Old habits are hard to break, so when Thom Little heard the terrible din of two cars crashing outside of Cobblestone Gardens retirement residence in downtown Thorold a couple of weeks ago, his years as a firefighter instantly kicked in.

What started out as a small project by school board staff to help out young families at Christmas has grown substantially over the years and now involves friends and family who together help bring holiday cheer to more than 200 children.

There will be a sea of red poppies flooding Port Colborne all this week.

Christmas decorating tips from the pros will be on full display during the sixth annual Homes for the Holidays Tour.

Niagara College’s new wine visitor and education centre’s grand opening will be played out on the world stage. Today, the Prince of Wales is expected to tour the facility prior to its official opening later this evening.

Some local landlords vented their frustration at Monday’s city council meeting over tenants’ failure to pay their water bills on time. “Landlords are being charged for other people’s bills and it’s just not fair,” said landlord Miki Richardson.

The Ten Thousand Villages Festival Sale has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Now in its 23rd year, the Vineland sale originally started when a woman from Vineland United Mennonite Church started selling items out of her home.

The Niagara Catholic District School Board wants to make its two newest schools as energy efficient as possible.

The Santa Claus Parade isn’t the only event to mark on your calendar on Nov. 28. The Christmas in the Village Committee is working with other groups and businesses in town to provide a full-day of activities for the Saturday of the parade.

For Riham Soryal, the decision to get her daughter Mariam the H1N1 vaccination was an easy one. Not only is her eight-year-old daughter a priority because of her age, but she also suffers from mild asthma, making her even more vulnerable to the strain of flu stretching its web across Niagara.

Fifty years from now St. Elizabeth Catholic School will have classrooms powered by solar energy and every student will have their own personal laptops.

Art Cunana is hosting a landscapes in watercolours workshop at the Pelham Public Library in Fonthill from 9am-4pm. The cost is $40 for members and $60 for non-members.

Friday the 13th will be doubly unlucky for residents who like to do their grocery shopping at Stewart’s Food Market. The Fort Erie grocery story will be closing its doors for good that day after 22 years in business at its Dominion Road location.

Cycling enthusiasts say they are discouraged by a decision Monday night to remove bike lanes from a busy section of Welland Avenue, calling it a step backwards for a city which has made great progress over the past year in creating a more bike-friendly road network.

A1 SQUARE DANCES with Swing and Whirl Square Dance Club, Wednesdays 8-10pm, Lincoln Centennial School, 348 Scott St. FULL PLUS SQUARE DANCES, 2nd and 4th Wed. at First Grantham United Church, 415 Linwell Rd. Call 905-934-2295.

A Niagara Falls resident was one of just four nurses from across the province to receive Nursing Leadership Awards from the Ontario Long Term Care Association.

Prime Time, a time of fun, food and friendship for those 55+, Wed. Nov. 4, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Anns Community Church, 5425 Reg. Rd. 69 in St. Anns. “Answering The Call”, a presentation by Haldimand Pregnancy Care. Lunch will be provided. Voluntary collection to cover costs.

It may be more than six months away, but preparations are about to begin for the 11th Annual PoultryFest Niagara.

The horses, lions and other wild animals on the Lakeside Park carousel shine brightly because of people like Robert Banbury.

Make sure you fall into one of five priority groups that have been selected to receive the H1N1 vaccine before lining up at Mountainview Christian Reformed Church Thursday.