Current News

One of the most acclaimed bands of the classic rock era, Bad Company with Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke, will perform at the Artpark Amphitheater Aug. 20 as part of "Tuesdays in the Park presented by M&T Bank." Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 22.

The Mason's Mission Foundation recently held its first fundraiser of 2019, "Bowling For Play," at Brad Angelo Lanes In Lockport. Part of the funds raised will to go support Mason's Mission Playground at Marilyn Toohey Park in the Village of Lewiston.

The Buffalo Beauts fell to the Minnesota Whitecaps in the 2019 Isobel Cup Final in heartbreaking fashion on Sunday afternoon in Minnesota. Buffalo was defeated 2-1 in overtime by the top seed in the NWHL Isobel Cup playoffs, coming up short in the championship game for the second year in a row.

On Tuesday, nine members of the Niagara River Greenway Commission voted both the Mason's Mission Playground at Marilyn Toohey Park and the Veterans of Foreign Wars "Circle of Honor" consistent with the Greenway Plan. The two Town of Lewiston-sponsored projects will now be considered for funding from the Host Communities Standing Committee.

Though the Historic Lewiston chapter of the American Wine Society popped its cork only one year ago, the group is already making waves nationally.

The Home Assistance Referral Team's annual "Rockin' with HART" fundraiser will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the Lewiston Event Center, 845 Cayuga St. The event includes a basket raffle, a 50/50 split and a batch of celebrity bartenders. Admission is free.

Discussions about the "Lower River Road Town Park," considered for the Lewiston waterfront, hit a snag Monday, as the Lewiston Town Board opted to table any further action on the project and ask for additional testing.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Ransomville Speedway is the recipient of the 2019 Ransomville Business of the Year Award. The honor is given to a business or organization that has showed dedication and service to the community.

The Aquarium of Niagara presents "Savor Del Mar," celebrating "Aliens of the Sea," its new jellyfish exhibit. The venue's premier wine and food fundraising event will take place from 6-9 p.m. Thursday at 701 Whirlpool St., Niagara Falls.

The St. Stephen School Mission Club has been busy collecting gently used and new winter coats, hats, mittens, and scarves for the "Coats 4 Kids" drive for the needy of Western New York.

M. Robert Madia II, Esq., of Grand Island, died on March 8, 2019; he was 48 years old.

Since 2005, the Gamma Delta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma International has been providing gently used/new books, sometimes with homemade bears, to the patients and families of our Women and Children's Hospital, newly renamed Oishei Children's Hospital.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced this week that Taste NY Farm Markets will begin at New York State Thruway service areas for the 2019 season on Monday, April 1.

Students in business education and athletics were honored during Monday's Grand Island Board of Education for a string of successes this winter.

The entire 2019 playoff run for the Niagara Falls Wolverines boys basketball team the narrative has been that the big shot always goes down. Friday evening, that was not the case, as the Wolverines were defeated by West Genesee in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association semifinals, 59-57.

It turns out Jimmy Fallon's viral smash "Wheel of Musical Impressions" was only the beginning. Drawing inspiration from the popular, celebrity-fueled musical segments made famous on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," NBC has hit play on a 10-episode order for the new unscripted series "That's My Jam."

Assemblyman Angelo J. Morinello announced the Conference of Italian-American State Legislators will once again offer four scholarship opportunities (two academic and two athletic) at this year's Italian-American Day on June 3. The four scholarships will be for $3,000 each and are available to residents of the 145th Assembly District who are current college students or high school seniors entering college.

Food Network star, Emmy-winning talk show host, and best-selling cookbook author Rachael Ray returns with a new season of "30 Minute Meals," with 30 new episodes airing in 30 days throughout the month of April, all accompanied by a dynamic, multiplatform content offering.

Joseph A Dante II, an Edward Jones financial adviser in Lewiston, has accepted an invitation to become a limited partner in The Jones Financial Cos., the holding company for the St. Louis-based financial services firm.

New York State Sen. Rob Ortt and his Republican colleagues in the Senate are calling for multiple public forums to be held in various rural communities, so residents may ask questions and voice their opinions regarding the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act.

The Buffalo Sabres announced the team will sell St. Patrick's Day-themed pucks prior to the game against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday at KeyBank Center, with all proceeds going directly to the Buffalo Sabres Foundation.

Police agencies will blanket Erie County with dedicated DWI patrols this weekend. Continuing through Monday, state, county and local police agencies will assign additional patrols with the sole purpose of detecting and apprehending impaired drivers. The effort is part of a state and national DWI crackdown to coincide with the St. Patrick's Day weekend.

In preparation for potential high wind gusts across portions of Western New York on Friday that could extend into the evening, National Grid is closely monitoring the weather and is positioning crews throughout the region in the event the forecasted winds impact the system.

Republican New York State Sen. Chris Jacobs has joined with local elected officials in calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders to include an increase in the state's Environmental Protection Fund in the final state budget. The EPF was created in 1993 to provide funding for broad categories of projects related to solid waste, parks and recreation and open space. Jacobs is seeking to grow the fund from $300 million to $350 million this year.

Niagara University student Sarah Andres wants to pursue a career in health care and give back to her community. This Lewiston native has learned many lessons since becoming a volunteer in the emergency department of Mount St. Mary's Hospital.

In 2018-19, the Wolverines are back in the state final four for the first time in 10 years.

As his convertible explodes in the background, TobyMac sings, "It's you, I need/It's you, I need/On my darkest days/When I'm losing faith/I need You, I need, it's you, I need/Every single day, every breath I take/I need you, I need you."

The New Niagara Community Center Inc. was awarded prequalified status for the creation of a community center in Niagara Falls' north-end by the Niagara Falls Community Development Department, with application for a $120,000 Community Development Block Grant as the next step.

Congress members Brian Higgins (D-NY-26), Brett Guthrie (R-KY-2), Doris Matsui (D-CA-6) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12) announced introduction of the Cancer Drug Parity Act, a bipartisan bill requiring health insurance plans that cover intravenous and injectable cancer medications to also cover orally administered cancer medications at the equivalent rate.

A year after a number of high-profile automated vehicle incidents, American attitudes toward fully self-driving cars have not rebounded. AAA's annual automated vehicle survey found 71 percent of people are afraid to ride in fully self-driving vehicles - indicating overall sentiment has not yet returned to what it was prior to these incidents occurring (63 percent).

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz joined Patrick Kaler, president and CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara, to discuss the findings of the recent 90-day public comment period on the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center market analysis and feasibility study (released in September 2018), and to outline next steps in the convention center process.

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University has announced the lineup for this year's "Meet Me at the CAM" programs. This popular series features lectures, films and artist talks covering a variety of historical and contemporary art-related topics.

ABC Entertainment has picked up fan-favorite game shows "Press Your Luck" and "Card Sharks" for a return to television. The Fremantle-produced game shows will go into production this spring with, as ABC said, "exciting updates that everyone in the family will enjoy."

With three months to go before the 2019 Special Olympics New York Summer Games kick off in Dutchess County, state and local organizers officially opened volunteer registration to the public at a press conference at Mr. Todd's Gymnastics. Approximately 2,000 volunteers are needed for the Summer Games, which will take place on June 14-15 at venues throughout Dutchess County.

Four years after the devastating tragedy in Charleston, South Carolina, that shook the nation, Arbella Studios, in association with JuVee Productions and Unanimous Media, presents an SDG and Fiction Pictures Production, "EMANUEL," opening in movie theaters nationwide through Fathom Events on June 17 and 19 only. Documenting the events of June 17, 2015, "EMANUEL" is a documentary that examines how faith, hope and forgiveness healed a devastated community after the heinous church shooting at Emanuel A.M.E.

The construction of a replica of the packet boat used by Gov. DeWitt Clinton to travel from Buffalo to New York City to open the Erie Canal in 1825 took a major step forward on Thursday, with the start of a painstaking, age-old process that will create the template for reimagining this historic wooden vessel.

Robert Bilson, a resident of LaSalle, recently announced his candidacy for the 3rd District of the Niagara County Legislature. Bilson will challenge Mark J. Grozio (D-Niagara Falls), a three-term incumbent.

Collin Holycross has formally announced his candidacy for the North Tonawanda School Board.

On Tuesday afternoon, Robert Schmigel announced his candidacy to seek the open seat in the first ward for the North Tonawanda Common Council. Current Alderman Mark Berube has decided not to seek re-election after winning the seat vacated by the late Russ Rizzo.  

On April 6 and 7, the Sanborn Farm Museum, 2660 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn, will host an Antique Show & Sale. The show is $3 for the two days, which includes a basket auction (drawings at 4 p.m.), free parking and hot food on the premises.