Dash Café hit by fire: An early morning electrical fire caused between $3,000 and $5,000 worth of damage at a Shawville restaurant Sunday. An electrical fire broke out in one wall at the café sometime between 3:30 and 5:30 a.m.

Owner Lise Essiambre left the restaurant at 3:30 a.m. and when the cleaner of Killarney’s Bar arrived at 6 a.m., he smelled smoke.

Damage was confined to one wall but because the breakers were shut off, all the food in two freezers and three fridges had to be thrown out, Essiambre said.

Tree Lighting: 300 people came out for Shawville’s first-ever tree lighting ceremony at Veteran’s Memorial Park Thursday. Despite balmy weather, young and old got into the Christmas spirit by singing carols, sipping on hot chocolate and greeting Santa Claus. Dale Shutt, Suzanne Kingsmill, Donna Ager, Topp Tolson, Lynn Lavery and Dan Coté lead the crowd in some carols.

Notes from Caldwell by Hermonie Sharp: 24 more days until Christmas. This past week, a couple of ladies from Campbell’s Bay decided to go shopping and noticing lean ground beef on special, thought they would get their meat for their tortières for Christmas and New Years.

After a successful day of grocery shopping, they returned home and one lady who lives in the country put her groceries down on the entrance floor until she had her car put away. She took, as she thought, all her groceries into the house, but a little later looking for the ground beef, realized it had disappeared, or did she really buy it? But when she went out to check the car again, here comes her dog around the corner of the house, with a pleased smile and the empty bag was blowing in the wind with the styrofoam tray empty, still inside the bag. That was $9.51 of lean ground beef thoroughly enjoyed by Rover. He was having an early Christmas dinner.

It has sure been a busy time with the many churches and organizations holding bazaars, suppers, teas, etc., but can you believe we have got as far as Nov. 28 without snow. Quit your bragging Hermonie, you may be taking those words back before long.