Empire State Development has announced the start of the 2017 fall foliage season in New York, coinciding the start of autumn and the "I Love New York" weekly fall foliage reports. Additionally, the popular #NYLovesFall social media campaign returns this year to further promote and encourage visitation to New York's picturesque autumn locations and attractions.

Links to full details.

Congressman Brian Higgins announced Friday federal grants totaling $356,000 to support the growth of small businesses and jobs in Western New York. The federal funding is allocated through the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. The mission of the CDFI program is to increase economic opportunity and community development for underserved populations in distressed communities.

Niagara tourism leaders are preparing to roll out the red carpet to welcome hundreds of athletes competing in Toronto's upcoming Invictus Games for an action-packed day of sightseeing.

Denise H. Rohan, the first woman elected to the post of national commander of The American Legion, will be honored by the Western New York 8th District of The American Legion at a banquet held at The American Legion Wheatfield Post 1451, 6525 Ward Road, Sanborn. The banquet will be held beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13.

"There are two models in this world for unconditional love," says The Rev. Dr. Howard Whitaker of St. Peter's Episcopal Church. "One is God. The other is a good dog."

Congressman Brian Higgins joined leaders from the Massachusetts Avenue Project and Grassroots Gardens of Western New York to announce a federal grant totaling $389,088 for the Buffalo Community Food Hub Project.

The 34th annual Lewiston Harvest Festival and Craft Show will take place from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23-24. This year, there's a big change to the festival: Center Street will be closed from Fourth to Seventh streets. Vendors will be set up in the street to ease congestion for attendees and allow more room throughout the festival, leaving areas in front of retail storefronts open for customers.

"The Morning Sun" will rise once again in Western New York.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute has once again been named to Becker's Hospital Review's 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs, an annual list of centers that are national leaders in patient care, cancer outcomes and research.

Congressman Chris Collins and 18 additional members of Congress sent a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Michael P. Huerta expressing concern and disappointment with recommendations to modify and repeal pilot training rules.

The Lewiston Garden Club concluded celebrations for its 90th anniversary with a party Tuesday night at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Thursday directed the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to take a series of actions to hold the Niagara Falls Water Board accountable and protect water quality.

The Rivershore Foundation's eighth annual dinner will take place from 5:30-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Niagara Falls Country Club, 505 Mountain View Drive, Lewiston. The event includes a cocktail reception, hors d'oeuvres, dinner, awards ceremony, silent auction and basket raffle.

Buffalo Sabres forward Jack Eichel will be at Dave & Adam's retail store (8075 Sheridan Drive, Williamsville) at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, for a special charity autograph signing.

Town of Lewiston Supervisor Steve Broderick wasted no time Monday in telling a standing-room-only crowd inside Town Hall the Town Council would not vote on John and Joe Rubino's planned unit/urban development concept for Upper Mountain Road. Instead, "I want to listen to what everybody has to say ... and take it in," he said prior to the work session.

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued an alert reminding New Yorkers to consider consulting the office's charitable giving tips before making a donation to support organizations assisting the victims of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey.

Today's national average price for regular unleaded gasoline is $2.67 per gallon, up 30 cents over the past two weeks and up 4 cents in the past week. One year ago, the price was $2.18. The New York state average is $2.83, up 35 cents in two weeks, and up 5 cents from last week. A year ago, the state average was $2.32.

Great Lakes Real Estate recently donated a bench to the International Peace Garden located between Center Street and Ridge Road. GLRE contributed the piece of furniture upon learning there was a need during the Memorial Day parade preparations.

Col. Mark S. Larson took command of the 914th Air Refueling Wing from Col. Brian S. Bowman on Sunday during a change of command ceremony at the Niagara Falls air reserve station.

On Saturday, Sept. 16, Veterans Memorial Park will host the 20th annual "Kidz 'n' Kites" celebration. Kids and families from all around are welcome to come out and enjoy a free event in the town.

New York State Sen. Chris Jacobs on Friday called on New York State Assembly leaders and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to get behind legislation passed earlier this year in the State Senate enabling law enforcement to prosecute dealers mixing the deadly drug fentanyl in the heroin they sell.

Niagara County officials are taking the discovery of fentanyl-laced pills that resemble prescription oxycodone pills in Western New York seriously, pledging today to devise steps to deal with the new threat.

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University and the YWCA of the Niagara Frontier have teamed up to present "The Clothesline Project" from Monday, Oct. 2, through Friday, Oct. 13.

Turner Classic Movies on Wednesday announced that, after overwhelming response from fans, Buffalo has been named the winner of the "Bring TCM to your Hometown" contest.

Twenty-five public and private leaders from 16 municipal and environmental organizations convened at the Frank Lloyd Wright Fontana Boathouse on Wednesday to share ideas and discuss strategies on how to improve water safety and quality, and reduce beach closures in communities across Western New York.

Voting for the City of Niagara Falls Department of Community Development's participatory budgeting initiative, dubbed "PB 360," came to a close on Aug. 31, and the results have now been tallied.

Eight local not-for-profit organizations will experience an exciting and exclusive game-day experience during the 2017-18 Buffalo Bills season, thanks to M&T Bank.

The Child Advocacy Center of Niagara, a service of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, has announced the faculty and program for the 19th annual Safe at Home Conference to be held Thursday, Oct. 12, at The Conference & Event Center Niagara Falls.

On Saturday, Artpark became the latest venue to fall under William Close's spell as the world-renowned installation artist performed with his Earth Harp Collective on the newly extended Earth Harp, featuring more than two-dozen 1,000-foot-plus strings that sailed and wailed above the Lewiston audience.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced Sept. 1 marks the 25th anniversary of New York's statewide adoption of local recycling laws. Since 1992, local source-separation programs have captured and diverted more than 320 million tons of recyclable materials from disposal resulting in an estimated net emission reduction of 1 billion metric tons of CO2, the equivalent of taking 211 million cars off the road for one year.

The Niagara Falls Water Board officially submitted a detailed report to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on Friday in response to the DEC's request for documents and information regarding the discharge of dark water into the Niagara River gorge on July 29.

Aug. 31 marked a historic day for Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper. With the backdrop of the convergence of the Buffalo River and Lake Erie, the organization officially made the transition to Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper.

The Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday announced the team will open its main training camp on Thursday, Sept. 14, when veteran players are scheduled to report for testing and physicals. Beginning Friday, Sept. 15, the team's practice sessions at HarborCenter will be open to the public, with practices broken down into multiple sessions throughout each day.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center on Wednesday dedicated its new North Tonawanda Primary Care Center at 1089 Kinkead Ave., Suite 111.

With the support of a new, $1.58 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), University at Buffalo researchers aim to develop a targeted treatment to prevent communication between cancer cells.

As Hurricane Harvey blasted Texas, gas prices shot up across the country. At $2.37, today's national gas price average is 4 cents more expensive on the week and one of the largest one-week national gas prices surge seen this summer. Gas prices have not changed locally in the past week.

Better Business Bureau and BBB Wise Giving Alliance are advising people who want to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey to do so with caution and make sure their donations get to the people who need it most.

In the lower River Region, Youngstown will be the place to be come Monday, Sept. 4, as the Village of Youngstown, along with the Porter Youngstown Ransomville Business Association, local residents and businesses, is set to stage a decades-old community favorite: Youngstown's Labor Day Parade.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos announced Friday the Niagara Falls Water Board violated water quality standards as a result of an Aug. 15 combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharge that caused a substantial visible contrast to the natural conditions in the Niagara River. The state issued a notice of violation (NOV) to the water board earlier in the day.