls. This USA Track & Field-sanctioned race benefits the Downtown Niagara Falls Business Association.

The NC Coyotes Midget 16U team followed a victory in the Gene Harrington Spring Classic Tournament at Hyde Park Arena with an incredible ride to the finals of the New York state championships.

New York state operates 12 fish hatcheries throughout the state, raising muskellunge, walleye, brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, rainbow, Coho and Chinook salmon.

The 2012 Wheatfield Blades Squirt Minor AAA team won the Western New York Amateur Hockey League Championship by beating the Depew Saints, 4-1, at Cheektowaga Town Rink.

Congratulations to the Holy Ghost girls varsity basketball team for winning the Lutheran School Basketball League Championship.

The Niagara team from Gleason's School of Gymnastics level 5 team took second place overall in the Nickel City Classic meet held in Orchard Park on Feb 12.

New Seneca Hickory Stick loyalty card on sale now

The racing season is just eight short weeks away for Ransomville Speedway, which will celebrate its 55th season of operation. The Friesen family will enter their 40th as track operators at the famed one-half Niagara County oval.

As with all racetracks, sponsorship remains a valuable part of the weekly operations. We are blessed to have great companies to work with at Ransomville Speedway. Certainly one of the factors that make my job so enjoyable is the great people I work with from the sponsors, to the drivers, and the fans - they are second to none.

The Bud Bakewell Bruins won the Western New York Amateur Hockey League Bantam Major AA playoff championship for 2011-12.

Students from the Lewiston Dance Center try on their costumes for the upcoming yearly revue, "Dancin' 2012" taking place this spring at the Niagara Falls High School Performing Arts Center.

Congratulations to the St. John Eagles boys varsity basketball team for winning the Lutheran School Basketball League Championship.

The Niagara-Wheatfield Amateur Athletics Youth Wrestling Club helped out some area food banks and the City Mission by holding a canned food drive at a recent tournament at the high school.

Even though the weather was pretty decent compared to other years, there were 88 hearty contestants in the 28th annual Lower Niagara River Anglers Steelhead Contest held on Feb. 18. The contest is held yearly in honor of Roger Tobey, who was a hard-working volunteer in fisheries management.

The Niagara-Wheatfield junior varsity and varsity girls basketball players were big winners off the court, raising more than $1,000 for the American Cancer Society.

The Lewiston-Porter varsity wrestling team successfully defended its 2011 Section VI and Class B tournament championships. The Lancers have two wrestlers traveling to Albany for the New York State Wrestling Championships.

VFW Post 7487 recently presented Dennis Brochey of Dennis Brochey's Automotive with a check for $1,000.

The Lewiston Dance Center's competition/performance team, the Lewiston Dance Ensemble, has recently toured the county.

Stephanie Senn signed on to play goalkeeper for the Kent State University women's soccer team next year, but if the Golden Flash need someone to play one of the other 10 positions, the Grand Island High School senior is ready.