Four Days Of Double Demerits: Double demerit points will be in force for four days for this long weekend from today (Friday), 24th January to Monday, 27th January (inclusive) for all speeding, seatbelt, motorcycle helmet and mobile phone offences. Key double demerit points in force are: exceed the speed limit by 10km/h and under; exceed the speed limit by over 10km/h; exceed the speed limit by over 20km/h; exceed the speed limit by over 30km/h; exceed the speed limit by over 45km/h; driver not wearing seatbelt; driver penalty for each passenger not wearing a seatbelt; rider on a motorcycle not wearing helmet; rider penalty for passenger on a motorcycle not wearing a helmet; use a mobile phone while driving. NSW Police’s Central West Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Melanie Maguire is encouraging all road users to pay attention to road conditions and allow plenty of travel time this long weekend.

Hear All About It: The Parkes Shire Council started audio recording of its council meeting in December last year to give greater access to the open sessions of its monthly meetings. Parkes Shire Mayor Cr Ken Keith OAM said the audio recordings would facilitate even greater transparency between council and the community, enhancing accessibility to council decision making, as well as encouraging residents to be better informed and more involved. The audio recordings will complement the written minutes to provide a more complete public record of the proceedings of the council meetings. Audio files will be uploaded to Council’s website within five working days from the date of the meeting and will be available for a period of three months. Thereafter, the recordings can be made available upon written request to Council.

Elvis At Currajong: Currajong Disability Services (CDS) in Parkes celebrated the Parkes Elvis Festival with one of the top tribute artists Ray Perrone. It has become a regular highlight of the festival calendar and this year Ray returned to entertain and sing with NDIS participants at Currajong. “I love coming here each year,” said Ray. “I think I get a bigger buzz than the participants and staff do. It’s one of my favourite gigs. Seeing them sing and dance and laugh is what it’s all about,” he said. Dane Millerd from CDS said Ray had become part of the Currajong family where he had made many friends.

More Cash For Drought-Hit Farmers: Payments of up to $3,000 will continue to be available to drought-hit farming families throughout Christmas and the New Year. The Federal Government has topped up the existing round of the Drought Community Support Initiative with Minister for Drought, David Littleproud announcing a further investment of $33.2 million in the scheme. “This is about making sure families can have dignity this Christmas and into the New Year,” the Minister said. “Eligible people include farming families, farm workers, suppliers and contractors.” The program will be delivered through Vinnies and the Salvos. Applications to be made through the St Vincent de Paul Society on 1300 846 643 or at www.vinnies.org.au/droughthelp or through the Salvation Army on 1300 551 030 or at www.salvationarmy.org.au/drought

Elvis Turns 85: Everyone is invited to celebrate Elvis’s 85th birthday on Wednesday, 8th January 2020 with a cake and free entertainment in Cooke Park near the Elvis Statue at 10am. Music will be provided by Parkes’ one and only Elvis Tribute Artist, Barry Green. Bring a chair or rug to sit on. If you share a birthday with Elvis bring along proof to go in the draw to cut the official birthday cake. The event is organised by the Elvis Revival Incorporated Committee.

Christmas Cakes: Don’t have time to make a Christmas cake? You can buy a Lions Christmas cake at Meals on Wheels in Parkes – $13 for a small one and $17 for a large one. Just call 6862 6189 to place your order, or buy it from them during office hours at Unit 2/39 Currajong St (directly opposite the Parkes Police Station).

Launch of Shop Parkes Campaign: Parkes has your Christmas all wrapped up this year, with Shop Parkes Christmas campaign launching last week. Parkes Shire Council and Parkes Chamber of Commerce have joined forces to deliver the annual Shop Parkes this Christmas retail campaign, which aims to drive spend into the local economy over the festive season. The theme of this year’s campaign is to give a gift to the community by shopping locally, which dovetails well with the ‘Buy from the Bush’ viral social media movement. Parkes Shire Councillor Alan Ward said: “When we talk about drought it’s often in relation to the impact it has on the agricultural sector, less so about the devastating knock-on effects to the broader community. When you spend in town, not only is that a direct injection of dollars, it’s also a fantastic morale boost for our local business owners and operators.” Parkes Chamber of Commerce President Geoff Rice said: “For that hard-to-buy-for friend, family member or colleague, Shop Parkes Gift Cards may be the answer. The cards can be spent at over 70 local businesses throughout the Parkes Shire, providing a convenient gifting solution while keeping shopping dollars local in the Parkes region.” To find out more about the Shop Parkes this Christmas campaign, head to www.visitparkes.com.au.

Christmas Parade: Christmas events are in full swing in Parkes and tonight a festive atmosphere will reign in the CBD with 30 floats taking part in the annual Christmas Parade down Clarinda Street at 6pm. After the parade, festivities will continue with a carnival in Cooke Park with 44 stalls featuring only locals and including everyone from local retailers, interest groups, sports clubs and service organisations for the Parkes community to see what they do and how they can get involved. There will be entertainment on the stage, and an opportunity for local clubs and associations to show the Parkes community what is available in our town.

‘Drought’ Christmas Party: On 15th December there will be a Christmas Party for farmers, small business owners, families and all people hurting due to the drought. The free event will be held at the Parkes Bowling & Sports Club from 4 – 8pm. It is open to the whole family and will have a children’s play area, jumping castle, games of futsal and bowls, and a free barbeque meal at 7pm. RSVP to ucparkes@bigpond.com, or contact John Carr on 6862 5526, Graham Lancastar 0439 040 327 or Julie Green 0419 725 462.

Christmas Parade: There will be some- thing new and something old for the Parkes community on 13th December. The something old is the Action Club Christmas Parade. The Action Club has received many float entries from schools, businesses, sporting clubs, associations and community groups. There is a $330 prize each for best business float, best school float and best community float . The something new is a carnival in Cooke Park following the parade with entertainment on the stage, and an opportunity for local clubs and associations to show the Parkes community what is available in their town. Everything from local retailers, groups, karate and bushwalkers will be on show for the Parkes community. There will also be food stalls run by Parkes clubs and retailers. Don’t miss out on this community event celebrated in the Christmas spirit.

Spelling Bee: Year 5 Middleton Public School student Natan Sadykov participated in the senior section of the Premier’s Spelling Bee state finals in Sydney recently. Na- tan survived through to Round 5, but was eliminated in round 6. This was an outstanding effort, especially considering the words were unseen and officials claimed it was the toughest field the Spelling Bee have ever had. Natan is the first student to have ever represented Middleton in the State finals. He received a trove of prizes including a certificate, a medallion, a novel, a big dictionary and a great set of headphones.

Roads To Recovery Boost For Parkes Shire: Riverina MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has announced further financial relief for Parkes Shire as part of a comprehensive drought relief pack- age. The funding is part of a $1 billion extension of the Government’s existing suite of drought relief measures. Michael said the money would help to stimulate the local economy and keep jobs in the community.

Assistance For Farmers: Drought-hit farmers in Parkes Shire may be able to access one-off payments of up to $3,000 in Round 2 of the Federal Government’s Drought Community Support Initiative. The Initiative is aimed at assisting farmers to help cover their day-to-day living costs such as groceries, car servicing, energy bills and medical expenses. Registrations are now open for drought-affected farmers, farm workers, contractors and suppliers. Applications can be done through St Vincent de Paul Society by visiting https://drought.svdp.org.au/apply or calling 1300 846 643.

Get Tested For HIV: If you’ve never been tested for HIV or haven’t had a test for more than a year, Western NSW Local Health District is encouraging you to get one done, especially as this is HIV Awareness Week (23 – 30 November) and World AIDS Day on 1st December. “You can get tested at your local GP or sexual health service. Or, if you want to test yourself at home, the Dried Blood Spot testing kit can be delivered to you and results are sent back by text, email or phone,” said Kim Grant, Clinical Nurse Consultant for Sexual Health. NSW has made significant progress towards the goal of virtually eliminating HIV transmission by 2020, with a 13% drop in the number of new diagnoses between January to September, compared to the previous five-year average.

 

Celebrate People With Disability: Currajong Disability Services and Forbes Shire Council have teamed up with other NDIS providers to recognise International Day of People with Disability on 3rd December with a series of events at the Forbes Memorial Pool. It is the second time both groups have come together to stage this key event. The event will not just be a celebration of people with a disability but also a chance for other providers and organisations to connect and share experiences and ideas. The day is United Nations sanctioned and aims to increase public awareness, understanding and acceptance of people with disability and celebrate their achievements and contributions.

Spectacular Weekend For Drought-Affected Students: Students from Trundle Central School will be part of 150 students from 14 other schools this weekend in Sydney to watch the Schools Spectacular and enjoy the seaside. Far from the dusty, drought-ravaged paddocks of home, this weekend will be a wish come true for the students thanks to Wish Upon a Star, a joint initiative of the Department of Edu- cation, Office of Sport and Transport for NSW and supported by a sponsorship from RØDE Microphones. Three students are from one of the state’s most isolated and driest schools in the far north-western corner of the state, Tibooburra Outback Public School. Schools Spectacular Co-Executive Producer Rosemary Davis said everyone had enthusiastically supported the effort to give these young people a weekend they would never forget.

Small Business Helping Other Small Businesses: Greenparkes Garden Centre has taken the initiative to invite market stall holders to set up a temporary stand at Greenparkes Garden Centre every Saturday until Christmas from 10am to 3pm. Bookings are essential to maintain variety of offer. Please bring your own equipment required including cash float and EFT facilities. For more information contact Jenny on 0428 634 650 during business hours.

Parkes Man Wins Big: A Parkes man has kicked off the week with a win, scoring $100,000 in the latest Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot draw, the guaranteed first prize. He said he initially thought he was seeing things. “I had to get my wife to come over and make sure I wasn’t seeing things! I can’t believe it. We’re both so excited, but a little bit shell-shocked! The man said he’d use his prize to get some renovations done around his home.

Action!: The Parkes Action Club recently held its annual Changeover Dinner. Cr Alan Ward represented Parkes Shire Council, and he congratulated the Club for its volunteer work in the community. The Action Club has done in excess of 326 hours of community service over the past 12 months. The executive was returned largely unchanged with Bob Steel (President), Louden Grady (Vice-President), Mark Olson (Secretary), David Knights (Treasurer) and David Marks (Commissariat). Bob thanked members for their work particularly at the Christmas Street parade and the public speaking competition.

‘Drought’ Christmas Party: On 15th December there will be a Christmas Party for farmers, small business owners, families and all people hurting due to the drought. The free event will be at the Parkes Bowling & Sports Club from 4 – 8pm. It is open to the whole family and will have a children’s play area, jumping castle, games of futsal and bowls, and a free barbeque meal at 7pm. RSVP to ucparkes@bigpond.com for catering purposes, or contact John Carr on 6862 5526, Graham Lancastar 0439 040 327 or Julie Green 0419 725 462.

A Joyous Event: The Flourish Music Studio term 4 concert will be held on Thursday, 28th November at the Parkes Baptist Church at 7pm. The theme is Joy. You can play ‘Joy to the World’ or something similar, or a piece which brings you joy! If you would like to participate, send an email to poshandjam@outlook.com

Competition: Enter our competition on page 8 to win a double pass to The Never Ending 80s show in Parkes at the Leagues Club on 23rd November.

On A Note: We welcomed our newest member Hannah MacIntyre, who plays clarinet. Parkes Shire Concert Band (PSCB) enjoyed playing at the Rosedurnate Fete last Saturday. We really enjoy playing in the community, so if you have an event please contact us. Our next community playouts will be Christmas visits to the nursing homes, Up the Street in December, Christmas Street Parade and Christmas Carols. We are looking forward to January 2020, leading the Elvis Street Parade and Australia Day. If you would love to be part of community music please come along. Rehearsals are on Tuesday 7-9pm during school term, above the Pool Complex in Dalton Street. Contact PSCB Music Director Duncan Clement on email: duncanclement@hotmail.com or 0405 035 164.

 

By Elly Tom

 

Remembrance Day: Member for Riverina and Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mi- chael McCormack will be the special guest of honour at this year’s Remembrance Day celebrations on Monday, 11th November commencing at 10:30am at the Cenotaph in Cooke Park. Also attending will be Parkes Mayor Ken Keith OAM and the Parkes RSL Sub Branch President Terry Knowles and returned servicemen. All Parkes schools and the Red Bend Catholic College will play an important part in the celebrations reciting the names of the town and district’s fallen heroes. The Parkes Primary School choir will perform and lead the National An- them.

Cookamidgera History: Do you know the former names for this village? Do you know when Cookamidgera had snow – in spring? Do you know that the National Film and Sound Archives (NSFA) has a video of a Cookamidgera multi-instrumentalist? Find out more on the Parkes Library’s latest history blog post https://historyparkes. org/2019/10/31/cookamidgera/

Call For Elvis Volunteers: The Parkes Elvis Festival is looking for passionate volunteers to help make next year’s festival a King-sized success. Volunteers will play a pivotal role in maintaining the electrifying energy of the festival with a range of jobs to suit all skill levels including setting up event spaces and signage, ushering guests, assisting with a multitude of events both inside and outdoors and transporting VIPs. The organisers are also interested to hear from volunteers with admin experience to assist in tasks in the lead up to the event. “We have 150 volunteer roles to fill,” said Festival Director Cathy Treasure. To apply visit www.parkeselvisfestival.com. au. Volunteer inductions are on Saturday, 9 November from 10.30-12pm and on Monday, 25 November from 5.30pm-7pm at the Parkes Visitor Information Centre. Don’t miss out!

Arts OutWest in Parkes: The regional arts development organisation Arts OutWest will take their office on the road to give people in the Central West face-to-face access to their services. Artists, arts champions and those in the local community who make art happen are welcome to book in a chat with Arts OutWest’s Executive Director Tracey Callinan at the Parkes Library meeting room on Monday, 11th November. “People might want to talk to me about their project ideas, funding questions, artist business or insurance questions, professional development needs or something else arts related.” Book a spot via https://artsoutwest.org.au/ or call Arts OutWest on 6338 4657 or email artsoutwest@csu.edu.au

 

 

 

Author At Libraries: Karly Lane is a popular Australian rural fiction author and has written 14 best-selling novels set in small country towns. She has grown up and lived in country towns across NSW, including Parkes, and is often referred to as ‘rural fiction’s favourite daughter’. She lived in Parkes from 1986 to 1990 attending Parkes High School and started her first job at the Parkes branch of the State Bank in 1988. Karly will be doing a mini-tour of our shire, speaking at Peak Hill, Trundle and Parkes libraries on 6th, 7th, and 8th November respectively. “This will be a great opportunity for people to meet Karly, hear about her writing, and ask questions about her novels and characters. For any budding authors it is also an opportunity to get some tips for your own writing,” said Parkes Librarian Gillian Hunt. RSVP by ringing 6861 2309. (Win two of Carly’s books in our competition on page 5!)

International Rugby League In Parkes: The Western Rams will be playing a rugby league match against France at the Jock Colley Field in Parkes on Wednesday, 30th October. The two teams locked horns

almost three decades ago in 1990 at Bathurst. “It’s great to continue the tradition and have them back,” said Western Rams Chairman, Peter McDonald. France contested the World 9s in Sydney last weekend, and agreed to revive their rivalry with the green and white to finish their trip down under with a 13-a-side game against an open aged men’s Rams side in Parkes. Tickets available at the gate, $10 adults.

Parkes Shire Praying For Rain: Tomorrow, 26th October, Pastor Christopher Chetland of the Grace Chapel Church in Wonthaggi, Victoria will be visiting the Parkes Shire to pray for rain. After seeing Trundle school principal John Southon on television recently, Christopher felt the need to travel to the region to pray publicly in the streets and dry dams of the shire for rain. He has had over 40 years in ministry, many of which have been spent in mission in Burma, Papua New Guinea and predominantly Kenya where he spends three months of each year with his wife of 57 years, Evelyn, working with Baptist and Presbyterian mission groups. He will be praying publicly in the following locations: Cooke Park, Parkes 9am; Alectown 10.30am; Commercial Park, Peak Hill 11am; Tullamore 1pm; Trundle 2pm; and Bogan Gate 3pm. (These last three times are approximate.)

Learn To Play Bridge: Do you have an interest in learning how to play bridge and in doing so making some new friends? Join members of the Parkes Bridge Club each Monday and Friday for the next six weeks for free lessons and demonstration games at Parkes Library. “I would like to encourage all people to come and play, it is a great game,” said Greig Ball. “We are also looking for new members for our club.” Join in on Mondays 1pm – 3pm and Fridays 10am – 12pm (except 1st November) at the Parkes Library.