Current News

"Richard Marx: An Acoustic Evening of Love Songs" comes to Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Feb. 15, 2020. The show is pegged as an up close and intimate performance.

After a memorable "Disney Night" there was no elimination. So, these same nine celebrity and pro-dancer couples will return to the ballroom and compete on the sixth week of the 2019 season of "Dancing with the Stars," live, Monday, Oct. 21 (8 p.m. EDT), on ABC. (TV-PG, L) Episodes can also be viewed the next day on ABC.com, the ABC app and Hulu.

Niagara SPCA announced a major milestone: More than 15,000 animals have been saved since the organization became no-kill in 2012.

October is National Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month, and the Center for Women of Mount St. Mary's Hospital will hold a special memorial service to provide comfort and support to families coping with the loss of a baby. The service will take place oat 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 500 Riverdale Ave., Lewiston.

The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. (ECHDC) board of directors met earlier this week and approved several items designed to advance projects on Buffalo's waterfront.

Congressman Brian Higgins and City of Niagara Falls officials on Tuesday opened the Hyde Park Inclusionary Playground. The new play space was designed for children of all mobility and behavioral abilities. It gained community support via the Niagara Falls Community Development Department's participatory budgeting process.

As the United Auto Workers strike against General Motors continues, FeedMore WNY encourages affected individuals and families experiencing food insecurity or financial hardship to participate in its two upcoming mobile food pantry distributions in Lockport and Tonawanda.

The latest public forum session as part of Artpark & Company's master plan process will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at the Martin House Education Center located at 125 Jewett Parkway, Buffalo.

The It Happened to Alexa Foundation announced this week it would discontinue its wide-ranging support services to victims of sexual violence effective immediately. The sudden announcement was conveyed in an email sent Oct. 14 by Kate Fowler, executive director, on behalf of the It Happen to Alexa board of directors.

In preparation for heavy rain and high winds across portions of upstate New York, National Grid has line, service and tree workers ready to respond if the weather impacts electricity service.

After losing to the Niagara-Wheatfield Falcons early in the season, 5-0, the Lewiston-Porter Lancers boys soccer team chances of winning the Niagara Frontier League finals Wednesday night may have seemed slim to some. The Lancers were quick to prove the doubters wrong, though, as Lewiston-Porter defeated the Falcons, 1-0, to clinch the program's first NFL title since 2010.

It was a night of upsets at Gene Masters Field on the Grand Island High School campus Wednesday night. In the first Niagara Frontier League boys soccer title matchup, Lewiston-Porter defeated Niagara-Wheatfield. For the girls title, the North Tonawanda Lumberjacks kept the upset specials alive, as they defeated the Grand Island Vikings, 2-1, to win the NFL crown.

Cast and crew members on Dick Wolf's "Chicago" franchises pride themselves on bringing the stories of real-life heroes to the screen in an authentic manner. The doctors, firefighters and police officers shown each Wednesday are dissecting situations not unlike the ones encountered by actual Windy City first-responders. For one night only this week, the writers, directors and actors will present something fans might not expect, but will definitely enjoy: a sci-fi storyline suitable for the Halloween season.

The New York State Office for the Aging reminds older New Yorkers that this year's Medicare open enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Medicare health and prescription drug plans can make changes each year to costs, coverage, and what providers and pharmacies are in their networks.

Fundraising is underway for those who plan to "take the plunge" into the frigid waters of Lake Erie and raise funds to benefit the Special Olympics New York athletes in Western New York. The "Polar Plunge" event will take place Saturday, Dec. 7, at Woodlawn Beach in Hamburg. Registration begins at 11 a.m., with the plunge taking place at 2 p.m.

Empower, a not-for-profit organization that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will hold its fourth annual "Living the Values" Awards Luncheon at noon on Friday, Oct. 25, at Four Points by Sheraton, 7001 Buffalo Ave. Tickets are $35, and may be reserved at 716-297-0798, ext. 120, or [email protected]

Niagara County Sheriff James R. Voutour on Tuesday announced he will retire Dec 30.

The 2019 Western New York Walk for Apraxia event will be held Saturday, Oct. 19, at Raymond Klimek Veterans Park to benefit children with apraxia of speech. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with the walk beginning at 10 a.m.

Cage The Elephant's latest single, "Social Cues," currently sits No. 1 on the Billboard alternative radio chart. This marks the ninth No. 1 for the band, following its first single from the album, "Ready To Let Go," which scored the band its best airplay chart debut in its near-decade career.

At the foot of the Tuscarora Heroes Monument, the Historical Association of Lewiston awarded a $500 scholarship to Devin Napoleon on Monday - Indigenous Peoples' Day.

"Disney Fam Jam," a family dance competition series, has received a straight-to-series order at Disney Channel, it was exclusively announced on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" last week. The competition series is inspired by choreographer Phil Wright's "The Parent Jam" dance classes, which are streamed online and have become a viral sensation.

Lewiston Republican Party Chairman Karl Frankovitch announced there will be a pre-Election Day Rally from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24, at G-Macs, 5894 Ward Road, Sanborn. This event will give the voters an opportunity to talk to the candidates before the election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Robert Downey Jr. electrifies one of literature's most enduring characters in a vivid reimagining of the classic tale of the man who could talk to animals: Dolittle.

The Reminisce group of Ransomville, called "Our Town's Past," will meet at 1 p.m. Thursday Oct. 24, at the Ransomville Library conference room. Those interested in historical events, people and places in Ransomville history are invited to join in for lively conversations.

Republican members of the Niagara County Legislature have brought forth a resolution calling for the county to equip school buses with photo violation monitoring systems in an effort to protect students and catch those who unlawfully pass stopped school buses.

Michael S. Brophy, Ph.D., was formally installed Friday afternoon as the fourth president of Hilbert College.

October is Car Care Month at AAA Western and Central New York.

A special celebration took place Sunday afternoon on the Village of Lewiston waterfront. The Freedom Crossing Monument's 10th anniversary was celebrated with speeches, historical reenactments, choral performances, a documentary screening and reception.

Diamonds in the Ruff, a local nonprofit animal rescue, will hold its annual "Fall Fling" chowder sale and basket raffle from noon until 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13. The event will be held at the Shawnee Fire Hall, 3747 Lockport Road, Sanborn.

Niagara County Sheriff James R. Voutour announced the Niagara County Law Enforcement Foundation awarded grant funding to local police agencies.

With The Silo and Water Street Landing closed for winter, and other eateries looking to scale back as the days grow shorter and the temperature decreases, the Lewiston Event Center is expanding its culinary offerings. The family-fun center recently began serving lunch.

The Town of Porter will review its tentative 2020 budget in a presentation, open to the public, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Town Hall.

At Monday's board meeting, Village of Lewiston trustees approved many items of next summer's Lewiston Council on the Arts schedule, but chose to table a resolution asking to host the "Summer of '69" event in Hennepin Park over possible alcohol sales.

A Grand Island Town Board debate over selection of the financial auditing services for the town sparked a rancorous debate and charges from a town employee of bullying and harassment by a councilman.

The Rotary Club of Grand Island's first Town Supervisor Candidates' Night, with assistance from the Grand Island High School Interact Club and supported by the Island Dispatch, will be held Wednesday, Oct. 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Grand Viking Theater inside the high school at 1100 Ransom Road.

The Grand Island Fire Co.'s Nick Egloff talks to elementary school students about the safety gear firefighters like he and Grace Giambra wear on the job. The students were visiting the firehall from Sidway Elementary School as part of fire safety week education.

Phyllis B. Lange unexpectedly passed away peacefully in her Grand Island home Sept. 18, 2019.

Last week, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul marked the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

NYSEG, a subsidiary of AVANGRID Inc., and AAA New York State, an advocate for traffic safety and security, recently announced they are working together to remind passenger and commercial drivers about the dangers of distracted driving.

Attorney General Letitia James announced the City of Buffalo received a grant of $800,000 in the second round of the "Community Land Trusts Capacity Building Initiative," which acquires and renovates distressed properties, as well as provide training and technical assistance to homeowners, and create permanent affordable housing for the benefit of low- and middle-income families.