Niagara County

05/22/2026

For all those hoping to get in a round or two this weekend. Let's hope the weather cooperates.

05/22/2026

When the Niagara County Legislature approved the creation of the Niagara County Ambulance Service in 2023, it was in designed to supplement the great work done by our volunteer first-responders who were faced with the dual problems of a declining numbers and more regulatory demands that were leaving them overtaxed. Now in its third year, the county service continues to be an invaluable component of our county’s overall emergency response system, working in hand in hand with our volunteers.

In 2024, the county ambulance service answered 1831 calls; in 2025, it grew to 2125; through April of 2026, they have already responded to 850 calls.

As today marks the end of National EMS Week, a time to thank our EMS personnel and first responders, Legislator Chris McKimmie presented a proclamation to members of the Niagara County Ambulance Service acknowledging their great work. Thank you to all those who provide emergency services to our community – we truly appreciate you.

05/21/2026

Niagara County Legislator Jesse Gooch read a proclamation declaring May as Bladder Cancer Awareness Month in Niagara County during Tuesday’s meeting, stressing the need for screening and early detection. To learn more about bladder cancer visit: https://www.cdc.gov/bladder-cancer/about/

05/21/2026

“The Legislature recognizes that non-profit arts and cultural groups like the Palace Theater serve as tremendous drivers of economic activity and enhance our overall quality of life which is why we created the Cultural Endowment Fund to help support them.” -- Legislator Rick Abbott

Chris, Jeremy and Rachel were honored to receive a check from Niagara County from the Cultural Endowment fund. These funds are vital to keep our doors open and lights shining!

Thank you to our legislator Rick Abbott for delivering the check and being a huge supporter of the arts!

05/21/2026

The Niagara County Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services (NCDMH) invites the public to a Community Forum, “A Community Conversation on Substance Use, Recovery Supports and Pathways to Care: Identifying What’s Going Well and What We Need in Our City” on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. The event will be at City Hall at 1 Locks Plaza, Lockport, NY 14094. Prior to the start of the forum from 4:45 PM to 5:30 PM, local service providers will be onsite providing information on available services, supports and resources.

“This effort comes at a critical time, particularly with the recent closure of Save the Michaels Recovery Community Center in Lockport,” said Laura Kelemen, NCDMH Director. “Since NCDMH is the state-designated authority for overseeing our local services system, we are working diligently to gather data and input, and to conduct a gap analysis to inform a local needs assessment for sober support, activities, peer recovery advocacy, and more in the Lockport Community.

The event will bring together residents, service providers, local organizations, and county and city leadership to share experiences, identify gaps, and highlight opportunities for strengthening care and recovery supports for individuals with substance use concerns and/or co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns.

Community members are encouraged to send questions, concerns, comments ahead of time using the following link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LockportNeeds2026. Submissions will be grouped into key themes to guide a panel discussion for a portion of the forum.

“Given recent events, like the aforementioned closing of our local Recovery Community Center, it is more important than ever that we listen directly to residents and identify what supports are needed, “ said Laura Kelemen, NCDMH Director, “This event gives us the opportunity to gather meaningful input that will help guide future investments, strengthen pathways to care, and help us advocate with our state agencies so our community is not left without critical recovery resources.”

A flyer promoting the event is being distributed throughout the city and on social media.

For additional information or to see the full list of partners joining the event, follow the Niagara County Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services on Facebook. For questions regarding the event, please call (716) 439-7410.

05/20/2026

Thank you to our great team at the golf course and parks department for getting the course fully open in spite of a very wet spring.

05/19/2026

The Niagara County Legislature is in session this evening at 6 p.m. at the Niagara County Courthouse in Lockport. The meeting is open to anyone who would like to attend.

For those who would like to watch the meeting from home, the meeting can be viewed on cable on Lockport Community Television (LCTV) Ch. 1303, over-the-air on WBNF-CD Channel 15.5, or can streamed on-line here: https://lctv.net/?page_id=1103

Meeting materials can be found at: https://cms5.revize.com/revize/niagaracounty/government/legislature/agendas_legislative_meetings/2026_agendas___minutes.php

For those who want to view the meeting at a later date, it can be found in the LCTV on-demand library: https://trms.lctv.net/CablecastPublicSite/gallery/34?channel=3

05/18/2026

Closure of Ewings Rd. delayed until Tuesday, May 26.

05/15/2026

Read the full press releasse on the Candlelight Cabinetry acquisition here: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-re-opening-lockport-cabinet-factory-through-acquisition-candlelight

05/14/2026

Legislator Chris McKimmie, Chairman of the Community Safety & Security Committee and a police officer himself, presented proclamations to Sheriff Mike Filicetti and his leadership team recognizing National Corrections Officers Week (May 3-9) and National Police Week (May 10-16) and thanking the men and women of the Sheriff’s Office for the great work they do.

In his remarks, Sheriff Filicetti thanked the Corrections Officers and Deputy Sheriffs for the work they do keeping our community safe and made sure to mention Police Memorial Day, recognized on May 15, stating “the way we don’t forgot the ones we lost is to keep saying their names.”

05/13/2026

Two staff members from the Niagara County Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (NCDMH) had the honor to present at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing Annual Conference, held in Denver at the end of April. NCDMH Deputy Director Myrla Gibbons-Doxey and Community Coalition Coordinator Connie Desmarais presented, “The Power of We: Inspiring Partnerships in a Rural System of Care.”

Specifically, the NCDMH team shared how Niagara County delivers rural mental health care through creative outreach, youth engagement, and strategic partnership to enhance collaborations and connection. They discussed both the use of technology like the WellNiagara app and a youth-focused evidenced based app as well as creative outreach strategies—such as branded coffee sleeves, pizza box flyers, and public art—that can be adapted to increase mental health awareness in rural communities.

“Our peers across the country were interested in our blend of strategies and partnerships to reach into our rural communities and ensure those residents are aware and able to access important mental health care services,” said Gibbons-Doxey, who added that the New York State Office of Mental Health's Su***de Prevention Center of NY has now asked her and Desmarais to present at their conference this September. “This was a great opportunity to highlight Niagara County, share our approach that can be replicated and receive collaborative feedback from other professionals.”

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of more than 3,200 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 15 million children, adults and families they serve. Through their Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program, they have trained more than 4.5 million people in the U.S. to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges. The National Council for Mental Wellbeing Annual Conference is the largest annual conference for behavioral healthcare that focuses on mental health and substance use treatment, hosting over 5,000 attendees each year from around the country.