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.
"In short, we have two candidates who, should they become lord mayor, will support and perpetuate the current system and one candidate who is willing to take what we’ve got and work toward something different," writes Brian Marshall.
"Who were these famous and groundbreaking Jewish women? What did they have to overcome to succeed? What drove them forward? Ambition, drive, resilience for certain," writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"Rick Hansen had been paralyzed in a car crash when he was only 15 years old. The years have gone by, and if he had been bilingual English/French, he just might have been the Governor General of Canada. What a life to reflect upon."
"We have to be clear with every level of government — arts and culture are important and they need government support to thrive. Arts, culture and heritage bring people to Niagara-on-the-Lake, but that doesn’t happen by accident," writes Wayne Gates.
"Thank goodness for prizes such as the Nobel Prize and now many other prizes which highlight the best of science — something urgently needed in these days of social media and ramped misinformation," writes Dr. William Brown.
The stories of Americans and Canadians who witnessed the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001 came together Friday at Queen's Royal Park at a ceremony to mark 25 years since that day.
John Scott shares how his wife, Michelle Scott, helped dozens of Americans who were in Canada the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, find their way across the border and home safely after all flights were grounded and airspaces closed.
Karen Taylor-Jones was the catalyst for a protest outside Niagara-on-the-Lake town hall two years ago that took the town to task over its decision to greenlight a luxury hotel on King Street.
Adriana Vizzari wants another four years on Niagara-on-the-Lake council to finish what she started: making the town a place where young families can put down roots, especially in St. Davids.
As Niagara-on-the-Lake heads toward the Oct. 26 municipal election, residents are weighing what the town needs next — and what they do not want to lose.
Fifteen years after volunteering at Red Roof Retreat during high school, Robert Burciul is back as its program co-ordinator, as the charity prepares to open the doors to its new, 5,700-square-foot facility in January.
James Grigjanis-Meusel, runner-up in the Open division of the men’s club championships, had the hottest hand, firing a 1-under 35 in Thursday’s men’s league.
"The Niagara Warehouse of Hope is a well of optimism in a landscape growing more and more barren," writes Garth Turner. Last year, the group turned out thousands of items it donated to new mothers and children in need around the world.
Premier Doug Ford's "populist presentation" is "a facade behind which his government diligently works to centralize power, control and decision-making in the premier and cabinet ministers’ offices," writes Brian Marshall.
"Not that long ago, refillable water bottles became standard and accepted," writes Ross Robinson. "Usually cheap, usually plastic and colourful, and clutched by millions and millions of humanoids."
"The central villain in this climate tragedy is carbon dioxide generated by the burning of fossil fuels. Sophisticated climate models make that clear despite the claims of climate change deniers," writes Dr. William Brown.
One of the most demanding annual tests of golf was played at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club on Friday. This year’s winners were Carolyn and Drew Porter with a net 65 score.
"On Queen Street, I heard the same story everywhere. The Americans were mortified. Apparently, nobody who comes here from the U.S. voted for that guy. Or will admit it," writes Garth Turner.
"Hospitality, viticulture and agriculture are the career choices of a comparable few, not the many. The town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has focused for so long and with single-minded purpose on tourism that it has largely become a single-source economy," writes Brian Marshall.
With quality performances from its two leads, superb production value and creative direction from Philip Akin, Adrienne Kennedy's story of love and betrayal is well-realized at the Shaw, writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"Senior researchers sometimes have advantages," writes Dr. William Brown, "However, those same laboratories can be stifling for budding young scientists who challenge traditional views and are open to fresh ideas."
Incumbent Coun. Andrew Niven says Niagara-on-the-Lake needs to protect what makes it different as it grows — and after almost two years helping make those decisions on council, he's ready to put his record before voters.
The council candidate in this year's election says the town has spent too long reacting to problems instead of getting ahead of them: “One thing at a time is how this town has been run."
Seventy-eight years ago, Orazio (Gary) Vincenzo Pillitteri arrived in Niagara with his father to escape political persecution in his native Sicily. Today, his family's Pillitteri Estates Winery is one of Canada’s most prolific wineries.
"Fallout from the Big Soak continues. This goes to the heart of governance issues. If we can’t trust our reps to deal with stuff like flooding or police the voracious developers in our midst, maybe it’s time to get some new ones," writes Garth Turner.
