Current News

The Niagara-Wheatfield girls soccer team came into Tuesday as the No. 4 large school in Western New York - and undefeated, at 6-0 overall and 4-0 in league. Staring it down was the also-undefeated Grand Island Vikings, sitting at No. 2.

Mount St. Mary's Hospital held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to announce it is the recipient of an $825,200 grant from the New York State Health Care Facility Transformation Program. Funding will support the expansion of the hospital's Clearview treatment services, a confidential, inpatient rehabilitation program dedicated to the holistic care of people whose lives have been affected by drugs and/or alcohol.

A fundraiser for Elizabeth Restey and family will take place from 2-7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, at the South Lockport Fire Col, 5666 S. Transit Road, Lockport.

Town of Lewiston Supervisor Steve Broderick wasted no time Monday in telling a standing-room-only crowd inside Town Hall the Town Council would not vote on John and Joe Rubino's planned unit/urban development concept for Upper Mountain Road. Instead, "I want to listen to what everybody has to say ... and take it in," he said prior to the work session.

Great Lakes Real Estate recently donated a bench to the International Peace Garden located between Center Street and Ridge Road. GLRE contributed the piece of furniture upon learning there was a need during the Memorial Day parade preparations.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Niagara River Greenway Fund Standing Committee will hold a meeting at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 22, to vote on funding for projects being proposed to the Standing Committee by State Parks. The meeting will be held at DeVeaux Woods State Park and is open to the public.

The Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence will kick off its 22nd annual Fall Festival from 10 a.m. to dusk Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 16-17, with a special Armed Forces weekend, in collaboration with WNY Heroes Inc. The regular admission fee will be waived for military, police or fire department personnel who present proper identification to WNY Heroes representatives at the gate. Such attendees will also be permitted to bring one guest for free.

The Lewiston Council on the Arts' Tim Henderson recently presented Kristine Bailey of Elderwood at Wheatfield with an appreciation plaque for the sponsorship of Lewiston's popular "Blue Mondays" and "Blue Grass Mondays" concert series.

Mason's Mission, a nonprofit organization formed to assist families with special needs, announced the grand-opening of its first special needs playground at 6570 Campbell Blvd., Pendleton. The event will take place at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. New York State Sen. Robert Ortt will be on hand to help dedicate the site. The public is invited to attend.

The Historical Association of Lewiston's September program is titled "Mapping the Frontier - A Study of 18th Century Surveying and Mapping Techniques." The event will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah Fellowship Hall, 915 Oneida St.

Today's national average price for regular unleaded gasoline is $2.67 per gallon, up 30 cents over the past two weeks and up 4 cents in the past week. One year ago, the price was $2.18. The New York state average is $2.83, up 35 cents in two weeks, and up 5 cents from last week. A year ago, the state average was $2.32.

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued an alert reminding New Yorkers to consider consulting the office's charitable giving tips before making a donation to support organizations assisting the victims of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey.

The Buffalo Zoo, 300 Parkside Ave., will hold its biannual animal fundraiser, "Art Gone Wild," from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. "Art Gone Wild" features an art show, auction and sale of works that were produced by the zoo's animal residents. Pieces include animal paintings, paw print casts and ornaments.

The 60th annual Niagara County Peach Festival took place this past weekend at Academy Park. Sponsored by the Lewiston Kiwanis Club, the four-day event is a major fundraiser used to raise monies for local educational and community endeavors.

Col. Mark S. Larson took command of the 914th Air Refueling Wing from Col. Brian S. Bowman on Sunday during a change of command ceremony at the Niagara Falls air reserve station.

The 60th annual Niagara County Peach Festival is taking place this weekend at Academy Park. Sponsored by the Lewiston Kiwanis Club, the four-day event is a major fundraiser used to raise monies for local educational and community endeavors.

The Lewiston Community Lions Club has announced A'ngelee Clause was awarded a $500 scholarship.

In the preseason, Niagara-Wheatfield coach Russ Nixon said his team would fight until the final horn. Friday night against Orchard Park, they proved that, although in a losing effort.

Col. Mark S. Larson, former commander of the 931st Air Refueling Wing, will take command of the 914th Air Refueling Wing from Col. Brian S. Bowman, who is set to retire. A change of command ceremony will take place at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station today, before the wing in formation.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was recently held for The Lash & Brow Boutique, located at 440 Ridge St. (sharing space where Janice's Salon is located). Gina Streck, a licensed cosmetologist and master microblading technician, owns the business. The event was a celebration to mark one year in business.

The Roaming Table, Lewiston's food tasting and historical walking tour, is a veritable smorgasbord of culinary delights, complete with a recounting of olden days and anecdotal tales from the village's storied past. Guests relish the unique opportunity to learn about the heroes and villains of yesteryear, the inspiration for two monuments, and the incredible efforts to free slaves.

The Grand Island Town Board proclaimed Sept. 8 and 9 as American Legion Patriot Poppy Days on Grand Island in advance of the American Legion Grand Island Post No. 1346 Patriot Day Poppy Drive that weekend.

The Grand Island Rotary Club welcomed District 7090 Gov. Reg Madison to its dinner meeting on Aug. 16 at the Buffalo Launch Club. Skip Mazenauer and Jerry Barlow, two longtime Rotarians, were recognized as Paul Harris Fellows, named after the founder of Rotary. Madison presented them with a lapel pin and medallion.

After receiving a presentation by the town's accountant and input from citizens at a public hearing Tuesday, the Grand Island Town Board will consider passing a local law to override the state's tax cap.

Great weather greeted the crowds who came out for the annual Labor Day Parade in Youngstown on Monday, Sept. 4, where more than 50 units were featured on the village's Main Street route.

"The Nutcracker," the Greater Niagara Ballet Company's annual family-friendly holiday show, returns the weekend of Dec. 8-9 to the Niagara Falls High School Performing Arts Center. The Beverley Feder-directed show features local dancers, guest artists and character performers.

The Carnegie Art Center will host a musical performance by the Dust Bowl Ramblers from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. The Dust Bowl Ramblers will present music from the Dust Bowl and Great Depression accompanied by a presentation of archival photographs projected onto a screen.

The Mighty Niagara Half Marathon, presented by Cornerstone Community Federal Credit Union, attracts runners from around the world. Participants have traveled from England, Ireland, Mexico, Germany, Austria, Egypt and Ethiopia to "run with the river" in this one-of-a-kind and highly anticipated race. Held annually in conjunction with the Hospice Dash 5K, the event will take place this year on Saturday, Sept. 16.

Donald H. Ehinger of Grand Island passed away Sept. 4, 2017.

Robert B. Kimberlin passed at the age of 60 on Aug. 1, 2017, at his home in Naples, Florida. He had been battling cancer for nearly two years.

On Saturday, Sept. 16, Veterans Memorial Park will host the 20th annual "Kidz 'n' Kites" celebration. Kids and families from all around are welcome to come out and enjoy a free event in the town.

Greetings, readers. My name is David Yarger and I was recently named the new editor for the Tribune.

Spine Surgery of Buffalo Niagara, a clinical practice led by Franco Vigna, M.D., M.P.H., which specializes in high-quality, personalized spine treatments for patients all over the Buffalo Niagara region, moved and expanded into a new, stand-alone facility in Niagara Falls. Reflecting the practice's commitment to restoring patient health, the comprehensive spinal care center, located at 6941 Williams Road, opened in the spring of 2017 under a new name: reVive Spine Center.

North Tonawanda Mayor Arthur G. Pappas and Niagara County Legislator Richard Andres announced Jesse Gooch, proprietor of Painters Plus, has chosen the Live Hose Volunteer Fire Co. as the recipient of the seventh annual Project H.O.P.E Award.

Licensed practical nursing students at Orleans/Niagara BOCES recently spent a day performing blood pressure screens for members of the community at the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls.

Today is the day that Rhett Walker Band releases their new single to Christian radio, titled "I Surrender," in partnership with Essential Records/Sony Music.

Erie County's Seneca Bluffs Natural Habitat Park on Seneca Street in Buffalo was the site Friday for a multitude of volunteers helping to beautify and protect the park itself and the adjoining waters of the Buffalo River. Personnel from the Erie County environment and planning and parks departments were joined by counterparts from Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, Labatt USA, Pegula Sports Entertainment, the Buffalo Sabres, Try-It Distributing and WNY PRISM to clean up the habitat area, remove invasive species, plant native pollinators and grasses, and place new trees and shrubs at the site.

Nashville based singer-songwriter Heather Schnoor debuts her brand-new single, "All In," today on iTunes and Apple Music. Produced by Jeff Pardo (Hillary Scott, Rhett Walker Band, Francesca Battistelli), the single is the follow-up to Schnoor's debut 2012 EP, "This One's For You," which reached the top 40 on the iTunes chart. "All In," written by Schnoor, Pardo and Hillary McBride, is the first single off her upcoming EP, due to release early 2018.

At one minute past midnight, Kid Rock unveiled his latest song, "Tennessee Mountain Top," on streaming and sales platforms. "Tennessee Mountain Top" is impacting at country radio Oct. 2.