> Then & Now highlights business/organization longevity /Pgs 12-15 > Check out some chilly Polar Bear Dip photos Pg 4 > Niagara West mayors give 2026 outlook Pgs 6, 8, 10 > West Lincoln sets affordable housing CIP Pg 11 Thursday, January 8, 2026 Vol. 14 Issue 36
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Chilly dip
Simon, left, and Trinity Boucher were among those taking the polar plunge at Grimsby Polar Bear Dip at Bal Harbour Park on New Year’s day. For more details, please see Page 4. Loree - Photo
Flag football
Smithville resident to represent Canada/Niagara at World Championship By Jessica Barton For NewsNow The Niagara Nitros - and their quarterback Shiloh Ivory of Smithville - are heading to Mexico this week for the first NFL Flag Football Championships. The U14 division girls flag football team - coached by former professional football player and Shiloh’s
father, Cliff Ivory - went undefeated in its 2025 season. The club is set to represent Canada, adding to its impressive list of national titles already accumulated. Shiloh is no stranger to sports, having previously played soccer before moving on to football and basketball.
“What sparked me to play flag football is I watched my brother play, and it looked fun,” said Shiloh, 12. A student at Smithville Public School, gym is her favourite subject, which aligns with her athletic proclivities. Shiloh is certainly not the only girl to feel that way as
the team consists of girls from across Niagara and surrounding areas. There is no Smithville team, but that does not mean there aren’t opportunities to play. “It’s not just Niagara, but girls come from Burlington, Hamilton and different areas,” said Shiloh. The team, which rep-
resents Niagara Region, holds practices all around the area, including Beamsville, Welland, and Niagara Falls, allowing for traveling opportunities. The competition spans North America but there are only a handful locally. “There are hundreds in Canada, the U.S., and See FLAG, Page 3