After receiving feedback from the community, Cornell Cooperative Extension-Niagara County has decided to extend the due date for the Niagara County Fair logo contest until Friday, March 7.

Congressman Brian Higgins and his New York colleagues in Congress, congressmen Dan Maffei and José Serrano, wrote a letter to the Social Security Administration opposing the proposed closure of four New York Social Security field offices in Amherst, Bronx Hub, Kingston and Williamsburg.

Congressman Brian Higgins spoke out Friday against claims new aviation safety requirements have led to pilot shortages and flight cancellations.

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University's popular "Meet Me at the CAM" programs are back this spring with a diverse lineup of presentations. Sculptor Susan Geissler will open the season Wednesday, March 26.

Air Force Reserve Col. Steven B. Parker will assume command of the 914th Airlift Wing from Col. Walter Gordon tomorrow, March 1, at 9 a.m.

In response to a challenging winter that has severely impacted blood donations across the Northeast, Dunkin' Donuts franchisees in Buffalo Thursday announced an extension of the annual "Give a Pint, Get a Pound" campaign by donating 250 pounds of coffee to the American Red Cross Blood Services - New York-Penn Region.

State Sen. George Maziarz, R-C-Newfane, was recently presented with the 2013 Industry Appreciation Award from the Buffalo Niagara Builders Association. The award was presented to Maziarz "in recognition of industry excellence."

The Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M. Institute for Civic Engagement will hold the second annual Poverty Conference at Niagara University from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday, March 7.

On Friday, the Peace Bridge Authority approved a contract to begin phase two of a project to widen the approach to the Peace Bridge plaza in Buffalo.

The Buffalo Zoo will hold a "Zooper Saturday" event this weekend, featuring the big cats.

It's fun for kids of all ages Saturday, March 8, at the Power Vista, the admission-free visitors center at the New York Power Authority's Niagara Power Plant in Lewiston.

The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce will hold a Business & Food Expo at Byblos Niagara, 100 Whitehaven Road, on March 22 and 23.

The Dale Association will offer free hearing screenings from noon to 2:30 p.m. March 12 and 26 at 33 Ontario St., Lockport. Schedule an appointment by calling 716-433-1886.

The Joel Holka Insurance Agency, 8575 Niagara Falls Blvd., has announced its awards local high school football winners.

Town of Niagara Supervisor Steve Richards' scheduled hearing before the Hon. Christopher J. Burns in Buffalo's State Supreme Court was delayed until March 18 at the request of the court on Wednesday.

Representatives of Quasar Energy Group explained to the Wheatfield Town Board on Monday a plan to build a cement storage tank next to the company's existing anaerobic digestion facility on Liberty Drive.

The Buffalo Bills and New York Giants will kick off the 2014 preseason in the NFL/Hall of Fame Game Sunday, Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. on NBC. The game will be played at Pro Football Hall of Fame Field at Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio, one day after the Hall of Fame's Class of 2014 is formally enshrined.

On Thursday, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority took action to officially transfer its Buffalo Outer Harbor property to Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp.

Niagara University's ROTC program will be presented with the prestigious MacArthur Award at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 10, in recognition of its cadets' performance during the 2012-13 school year. The presentation will take place in St. Vincent's Hall (Room 407) on the university's campus.

Only eight schools are chosen from among the 273 senior ROTC units nationwide for the MacArthur Award, which is based on a combination of the achievement of the school's commissioning mission and its cadets' performance and standing on the Cadet Command's National Order of Merit List, and its cadet retention rate.

Do you know someone who deserves the "Key to the Locks" award? Once again, a Niagara County citizen will receive this honor as one who "best promotes and exemplifies the community spirit, heritage and integrity of the historic Erie Canal." This year's "Key to the Locks" award will be presented Sunday, May 4, at 2 p.m., at the Erie Canal Discovery Center, 24 Church St., Lockport.

If you'd like to recommend a recipient, visit the Niagara History Center, 215 Niagara St., or Niagara County Historian's Office, 139 Niagara St., for a nomination form. You can also visit Niagara History Center's website at http://niagarahistory.org/9th-annual-key-to-locks-award/ for a copy of the form.

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has released his annual "Pennies for Charity" fundraising report showing that for-profit telemarketers operating in New York in 2012 retained the lion's share of donations they raised on behalf of charities - more than $154 million that was intended to help those in need.

Telemarketers registered in New York reported raising more than $249 million in contributions in 2012, the most ever in the history of "Pennies for Charity." The 2013 "Pennies for Charity, Where Your Money Goes: Telemarketing by Professional Fundraisers" report found telemarketers kept an average of 62 cents of every charitable dollar they raised as their fees and expenses, with just 38 percent of the funds actually going to charitable organizations.

Local sales tax collections of $14.9 billion grew by $739 million in 2013, an increase of 5.2 percent from 2012, according to a report issued by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The increase outpaced annual growth rates of 3.3 percent in 2012 and 5 percent in 2011, as well as the 15-year annual average growth of 4.5 percent.

"This is welcome news for our municipalities, and comes at a time when local revenues have been experiencing little to no growth," DiNapoli said. "The majority of the increase appears to stem from storm clean up, which gives these communities a short-term boost. As the economy continues its tenuous recovery, sales tax collections could vary either way for local governments, and is generally a more volatile source of revenue."

There was joy in Wheatfield Town Hall this week at the "coming soon" possibility of a new, active Summit Park Mall.

Zoran Cocov, a Toronto developer, said Tuesday that his attorneys may have the purchase finalized by the end of the week, ending almost two years of negotiations with current owner Oberlin Plaza One LLC.

Bon-Ton, Save-A-Lot and Sears, all with exterior entrances, have continued to operate and draw customers to the Williams Road mall. However, the deteriorating interior has been closed for years and has been plagued with thefts, weather damage and broken pipes. The mall was built in 1972 and used to be a busy and active part of the community.

Secondhand smoking is linked with pregnancy loss, including miscarriage, stillbirth and tubal ectopic pregnancy, according to new research from scientists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University at Buffalo. The study findings, published online by the journal Tobacco Control, mark a significant step toward clarifying the risks of secondhand smoke exposure.

On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo launched the "No Excuses" push, designed to help pass proposed property tax cuts for millions of New Yorkers. The initiative includes a new website, www.CutPropertyTaxes.ny.gov, featuring information on the governor's plan to cut property taxes, statements of support from elected officials and advocacy groups across the state, and resources for visitors to contact their state legislators to make their voices heard.

In January, at both the State of the State Address and executive budget presentation, the governor outlined his plan to freeze property taxes for two years and create a "circuit breaker" that will provide tax relief based on an individual's or family's ability to pay.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Niagara River Greenway Fund Standing Committee will hold a meeting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 11, to vote on funding for projects being proposed to the Standing Committee by State Parks.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-C-I-Lewiston, said Wednesday the State Assembly's hiring of an outside law firm with $200,000 of taxpayer money to handle sexual harassment issues falls far short of the reforms needed to correct the problems in New York's lower house.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) announced Wednesday that more than 60.1 million people visited state parks and historic sites in 2013, and campgrounds had their busiest year on record, as dozens of parks across the state undergo improvements thanks to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "New York Works" initiative.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance announced Wednesday it has issued $1 billion in refunds, and reminded New Yorkers to use free e-filing options for faster refunds. Already, refunds have been issued to more than 1.1 million taxpayers - a 50 percent increase over last year's total by this date of 776,000.

"Girls on the Run of Buffalo," a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum, which creatively integrates running, is now accepting registrations for its spring season.

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-60th District, offered these comments Wednesday:

Heart of Niagara Animal Rescue will be present with adoptable dogs this Saturday, March 1, from 12:30-3:30 p.m. at the Pet Supplies Plus location at 2952 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst. Dogs Angel, Blu, Kirby, Reba, Rudy, Simba and Snuggles will be on hand; photos and information on these and all their animals are available online at www.heartofniagara.org.

Niagara County is rolling out a new, online parks reservation system to allow the public to reserve park shelters from home or their Internet-enabled mobile phone, the head of the Niagara County Legislature's public works panel announced.

Texting and walking is a known danger, but Dr. Dietrich Jehle, professor of emergency medicine at the University at Buffalo, says distracted walking results in more injuries per mile than distracted driving.

This afternoon, President Obama is expected to announce a four-year, $302 billion transportation proposal. The plan is supported by $150 billion in revenue earned by closing business tax loopholes, and includes $600 million in new competitive TIGER grants. The current highway transportation bill is scheduled to expire this fall.

Only two weeks remain to nominate young volunteers for the "Kohl's Cares" scholarship program. Kids ages 6 to 18 who have made a positive impact on their communities can be awarded scholarships and prizes, ranging from $50 Kohl's gift cards to $10,000 scholarships.

Canisius College's endowment has exceeded $100 million for the first time in the college's history, President John J. Hurley announced Wednesday. The endowment stands at $103,104,691, more than double its amount before the beginning of the college's last fundraising campaign, "A Legacy of Leadership," which concluded in 2012.

"This is a milestone for us, as we continue our ascent among regional comprehensive universities in the country," Hurley said. "But continued growth of the endowment remains a key priority."

Much like humans, dogs and puppies can also experience a feeling of illness while on car trips. This car sickness can make pet travel, whether short or long, quite an ordeal for dogs and their families. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help your dog in the car.

The New York State Sheriffs' Association held its election of officers at its 80th annual Winter Training Conference last week at the Desmond Hotel in Albany. Members elected Niagara County Sheriff James Voutour as 2nd vice president.

WGRZ's television ratings for The 2014 Winter Olympics were one of the strongest of any television station in the entire U.S.