(Published Oct. 31, 2011) It was a fairly benign affair Fort Erie town councillor John Hill hosted to meet with Ward 4 residents of Ridgeway in his “Town Hall” meeting at the Crystal Ridge Library Oct. 27.

About 60 or 70 people were there — many of whom were seen before at council meetings advocating against the Bay Beach condominium.

Former councillors were there — Ann-Marie Noyes, Richard Berry, Tom Lewis and his parents, Bill Brunton. Current councillors Don Lubberts and Paul Collard were also there. continued . . . »

The latest edition of The Ridgeway Herald is out on the street and in better email inboxes everywhere. Featured is full details of the Friends of Crystal Beach bingo licence appeal, coverage of the dizzying machinations around the Bay Beach site plan agreement, Part 2 regarding Ann-Marie Noyes’ freedom of information battle with the EDTC, and councillor Don Lubberts going off half-cocked on town staff and subsequently apologizing. Plus a little something chocolatey. Now with more colour!

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Charlie Duhamel will try to put Ridgeway in the Guinness Book of World Records on Saturday.

Also known as “Chocolate Charlie”, he will try to make a 240-foot long chocolate bar during Spirit of Christmas festivities.

He and his wife Barbara and many volunteers will pour nearly 400 pounds of Mercken’s chocolate into a length of eavestrough and garnish it with 75 pounds of nuts and candy.

“I used to be in the siding business, you know, eavestroughing. Now I’m in the chocolate business and I just put them together,” he said. continued . . . »

Fort Erie Secondary School needs your internet vote to help it raise $125,000 to refurbish a greenhouse and create an energy efficient source of food and education.

Project Green Falcon (click the link to vote) is competing against 1,000 other projects across Canada for a share of $1 million from the Aviva insurance company. continued . . . »

Firefighters and other emergency personnel are at the scene of a house fire Saturday evening at 285 Niagara Blvd between Catherine and Gilmore.

Niagara Regional Police reported the fire after responding to a burglary alarm shortly before 6 p.m.

There is no word whether the 1-1/2 storey home is occupied at the moment.

The fire is reported under control at 6:13 p.m. Firefighters are searching the building.

Deputy chief Keith German declared “all clear” at 6:23.

It is the home of Mike and Anna Annunziata.

The fire was extinguished at 6:49 p.m. Firefighters are checking.

Town council’s bingo appeal committee refused to rule whether the lottery licence of the Friends of Crystal Beach should be reinstated.

Instead, the three councillors who comprise the committee decided to refer the matter to the province’s Alcohol and Gaming Commission. continued . . . »

The Ministry of Natural Resources has begun the public consultation phase of the overall benefit program proposed to protect the Fowler’s Toad habitat at Bay Beach.

The permit is required before construction can begin on the 12-story condominium project on Town-owned waterfront land.

Written submissions must be made directly to the MNR. The Town has no jurisdiction in this matter.

The MNR has reviewed alternatives, and the proposal was adjusted to minimize adverse effects on individual toads and their habitat, states the notice published on the Environmental Registry.

An application for an overall benefit permit would include creation of sand dunes in a protected area to enhance Fowler’s Toad habitat on the property, the notice reads.

A detailed story about the permit application process and information about the toad was published in the Sept. 7 edition of The Ridgeway Herald: continued . . . »

Lawn sign printed by the Friends of Crystal Beach protesting the Bay Beach condominium. The issue of political involvement landed the non-profit group in hot water over its municipal bingo licence.

Three town councillors who are facing election compliance audits will decide on Thursday, Nov. 24 whether the Friends of Crystal Beach should have its bingo licence re-instated.

Paul Collard, John Hill and Don Lubberts were appointed to the appeal committee after they and Bob Steckley voted Oct. 17 against sending the appeal to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission to make a ruling.

The FOCB lost its bingo licence — which was expected to raise about $5,000 this year — when the town’s gaming corporation decided it had violated eligibility requirements when it engaged in lobbying efforts against the Bay Beach condominium project.

All three have been critics of the project and have tried to overturn the town’s partnership with the Molinaro Group. continued . . . »

This chart shows preliminary 2012 spending increases based on inflationary drivers and proposals forwarded by councillors in 2011.

(Oct. 13, 2011) Without lifting a finger, running the town of Fort Erie will cost nearly four percent more in 2012.

But councillors did lift their hands in 2011 for new expenditures to hike spending by nine per cent, and there will likely be more.

Debate at the Sept. 26 council meeting centred on whether town staff should be directed to trim expenditures to limit the increase to 2.9 per cent.

Councillor Bob Steckley said the nine per cent increase could easily increase to 12 per cent when board and committee budgets and community grants are factored in. continued . . . »

(Oct. 13, 2011) Once you figure out that some people don’t say what they mean, it becomes much easier to follow along with things such as . . . oh, town council meetings, for instance.

Take for example Bob Steckley’s remarks when council authorized an $86,500 investigation of the election finances of five other members of council and a former councillor. continued . . . »

(Sept. 25, 2011) Compliance audits of council and mayoral candidates will cost $86,500 and take three months to complete and started in mid-October.

The Toronto firm of Froese Forensic Partners was the low bidder and was chosen to audit the election campaign finances of six candidates in the 2010 municipal election. continued . . . »

A young male is in custody after a cyclist was intentionally struck by a car on Ridge Road during the high school lunch break Wednesday morning. continued . . . »

Police discovered the remains of Marissa Whalen this afternoon on the Six Nations Reserve. continued . . . »

A Niagara Regional Police officer has been cleared of criminal liability in  a collision with a bicycle at the Friendship Trail on Point Abino Road last August. continued . . . »

Niagara Regional Police are looking for the remains of a two-year-old girl who has been missing since July and have charged her mother and an acquaintance in her suspected death. continued . . . »