Current News

The Lewiston Police Department invites the community to a memorial service to be held Saturday, June 28, in honor of Radar, the LPD K-9 who was unexpectedly put to rest earlier this month.

The Lions Club International Foundation recently honored Lewiston Community Lion Ron Craft. He received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award during the Lewiston chapter's fifth anniversary dinner. The Melvin Jones Award is the highest given by the Lions Club International Foundation.

The saga over Lewiston's finances took on a new turn this week.

Council members Mike Marra and Ron Winkley presented numbers at Monday's Town Board session disputing Town Supervisor Dennis Brochey's and Town Finance Officer Paul Kloosterman's analysis showing a $700,000 budget deficit for 2013 and similar projections for 2014.

Marra opened with a detailed explanation of the town's budget picture - one that point by point challenged Kloosterman's analysis heard at the May 29 Town Board session.

The Buffalo Sabres selected center Sam Reinhart (Kootenay - WHL) with the second overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft Friday. He is the team's first-ever second overall pick and the highest selection for the club since it picked Pierre Turgeon first overall in 1987.

Born in North Vancouver, B.C., Reinhart comes from a long line of hockey players in his family.

Covanta Niagara presented $250,000 to Niagara County Community College President James P. Klyczek and several members of the NCCC board of trustees, NCCC Foundation board of directors, and NCCC distinguished alumnus State Sen. George Maziarz Tuesday evening.

Eleven-year-old Emily "Noodle" Cooper will represent Casal's Boxing Club at the National Golden Girls Boxing Championships July 7-12 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Come to Porter on the Lake, Dietz Road in Youngstown, for a great "Sunday fun day," July 13, to raise money for The Family and Friends Down Syndrome Association of Niagara.

Google Maps photographers are headed to the Village of Lewiston. They'll bring their "Street View" technology to the streets and businesses Thursday, July 10.

On Saturday, June 14, the annual Father's Day Lawn Mower Race and Classic Car Show took place along the West River to support Grand Island Relay For Life. This family-friendly event, founded by Islander Floyd Doring even had a race category for push mowers for the younger race fans.

The Erie County Sheriff's Office responded to 214 calls from June 7 to 13. Below is a sampling of the noteworthy incidents on Grand Island.

The following incidents occurred from June 9 to 15, as reported by the Grand Island Fire Co. A total of 37 calls were answered by the department during this period. The GIFC has now responded to 655 calls so far this year. The GIFC responded to 576 calls at this time last year.

Alexander Cousins of Grand Island will join the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert July 1 at Knox Farm in East Aurora.

The Miracle League of Grand Island and WNY is saying "Thank you" to the scores of volunteers who went to work on Father's Day weekend at Veterans Park to build the latest addition to the baseball complex for the disabled.

Happy summer, Grand Island!

Enjoy free fishing (no license required) at Fisherman's Landing at the South Grand Island Bridge on Saturday, June 28, in a contest sponsored by the Recreation Department from 8 to 11 a.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Prizes will be awarded on July 1 at 2 p.m. More information is available on the "Recreation" page of the town website at gigov.com.

Summer concerts under the Grand Island Rotary Club Gazebo in the Town Commons begin on Tuesday, July 1, and run through Aug. 12. This year, two will be held at Byblos Niagara Resort & Spa: July 8 and July 22. The schedule is on the town's websitegigov.com and in the Island Dispatch. Hope to see you out enjoying some live music!

An Island group is seeking to explore environmental issues on the Island through the medium of photography.

The Grand Island PhotoVoice project began Wednesday night at St. Timothy Lutheran Church with an introductory meeting attended by more than a dozen people. The GI version of the PhotoVoice tool is meant to express viewpoints of community members regarding their health and environment in the wake of the 2013 conviction of Tonawanda Coke for polluting and violating the federal Clean Air Act.

Kim Yaeger, a facilitator and member of the St. Timothy congregation, will collect photo submissions from the community that address how the outdoor environment improves, threatens or harms health and quality life.

The process of building a new million-dollar storage and maintenance building for Veterans Park is underway.

At its meeting Monday, the Grand Island Town Board set a public hearing for Monday, July 7, at 8 p.m. in Town Hall to consider an application by Russell Certo to rezone 1881 Bedell Road from R1D to M2 for the purpose of constructing the maintenance building.

Board members held a meeting with Bedell Road residents May 21, where they explained the town would lease the property with an option to later buy it at an estimated cost of $1.2 million. The lease-and-buy option would allow the town to avoid prevailing wage laws and save 20 percent on the overall cost of the project.

Scott Stapp performed songs from his new album, "Proof of Life," and a number of hit Creed songs at a solo concert inside the Seneca Niagara Casino's Bears Den in Niagara Falls.

The picture you see here is a 'coon drinking the sweet water from the hummingbird feeder on my back porch. It had been hanging there for about three to four weeks, and when the hummingbirds came back it was a happy feeder.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is offering tips to those who have been affected by increased electrical bills.

Although Wheatfield's proposed ban on equate is not ready for a vote, anti-Quasar activists continue to make sure the Town Board doesn't forget their stance.

Standing along the western terminus of the Erie Canal, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Brian Higgins announced introduction of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Act (HR 4641), a bill to extend the canalway's authorization for the next 15 years.

The following is a sampling of calls received by the Town of Niagara Police between June 11 and 23.

David H. Brown of Sanborn has a new mystery in print, while Dr. Erwin Brese of Town of Niagara has a second printing in progress of his spiritual journey book.

The June 18 Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education meeting was a night of "beginnings and endings, from celebrating retirees and graduates to welcoming aspiring youth."

The Niagara County Community Action Program Inc. announces the availability of grant funds for home repair, open to qualified Niagara County residents who own their homes and reside in rural areas of the county.

The outdoor area surrounding Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel in downtown Niagara Falls will have a high-energy vibe on weekends this summer.

USA Niagara Development Corp. and its partner, Global Spectrum, today announced Tuesday's World Cup game featuring U.S.A. versus Belgium will be broadcast live on Old Falls Street.

Niagara Hospice's dedication to providing the highest level of care was recently recognized by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care.

Buffalo's National Garden Festival is now in its fifth year and once again features a group of outstanding private gardens to visit on your own on Thursdays and Fridays throughout the month of July.

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has announced the launch of the New York state mortgage assistance program, or NYS MAP, which will provide small loans to families struggling to avoid foreclosure. The loans will assist families in securing mortgage modifications and result in more families staying in their homes.

The program is an enhancement to the attorney general's homeowner protection program, which provides struggling borrowers with free legal and housing counseling services, and has served more than 28,000 homeowners across the state since the launch of the program in October of 2012.

Borrowers can apply beginning Oct. 15.

The internationally ranked Lake Effect Furies look to solidify their Women's Flat Track Derby Association playoff bid against Cleveland's Burning River Roller Girls, while the Queen City Junior Roller Girls welcome Ithaca's League of Junior Rollers in a roller derby double-header Saturday.

Adventurous couples seeking a unique wedding photo location need not look any further. Imagine starring down Class VI rapids as you and your wedding party have the big day captured like no one ever has.

The new Niagara Jet Adventure and Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp. are looking for a couple to "take the plunge" this summer.

RestorixHealth, a management company that develops and operates wound care centers of excellence nationwide, is pleased to announce The Wound Center of Niagara is a recipient of the newly launched Wound Center of Excellence award.

Canalside announces its final two concerts of the 2014 summer season. Moby will perform a free Thursday concert Aug. 14 at 6 p.m., and Foster the People will perform a ticketed concert Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.

For information on Canalside Concerts or to purchase tickets, visit www.canalsidebuffalo.com.

Phillip Phillips has taken us behind the light, which is the name of his new sophomore album, to expose what was hidden in the shadows. What we find, if we turn off the spotlight - forget about "Idol" and the song featured across television - is a singer/songwriter who is crafting authentic, anthemic, emotionally charged alt-rock songs that are just plain good.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Thursday the completion of an expansion project by Diversified Manufacturing, a manufacturing and engineering services firm in Lockport, which will facilitate the retention of 130 jobs. The nearly $5 million project was supported by $450,000 in funding from the New York Power Authority.

With Independence Day right around the corner, it's important to keep safety a top priority during the upcoming holiday celebrations.

The Lewiston Council on the Arts will bring back Lewiston's own 1960s rock musicians and friends for the 10th annual "Summer of '69" concert Friday, July 11. The fun starts at 6 p.m. at the Hennepin Park Gazebo (Center and South Fourth streets).

The next set of 12 phenomenal singers from across the country will perform on this Sunday's episode of ABC's new groundbreaking reality series "Rising Star (9 p.m. on the ABC Television Network).