50 municipalities and 12 rural rural districts held elections for the first time on Monday after they were created by the province's local governance reform initiative. The newly formed Municipal District of St. Stephen elected the current Mayor of the Town of St. Stephen, Allan MacEachern, to be its first mayor. Joining Mayor MacEachern on council are Brian Cornish and Joyce Wright in Ward 1, Ghislaine Wheaton, Marg Harding, David Hyslop and Emily Rodas in Ward 2, and Wade Greenlaw and Earle R. Eastman in Ward 3.

In Eastern Charlotte, Mayor John Craig, who has been acclaimed, will be joined on council by David R. Hatt and Lisa McKay as councillors at large, Terry Lee in Ward 1, Michael Thompson in Ward 2, Alexa Detorakis in Ward 3, Adam R. Hatt in Ward 4, Wayne MacQuarrie in Ward 5, and Darrell E. Tidd in Ward 6.

In the Municipality of Saint Andrews, which is amalgamating with Bayside and Chamcook, a full election was not held. Instead, Bayside elected Darrell Weare and Chamcook elected Annette Harland and Mark Bennett, and those three new councillors will join the current St. Andrews council.

Southwest New Brunswick artist Geoff Slater has made a name for himself creating some of the most iconic images of our region in some of the most interesting places. He is now working on a multiple murals inside Drewhaven Town and Country on Water Street in St. Andrews inspired by the work of Ludwig Belemans, author and illustrator of the children's series, Madeline. Slater's ambitious new art project will be complete in early 2023. 

Finally, the annual Santa's Helpers telethon is taking place on Sunday, December 4, from 2pm to 5pm right here on CHCO. This year, school choirs from St. Stephen, Milltown, St. Andrews, St. George, Lawrence Station, Campobello, and Blacks Harbour are participating, so you will be in for a fun day of holiday cheer for a good cause. Every year, Santa's Helpers raises money for hundreds of Southwest New Brunswick families in need over the holidays, providing food and gifts.