DEAR News Of The Area, DURING a recent meeting with Port Stephens Council, regarding our local dirt roads at Swan Bay, at which 18 residents attended, Council made it abundantly clear they are now only undertaking road repairs based on a quick temporary fix and not repairing them properly. They say it is done this […]
DEAR Jasminda, WHILE attending a car show on the weekend, I was almost ploughed down by a man on a mobility scooter. He looked at me as though I was the one in the wrong, even though I was just minding my own business on the footpath. What are the rules around mobility scooters and […]
THE National Party’s Barnaby Joyce weighed in heavily on the present state of the three-party AUKUS defence contract last month, suggesting that a contingency plan is needed as a fallback in case present production levels fail to deliver these highly desirable submarines for our defence needs. As we know, the USA under President Trump is […]
OUR flood recovery work is progressing, and I am continuing to request more financial assistance from the State and Federal Governments for the community and for Council. I was pleased to hear that our request for Category D funding was agreed. This provides access to a significant financial package of measures for our primary producers […]
DEAR Jasminda, Since the recent heavy rain events, we now have a flock of bin chickens in our yard. They are not a very attractive bird, but I can’t seem to shoo them away. How do I get rid of them? Jonathan R. Ah, Jonathon Using the term bin chicken tells me everything I need […]
IT’S a tricky world that we live in today. Scams seem to be everywhere, so safety is our primary concern. Australian think tank the Lowy Institute has conducted polls on Australians’ attitudes towards the rest of the world since 2005. The annual poll is the leading Australian survey on foreign affairs, and informs policy and […]
DEAR Jasminda, My wife is preparing for the latest weather event like we are getting ready for a world war. What can I do to put her mind at ease? Kevin B Dear Kevin, I received your conundrum during the calm before the storm, so to speak, at which point some media outlets were using […]
TALK about excitement generated by the earthquake near Singleton on the early morning of Wednesday 23 April. A number of people I had never met previously were in avid conversation with other locals at the shops in Tea Gardens. Different experiences were felt by caravanners and campers near Pindimar and Jimmys Beach to those of […]
