Category: Local News

• Abandoned Puppy Arrest – Police have arrested and charged a 63 year-old man in connection to the abandonment of seven puppies along the Niagara Parkway in Niagara Falls. Four of the puppies are still in the care of the Niagara SPCA, two are unaccounted for and one was found deceased. (Niagara Regional Police)
• Dog Ban Vote To Be Redone – A vote to ban dogs in Pelham cemeteries at Pelham Council resulted in a 3-3 tie vote, which normally results in a lost motion. However, instead the motion will be deferred until the Jan 24 meeting when all seven members of council are present to vote. (Pelham Today)
• Welland Ex Land May Be Sold – Niagara Regional Agricultural Society President Colin Bowman has allegedly signed a letter of intent for the sale of the 75 acre Niagara Regional Exhibition property in Welland where the Niagara Regional Exhibition is held. However, Michael Philpott, OAAS District Six President, said a special meeting with membership should have been called first to discuss the sale. (Thorold Today)
• Criticism About Forestry Work – St. Catharines city councillors faced opposition from arborists, citizens, and union representatives as they considered a proposal to contract out city forestry work in the 2024-26 budget. Critics expressed concerns about potential long-term costs, the private sector’s lack of vested interest, and the impact on the city’s tree canopy and urban forestry management plan. (St. Catharines Standard)
• Police Cleared – The Ontario Special Investigations Unit has cleared Niagara Regional Police officers after a man who was fleeing police fell down a slope by the Twelve Mile Creek and suffered a collapsed lung. (The River)
• Police Board Elections – A special public board meeting of the Regional Municipality of Niagara Police Services Board was held on Thursday for the Board’s election of Chair and Vice Chair for the 2024 term. Jen Lawson was re-elected Chair for a second term while Nyarayi Kapisavanhu was elected to serve her first term as Vice-Chair. (Niagara Regional Police)

• Bradley Addresses Committee – Regional Chair Jim Bradley appeared before a Provincial Standing Committee to share his personal views on the housing crisis and Niagara’s governance structure. Bradley said that making changes to the local governance without fully comprehending the entire system can have dire consequences on the delivery of municipal service and on a community’s ability to build more homes. (Niagara Region)
• Water Levels Rising – The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority is saying the wet winter has resulted in water levels being above average for this time of year but the levels remain well below critical flood elevations. (GiantFM)
• Job Fair – Niagara Parks will be holding three job fairs for the 2024 season, with the first taking place on Saturday, January 20 at the Table Rock Centre. The other two job fairs will take place March 2 and April 13 at the Niagara Parks Power Station. (Niagara Parks)
• Record Year For Library – The St. Catharines Public Library experienced a surge in popularity, setting a record for loans in 2023 by lending out over one million items, with a 26% increase in physical circulation and a 25% rise in digital circulation. The library attributed the boost to post-COVID eagerness to return to community spaces and economic challenges. (Niagara This Week)
• Speed Cameras Moving – Niagara’s four automated speed enforcement cameras are being relocated. The cameras are being moved to Central Avenue in Fort Erie, Main Street in Grimsby, Victoria Avenue in Lincoln and on Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake. (St. Catharines Standard)

• Governance Review Coming – Individuals and organizations are set to present their perspectives on the region’s governance to an Ontario legislative committee in St. Catharines on Wednesday. The standing committee will gather feedback to possibly eliminate the Niagara Region or explore alternative city models. (St. Catharines Standard)
• Bridge Closure – The Glendale Avenue bridge over the Welland Canal will be closed Monday and Tuesday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. for maintenance. (Giant FM)
• Port To Host Hockey Championships – Port Colborne is hosting the 2024 National Para Hockey Championships May 16 to 19 at the Vale Centre. At least seven provinces are expected to send teams to compete, including Ontario and Saskatchewan. (St. Catharines Standard)
• Police Cleared Of Death – The Ontario Special Investigations Unit has cleared Niagara Parks Police of any wrong-doing after a man died in Niagara Falls last September. The man jumped into the Niagara River escarpment after police approached the man to talk to him. (The River)

• NOTL Changes Council Meeting Time – Niagara-on-the-Lake council meetings will be held at 6 p.m. in 2024. Previously, most meetings were held Tuesday mornings but the morning meetings interfered with the councillor’s regular jobs and evening meetings appear to draw more viewers. (Niagara-on-the-Lake Local)
• Police Board Meeting Scheduled – A special public board meeting of the Regional Municipality of Niagara Police Services Board will take place on Thursday, January 11 for the Board’s election of Chair and Vice Chair for the 2024 term.  The meeting will begin at 9:30 am and can be viewed live at Niagara Region Police Services Board – YouTube. (Niagara Regional Police)
• NOTL Loses Another Senior Staffer – Rome D’Angelo, Niagara-on-the-Lake’s director of operations, will be leaving his position to take a job in Hamilton with the Police Services Board. D’Angelo said there is no connection between his resignation and the recently announced retirement of the town’s CAO. (Niagara-on-the-Lake Local)
• New Tow Truck Rules – CAA Niagara is in support of the recently implemented rules governing the two truck industry. The new rules include the right to choose who tows your vehicle, picking where your vehicle will be towed to and being informed of the bill before towing. (The River)

• Money Returned – A bag with more than $5,000 in cash which was taken from a customer at the Welland Walmart store has been returned. A member of the public reported to police that the two female suspects briefly stayed with him and that the missing black bag had been left behind in his residence. (Niagara Regional Police)
• Protest On Clifton Hill – On Sunday, around 300 demonstrators gathered on Clifton Hill to demand an immediate ceasefire in Palestine and the end of the Israeli occupation. (Pelham Today)
• Meals For Homeless – Joe Feta’s Greek Village prepared close to 1,000 meals for Start Me Up Niagara, Silver Spire United Church and Southridge Community Church, which are hosting sit-down meals on New Year’s Day. The meals also went out to those living on the streets and in encampments. (St. Catharines Standard)