The race for the mayor’s seat here in Carleton Place is shaping up to be a close one, and with less than two weeks to go before everyone casts their votes, things are getting more exciting as the days go by. In fact, the mayoralty race here in town is considered as one of the contests people should pay attention to in Lanark County and all of eastern Ontario.

Seeking his third straight term as head of Carleton Place is incumbent Mayor Paul Dulmage, who’s facing a tough challenger in Councillor Wendy LeBlanc, who has gained an increase in popularity over the course of the campaign period. With a community of around 10,000 people, every vote counts, and both candidates know it.

LeBlanc was the first to announce her candidacy, kicking off her campaign on the 24^th of June, giving her a good head start against Mayor Dulmage, who announced his candidacy for the post less than 24 hours before the closing of nominations on the 10^th of September.

While LeBlanc has been campaigning aggressively since June, Dulmage has kept a low profile, only turning things up during these past 2 weeks.

The race is still tight, so keep an eye on updates to know the latest developments.

If you’re in the mood for a night of good music, then you might want to check out Acacia Lyra, a harp and voice duo performing in concert on the 23rd of October, Saturday, at 7:30 in the evening at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church here in Carleton Place. If you’re looking to listen to something unique and different from the tired pop hits we hear on the radio, then this show is guaranteed to pique your interest.

Although Janine Dudding and Susan Sweeney Hermon may look like your typical 40-ish housewives, they pack more punch, not to mention musical talent. It’s hard to describe Acacia Lyra, maybe because they’re so unique and new.

In any case, this excerpt from their website should be illuminating:

Acacia Lyra is not your average harp and voice duo. Janine Dudding and Susan Sweeney Hermon sing in English, French, Spanish and Gaelic, accompanying themselves on Celtic harp and guitar. Their programme is a colourful journey of traditional and contemporary tunes from the Scottish Highlands to the Peruvian altiplano.

It turns out that Janine, who now lives in Ottawa studying with accomplished harpist and performer Lucile Brais Hildesheim, spent a few years of her life working here in Carleton Place during the 80’s, so this performance should be a fitting homecoming for her.

Proceeds of the concert, sponsored by the Merrickville District Community Health and Service Centre and the Social Concerns Committee of Carleton Place area churches, will fund the dental care of low income individuals in the Grenville, Lanark, and Leeds Counties.

As the 1^st Carleton Place-Comrie ‘Sister Cities Student Exchange’ continues for another 2 weeks, the first contingent of students, teachers and chaperones from Scotland are now making their way to Canada, and are set to arrive this afternoon at Ottawa airport.

The Student Exchange program’s opening ceremonies, which were held this August in Scotland, was undoubtedly a success. With the Scottish students arriving today, local students and residents are excited to welcome the contingent from Carleton Place’s twin community, Comrie. The exchange students will be staying in town until the 21^st, and will be given a tour of some of the sights and sounds here in the region.

According to Jeff Maguire, Chairman of the Carleton Place Sister City Committee, they’re keen to play host to their friends from Comrie. When the contingent from Carleton Place went to Scotland in August, Jeff and his wife, Kathleen, were part of the 5 adults who went along as chaperones.

He adds that they got to know the students and teachers from Scotland very well, so it’s exciting to be able to spend more time with them once more.

Carleton Place and Comrie, a quaint village located in the Scottish Highlands, have been recognized as twin communities since 1992. This year marks the 15^th anniversary of the twins, with celebrations and ceremonies taking place in both communities to mark the occasion.