Helium balloons can travel long distances creating litter hundreds of kilometres from the release site and pose a potential threat to wildlife.

Council resolved at its monthly meeting to educate the community about the environmental risks and controls associated with releasing helium filled balloons outside.

“It is in fact an offence to release 20 or more gas-filled balloons in the open air under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act (200,” said Council’s Director Planning & Environment Brendan Hayes.

“It is important that the community is aware of the environmental impact caused by balloons and the legislation regarding their release,” Brendan said.

Chair of Council’s Waste Committee, Councillor Alan Ward said releases often happened at times of difficulty or celebration. “Council is aiming to encourage residents to consider alternate ways to better commemorate these events.”

“There are more environmentally friendly options such as bubbles, lighting candles, scattering flower petals or planting native trees for those wishing to commemorate the passing of a loved one or celebrating an occasion or event.”

For more information about the impact and controls around releasing helium filled balloons visit https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/questions/release-helium-balloons

Buying a coffee in Parkes has just become a lot easier! Tim is back with a new coffee van and you can place a set order for your favourite coffee and many other favourites.

All you need to do is call Tim on 0488 254 494 with your regular weekly or daily time slot from Monday to Friday from 6am to 2pm. “We have a full range of coffees, chai, tea, milkshakes, soft drink, muffins, caramel slice, bacon and egg rolls, pies and sausage rolls,” said Tim, who previously managed Ella the Coffee Van.

Try out the new menu by making a pre-booking, which he prefers. Or you can watch while your coffee is freshly made, or have your coffee delivered.

So, if you can only start working when your coffee does, make sure to place your set order with the Coffee Van.

Free online bridge lessons by Paul Marston starts next week.

The Parkes Bridge Club has been in recess for months during these difficult times. Some members have been playing privately to hone their skills, but no beginner classes could be offered.

The Australian Bridge Federation has come to the rescue and initiated free online lessons for all prospective bridge players. The first of the four lessons will start at 2pm on Tuesday, 25th August and continue every Tuesday on 1st, 8th and 15th September.

The course is conducted by Paul Marston, who has taught more than 10,000 people to play bridge and his books have sold over 500,000 copies.

The course will run over four lessons:
• Each lesson will be a little over an hour.
• Each lesson will include a play component on BBO so you actually play hands.
• The lessons will be held on Zoom which is really simple and you do not have to join.
• Information will be provided in advance on how to use BBO and Zoom.
• Everyone who joins the online course will have their own webpage.
• Five short tutorials to help understand taking tricks being fundamental to bridge.
• Every player will receive copies of the lessons and the notes.
• Videos from the teacher will be available.

If anyone has an interest in cards whether you played canasta as a child, watched your parents play euchre, played 500 in your teens or solo in later years, you would love bridge.

The link to register is https://bridgelounge.online/learn-bridge-registration/abf/

The Parkes Elvis Festival date for next year is moving from January to 10 – 14 March!

The final decision to proceed or to cancel will still be made by 28th September with the festival team continuing to monitor the situation with the safety and well-being of the community, artists, fans, staff and businesses first and foremost.

In the announcement made on Wednesday, Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith said: “The date change will give us seven months until the start of the festival. We are hopeful that it will be able to proceed however the health and safety of the community will come first in the final decision of the festival proceeding.”

Festival Director Cathy Treasure said: “We chose to announce the date change now to allow our stakeholders to make alternate plans for January, to allow us time to reschedule artists and all the support services. We would love the festival to proceed but are being cautiously optimistic.”

The festival team have contacted the accommodation providers in the Parkes Shire and Forbes and have been assured that all January 2021 bookings will be carried over to the new dates in March or alternatively to the 2022 festival.

“There is no need to make contact now. The accommodation providers have reserved the March dates for existing bookings and will be in contact once the final decision on the festival proceeding has been made at the end of September,” Cathy said.

Chamber of Commerce President Geoff Rice said the chamber and business community supported the change of date. “Many businesses rely on the festival to get them through the off-peak summer period and this is especially relevant for 2021 after the challenges in business due to bushfires and drought.”

The ticket launch date will be moved to 16 November in line with the new festival dates.

Scott Turnbull with the clay impression made by Lope Bosaing in The Philippines of his wood carving.

Young people in the Parkes Shire have less than a month left to enter ‘The Art of Resilience’ competition using music, poetry, photography and art to express their emotions.

The competition is open for students aged 6 to 18 to create works using the theme resilience in the face of drought, and also the bushfires and COVID-19.