General Interest Archives - Page 320 of 351

Elvis’ Mystery Train’ Is Now A Party Train

January 19, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

As a local I have heard lots of stories about the Elvis Express or party train. Arriving at Central Station, camera and strong coffee in hand I was overwhelmed to see the masses of people to watch the performances and take photos of the outfits. “This is the best day of the year,” one UK photographer said to me. I was swept up in the vibe of music, costumes and everyone ready to board.

Once on the train I met people from all around the world and I sang along with the Elvis tribute artists. Everyone was happy to pose for photos. I even received hugs from some friendly travellers after offering them some local advice on places to eat and visit.

Time ticked away as I watched the conga line travel through the carriages, the performer’s passion and speaking with die- hard Elvis fans. I even found myself shoe- less standing on a chair bopping along while trying to take photos.

As the train pulled into the Parkes station my excitement built. Being around so many Elvis fans had rubbed off. During the rest of the weekend, I was approached many more times by people from the train saying hello. It was an overwhelming experience which far outweighed my expectations!

By Sylvie Maloney

Susie Elelman Is Australia Day Ambassador

January 19, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Media personality Susie Elelman is Parkes Shire Council’s Australia Day Ambassador for 2017. “We are honoured to have Susie attend our special Australia Day activities across the Shire, as well as present the Citizenship Awards,” said Parkes Shire Mayor, Cnr Ken Keith OAM.

“Australia Day is an opportunity for our community to come together in the spirit of friendship and harmony, showcasing the unique and diverse culture that makes us Australian.”

Susie’s media career has spanned four decades and currently she can be seen in a weekly editorial segment on Seven’s The Morning Show. She also forms part of the Sydney 2GB Talkback Team. While she is most renowned for her work in the media, Susie is also an award-winning, best-selling author – voted Australia’s Most Dynamic Author in 2006 for her first book Half My Size.

Susie’s the first and only woman ever to voice The Ode in RSL and Services Clubs Australia-wide. In the 2015 Susie was awarded an AM – becoming a Member of the Order of Australia for her services to charity, the not-for-profit sector and media. Everyone is encouraged to join the celebrations across the Parkes Shire. Activities are being planned for Parkes, Bogan Gate, Peak Hill, Trundle and Tullamore.

For infor- mation visit www.visitparkes.com.au.

Back to School

January 19, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Start The School Year On A Positive Note

While your kids might be worried or excited about new friends and teachers, mums have to be organised, create routines and support children. Here are some tips.

Easy lunch boxes: get healthy lunchbox ideas and plan accordingly.
Washing: look at tips to make your washing crease-free to save
time on ironing.
Organised mornings: this is the key to starting the day happy
and prepared.
Keep time: Explaining time, routines and showing children how
to read the time will give them the power to keep themselves or-

ganised.
Breakfast: Kids as young as four or five can get a bowl of cold
cereal, and the older ones can learn to safely use the toaster or

microwave.
Labels: Label all your child’s belongings. Encourage your child
to dress themselves so they can manage taking jumpers or coats on and off at school. Explain the concept of lost property, so they know how to find lost items.

Lucky Local Wins Big In Viva Las Parkes

January 19, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Parkes Newsagency really embraced the Viva Las Vegas theme, selling the winning ticket in the Lucky Lotteries Mega Jackpot draw last Tuesday – just one day before the launch of the Parkes Elvis Festival.

The winning ticket scooped the first prize of $200,000.

It’s a hat-trick for Parkes Newsagency, which has sold a trifecta of winning tickets over the past year. The winning streak started in December 2015 when they sold a first prize winning ticket in the Super Jackpot worth $100,000. Then last July one lucky customer won $8.8 million scor- ing the entire Super jackpot prize!

Parkes Newsagency owners Greg and Christene Nash were delighted to have sold yet another winning ticket to a local customer. “We’re feeling extremely lucky lately!” Greg exclaimed. “We’ve been here for about nine years, but we’d only had one significant win about six years ago,” he said. “So it’s been amazing to have sold three in the past year.”

The latest winner – who wishes to re- main anonymous – was ‘all shook up’ by the win. “Now I can finally complete a few little jobs and renovate my home. And I suppose I can no longer say I’m unlucky,” she said.

Now Hiring!

January 19, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Small businesses are faced with many legal obligations when hiring staff.

A prospective employer needs to check that the employee is legally allowed to work in Australia, if they are not an Australian Citizen, then further checks must be performed. Under the Fair Work Act 2009 (the act), each employee must be given a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement. This statement lists the ten minimum workplace entitlements under the National Employment Standards and outlines an employee’s rights under the act.

Most employees pay rates are covered by an industry/occupation-based modern award. The correct award and employee grade must be determined to ensure employees receive their correct entitlements, including superannuation.

It is compulsory to supply all employees with a payslip no later than one day after payday. There are a number of items that must be recorded on a payslip.

Records relating to employee wages, leave, superannuation, termination and hours of work must be held for at least seven years.

Employers must be registered to withhold tax from employees’ wages, different rates apply to different employees. Shearers and horticultural workers, actors and entertain- ers, and foreign residents all have different withholding rates to normal employees.

Each state has its own WorkCover regula- tor. Besides providing a safe place for employees to work, the employer is required to take out worker’s compensation insurance. In NSW if you pay wages of more than $7,500 per annum this is compulsory.

This information is general in nature and not comprehensive, it does not take into ac- count each employer’s individual situation. Employers should consider obtaining their own appropriate professional advice.

By Samantha Bennett

Can’t Help Falling In Love With GMC Motorhomes

January 12, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

While the Parkes Elvis Festival celebrates its 25th year, this year’s festival is a first for the GMC Motorhome Rally. They chose the silver jubilee festival as the destination for their inaugural Classic Motorhome Downunder Rally. The vintage motorhomes might not be as universally known as their counterparts, such as the Kombi campervan, but
they’re no less loved. The purpose-built motorhomes have a dedicated following of enthusiasts, who view the retro camper as ‘A Big Hunk O’ Love’.

General Motors built about 12,000 of the motorhomes in the USA between 1973 and 1978, and these classic campers now have something of a cult following, with dedicated fans travelling to rallies across America. However, the 40-year-old motorhomes are rare in Australia with only 18 in the country, so it is quite a treat to have a handful of them converge in Parkes.

The rally organiser, Gail Bennett said Parkes was the obvious choice for the event as the town is virtually bang smack
in the middle of Brisbane, Adelaide, and Melbourne, and when they decided to meet at Parkes there was no question that they wouldn’t coincide with the Parkes Elvis Festival. “The motorhomes have such a classic, retro look, they really fit in with the era,” she said. “And besides, I’m a massive Elvis fan.”

Gail and Mark Bennett have had their GMC Motorhome for 12 years, and have already travelled 54,000km since they bought it. The Queensland couple regularly drive to Canberra or Tumut, and the convenience of the motorhome makes regular monthly trips easy to manage. Gail said the vehicles were built on a purpose-built chassis with an engine at the front, so they’re lower to the ground than similar RVs, and they handle better. But for Gail, the main appeal is the aesthetics. “They just look really good,” she said. “We get lots of attention and thumbs up when we’re driving up the highway.” The GMC Motorhomes are camping together at the Parkes Showground, and two will feature in the street parade, with another in the Cars of the Era show, where members of the public can check out the vehicles ‘For Ol’ Times Sake’.

By Raen Fraser

18 Tribute Artists Compete For Place In Memphis

January 12, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest event will see the best Elvis tribute artists from Australia and New Zealand in action from today to vie for a place in the final in Memphis, USA in August. The event serves as a preliminary round of the 2017 UETA Contest during Elvis Week in August in the USA and is officially endorsed by Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. The Heats kick off at 2pm today at the Parkes Leagues Club with 18 contestants, with the finals at 2pm on Saturday.

The 2017 Parkes Elvis Festival preliminary round contestants are: Brody Finlay (QLD), Sidney O’Neil (VIC), Sean Spiteri (NSW), Marcus Jackson (VIC), George Brooking (NZ), Lenard Connolly (NSW), Stephen Fletcher (QLD), Nick Nicolas (NSW), Morris Posa (NSW), Rupert King (NZ), Brian Millard (SA), Brendon Chase (NZ), Mike Tsama (NSW), Matt Birse (SA), Stuart Vieyra (QLD), Johnny Angel (NZ), Jeff Hancox (QLD) and George Kritikos (NSW).

Contestants will perform backed by the dynamic eight-piece Elvis In Concert band, and will be judged on their stage presence, singing ability and the overall quality of the performance. The winner will be awarded $3,000 prize money to assist in their travel expenses to compete in Memphis and an all-expenses paid trip and performance at
Auckland’s Elvis in the Gardens. Contact the Parkes Leagues Club for tickets on 6862 1499 or at www.parkesleagues.com.au.

Health Matters…

January 12, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Sunscreens and sunblocks are important for protecting the skin against harmful UVA and UVB rays. The SPF score on a bottle of sunscreen tells you how protective the ingredients are against UV rays: an SPF 50+ is more protective than an SPF 30+. While there are physical barriers (sunblocks) and chemical barriers (sunscreens), there is a new category of sunscreen available and the latest technology for protecting your skin against the Australian sun is called
Liposomal.

Sunblocks are always a thick, opaque cream containing ingredients such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. The physical protection blocks forms of UV rays from outside the skin. Sunblocks are often cosmetically unappealing as they are visible (usually white and shiny), difficult to wash off and messy. They are recommended for people with a sensitivity to UV rays and little people from 12 months.

Sunscreen is a cream, which forms a thin, colourless film on the skin that acts as a filter against UV rays. Ingredients in a sunscreen filter reduce and absorb harmful UVA and UVB rays and work from under the skin. Liposomal formulations are a new category altogether. A liposomal sunscreen is a sunscreen, which is formulated to contain small particles called liposomes. Liposomes are used as a vehicle to carry UVA and UVB protective filters, the properties of which may enable penetration of the sunscreen into the outer layer of the skin. There is no
absorption into the blood stream, so lessening the chemical risk factor, but as it’s still absorbed, there’s no greasy finish.

Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to ensure protection and reapplied every two to four hours.

Farmers Can Help Prevent Grass Fires

January 12, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Due to the an increased risk of grass fires this season across the Central West, the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is urging landholders to take action to prevent fires from starting. Superintendent Ken Neville from the Mid Lachlan Valley Rural Fire Service said fires could easily start from machinery. “It can take just one or two sparks to start a fire,” he said.

“That’s why it’s so important to check and maintain equipment such as tractors, slashes, harvesters, welders, chainsaws and grinders. “If you’re carrying out agricultural burns or outdoor mechanical works make sure you check if there are any restrictions or fire bans in place. Check all firefighting equipment regularly, including hoses and
pumps.”

If a fire starts, call 000 as soon as possible. Landholders are also encouraged to make a bush fire survival plan, with a guide available from myfireplan.com.au. For further information call the Mid Lachlan Valley RFS on 02 6851 1541.

Elvis Has Entered The Outback

January 12, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Why do thousands of people in wigs, jumpsuits and fake Priscilla eyelashes go to Parkes to swelter in 40 degree heat to celebrate the King? You can hear the answer to this question at the Parkes Library today at 6pm at the official launch of the book, Outback Elvis, The story of a Festival, its Fans and a Town Called Parkes.

Written by two long-time fans of the festival, John Connell and Chris Gibson, Outback Elvis introduces the local characters, the lookalikes, the impersonators and the tribute artists – and the town that made this big hunk o’ Elvis love possible. Professor John Connell (University of Sydney) and his colleague Chris Gibson (University of Wollongong) have been attending the Parkes Elvis Festival since 2002. John and Chris will be at Parkes Library to launch their book and chat with the audience about why they researched and wrote Outback Elvis.

Apart from attending the Elvis Festival, John and Chris have published a large body of work on music festivals in Australia. Both are geographers: John is professor of geography at the University of Sydney; and Chris is a professor of human geography at the University of Wollongong and a musician. Their co-authored books include Music
Festivals and Regional Development in Australia (2014), Festival Places (2011), Music and Tourism: On the Road Again (2005) and Sound Tracks: Popular Music, Identity and Place (2003).

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