The Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees will review recommendations related to closing Center Street (for festivals or large-scale events) at its 6 p.m. work session on Monday.

In September, Mayor Terry Collesano formed an ad hoc committee to review how, when and why the village's main thoroughfare is closed. The panel wasted little time in drafting a letter that suggests the creation of an all-encompassing event application and event/procedure form.

"It seemed like there was no set application form or process to get approval" to close Center Street, said Rick Haight.

Look for a somewhat low-key Election Day, Tuesday Nov. 8, especially if you're voting in the towns of northern Niagara County.

The New York Power Authority and Seaway Trail, Inc. have installed three history- and nature-themed Great Lakes Seaway Trail "Outdoor Storyteller" signage units at the Niagara Power Project locations in Lewiston and the City of Niagara Falls.

The "Fort Schlosser: Guarding the Upper Landing" panel is at the project's water intakes in a scenic overlook park that is part of the NYPA project, but located in the City of Niagara Falls on the shoreline of the Niagara River. The natural history-theme Great Lakes Seaway Trail "Outdoor Storyteller" featuring the "Great Cataract of Niagara" is also here.

Two of the panels chronicle the local area's role in the French and Indian War. The panel titled "Fighting for Homeland: American Indian Allies" is located next to the outdoor turbine exhibit at NYPA's Power Vista Visitor Center for the Niagara Power Project in Lewiston.

Assemblyman John Ceretto today invited Gil Quiniones, who has been nominated as the new president and CEO of the New York Power Authority by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, to visit Niagara County. The two would discuss Niagara County's role in the NYPA system. Quiniones currently serves as NYPA's acting president and CEO.

The Western New York Land Conservancy recognized the acquisition of the first protected property on the Niagara Escarpment, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday.

Tuesday's general election features a rematch of the 2007 race for town supervisor between Peter McMahon and Mary Cooke.

Cooke said four years ago after her defeat that some had urged her to run a negative campaign, which she declined to do. This year, she's pointed out what she considers McMahon's shortcomings and called a vote for the incumbent a vote for the status quo. McMahon's campaign has primarily focused on his tenure as supervisor, saying that with regard to his accomplishments in such areas as reducing debt and expanding green space, "leadership is the key."

For one county lawmaker retiring as the Niagara County Legislature downsizes in response to a public referendum, the final weeks of his term have provided an opportunity to bring a multi-year battle to a successful close.

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.

The American Legion Wheatfield Post 1451 will conduct Veterans Day ceremonies at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at the Wheatfield veterans monument on Ward Road.

On Election Day, Holy Ghost Lutheran School will have hundreds of homemade baked goods for sale starting at 6 a.m.

Assemblyman John Ceretto, R-I-Lewiston, is urging state leaders to provide $10 million to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority to help close the authority's $15 million deficit and avoid service cuts and layoffs.

Seneca Nation of Indians President Robert Odawi Porter wrote Wednesday to the Cuomo administration scolding it for what he described as not negotiating in good faith about gaming money withheld from the state and casino host communities. However, Porter also agreed to waive the negotiation process required under the state gaming compact and proposed an expedited arbitration process to quickly resolve the issue.

Porter noted that he wrote to Gov. Andrew Cuomo nearly nine months ago. In that letter, the president proposed an alternative so the Nation could pay directly to Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Salamanca and other casino host communities.

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.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center has set an early November project start for $400,000 of building renovations and technology upgrades at the Summit Healthplex in Wheatfield.

The new digital mammography suite will feature a state-of-the-art, full field digital system with a computer aided detection program, a dedicated workstation for image display and interpretation; and a digital picture archiving and communication system.

This digital technology will shorten a patient's exam time, lower the radiation dosage, enhance physicians' image interpretation capabilities and reduce the need for retesting.

Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will conduct a weekday flu shot clinic for adults 18 and older from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, in the hospital's auditorium, 621 10th St., Niagara Falls.

The United States Army Reserve's 99th Regional Support Command will conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the Niagara Falls Armed Forces Reserve Center later this morning.

VA Western New York Healthcare System is celebrating Veterans Day with ceremonies at both the Batavia and Buffalo sites. All veterans are encouraged to wear their medals as America recognizes the legacy of veterans on Friday, Nov. 11.

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.

The Niagara Region's state legislators - including sens. George Maziarz and Mark Grisanti, and Assemblyman John Ceretto - have been working hard behind the scenes to help resolve the dispute between the Seneca Nation of Indians and the state of New York over the distribution of revenues from the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel. In January 2009, the Seneca Nation began withholding revenue payments due to its belief that the state breached the 2002 compact that gave gaming exclusivity rights to the Native American tribe.

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.

A jarring fact underscores the events and activities that Roswell Park Cancer Institute has coordinated as part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month this November: 1,500 people die every year in Erie County because of this disease, which is the biggest cancer killer in the U.S. Lung cancer kills more men than prostate cancer and more women than breast cancer.

"By getting these cancers detected early when they're small and more easily treated, we can cut that statistic down dramatically," said Mary Reid, Ph.D.

The American Business Women's Association of Western New York will hold its monthly professional development seminar on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at Banchetti's Banquets and Catering, 550 N. French Road, Amherst.

The professional development speaker is Susan McCartney of the Small Business Development Center at Buffalo State College. She will focus her presentation on strategic planning for small businesses. The public is welcome to attend this seminar.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Cost for members is $25 before Nov. 6 and $30 after that date. Walk-ins are welcome; the cost is $30. Non-members are $20. A buffet dinner is included.

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

The Great Lakes Seaway Trail is a nationally recognized, authentic American road trip experience in New York and Pennsylvania. The not-for-profit Seaway Trail Inc. is reinforcing the message that the National Scenic Byway is good for the Western New York economy and local businesses with a new member incentive program.

The 518-mile Great Lakes Seaway Trail connects places such as Buffalo, Wilson, Lewiston and Niagara Falls with byway communities stretching along the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and Lake Erie.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and, from Nov. 14-18, Mount St. Mary's Hospital will celebrate "Diabetes Awareness Week" with an array of displays, programs and information throughout the hospital.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, "Know Your Diabetes: Nutrition -- Dine and Discuss Diabetes" will be presented at 6 p.m. in the Mount St. Mary's cafeteria. This program is conducted by diabetes education and nutrition services at Mount St. Mary's and will feature a free, carbohydrate-counted meal with information on making good food choices. The program is free, but seating is limited. Pre-Registration is required at 298-2145.

Old Falls Street, Global Spectrum, the Pine Avenue Business Association and The Como Restaurant are teaming up to put on the second annual night of Italian fare, family, wine, and a good time on Thursday Nov. 17. "Italian Feast Night" will be presented from 6 until 10 p.m. at The Conference Center Niagara Falls, 101 Old Falls St., Niagara Falls.

"Italian Feast Night" is catered by The Como Restaurant and The Conference Center of Niagara Falls. Guests can enjoy an Italian buffet of traditional dishes, including pasta, Italian delights and a variety of delectable desserts. Additionally, the celebration will have music by The Formula Band to set the Italian mood.

Italians have a long tradition in the area of Niagara Falls. This feast is a fundraiser for the Pine Avenue Business Association, which continues to preserve culture and traditions in the area.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door, and include a complementary beverage. Tickets can be purchased in advance from The Conference Center Niagara Falls, the Como Restaurant (on Pine Avenue), and The Pine Avenue Business Association.

The controversial state-financed move of a downtown Niagara Falls insulation manufacturing company to Tonawanda will receive an airing before the Niagara County Legislature tonight.

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.

National Fuel says that the cost of heating our homes may go down a little bit this year. That's good news. But the Government Accountability Office reports that a quarter of older Americans have exhausted their savings during the recession. Obviously, that's not good news.

First Presbyterian Church, located at Fifth and Cayuga streets in Lewiston, hosts a church bazaar from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Baked goods, jams, jellies, cheese, pies, knitted items, gifts and much more will be available at the event. Additionally, if you vote at the church on Election Day, coffee, muffins and danish can be picked up on your way to work.

Over the weekend, representatives Kathy Hochul, Brian Higgins, Louise Slaughter and Tom Reed, along with senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, called on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate whether Colgan Airlines intentionally withheld emails from a federal agency during the investigation of the crash of the Continental Connection Flight 3407 in February 2009.

"The people in my district experienced an unimaginable tragedy that took the lives of 50 of their loved ones," Hochul said. "The 3407 families deserve to know the truth, which is why we're calling on Attorney General Holder to investigate whether Colgan and its parent company intentionally withheld key evidence during the NTSB inquiry. We will not rest until we have all the answers."

A holiday tradition is returning to the Niagara region.

The Greater Niagara Ballet Co. and the United Way of Greater Niagara are teaming up to present the "Sugarplum Fairy Breakfast" - an offshoot of the popular but discontinued "Barbie Luncheon" - on Saturday, Nov. 12. All children in attendance will receive a special Barbie doll and enter to win a "Holiday" Barbie.

Families can enjoy breakfast and interact with character dancers participating in the GNBC's annual holiday production of "The Nutcracker."

YMCA Buffalo Niagara is inviting Western New Yorkers to cheer on the participants for the 116th annual YMCA Turkey Trot as "Trot Gobblers." Held every Thanksgiving morning, the race welcomes more than 12,500 participants to the 8K course on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.

Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, NY-28th district, has encouraged all seniors and their families to take advantage of Medicare's open enrollment.

VA Western New York Healthcare System will host a Native American Month Awareness event at the Buffalo site, 3495 Bailey Ave., Buffalo, at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 4, in Freedom Hall, Room 301.

The importance of blacksmithing during the Revolutionary War in making guns and other vital equipment will be explained by Irene Purificato in a talk to the Niagara Falls Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, on Saturday, Nov. 5.

St. Peter's Lutheran School, 6168 Walmore Road, Sanborn, will hold a Chiavetta's "Drive-Thru" chicken barbecue from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, at the school.

The cost is $8 and includes half a chicken, baked potato, corn, dinner roll with butter and a brownie, along with condiments and utensils so you're ready to eat.

The fundraiser is sponsored by the seventh- and eighth-grade classes to raise funds for their New York City trip in the spring. This is a long running tradition at St. Peter's for the upperclassmen to take a bigger "field trip" away every other year.

The Lewiston-Porter Historical Society of the Lew-Port School District will host its fourth annual Veterans Day dinner on Thursday, Nov. 10, in the Lew-Port High School cafeteria.

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.