Westport resident Bill O’Brien (l), president and CEO of Beaver Beer, showcases his Beaver Beer at Total
Wine in Norwalk today. Next to him is sales rep Harrison Hickok, also of Westport, and Fairfield resident Bill Nelson of Dichello Distribution. The two-year-old Westport-based craft brewery only distributes in Connecticut now but plans to expand. Among Westport restaurants serving the beer are the Black Duck, Little Kitchen, Dunville’s and Viva Zapata. Also, at the just-closed Dressing Room. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Allan Seigert for WestportNow.com

Westport’s economy is in good shape with word today from Assessor Paul Friia that the Grand List is up 1.3 percent over 2012. 
Paul A. Friia: new construction and renovation boosted results. Contributed photo

While not as good as the previous year’s 1.5 percent increase, the $9,940,413,732 total was up from the net 2012 Grand List of $9,804,698,690, he said

The list is the sum of the net assessed value of all taxable property – real estate, motor vehicles, and personal property.

Motor vehicles and personal property are valued annually, while real estate is updated based on the market values determined as of the town’s revaluation date of Oct.1, 2010.  Increases in the grand list were in all three categories, Friia said.

By Dave Matlow

UPDATE Third time is a charm for Heather Cavanagh who returns to the Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce as executive director effective Feb. 10.

Heather Cavanagh returns to Chamber. Contributed photo

She replaces Lisa Parrelli Gray, who resigned two weeks ago and whose last day was Wednesday. She served two years.

Cavanagh has been vice president of public relations at Stamford consulting group CBP since July 2012. She first joined the Chamber as executive director in 2007 and served for about a year. She returned in March 2011 as special projects manager/interim executive director until January 2012.

“I look forward to working with the Board of Directors, Chamber members and area residents to support the business community’s efforts and enhance the civic life in Westport and Weston,” Cavanagh said in a Chamber news release.

By Dave Matlow

UPDATE (adds detail on history)  This time it’s for real.

Flashback: It was exactly a year ago that Westporters lined up at Great Cakes to pay in advance for goods to keep the bakery in business. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

Great Cakes owner Rick Dickinson said today the bakery and confectionery emporium at 772 Post Road East will close Sunday at 1 p.m. after three decades serving Westporters’ sweet tooth.

Dickinson, who took over as owner in 1994 from Max Goree, said, “It’s been 25 great years, but the last five years have been a struggle.” Great Cakes was originally created by Dale Lamberty and Kathy Farrell (Kingsley) in 1984, and the pair ran the business for four years before selling it in 1988.

A year ago when word leaked that the store was on hard times and was about to close, customers lined up to pay in advance for their goods to provide a cash cushion for Dickinson.

A business owned by a Westport resident is among four companies announced today as authorized to produce medical marijuana for patients to use in accordance with state law.

David Lipton, CEO of Advanced Grow Labs LLC, said his company will produce marijuana at a facility in West Haven. It is where a news conference announcing the selected companies was held today by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and other officials.

Lipton said his team was applying to run a dispensary as well. He said the building has 12,000 square feet of unused space that will be used to grow marijuana.

The business will initially provide around 15 jobs and occupy and clean up a property that has been vacant for six years, the company told West Haven officials.

Westport’s unemployment rate in December was 4.9 percent down from 5.0 percent in November, the Connecticut Department of Labor said today.

The last time Westport’s unemployment rate was lower was in August 2008 when it was 4.5 percent, just before the recession began to be felt. The rate hit 7.0 percent in June 2009.

The department said the number of Westport unemployed in December was 606, down from 617 in November. The December labor force in Westport numbered 12,315, down from 12,364 in November. There were 11,709 employed in December, down from 11,747 in November.

A year ago in December, Westport’s unemployment rate was 5.7 percent.

Saugatuck Sweets, located at 575 Riverside Ave. in the Saugatuck Center space previously occupied by Saugatuck Craft Butchery, which moved across the street, will host a grand opening in late February of early March, according to co-owner Al DiGuido. The founder of Al’s Angels has partnered in the venture with Pete Romano, president of Landtech, a Westport-based engineering consulting company. “We have a special earlier opening on Feb 9, 13 and 14 to sell Valentine flower and sweets gift baskets,” DiGuido said. The store’s exterior signage was placed in the first week of January, according to DiGuido, who added, “folks can follow us on Facebook under Saugatuck Sweets.”  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com