Village of Lewiston named a Purple Heart community

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

Russ Ward, Ron Krul, Jim Schaller and Tom Mach of Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 264 presented the Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees with a plaque and signage designating the municipality as a Purple Heart community.

“We have these here plaques in 105 different places all throughout Erie County and Niagara County to honor all of our Americans that were killed and wounded in all of our wars,” Ward said at Monday’s monthly board meeting. “Thank you very much for accepting this.”

He added, “Right now, we’re trying to connect all of our different cities, towns and villages throughout Erie County and Niagara County. We have Town of Niagara, Niagara Falls.”

Krul said, “As part of our national campaign, we’ve tried to raise the awareness of sacrifices that veterans make once they put on a uniform.”

The plaque reads, in part, “The Purple Heart medal is given posthumously to loved ones of those killed in American wars and presented to those wounded in combat action of America’s wars. We honor the sacrifice they made for us to live in freedom forever.”

“Thank you for your service,” Mayor Anne Welch said. “We’ll make sure we have these posted in our community, coming into our village, so people will know we’re a Purple Heart community.”

Milling & paving

Department of Public Works Superintendent Anthony Mang provided an update on upcoming road resurfacing work.

Milling is scheduled to take place June 11 on Water Street (south dead end to Onondaga Street), Cayuga Street (Portage Road to North Ninth) and Seneca Street (Portage Road to dead end at day care). There is a June 12 rain date.

Water Street is set to be paved June 22 (June 23 rain date), while Cayuga and Seneca streets will follow June 23 (June 24 rain date).

With regard to how traffic within the business district on Water Street will be affected, Mang said he has “high expectations” paving will start and finish on the same day.

Additional DPW news

The Village Board signed off on the addition of almost a dozen security cameras for the DPW headquarters on Seneca Street at a total cost not to exceed $8,030.

Mang said his department is hiring Blue Ox Roofing to replace a gutter on the west flat roof (playground side) of the Red Brick Municipal Building. Ice built up behind the existing gutter last winter, causing water-related damage.

Both projects will be funded through remaining monies in the 2025-26 budget.

In other news

Trustees approved motions:

•OK’ing the purchase price of $1,500 per niche for the columbarium wall at the Village of Lewiston Cemetery on Cayuga Street. There are 24 niches available. Historian Russ Piper said each unit could hold one full-sized urn or two cremation boxes. Any graving would be at the purchaser’s additional expense.

•Permitting the annual “Trick or Treat on Center Street,” which, this year, will take place from noon until 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, along Center Street (Sixth to Fourth streets) and into Hennepin Park.