At the final meetup of Niagara-on-the-Lake's mayoral candidates before the polls open on election day, Oct. 26, Erwin Wiens, Andrea Kaiser and Vaughn Goettler were divided on a variety of issues, including how a municipality is supposed to be run.
Early voting gave some Niagara-on-the-Lake residents peace of mind, while others saw it as an opportunity to make their voices heard ahead of election day.
The Lake Report asked more nominees for trustees what their top three priorities are, why they decided to run and what they would like to change or fix at the school board level.
The gloves came off on stage Thursday night when one Niagara-on-the-Lake council candidate accused two fellow candidates, both incumbents, of betraying residents over the Parliament Oak development.
At barely 14, NOTL's Kaige Zhu and Eli Perng already competed in tournaments far more intense and demanding than most recreational golfers will ever experience. But they're just getting started.
"The delight of this production owes much to its buoyant, genuine performances, fine direction, imaginative minimalist staging, creepy sounds and lively puppets," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"We created AI and now AI helps us understand ourselves, our world and our universe. That’s why AI, biology and physics have so much in common," writes Dr. William Brown.
After reading Kevin MacLean's article on his experience in the emergency room at the St. Catharines hospital, Wendy Cheropita shares the trials of her own "waiting game": "What I didn’t know was what lay ahead of me. This was my first visit in 10 years."
"After years of putting together Christmas planters of all shapes and sizes, I have learned that some simple techniques can help you get off to a good start and hopefully take some of the frustration out of this task," writes Joanne Young, sharing just what those steps are.
"Using evergreen boughs and trees is one of the longest Christmas traditions. The year-round green foliage provides us with a sign of hope to carry us through the winter and into the new year," writes Joanne Young.
"Humanity feels absent from the equation except for the brief few minutes of direct interaction with a nurse or doctor that occur along the way. There are just too many sick or hurting people for The System to cope," writes Kevin Maclean.
Many celebrated across the country on Nov. 11, 1918 as the First World War came to an end. However, many soldiers on the front lines were almost stunned with the anti-climatic silence that ensued.
"Here in Niagara-on-the-Lake, I suggest that one of the primary 'benefits' is the character and heritage of the town that we have inherited. And, when a part of that inheritance is threatened, I argue that our elected officials are obligated to fight for its preservation," writes Brian Marshall.
"Before you start stuffing all those leaves into bags, you may want to consider making use of them as mulch in your gardens," writes Joanne Young, sharing her tips for properly collecting dead leaves for compost.
When it comes to putting your garden to bed for the winter, there are a few things that you can do to help your evergreens make it through the cold weather looking their best.
"The formation of stars, galaxies and the natural elements combines the dominant themes of physics in the first half of the 20th century: General relativity ... and quantum physics," writes Dr. William Brown.
"It is cheaper and easier for a developer to do the cookie-cutter thing, creating a series of isolated dwellings ... that do not embrace community but are inwardly focused on the individual occupying family," writes Brian Marshall.
For some, autumn is just a sign of the impending winter season, but Joanne Young writes, "as long as it lasts, we need to enjoy this wonderful weather and the changing of leaf colours."
"The good people of the NOTL Legion work so diligently and enthusiastically to organize social events and fundraising projects. I quickly learned that the activities and social events are almost never-ending," writes Ross Robinson, the newest member of Legion Branch 124.
Gene editing once held "the promise of fixing mutant genes responsible for the mutant proteins that cause hundreds of other protein-related diseases," writes Dr. Brown. "Unfortunately, transforming theory into practice is difficult."
"With some exceptions, progress in science is usually incremental and biology, especially biochemistry," writes Dr. Brown, analyzing how our understanding of the science behind DNA has evolved — while some central questions remain.
"Fall is a great time to be dividing some of your clumps of perennials in the garden, especially during the month of October," writes Joanne Young, sharing tips on how to know which ones can be divided at this time and the best way to get it done.
"The public mood is sour. Houses are crazy. High rates didn’t bring lower prices. There are still 8,000 people in NOTL without a family doctor. And now there’s employment anxiety," writes Garth Turner.
"The future of this glorious piece of Canadian history and heritage is placed in question," writes Brian Marshall of the Glencairn estate. "Having survived the highs and lows of nearly 200 years, what will happen to it next year?"
Ross Robinson shares some observations of the goings on of Niagara-on-the-Lake's busy downtown street — from the cenotaph repairs, crosswalking concerns, ostentatious bikers and public vaping (why does anyone do it?).
"The scenic cornrows of grapes, the river’s majesty, the horses and storybook gardens of the Old Town hide a troubling anti-establishment buzz. Animosity is growing," writes Garth Turner.
It's a trick question: by pruning your shrubs in the early fall, before its leaves have dropped, you will cut off food the plant stored throughout the year, which will result in a weaker plant, writes Joanne Young.
