Page 18 • News Now • Thursday, December 8, 2016
100% Niagara owned & operated Our Team: Publisher - Mike Williscraft mike@wn3.ca 289-442-4244 General Manager - Catherine Bratton Sales Manager - Tom Haire Sales Consultant - Erica Huisman, Jen Wilkinson, Graphics - Donna Wisnoski, Dorothy Deak
Parade chatter always a highlight
It’s close to Christmas so I am going to stay warm and fuzzy - unless one of our west Niagara council pulls some bonehead move or Niagara Power decides to use the NewsNow is owned & operated by 1602207 Ontario Ltd. CoGen unit on Grimsby’s town hall to cook hot Office Locations dogs for the New Year’s Grimsby Office Beamsville Office Eve festivities. 49 Main St. W., P.O Box 614 Oh wait, they sold the Grimsby, ON, L3M 1R3 Beamsville, ON, L0R 1B0 Ph: 289-235-9500 Ph: 289-235-7848 million-dollar lemon back to the Town, so I guess NewsNow is published EVERY Thursday that would still come undelivered to homes in West Niagara & Winona, 26,111. der council, ah well. And last week’ Grimsby DIA meeting, well, that was interesting but aside from noting significant issues with notice of meeting for a taxpayer-driven body (see letter on facing page), I will set that aside for this week. So let’s talk parades. Having covered both Grimsby’s and Smithville’s regularly for more than two decades, I can tell you this pair of community events have not been Turkey time fun surpassed...either one. (L to R) Lesley and Robin Hurrle tried their hand at one of There may have been the games at last Friday’s Jordan firefighters annual Turyears with more floats key Roll. Firefighters Dan Michels and John Biggar helped or more bands - it’s true, out. Williscraft - Photo the music always makes the event - but all in all, the mix and efforts in the Battery powered factories...hmmm. floats, perfect weather No, not battery manufacturing plants. Manufacturing and huge turnouts plants with huge, on-site batteries to power equipment and seemed to be just what eliminate the need to draw power through peak electricity the doctor ordered. use times of the day...discuss. One of the highlights That is one major possibility which could evolve as a comof my year, because it is monplace feature suggested one of the panelists at last Thursday’s symposium focused on electricity rates. always funny and unIt was an attentive group of more than 50 on hand. Some expected things always managers, some owners, all interested in attempting to get pop out, is my walk from a handle of a cost centre that is spiking. One major Grimsby town hall to the downindustry executive showed an internal report revealing his town core of Grimsby. bills have gone up 19.6 per cent in the last year. Pretty tough By the time I make that to forecast based on such a volatile expense. The Lincoln Chamber hosted that event - with support from Grimsby and walk, dark is setting in, so it is next to impossible West Lincoln. There seemed to be support for something similar next spring if no calming of the market materializes. It to see anyone specific in the crowd as I walk down might be a good idea to start planning that session. M.W.
Answers needed to electricity issue
MIKE WILLISCRAFT the middle of the road. Lots of people shout out greetings. I try to stop, figure out the source and see who it is but it is tough. Walking along Livingston, I would say I am in range long enough to hear about 8-10 seconds of conversation depending on the voice of the speakers. Sometimes there is work talk. Sometimes there is kid talk. Sometimes there is “you’ve had enough to drink” talk. And sometimes there is some pretty spicy “what are we going to do when the kids are asleep” talk. It’s funny that some people seem to think that darkness acts as some sort of sound block or maybe they just don’t care...hard to say. But it makes for an entertaining 25 minutes. This year, the funniest ones were the two guys, sipping something in cooly cups (likely a diet Coke) trying to work a trade, Grimsby council for West Lincoln council. The funny part was they were stuck on who had to throw in the
bag of hockey pucks to sweeten the pot. I actually stopped and set up a photo in vicinity so I could hear the conversation continue. I could have laughed out loud 4-5 times. It was a serious crowd. At three different points discussion about the fate of Grimsby Secondary, South Lincoln and Beamsville District were all on the agenda. Few people hold out hope, really. I had two shout outs, when will Hat Trick show up...Page 15 this week. Check it out. Sam Oosterhoff made the parade agenda. Two different conversations, neither pair supported him and seemed to scratch their head how he won. One person said they didn’t vote at all. There were several other snippits, but those were the ones which registered. It should also be noted about the Grimsby parade something firefighter Jim Bergshoeff noted. When I talked to him about how the food drive went he pointed out it was really the first year Livingston right out to town hall was fully lined with spectators. When he noted that, I pictured the walk and he is bang on. There was very little area that did not have people already sitting on the curb or chairs marking spots in place. I think next year I will have to plan more time so I can walk slower and take in more chatter.