Lauren O'Malley, Author at Niagara Now

NOTL firefighters launch smoke alarm program

Expiry dates are tricky things. Sometimes you can ignore them on food with relative safety — but you can’t ignore them on smoke or carbon monoxide alarms. Yes, those life-saving gadgets have expiry

Harvest dinner to benefit Amy Janzen

Harvest is an important time in an agricultural community. It’s a time of abundance, of collaboration, of gathering. That’s why Kirsten Young decided to host a harvest fundraiser for her friend-since-childhood Amy Janzen.

Proxy voting in Niagara

There are three ways to vote in the upcoming municipal elections: You can cast a ballot on election day, vote in an advance poll, or use a voting proxy at either. How does

A Night to Fight for Alanda Ogilvie

“People’s generosity is staggering. I just get blown away more and more every day,” says Mark Neufeld with some awe. Neufeld met Alanda Ogilvie and her then-future husband Mark while working with them

Project Bike Swap a success

Bicycle theft is a complex issue, and Project Bike Swap aims to minimize and manage it. The Niagara Police Street Crime Unit of Niagara Falls has been patrolling popular locations for bike theft

EarlyON Centre opening at Seaway Mall

Niagara’s newest EarlyON Child and Family Centre is opening in the Seaway Mall, Welland. Saturday, Sept. 15 is the carnival-themed kick-off, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The family-friendly event will include educational

Ontario Contact at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre

Ontario Contact is bringing some of the best artists touring in Ontario to a three-day event in St Catharines. The performances are open to the public, and free of charge. Ontario Contact is

Grand Canadian Steampunk Exposition postponed

Maybe the War of the Worlds wasn’t the best theme to choose for the fifth annual Great Canadian Steampunk Exposition — it seems to have become predictive. A kind of war broke out

The Rezza Brothers

The Rezza Brothers have known screaming fans. While being driven in a limo to gigs where they performed for tens of thousands of people, they’ve heard giggling girls request their songs on the

Farm-hers of NOTL: Kim McQuhae

At 16, Kim McQuhae left a note for her parents: “Skipping school today, going out to buy a horse.” Using the money she had saved from scooping ice cream at Taylor’s Bakery and

New look for Newark Neighbours

“I call the old colour of the building ‘school portable yellow’,” says Pat Hicks, a volunteer at Newark Neighbours. “It was a little worse-for-wear, and didn’t do much to entice people in.” A

Niagara Polo returns to NOTL in September

Niagara Polo, presented by the Niagara Historical Society and Museum will return to Niagara-on-the-Lake this September. The event will be held in the Commons, where the sport was played more than a hundred years ago by military field

Wine and Words offers unique pairings

Wine and Words makes excellent pairings — of books and blends, authors and appellations. The Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library coordinates the very popular series, featuring Canadian authors at local wineries. Typically the writer will discuss

Willowbank renovated and open

Janis Barlow, executive director of Willowbank, calls the Hamilton-Bright Estate, or the “House on the Hill,” a “classical temple in the wilderness.” The house is now home to Willowbank academy, which teaches classic

Newark Neighbours donates to Red Roof Retreat

For the third year in a row, Newark Neighbours presented Red Roof Retreat with the shop’s income from the month of July. “It’s a great thing, charities helping charities,” said Steffanie Bjorgan, executive

Peach Pickers’ Picnic brings Jamaica to NOTL

Let’s get together and feel all right — that was the vibe of the annual Peach Pickers’ Picnic, as hundreds of residents and migrant workers came out for a taste of Jamaican and

Bikes for Farmworkers creating BFF’s

There’s no surprise the acronym for Bikes For Farmworkers is BFF. The group is indeed creating lasting friendships. The volunteers — between four and six people — work on bicycles for very grateful

Native Centre to host back to school event

It’s possible not all kids are thrilled about going back to school, but the back to school event at the Niagara Regional Native Centre is something to get excited about. On Thursday, August

Farm-hers of NOTL: Rose Bartel

In another chapter of our “Farm-hers” series, we’ll meet Rose Bartel, the dominant half of the team at Bartel Organics. She and her husband Ken run the three-acre farm, selling a mix of

West Nile Virus confirmed in Niagara

Niagara Public Health has announced that mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile Virus have been found in Niagara. There have been no confirmed human cases of West Nile in Niagara to date. The

Italian restaurant “Twisted Vine” to replace Lawrenceville in Virgil

Ending months of speculation regarding the former Lawrenceville Restaurant in Virgil, Niagara Now has gone beyond the grapevine and straight to the new owner of the property. Joe Marchese, owner for 13 years of

Royal Elite International Academy rebranding local

Lauren O’Malley Staff Niagara-on-the-Lake’s only high school is getting a new look, as Royal Elite International Academy rebrands itself as Vineridge Academy. The shift reflects the school’s commitment to its surrounding community. “The

Farm-hers of Niagara-on-the-Lake

If you follow Linc Farm on social media, you might think farm life is all calf kisses and sheep snuggles at the Niagara-on-the-Lake range. In real life, Juliet Orazietti, half owner of the

Margaret Molokach

In the world of a wardrobe runner, everything “has to happen quietly and in the dark.” That’s according to Margaret Molokach, head of wardrobe running at the Shaw Festival. Run is the operative word in her

Peach Pickers’ Picnic returns to NOTL August 12

For the 12th year in a row, Jane Andres is planning a big thank-you to Niagara-on-the-Lake's migrant farm workers by coordinating the annual Peach Pickers' Picnic. The smells of island food will waft across the

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