RED CROSS

Spate of fire emergencies sends volunteers into action

The American Red Cross Serving Erie & Niagara Counties assisted 21 Western New Yorkers following fire emergencies between Sunday and early Monday.
Sunday, Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers provided assistance in the form of food, clothing and shelter to children and adults affected by fires on Wasson Street in Lackawanna and Pennsylvania Street in Buffalo.
And on Monday, a team volunteer came to the aid of a family following a fire on Lockport Street in Niagara Falls.
The Red Cross Serving Erie & Niagara Counties on average spends more than $1,000 when responding to a single house fire affecting a family of four.
To make a donation, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS.
A $10 donation also can be made by texting the words REDCROSS to 90999.
Charges will appear on the cellphone bill of the donor.
ITALIAN FESTIVAL

Lawn of South Park Lake setting for 8th annual event

Buffalo’s other celebration of Italian food and culture – the eighth annual South Buffalo Italian Festival – will take place from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday on the lawn by South Park Lake, near the Botanical Gardens.
In addition to food served up by area restaurants, there will be basket auctions, prize drawings, activities for children and bocce ball.
Singer Nick Battistella will perform favorites from the era of Frank Sinatra.
Proceeds benefit neighborhood beautification projects.
Assemblyman Mark J.F. Schroeder, who conceived the festival eight years ago and whose grandparents came from Italy, will lead the crowd in singing several verses of “Che a Luna” in Italian. For information, call 824-9942.
NIAGARA FALLS

Community meeting tonight on new housing incentives

NIAGARA FALLS – A community meeting to discuss the city’s new downtown housing incentive will be held tonight in the offices of Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, 640 Park Place.
Residents are encouraged to attend the 6:30 meeting to learn more about the housing initiative, which attracted national attention when it was announced in June.
Under the plan, the city would help pay the student loans of applicants who move to a targeted downtown just blocks from the falls.
When first announced, an outpouring of interest came from upstate New York, as well as California, Oregon, New York City and other coastal areas – most seeking a new home and relief from crushing student loan debt.
TOWN OF ALEXANDER

Bicentennial celebration features daylong activities

ALEXANDER – The Town of Alexander celebrated its bicentennial Saturday with daylong activities centered around the historic cobblestone town-village offices.
The town was incorporated in June 1812, as were Bethany, Le Roy and Pembroke, and named for its first settler, Alexander Rhea. Its most famous resident was Rep. Barber B. Conable Jr., who later headed the World Bank.