On Monday, August 27, U.S. Embassy officials made a special visit to Her Majesty's Prisons (HMP) to present prison officials with state-of-the-art corrections technology to assist with the prevention of contraband items from entering the prison population and provide improved safety and security measures for prisoners and corrections officers.

On hand for the official handover ceremony, which included a brief meeting and tour were U.S. Chargé d'Affaires, John Dinkelman, the Embassy's Narcotics Affairs Officer David Jea, Minister of National Security, The Hon. Dr. Bernard J. Nottage and Prison Superintendent Dr. Elliston Rahming.

Former Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister the Hon. Charles Maynard, was saluted as a political leader, a statesman and a man who gave sacrificial service to his country. An official funeral service was held for Mr. Maynard on Friday, at Christ Church Cathedral.

Among those bidding farewell to the man described as one "full" of life was his Excellency the Governor-General Sir Arthur Foulkes, Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, Deputy Prime Minister the Hon. Brave Davis, Members of Parliament, Cabinet Ministers and Government officials. Also paying respect were members of the judiciary, representatives of various local organisations, members of the religious community and political leaders. The four 'golden knights', the gold-medal Olympic winning team was also present.

On Wednesday, August 29, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires John Dinkelman officially recognized Bahamian registered companies and ships that consistently demonstrate strong participation in the United States Coast Guard's (USCG) Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) system.

The USCG created an annual AMVER Awards Program as a way of rewarding those ships which remain "on plot" for at least 128 days in a calendar year. AMVER awards are a tribute to the support of a ship's crew, management, and ownership, which is so integral to the program's success. The basic premise of AMVER is that it serves as a vehicle for mariners to help each other without regard to nationality.

The New Providence Development Company Ltd (NPDCo) hosted an evening Reception at their Old Fort Bay Club where residents and staff gave a rousing welcome and a late night supper for the four 'Golden Knights.' The gold-medal winning team made the renowned Western residential community their last stop at the end of another post Olympic event-packed day.

Terry White, owner and Chairman of the Board of NPDCo attended the Olympic Games in London and shared in the nation's excitement and pride in the Bahamian men winning Gold, and wanted to acknowledge their triumph.

The national average remains low, but you wouldn't know it by passing through Custom Computers Ltd. in the Harbour Bay Shopping center this past Saturday, where students, parents and teachers all gathered together to celebrate excellence in education.

The Fifth Annual "A's for Excellence" campaign, hosted by Custom Computers kicked off the new school year for some lucky and hardworking students whose "A" grades on their latest report card made them eligible for a drawing of fun and educational prizes - such as computers, printers, an iPad, and phones - sure to help them go above and beyond in their studies.

Participants in the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Kirk's Tutoring Programme show off the 'fully loaded' backpacks they received as a reward for their continuous participation in the programme. The presentation was made by Reverend Bryn McPhail, Pastor, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Kirk.

The backpacks were donated by McDonald's Restaurants. Kirk Officials stuffed them with a variety of school supplies.

The fruit of an upscale deli's promotional labour has earned it top place as a monthly winner in a MasterCard-Ministry of Tourism campaign. Balduccino's deli, bakery and gourmet food shop on East Bay Street in Nassau topped 53 other merchants in increased MasterCard sales for a recent month.

This is the fourth year the Ministry of Tourism and MasterCard have co-hosted the campaign designed to provide greater value and satisfaction to visitors who use their MasterCard membership to receive benefits and gifts while in The Bahamas.

The Golden Knights visit to Grand Bahama required much organising and on-island travel in order for them to be seen by as many locals as possible. The Grand Bahama Shipyard (GBS) was happy to oblige organisers by letting them use the company parade float, which was already well known as star of this year's Independence parade.

As many will remember, the impressive float project was spearheaded by shipyard employee, Anjoun Armouly, and a team of dedicated staff at the yard. The float was so impressive that Cecil Thompson, Undersecretary for the Ministry of Grand Bahama, remembered it when it came time to organise the celebration day for the Olympic team while on Grand Bahama. He contacted the CEO of GB Shipyard, Carl Rotkirch, to ask to use the float and of course, GBS was happy to do this. The staff, upon hearing this news, worked all night to remodel the float especially for this occasion, so it would be fit for our Olympic champions.

By Stephanie Winus of Long Island, New York

In mid-July I was fortunate enough to be able to take my fourth annual summer trip to Freeport to spend some time at the Humane Society of Grand Bahama. I was excited to be seeing my friends, both four and two footed. I was anxious to see what was new at the facility, to converse with the friends I have made over the years and to help out with whatever task needed to be done.

I timed my trip perfectly to attend and participate in the second Pub Quiz fundraiser at Red Beard's; this new event was so well received that a third Pub Quiz has been planned for the fall. I see it as a unique way to involve the community in supporting the shelter that does so much for the animal population and people of Grand Bahama.

So what did I find that was new at the shelter?

Pat's Uniform and Fashions, the leading supplier of uniforms and accessories for all schools on the island rendered assistance to Ms. Tina Newbold with the donation of a set of uniforms for her children who attend Hugh Campbell Primary School.

The family lost everything in a recent fire and Michael Sweeting, Store Manager of Pat's Uniform wanted to ensure that the children had uniforms for the opening of school next week and donate a set for each of the two children, Ramon and Beyounce.

Photo: Michael Sweeting, right, presents Ramon and Beyounce with their uniforms, book bags, and other accessories for school.

The 2012 Grand Bahama Sailing Club Camp recently came to an end after receiving tremendous community support that allowed many children to be exposed to this relatively new sport to the island.

Some 122 Grand Bahamian children attended the Sailing Camp that spanned over a total of eight weeks at the Grand Bahama Sailing Club June through August. Several sessions were offered with each session being two weeks in length.

Throughout history there has been a longstanding debate on whether the tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. Scientifically speaking, tomatoes are a fruit. They come from the genus solanum. While botanically a fruit, it has been classified a vegetable for culinary purposes. So much so that the US has given pizza the status of a serving of vegetables based on the tomato content. Now, that may be a stretch but there is no denying that fruit or vegetable, the tomato has had a massive influence on food throughout the world.

Tomatoes originated in South America and were spread throughout the world by the Spanish explorers who returned with them from their voyages. Now the largest producer of tomatoes is China, even though tomato is not really an ingredient associated with Chinese food culture. There are cultures who have become synonymous with the tomato and none more so than the Italians.

The men's 4 x 400 metres Olympic gold medal team were welcomed to Eleuthera on August 22nd with a day of celebration which started at the North Eleuthera Airport. The group then travelled to Harbour Island for breakfast at the Tingum Hotel followed by a motorcade.

Heading south, it was on to the Glass Window Bridge, Gregory Town, Hatchet Bay and Governor's Harbour, where a short ceremony was held. They then continued into Rock Sound and Wemyss' Bight, home of Chris Brown, where a street was named in his honour. Chris Brown's parents, Nola Brown and Harcourt Brown, took part in the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Nestled in the close-knit community of Stanyard Creek, Andros is a research centre with a proud tradition of sustainable community engagement, scholarship and outreach.

The Bahamas Environmental Research Centre (BERC), operated by The College of The Bahamas, will play a key role in the University of The Bahamas. Members of the College Council recently visited the BERC to inspect the facility, learn more about its genesis and capacity for community building and envision how the centre will help the institution to fulfill its national development goals.

The Grand Lucayan resort and Freeport News have launched a photo contest, which allows island residents to win weekly prizes just by snapping an image of their favorite spots and people on Grand Bahama Island.

Through Oct. 10, 2012 residents can submit an image of their choice taken on Grand Bahama to be entered for weekly consideration in Freeport News' "Best Local Grand Bahama" photo contest. Additionally, by submitting an image, one is entered automatically for the "Best Grand Bahama Island" photo of 2012.

If you're on a tight budget, skip the nonessentials and focus on convenience. There is a tremendous opportunity when investing in your home. On average, it takes about fifteen to twenty years before a person decides to renovate their home.

Replacing cabinets and flooring is typically the most requested and expensive part of when remodeling a kitchen, bathroom or home office. Finding a place that provides an efficient, cost effective alternative for customers when saving money can be hard.

With any home project renovation, it is important to know your wants and needs. Here are five key essential point that will help you better understand your home renovation project.

Location, Location, Location! The cardinal rule used by real estate agents has the same level of importance when selecting your reception venue. Your choice of location sets the tone for your entire event. To make this decision, a bit of research is advisable. Your location decision should not only be based on cost of the location, but what the location has to offer and if this location truly fits your wedding style.

Here are three points that should be considered when selecting your reception location:

1. Your reception location should be at the same venue as your ceremony, or it should be very close. Your priority is the convenience of your guests, ensuring they can easily travel to your reception site will ensure happy guests at your event.

Younghusband fits nicely into the category of Freeport streets that are named for 'adventurers'.

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband was born in 1863 in what is today Pakistan. He joined the Indian Army rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel but he is known mainly for dabbling in the political affairs of the countries bordering northern India.

He travelled the region widely and was a principal player in the intrigue that became known as the 'Great Game' that was played out between Britain and Russia. The Russians were thought to have designs on the Indian sub-continent and Younghusband attempted (successfully it would seem with the benefit of hindsight) to have thwarted their intentions.

The Grand Bahama Sailing Club invotes everyone to the 2nd Annual Crabbin' Bay Festival & Jr. Regatta this weekend, September 1st. This event was a huge success in 2011 with great food, fun beachside activities, music, and some very competitive sailing.

The festival celebrates the cultural traditions of those who settled in Crabbing Bay. A people who lived off the fruits of the land and sea, planting various crops such as sugar cane, mango and cassava, as well as engaging in fishing, conching and sponging. Boatbuilding and sloop sailing was also a big part of their lives. In the 1930s, a tidal surge forced the residents to migrate to McLean's Town.

Paul de Souza managed to outmaneuver the competition, making the best of shifting and variable wind and wave conditions to secure overall first place in the Bahamas Junior National Sunfish Championships in Montagu Bay. The field of competitors included boys and girls, some as young 11 and weighing as little as 70 pounds.

On day one of competition they encountered a southern breeze of 4 to 12 knots coming over New Providence making for shifty and variable conditions with the occasional shift in excess of 90 degrees.

Bahamians are participating in the upcoming series of events than last year and cars that have been gathering dust in garages are gathering steam as the one-time social event of the Bahamas' calendar year comes back to life with faster, sleeker, shinier cars than ever before. "It's very rewarding to see how much local involvement has picked up in just one year," said Bahamas Speed Week President Jimmie Lowe. "Last year, we had several Bahamian entries in the Island Tour or the actual time trials or both and it looks like we are going to have many more this year."

Nine local cars have already registered with some putting in an appearance at the Paddock, others planning to roll through town at speeds of up to 120 miles an hour during the Island Tour that traverses New Providence and the bravest ones taking part in time trials and hill climbs.

On July 29, 2012, Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company, makers of the famous Sands Beer held their first E Class regatta and "Man in the Boat" sculling race at Fort Montague, Nassau.

The regatta was a celebration of sailing, the art of sculling as well as paying homage to the Sheldon Gibson Summer Youth program where Bahamian youths learnt how to make the 12-foot E Class boats by hand, from wood found in the Bahamian forests. Wild Tamarind is a favourite choice.

Senator Hon Kwasi Thompson

The Free National Movement is pleased to learn that one of the initiatives that it had planned for Grand Bahama prior to 7th May, 2012 is coming to fruition. In its years in office up to the 2012 elections the FNM administration gave much needed government assistance to Vision Airlines, Discovery Cruise line and worked to bring the Bahamas Celebration cruise ship to the Freeport Harbour, which today continues to benefit Grand Bahama.

The FNM after successfully concluding negotiations and paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep the Casino at the Grand Lucayan Resort open saving the jobs of over 200 Grand Bahamian casino workers, the FNM administration was in advanced discussions with globally branded hotel and casino operators to reopen sections of the Grand Lucayan Resort complex including the Reef Village and the Lighthouse Point.