Current News

On Friday, Gotee Records' Hollyn releases her first full-length album, "One-Way Conversations." The album has hit No. 2 on the iTunes pop albums chart (just under Lady Gaga) and top 10 overall. It will be releasing physically to retail on March 3.

Saturday, Feb. 11, a date also read as 2-11, has been designated as 211 Day across North America to raise awareness of the free community resource for nonurgent issues via phone.

This season's new cast of "Dancing with the Stars" will be revealed live, Wednesday, March 1, exclusively on "Good Morning America" (7-9 a.m. EST) on The ABC Television Network.

In front of a loud Hyde Park Ice Pavilion crowd, the Grand Island Vikings spoiled the Niagara Falls Wolverines' Senior Night, defeating them 4-0 on Thursday.

With little resistance from the public, trustees in the Village of Lewiston on Monday unanimously approved James Jerge's plan to build apartments on Fairchild Place and Onondaga streets.

The public will have the opportunity to learn more about the state of Lake Ontario fisheries, at upcoming public meetings scheduled for Niagara, Monroe and Oswego counties in March, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos announced this week.

New York State Sen. Chris Jacobs, R-60th District, has called on the New York State Thruway Authority to implement cashless tolling at the Grand Island bridges. In a letter to Thruway Authority Executive Director Bill Finch, Jacobs outlined the rationale for cashless tolling at the Grand Island bridges.

The Town of Grand Island Assessors Office reminds Islanders that March 1 is the deadline for all Basic STAR, Enhanced/Senior STAR and veterans property tax exemptions to be added to the assessment roll for school tax year 2017-18 and town/county tax year 2018. (Apply online at https://tax.ny.gov/ or by phone at 518-457-2036.)

Hampers placed in Island churches and schools are drop-off points for the renewed clothing drive "Undie Sunday," conducted by the Grand Island Rotary Club.

Local volunteers are planning the construction of a veterans memorial for Wheatfield's Fairmount Park where community members can honor those who have served.

The Town of Wheatfield is proceeding with plans to install a fence around the former Niagara Sanitation Landfill, which the state Department of Environmental Conservation found contains hazardous chemicals.

After a productive year in 2016, North Tonawanda residents should expect even more from the city this year, according to Mayor Arthur J. Pappas.

More than 200 people gathered for the Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara's Heroes of Niagara awards dinner to celebrate the generosity and accomplishments of local community leaders on Feb. 2 at The Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls.

On Thursday, Assemblyman Angelo J. Morinello joined students from Niagara Falls' Catholic Academy to create Valentine's Day cards for seniors around the district. The event is one Morinello plans to make a yearly tradition. He said he hopes it will inspire others to think about giving back to those across the district.

The Special Friends of Oakwood Cemetery committee will hold its monthly meeting at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, in the Oakwood House, 763 Portage Road, Niagara Falls. The committee meets on the second Monday of the month for an hour to discuss the volunteer needs of Oakwood.

Elmo, Grover, Abby Cadabby and their "Sesame Street" friends welcome Chamki, Grover's friend from India, to "Sesame Street." Together, they explore the universal fun of friendship and celebrate cultural similarities, from singing and dancing, to sharing cookies.

Artpark & Company will present a unique and new opportunity for local youth to let their talents shine in a full production of "Fiddler on the Roof Jr." presented at the Mainstage Theater. The production includes a complete set and will be created, designed, rehearsed and performed by Artpark Theater Academy students.

Bob Costas, the primetime host of every NBC Olympics since 1992, has passed the torch to Mike Tirico - who will make his debut as NBC's primetime Olympic host beginning with PyeongChang 2018.

Approximately 936,000 meals will be provided to local families in need as a result of the 11th annual Sweet Charity to benefit the Food Bank of WNY. Presented by James Desiderio Wholesale Produce, this year's fundraiser raised a record-breaking $156,000. The proceeds will help the Food Bank provide an additional 100,000 meals as compared to last year's event.

The Buffalo Sabres will join Unyts to host a community blood drive from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, in the Lexus Club at KeyBank Center. Presenting donors are welcome to walk in or make an appointment for a prearranged time. Complimentary parking will be available in the attached HarborCenter parking ramp.

Red was certainly the color of the day on Feb. 3 as associates from throughout Mount St. Mary's took part in the annual American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" heart disease awareness day.

The Buffalo Museum of Science will host "Get Out Your Guitar Day" from 10 a.m. through 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. "Get Out Your Guitar Day" is a national day that celebrates guitars and guitarists of all genres. It will be presented in conjunction with the travelling exhibit "GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked The World," on view through May 7.

The Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are reminding snowmobilers to ride responsibly and put safety first as they enjoy the state's abundant snowmobiling opportunities.

A retired Niagara Falls police detective who is now a full-time Christian minister will be the keynote speaker on Friday, Feb. 17, at the 10th annual Black History Celebration at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, 621 Tenth St.

Blondie & Garbage on Wednesday announced a co-headline North American tour that will kick off on July 5 in Saratoga, California, and wrap on Aug. 12 in Dallas. The show stops in Lewiston as part of Artpark & Company's "Tuesdays in the Park" on July 25.

Artpark & Company officially announced KeyBank as the new presenting sponsor of the award-winning "Tuesdays in the Park" concert series for the 2017 season. The new "KeyBank presents Tuesdays in the Park" series will present 12 concert events June 6 through Aug. 29.

In front of a loud crowd inside Grand Island High School on Tuesday, the Niagara Falls High School Wolverines defeated the Grand Island Vikings by a score of 70-62. The win gives the Wolverines a split of the season series, as they lost the first game to the Vikings, 61-53.

With fiery, rock-driven beats, Grammy Award-winning country trio The Band Perry promises to perform nothing short of a musical tour de force at Fallsview Casino Resort this May. (8:30 p.m. May 4 and 9 p.m. May 5; tickets start at $70.)

NBC's hit series "Little Big Shots" returns for season two on Sunday, March 5 (8-9 p.m. ET), with a fun, entertaining premiere featuring six talented kids. Steve Harvey hosts the feel-good, family-friendly series, executive produced by Harvey and Ellen DeGeneres, and goes toe-to-toe with them in humorous conversations and interviews.

Season eight of "The New Celebrity Apprentice" will come to a close Monday, Feb. 13 (9-10 p.m. ET), with two finalists left to compete for $250,000 for their favorite charity - Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Boy George, and Matt Iseman, the host of "American Ninja Warrior."

Wednesday marks one year out from the start of the Winter Olympics, which will begin on Feb. 8, 2018, in PyeongChang, South Korea. NBCUniversal will celebrate the occasion with a host of promotional and editorial initiatives that span the company's portfolio of broadcast, cable, digital, regional, local and radio assets.

More than 280 attendees are expected to celebrate Community Missions' 20th annual Sweetheart Dinner on Friday, Feb. 10, at The Conference & Event Center Niagara Falls.

The Niagara River Greenway Commission will meet Tuesday, March 21, to determine the consistency of the 54th round of projects. The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. at The Lodge of Woodlawn Beach State Park, 3580 Lakeshore Road, Blasdell. The general meeting will be preceded at 2 p.m. by the executive committee meeting.

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. (ECHDC), Outer Harbor Management Group, the City of Buffalo and the Italian Heritage Festival Association announced the relocation of the Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival from Hertel Avenue to Buffalo's Outer Harbor.

The Buffalo Sabres announced the team will host the 13th annual Buffalo Sabres Corporate Hockey Challenge Presented by Pure Hockey on Thursday, March 23, at KeyBank Center.

Niagara Falls on both sides of the border have become the mecca of family getaways. But thousands of families travel to Niagara Falls, Ontario, to take part in the biggest pop culture event of the year: Niagara Falls Comic Con.

The emergency department of Mount St. Mary's Hospital has been recognized by the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) for its efforts to change procedures to decrease wait times and improve communication with patients.

Producers Michael De Luca and Jennifer Todd on Tuesday announced the second slate of presenters for the 89th Oscars telecast. Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will air live on Sunday, Feb. 26, on the ABC Television Network.

The fifth annual Niagara County Poverty Conference will be presented on Friday, March 3, at the Niagara Falls Housing Authority's Doris W. Jones Family Resource Building by the Niagara County Coalition for Services to the Homeless, along with Buffalo/Niagara Falls and Erie/Niagara Counties Continuum of Care, and Niagara University.

The Niagara Falls Area, Chapter No. 283 of AARP announces its next meeting will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at the John Duke Senior Center, 1201 Hyde Park Blvd., Niagara Falls.