Antonio's Banquet and Conference Center will be transformed into a magical wonderland Saturday, Nov. 8, as the Greater Niagara Ballet Co. once again presents its annual "Breakfast with the Sugarplum Fairy."

Congressman Brian Higgins visited the Food Bank of Western New York as communities across the country recognized National Food Day with events aimed at promoting access to healthy food.

A three-year long Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper strategic initiative assessing and identifying the critical habitats for the more than 900,000-acre Niagara River watershed was recently completed through the Environmental Protection Agency's Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Hard Rock is rolling out the red carpet for its youngest rock stars to show off their best impressions. To launch the Hard Rock "Roxtars" program, Hard Rock Café, Niagara Falls USA, will host the "Does Your Child Look Like a Rock Star?" contest Saturday, Nov. 1.

Congressman Brian Higgins presented military medals and honors, including the Bronze Star, to the family of World War II Veteran Private First Class Samuel J. Insalaco.

Winners of The Niagara Arts Guild Fall Art Show were announced at the Lockside Art Center at the show's recent opening reception.

The giant panda is one of the rarest species on this planet. Shy, elusive and gentle creatures, they once ranged in great numbers between Beijing and the Himalayas. But now, after centuries of human expansion and destruction of their habitat, the giant pandas are on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 1,600 remaining.

The Western New York Peace Center held a Vigil to Keep Space for Peace outside the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Base Saturday, as part of the Global Action Day Against the Use of Drones for Surveillance and Killing, which included events hosted worldwide.

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Family and Children's Service of Niagara Inc. joined with officials from the PASSAGE Shelter and Niagara Falls Police Department Wednesday to mark the first-ever Domestic Violence Ribbon Walk and "Unmasking Domestic Violence" art exhibit in the Cataract City.

This past Thursday, Sandy Santos, Complete Senior Care PACE participant and a Niagara Falls resident, had her head shaved by Complete Senior Care employee and breast cancer survivor Kim Williamson.

Congressman Brian Higgins and New York State Assemblyman Sean Ryan announced they are endorsing a plan for the development of Buffalo's Outer Harbor that was created by Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper.

Hard Rock Café, Niagara Falls USA, is uniting fans, musicians and survivors in honor of the brand's 15th annual Pinktober campaign.

"Creating Healthy Places to Live, Work and Play," a program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County, will host a "Walkable, Bikeable Niagara Falls" workshop Oct. 7 at the Niagara Falls Public Library on Main Street.

Town residents and local officials showed up in force Thursday to dedicate a new historic marker that celebrates the founding of a small Erie Canal village that went on to become the modern town of Pendleton.

Live German-themed entertainment will be provided throughout the day by the Bergholz German Band, the German American Musicians, and the SGTV Edelweiss Dancers. Festival guests will also enjoy a wide variety of traditional German food, beer and wine vending, as well as other food and merchandise vendors.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced a new, 1 million-square-foot site for the future SolarCity GigaFactory facility, which will manufacture solar panels at the RiverBend site in South Buffalo. The governor was in Buffalo to officially break ground on the project, which will create more than 3,000 jobs in Western New York alone, and a total of nearly 5,000 jobs in the state. The SolarCity facility will be the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, with more than 1 gigawatt of annual solar capacity when it reaches full production.

"We said four years ago that we have to change the mentality of Buffalo, and every day since we have been working hard to continue this new energy and momentum in Western New York," Cuomo said.

A massive, smoky fire at a containerboard factory in Niagara Falls on Saturday brought multiple volunteer fire departments to assist city firefighters in battling persistent flames.

Forty-five law enforcement supervisors from 30 sheriffs offices around the state attended the 17th annual Law Enforcement Division Supervisor's Continuing Education Program at the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs.

Located at 8676 Buffalo Ave., in the heart of the LaSalle District of Niagara Falls, stands The Vault, a unique nightclub with all the comforts of your local pub.

Niagara Falls International Airport has two new charging stations for airport traveler use, as part of a statewide network of up to 3,000 EV charging stations slated for public and workplace locations across New York by 2018. The charging stations are being undertaken through Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "Charge NY" initiative, launched last year.

The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation have released a request for proposals to identify an operator for the 1,037-slip boat marina and ancillary services at Buffalo Harbor State Park.

The RFP calls for an experienced marina operator to operate, maintain and improve facilities that include the marina, a restaurant building, parking spaces and several smaller buildings. The deadline to submit a proposal is Friday, Oct. 29. The lease would begin prior to the start of the 2015 boating season.

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. invites the public to experience a celebration of all things that have made the Buffalo community a historic lakefront destination.

The Buffalo Maritime Festival at Canalside begins Friday at 3 p.m. with a boat parade and the arrival of the majestic U.S. Brig Niagara, which will serve as a centerpiece for three full days of events and activities that run through Sunday. Tug DeWitt Clinton and the Spirit of Buffalo, a U.S. Coast Guard Response Boat, plus dozens of other classic boats will join the brig.

The Lewiston/Niagara-on-the-Lake Rotary Club was on site at the Terry Fox Run in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Sunday cooking hot dogs and hamburgers to raise funds to support cancer research.

The latest exhibition in the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University's TopSpin Series opens this Sunday with "alexandra spaulding: the one that I've kept closest." An opening reception is set for 2-4 p.m. with an artist talk at 3 p.m.

Buffalo Common President Darius Pridgen announced the Buffalo City Mission's ambitious plans to eliminate homelessness in Buffalo by 2020, and also discussed further advancements for the city's green code. The City Mission's new development project will provide housing and human services that are in line with the Homeless Alliance of Western New York's 10-year plan to end homelessness.

The City Mission's plans mainly focus on the much-needed expansion of its current over-capacity, one-story facility on Tupper Street. The project calls for a three-story, redeveloped campus that will supply more living space and needed services for guests of the mission struggling with homelessness.

FNUB Inc., an affiliate of the University at Buffalo Foundation, has entered into an agreement to sell the former Educational Opportunity Center building, 465 Washington St., to Ciminelli Real Estate Corp.

The Niagara Arts and Cultural Center has announced its second auto art exhibition will take place in the Main Art Gallery, 1201 Pine Ave., Niagara Falls. "Auto Art: Artists & Mechanics Showcase" runs Friday Sept. 12, through Saturday, Nov 15. The exhibit will feature 20-30 artists inspired by "the American love affair with the automobile."

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. Chairman Robert Gioia has announced the agency plans to hold a community open house to seek public input on a draft blueprint for the Buffalo Outer Harbor. The goal is to turn the long-neglected industrial property into a world-class mixed-use waterfront development that will combine open spaces and public waterfront access with economic activity and private investment.

Working with Empire State Development and Perkins+Will's San Francisco- and New York-based planning and architecture team, ECHDC officials want Western New Yorkers to review the draft plan, which was designed using the three preliminary plans created by the nearly 600 people who participated in multiple interactive meetings this summer.

Local businessman John Prozeralik, founder of the former John's Flaming Hearth restaurant, died Sunday, Aug. 24, at Mount St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center.

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. has announced this summer exceeded all expectations, with more than 1 million visitors making their way down to Canalside for festivals, activities for children, concerts, arts and culture, fitness and more.

Enjoy a stroll through the past with "The People of Cold Springs Cemetery," Sunday, Sept. 7, at 1 p.m. The Niagara History Center's "Step Back in Time Players" will take participants back to the 19th century to visit with famous Lockportians of days gone by, now residing in Cold Springs Cemetery.

Congressman Brian Higgins, City of Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster, Niagara Falls City School District Superintendent Cynthia Bianco and other community partners gathered to officially celebrate the opening of a new playground at Gill Creek Park.

New York State Sen. Mark Grisanti recently named Jason Jaskula as "Veteran of the Month."

A resident of the Town of Hamburg who served in the Army with the 165th MP Company and later with Criminal Investigation Command at Fort Knox, Jaskula is the eighth recipient of the monthly honor presented by Grisanti.

"I am pleased to recognize Sgt. Maj. Jaskula for his passion not only for serving our country, but for supporting other military veterans," said Grisanti, a member of the State Senate's veterans, homeland security and military affairs committees. "His tour and military career is filled with various awards and honors, and his work with the Buffalo City Court veterans program and the Department of Veterans Affairs location in Buffalo is to be commended."

WWII Army Staff Sgt. Edward Joseph O'Donnell passed away Nov. 30, 1960, but his service to his country will always be remembered.

MOPS is starting a chapter in Niagara County at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 1073 Saunders Settlement Road, Niagara Falls. The program will be held the first and third Tuesday of each month, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 16 (9:15-11:15 a.m.).

Mothers of Pre-Schoolers is a program to meet the needs of every mom.

Assemblyman John Ceretto is advocating for the construction of a new convention center in downtown Niagara Falls. As ranking minority member of the Assembly Tourism Committee, Ceretto sees this convention center as crucial to bringing construction jobs to the region, and enhancing Niagara Falls' long-term status as a tourism hub in New York.

"Since becoming an assemblyman in 2010, continuing Niagara Falls' legacy as a tourist hotspot in our state has been a top priority of mine," Ceretto said. "Currently, our downtown lacks the type of major draw that would bring tourists and tourism dollars into the city during the cold-weather months. Building a convention center and multi-use arena in Niagara Falls would fill that void."

Congressman Brian Higgins presented United States Army veteran Sgt. Benjamin Benally with the Purple Heart for injuries sustained while serving in Afghanistan.

Congressman Chris Collins has announced $176,703 in federal funding for two local fire companies: Naples Fire Department in Livingston County, and Rapids Fire Co. in the Town of Lockport. The grants were allocated through the Department of Homeland Security Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, which is designed to help fire responders improve their capability to respond to fires and emergencies of all types.

"Providing the necessary funding for our first responders is an excellent use of federal resources," Collins said.

Sevenson Environmental Services Inc. of Niagara Falls has honored four of its tractor-trailer drivers for a combined 1.2 million miles of safe driving.

All individuals age 14 and above with a developmental disability living in or attending school/program in Niagara County are invited to tryout for the upcoming Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara talent show.