The Youngstown Free Library, located in the Youngstown Red Brick School village center, 240 Lockport St., announces the following activities for the month of November.

The Western New York Association of Historical Agencies has announced that five awards will be presented to groups for excellence in the museum field in the 11-county WNY area, including two organizations in Niagara County.

Lewiston-Porter Middle School was buzzing Monday, but not with noise, with hair clippers.

Tables full of books of all types are available at the Youngstown Free Library's fall book sale.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce hosts its next business "Blender" on Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Lewiston Village Pub, located at 840 Center St., Lewiston.

Joe Petrozzi and his son Russ of Capitol Cleaners are again collecting, cleaning and giving gently used coats and other winter wear to the needy families in Western New York. The days for distribution to the community are Saturday, Nov. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Historical Association of Lewiston announces tickets are now on sale for its seventh annual Tour of Homes, scheduled for Dec. 3 and 4 in Lewiston. Chris Castellani, Lewiston resident and owner of Supermarket Liquors and Wines, has stepped forward as the presenting sponsor of this event.

Nik Wallenda will appear before the Niagara Parks Commission Nov. 16 to discuss his application to walk on a three-inch wire across the Niagara Gorge between Canada and the United States.

Miss Posa's first grade class at St. Peter R.C. School in Lewiston is learning about culture, ancestry and heritage.

Youngstown Veterans of Foreign War Post 313 will hold a Veterans Day ceremony in Veterans Park 11 a.m. on Nov. 11.

The Niagara County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police and New York State Liquor Authority conducted a joint underage alcohol enforcement detail throughout Niagara County from 4 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27.

The "Second Saturday" concert series at First Presbyterian Church takes place starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at the church, 100 Church St., in Youngstown. Featured will be Heather Dale, Canadian recording artist, and her partner, Ben Deschamps, exploring a lively, diverse repertoire, mixing original songs with fresh twists on Celtic and folk music.

Mount St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center will present a series of programs in November as part of its health education program and event series, with special emphasis on programs as part of its recognition of November as Diabetes Awareness Month.

On Tuesday, Nov. 1, "Counting Carbohydrates" will be presented at 6 p.m. in Room 249. This program is conducted by Diabetes Education at Mount St. Mary's and will focus on counting carbohydrates for a nutrition diet. Pre-registration is encouraged. Call 298-2145.

The Wilson Lions planted new trees in Greenwood Cemetery.

Lewiston residents had their opportunity to sound off on the town's $15.6 million tentative 2012 budget and its quest for an override of the state's 2 percent property tax cap in two public hearings Monday night.

The Lockport Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Division II recently made a donation to the "Peanut Butter & Jelly Drive" in the form of a check for that was made out to NYSEG to be used toward covering the cost of electricity for the fundraiser.

It all started on a Sunday morning last December. Kristi Moore of Lewiston was relishing a rare moment of solitude in front of the TV (mothers of young children know what I'm talking about. ...). CBS "Sunday Morning" was airing a segment on "Beads of Courage," a charitable organization that provides arts-in-medicine supportive care for children coping with serious illness. Kristi was so touched and moved by this story that she wanted to get involved right away.

Members of the newly formed Lake Ontario Ordnance Works Community Action Council met Thursday, Oct. 20, for a lengthy information and organizing session at the Lewiston-Porter Community Resource Center.

Reading is very rewarding, but more so for the students at the Lewiston-Porter Intermediate Education Center.

In the mounds of paperwork accompanying legal counsels for developer Jerome Williams and Lewiston Management Group LLC (the plaintiffs), Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours and the Village of Lewiston (the defendants), one tiny bit of information was missing Thursday in State Supreme Court: the original argument bringing the opposing sides before Justice Richard C. Kloch Sr. Without an attachment of complaint in a motion to dismiss, Kloch said, "I cannot do what I would love to do," and that is shelve Williams' case, which alleges the village violated the public trust doctrine.

The plaintiff contends the village's 2002 lease with the tourism company is contrary to the required usage of the waterfront land's easement, which is for the public benefit as a public recreation area.

The Western New York community is still shaken over the suicide death of Williamsville North student Jamey Rodemeyer.

Dr. Sherri Lashomb and former resident Bill Kellick met up with one another at the Pan American Games.

Lewiston's cool and classy lounge, Hops-N-Vines, located at 490 Center St., will host a five-day musical experience beginning Tuesday, Nov. 1. All shows begin at 8 p.m.

The Artpark & Company annual meeting was held Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the Niagara Falls Country Club to confirm the re-election of officers and new directors to the board. The meeting reviewed the successful 2011 season, which broke attendance records and saw programming growth with the expansion of children's camps, the return of the "Edges" Outdoor Sculpture Competition, the rise in popularity of the Niagara Wine Trail Wine & Culinary Festival, and the introduction of the new "Fairy House Festival."

Christopher H. Brown of Brown & Company LLP was re-elected for a fifth season as chairman of the Artpark & Company board of directors.

Get your candy bags ready!

Calling all ghosts, mummies, Draculas and Disney princesses -- get your candy bags ready! Trick-or-treating is just around the corner, literally. Local towns and villages have announced their respective Halloween trick-or-treat hours, along with a host of parties and parades, ensuring all little monsters can gather as much of their favorite treats in one evening as possible.

November is Native American Heritage Month and Old Fort Niagara is celebrating by hosting a series of special programs.

On Nov. 5, 6 and 12, the fort will offer workshops on traditional Native American skills, such as finger weaving, cornhusk twining, beadwork, quillwork and basketry. The cost of each workshop is $40, and all necessary materials are provided. A full list of workshops and scheduling information is available on the fort's website www.oldfortniagara.org, or by calling 745-7611.

The first night of the popular "Haunted Fortress" fundraiser at Old Fort Niagara was a great success. A perfect autumn evening greeted 1,200 people as they came to the fort Saturday for a good time and to help raise money for programming.

The Niagara County Auxiliary Police hosts a pair of open houses.

Senior high school students in Western New York are invited to participate in next year's War of 1812 speech and art competition, as part of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Queenston Heights. Events are scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 12-14, 2012.

Planning is now under way to mark the 75th anniversary of 4-H in Niagara County.

The Village of Youngstown Recreation Department hosts its annual Halloween party.

by Terry Duffy
Look for some changes in local U.S. Postal Service operations, starting next month.

As part of a national effort to address deficits and operation costs in the Postal Service, over past months USPS officials have been considering structural changes, including staff changes, consolidations and even closure of facilities throughout the country. Postal facilities large and small have been under review, including many in the Buffalo area.

by Terry Duffy
The Town of Lewiston continues in the preliminary stage for its 2012 budget, as department heads finalize and submit requests on a tentative $15.6 million spending plan, portions of which are expected to be discussed on Monday, Oct. 24.

That evening the Town Board also will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m., prior to its regular meeting, to consider an override by Lewiston of the state's 2 percent property tax cap.

"We have had town increases. We have to figure out how to adjust," Town Supervisor Steve Reiter told board members last month.

Members of Niagara Organizing Alliance for Hope invite area residents to attend a public meeting Sunday, Oct. 23, from 3 to 5 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Niagara Falls, 311 First St.

According to NOAH organizers, the meeting will focus on three issues of interest to the Niagara County community: the extension of the millionaire's tax; local hiring on area projects; and a discussion on the issue of hazardous waste in the towns of Lewiston and Porter, presented by the Porter environmental group Residents for Responsible Government.

Ribbon-cutting ceremony for Brennan's Irish Pub, 418 Main St., Youngstown.

On the minds of most school administrators, teachers and parents are incidents both locally and nationally involving bullying.

Lewiston-Porter School District residents were told at Tuesday evening's Board of Education session that Lew-Port officials take reported incidents of bullying and harassment seriously, and that those incidents are fully investigated and appropriate actions are taken.

The Lewiston Public Library, 305 S. Eighth St., in the Village of Lewiston, announces the following programs, events and activities for the month of November.

Lewiston's Hops-N-Vines is hosting its first-ever pumpkin-carving contest.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-Lewiston, and State Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, sent a letter Wednesday to New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey in order to find out what steps her department is taking to revitalizing state parks throughout Niagara County and to win support for legislation to restructure the state's funding to provide more local control over park resources and revenues.

Simonson: "Flames Through Lewiston" "will be bigger than ever."