LANCASTER- Rebecca Romney, rare book expert on Pawn Stars, History’s No.1 cable television show and manager of Bauman Rare Books in Las Vegas, joins an already stellar line up for a special Vegas themed fundraiser benefitting the Lancaster Opera House.

She will join Chumlee, the lovable comic character from the show along with frequent guest and American history expert, Mark Hall-Patton. WKBW’s AM Buffalo host Linda Pellegrino will interview the stars and field audience questions. Also on the program is nationally recognized Neil Diamond impersonator, Mark Thomas. Members of the Buffalo Jills will be on hand for photo opportunities and autographs.

Refreshments will be available, as well as a basket raffle to benefit the Lancaster Opera House and the Lancaster Academy of Finance Internship Program. This once in a lifetime event is not to be missed.

The event takes place from 7 to 11 p.m. Aug. 20, in the auditorium at Lancaster High School, 1 Forton Drive.

General Admission tickets are $35. A limited number of VIP tickets will be available for $100. This VIP package includes priority seating in the front of the house, and an exclusive meet and greet with Chumlee.

Tickets are now available through the Lancaster Opera House Box Office which is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and one hour before curtain on show nights.

The Lancaster Opera House Box Office is located on the second floor of the Lancaster Town Hall, 21 Central Ave., Lancaster. Tickets can also be purchased by calling 683-1776 or on the web at www.LancOpera.org.

LANCASTER- In the early morning hours of April 30 LVAC helped bring hope to thousands of children in Western New York.

Fifteen LVAC members hawked 600 newspapers during rush-hour traffic and raised $1,021.37 for Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo during the annual Buffalo News Kids Day.

The amount shattered last year’s total of $800 raised and 500 papers sold.

2013 marks the 31st year of the fundraising drive, which has raised more than $4 million for the Robert Warner M.D. Center for Children with Special Needs and Children’s Charities of WNY. More than 3,000 volunteers from across Western New York sold the special edition for $1. But many generous drivers donated more than the suggested $1 with several people donating $20.

LVAC again was assigned the intersection of Broadway and Transit in Depew and volunteers sold newspapers from 6 to 8:30 a.m. Members placed orange traffic cones between lanes and wore high-visibility vests to ensure their safety in traffic.

And proving that our primary mission to provide responsible EMS care never ends, our two ambulances on location at the event were even called away to respond to medical emergencies.

Our Kids Day volunteers were Charlie Basher, Jeff Bono, Kyle Haniszewski, Kyle Rzeszutek, Todd Okoniewski, Andy Parker, Larry Pohl, Joe Popiolkowski, Amanda Popiolkowski, Chester Popiolkowski, Mark Reinhard, Amy Revelas, Allison Revelas, Bill Revelas, and Alex Sharkey.

LANCASTER- The newest addition to the LVAC fleet of vehicles is a 2012 Ford Type II van ambulance. Designated by Erie County as “826,” it is LVAC’s first van-style ambulance in 25 years.

It carries the same life-saving equipment as our modular, or “big box” ambulances, but in a more compact vehicle. 826 responded to its first emergency on April 30. 826 currently provides basic and intermediate life support with an upgrade to paramedic-level care planned for the near future.

LVAC has six ambulances and a paramedic-level fly car in its fleet.

LANCASTER- Spring’s here at last and we want to help your garden grow this year. A broad variety of plants to enhance your garden, hanging baskets, garden tools and décor items, and –new this year – artworks for sale by a variety of local artists will be available at the Hull Family Home & Farmstead’s Spring Garden Extravaganza & Art Show on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19.

This event takes place on the grounds of the historic farmstead site, 5962 Genesee St., at Pavement Road, in Lancaster. Sale open hours both days will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

Artist display spaces for the Art Show are still available for as little as $20 – contact Gary Howell at 440-4688 or ghowell@hullfamilyhome.org right away to reserve your spot. Perennials, daylilies, ground covers, vegetable seedlings, herbs, and houseplants will be available, well priced and all donated by local growers and gardeners. Each child will receive a free plant.

All proceeds benefit the Hull Family Home & Farmstead, the all-volunteer, non-profit historic site under restoration and development into the region’s only living history experience interpreting settler life in WNY during the 1810-1825 pre-Erie Canal period. Anchored by Erie County’s oldest intact residence c. 1810, the site hosts a variety of seasonal events each year, please visit www.hullfamilyhome.org for schedule.

ALDEN, LANCASTER- Organizers of the original Marilla Car, Truck & Cycle Show are revving up for Western New York's largest such event to raise money for Mercy Flight.

The 10th annual show will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 28, at a new location in Alden Town Park, Broadway and West Main Street.

The event, which is staffed annually by volunteers, offers a family-friendly atmosphere as well as classic and custom cars and motorcycles from across the East Coast and Canada. In 2012, the show featured about 1,000 vehicles.

Show organizers will welcome back celebrity guests including Byron Cherry, “Coy Duke” from “The Dukes of Hazzard;” Diane Sox, wife of the late Champion Racer Ronnie Sox, “The Boss,” founder of the Ronnie Sox Foundation; Lou Santiago, host of the show “Car Fix” and one of the top five car builders in the country who will present a live seminar sponsored by Impala Brothers; and Felix Silla, who portrayed Cousin Itt, Twiki, Ewok and more. Nashville recording artist Ricky Lee also will perform a two-hour concert, sponsored by the Made in America Store.

The opening ceremony at noon will be emceed by special guest Carl Russo from 97Rock and past chairman Vinny Beisiegel. There will be more than 200 awards, live music, celebrity cars, vendors, a Chinese auction, raffles, 50/50 split, food, beverages, Kids Zone and more. A “Bo Duke” look-alike contest also will be featured, while Sensational Sounds will hold its karaoke finalist contest.

Admission will be free, and the show will go on rain or shine. Vehicle registration will be held from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Alden Hook & Ladder Fire Department, Station 2, 11856 Broadway. Fees will be $15 before July 15 and $20 from July 15 to show day. The first 300 registrants will receive a limited-edition 10th-anniversary gift, and the first 500 registrants will receive a dash plaque and goody bag.

A Celebrity Dinner will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at the Whistle Stop Inn, 1338 Exchange St., Alden, and limited presale tickets will be available for $25.

Proceeds will be donated to Mercy Flight, an independent, not-for-profit provider of emergency air-medical transport services that serves Western New York and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

For more information or to inquire about registering a vehicle, e-mail MarillaAutoShow@yahoo.com or visit www.MarillaAutoShow.com.