Current News

Lewiston residents had their opportunity to sound off on the town's $15.6 million tentative 2012 budget and its quest for an override of the state's 2 percent property tax cap in two public hearings Monday night.

Two snaps up! An updated version of the groundbreaking FOX sketch comedy series "In Living Color" will air as two half-hour specials in the spring of 2012.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 21 for Brennan's Irish Pub.

The Lewiston Kiwanis Club presented a $4,000 check to It Happened to Alexa Foundation co-founder Stacey Branchini on Wednesday.

Gourmet chef and knowledgeable wine enthusiast Rebecca Christie is the new owner of the Village Vineyard and Village Wine Tours, both located at 467 Center St., in Lewiston.

The Lockport Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Division II recently made a donation to the "Peanut Butter & Jelly Drive" in the form of a check for that was made out to NYSEG to be used toward covering the cost of electricity for the fundraiser.

It all started on a Sunday morning last December. Kristi Moore of Lewiston was relishing a rare moment of solitude in front of the TV (mothers of young children know what I'm talking about. ...). CBS "Sunday Morning" was airing a segment on "Beads of Courage," a charitable organization that provides arts-in-medicine supportive care for children coping with serious illness. Kristi was so touched and moved by this story that she wanted to get involved right away.

The following activity occurred Monday, Oct. 17, to Sunday, Oct. 23, as reported by the Lewiston Police Department. LPD responded to a total of 97 calls during this period.

Members of the newly formed Lake Ontario Ordnance Works Community Action Council met Thursday, Oct. 20, for a lengthy information and organizing session at the Lewiston-Porter Community Resource Center.

Reading is very rewarding, but more so for the students at the Lewiston-Porter Intermediate Education Center.

The Village of Lewiston Recreation has announced its sponsorship of the following activities and programs for November. All take place at the Lewiston Red Brick Municipal Building gym, 145 N. Fourth St.

•A craft class utilizing sand art will be offered on Monday, Nov. 7, at 4 or 6 p.m. The class is for children age 5 and older. The cost for the class is free and all supplies are included. To register for this class, call 754-1990.

•Fleece pillowmaking workshop classes for children will be offered on Tuesday, Nov. 8, at 4 or 6 p.m. The class is for children 5 and older. Participants will be tying knots. The class is free and all supplies are included. To register for this class, call 754-1990.

In the mounds of paperwork accompanying legal counsels for developer Jerome Williams and Lewiston Management Group LLC (the plaintiffs), Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours and the Village of Lewiston (the defendants), one tiny bit of information was missing Thursday in State Supreme Court: the original argument bringing the opposing sides before Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr. Without an attachment of complaint in a motion to dismiss, Kloch said, "I cannot do what I would love to do," and that is shelve Williams' case, which alleges the village violated the public trust doctrine.

The plaintiff contends the village's 2002 lease with the tourism company is contrary to the required usage of the waterfront land's easement, which is for the public benefit as a public recreation area.

The Western New York community is still shaken over the suicide death of Williamsville North student Jamey Rodemeyer.

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, making it the perfect time to learn how hospice and palliative care may benefit you or a loved one when faced with serious illness.

As Halloween approaches, Dunkin' Donuts has brewed a bewitching selection of wickedly good treats to help guests and ghosts alike celebrate the season. Whether you're haunting a Halloween party or trick-or-treating with your favorite ghouls and goblins, Dunkin' Donuts can make the scary holiday much sweeter.

On Oct. 31, "LIVE! with Regis and Kelly's" Halloween spectacular returns. This year, popular singer and host Nick Lachey will be the guest co-host for "LIVE's Halloween Headliners Ball," with co-host Kelly Ripa.

Dr. Sherri Lashomb and former resident Bill Kellick met up with one another at the Pan American Games.

Lewiston's cool and classy lounge, Hops-N-Vines, located at 490 Center St., will host a five-day musical experience beginning Tuesday, Nov. 1. All shows begin at 8 p.m.

Shown are the youngest members of Rotary Club of Niagara County Central.

St. Vincent De Paul Parish's Youth Ministry is holding a pumpkin sale fundraiser through Oct. 31.

The following incidents occurred from Oct. 17 to 23, as reported by the Grand Island Fire Co. A total of 32 calls were answered by the department during this period. The GIFC has now responded to 1,233 calls so far this year.

Challengers for town government offices took jabs at incumbents.

The following is a sampling of calls received by the Town of Niagara Police between Friday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 12.

The Niagara County Diabetes Education Program will conduct its next meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, at Grace Lutheran Church, 716 Cayuga Drive at Pershing Avenue in Niagara Falls.

The following is a sampling of calls received by the Niagara County Sheriff's Office for Wheatfield and Town of Niagara between Sept. 19 and 25.

The Niagara County Board of Elections at 111 Main St., Suite 100, Lockport, will be open for absentee balloting for the November election from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 29; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, Nov. 1 and 3; and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 5.

Wheatfield residents are invited to a free pancake breakfast on Sunday, Oct. 30.

The full spectrum of residential health care services for seniors will be highlighted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 29, during an open house at ElderWood's Crestwood Community, 2600 Niagara Falls Blvd., Wheatfield.

In an effort to enhance Empire State Development's ability to create jobs and spur economic growth in the City of Niagara Falls and throughout Niagara County, Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-Lewiston, is calling for increased dialogue between state lawmakers and the public authority.

Girls from Girl Scout Troop 70294 presented Hawk Creek Wildlife Center with a check for $370.

Grand Island Fire Co. Chief Kevin Koch reports that during the period of Oct. 18 through 24 firefighters and medics handled 33 emergency incidents, including three motor vehicle accidents and a truck fire.

Shortly before 10 p.m. on Oct. 18, GIFC rescue personnel responded to a two-car collision, which occured on Baseline Road near Homeland Road. Both drivers, 83-year-old Shirley Runckel and 22-year-old Jennifer Andrews, both of Grand Island, were evaluated by GIFC medics but declined hospitalization.

Wednesday evening, the Grand Island Board of Education passed three separate resolutions related to the possible 2011 capital project affecting all five public school buildings.

The first resolution, whereby the district would initiate an environmental impact assesment, as required by state law, relative to the proposed capital project, passed unanimously with a 6-0 vote.

The second resolution, whereby the district would put Proposition No. 1, a capital improvement project in the amount of $46,822,155, to public vote on Dec. 20, passed with a vote of 5-1

With a few clicks, users of a social networking site can get information about medium- and high-risk sex offenders living in their neighborhoods

Niagara University announces Dr. Roselind Gullo Bogner, associate professor of school counseling, is receiving the career achievement award from the New York State School Counselor Association. The award is being presented to Bogner at the Statewide Conference of the New York State School Counselor Association Friday, Oct. 28, in Rochester.

The award recognizes the school counselor or counselor educator whose contributions to his or her students, place of employment, colleagues and community have been substantial and ongoing. In addition, the recipient exhibits a commitment to professional school counseling and has a record of service to the profession.

After six months of talking, debating, listening, fighting, bickering, negotiating, arguing and sometimes smiling, it remained clear Thursday night that there are still divisions and mistrust among Regional councillors about who should run economic development in Niagara.

The Artpark & Company annual meeting was held Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the Niagara Falls Country Club to confirm the re-election of officers and new directors to the board. The meeting reviewed the successful 2011 season, which broke attendance records and saw programming growth with the expansion of children's camps, the return of the "Edges" Outdoor Sculpture Competition, the rise in popularity of the Niagara Wine Trail Wine & Culinary Festival, and the introduction of the new "Fairy House Festival."

Christopher H. Brown of Brown & Company LLP was re-elected for a fifth season as chairman of the Artpark & Company board of directors.

Get your candy bags ready!

Calling all ghosts, mummies, Draculas and Disney princesses -- get your candy bags ready! Trick-or-treating is just around the corner, literally. Local towns and villages have announced their respective Halloween trick-or-treat hours, along with a host of parties and parades, ensuring all little monsters can gather as much of their favorite treats in one evening as possible.

St. George's Pro-Cathedral Church, an Anglo-Catholic parish, will hold its first "Jazz Service" at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 10 with a service titled "Fusion: Encounters of Jazz and Spirit."

The "Jazz Service" will build on a rich tradition of jazz music and worship. Some of the most recognizable names in jazz history, including Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck and Oscar Peterson, have written and performed sacred works.

The Dale Association encourages members of the community to be proactive about memory health by taking advantage of free, confidential memory screenings and information about successful aging on Nov. 15. The event is part of National Memory Screening Day, an annual initiative that the Alzheimer's Foundation of America holds each November during National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month.

Sylvia Virtuoso is seeking a fourth term as town clerk for the Town of Niagara.