Living & Lifestyle

I’m Movin’ On: Elvis

August 21, 2020 By editor

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.

Sowing The Seeds Of Creativity

July 3, 2020 By editor

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.

Ub Ubbo Exchange is one of the three organising partners of the competition together with Parkes Shire Council and Neighbourhood Central. Parkes artist Scott Turnbull is a founding member of Ub Ubbo Exchange and is very excited about this opportunity for all young artists to show their skills and talent. “They will not only be supported by experienced artists, but it will give them great exposure.”

Fellow founding member and competition organiser, Sean James Cassidy said the competition tied in beautifully with the Ub Ubbo Exchange philosophy of coming together and sharing, and passing it on to the next generation.

“We are delighted that we were approached by Parkes Shire Drought Officer Roger Kitson. This competition will be sowing the seeds of creativity, growing the next crop of artistic talent and harvesting the works of a youthful endeavour.”

Ub Ubbo Exchange was founded in 2007 as a cultural exchange program between Australia and The Philippines to help artists travel between the two countries to share stories and art.

As inspiration for the young artists in the Parkes Shire, Sean wanted to highlight a re- cent collaboration between Scott and Lope Bosaing from The Philippines on a work called Growing with the Grain. Scott made wood carvings of Wiradjuri iconography and sent it to Lope who pressed the carvings into clay he had prepared from his farm.

While Ub Ubbo Exchange aims to draw on the immediate and natural environment in the production of art, Sean said the Shire’s young artists could use any inspiration to create works for the competition.

The competition categories include photography, song writing, poetry, drawing and painting. Entry forms can be found on the Art of Resilience Facebook group or downloaded from Council’s website at www.parkes.nsw.gov.au.

Submissions close Friday, 31st July, and the winners will be announced on Friday, 14th August. Winners will be selected from Parkes, Peak Hill, Trundle and Tullamore, and will be showcased as part of The Art of Resilience exhibition to take place on Friday, 16th October (subject to the latest COVID-19 restrictions and advice).

Winners of the song writing and poetry categories will have their work professionally produced into a collaborative CD, while winners of the painting/drawing and photography categories will have their work professionally published in a digital style format.

By Maggi Barnard

Financial And Taxation Needs

July 3, 2020 By editor

David Bicket CPA is your local go to business for all taxation, accounting, financial and business issues. The firm also specialises in succession, retirement and estate planning matters.

Since 2002, David and his staff have been servicing the needs of a diverse client base with their knowledge and expertise well recognised. With an understanding that no two businesses are the same and requires different levels of support, the firm can be relied upon for prompt, proactive and accurate advice delivered in a friendly and personal manner.

The staff members include Toni Hall, Lisa Bicket and Michael Reilly. Toni has been with the firm for over 13 years and specialises in all small business accounting software packages. Since 2002 Lisa has been the backbone of the business as office administrator/allrounder. Michael brings a wealth of professional, practical and commercial experience to the practice. Michael, a born and bred Parkes local, is a qualified Chartered Accountant and spent time in Sydney before returning where he was part of a major Forbes-based accounting practice in the 1990s.

Call today and make an appointment for your financial and taxation needs.

Crime

April 17, 2020 By editor

What is a crime? There are many crimes or offences. A lot are contained in the Crimes Act but many more are contained in other statutes both of the State and Federal Parliaments. The range of offences vary from murder down to parking.

Most criminal matters are commenced by the Police or the Director of Public Prosecutions by way of court attendance notices (formerly known as Police charges/summonses). Those charged with an offence will appear firstly before a magistrate in a local court. In some cases, issues of bail may need to be considered.

Magistrates deal with over 90% of criminal matters summarily, but the more serious offences are committed to the district court or supreme court for trial before a judge and/ or jury.

Unlike civil matters, criminal matters must be proved ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ having regard to the elements of the offence. This is when a solicitor’s professional knowledge becomes essential for the client (ie the person charged with an offence).

It should be noted that in civil matters the standard of proof is much less in that the plaintiff usually has to prove their case ‘on the balance of probabilities’.

Police will have a fact sheet (which is not evidence but outlines the Police case) on the first appearance before the court. The fact sheet and instructions from the client will help the solicitor in deciding whether to advise the client to plead guilty or not guilty. Sometimes an adjournment is necessary to obtain further information.

Once a plea is entered, the magistrate may adjourn the matter for hearing, sentence the client, commit the client for trial in a higher court or other options, depending on the seriousness of the offence, and the previous criminal history of the client. For further information contact us.

A Power Of Attorney That Endures

February 21, 2020 By editor

An enduring power of attorney authorises another person chosen by you to make decisions for you on legal and financial matters. You give that person full authority to act on your behalf. An enduring power of attorney is that it remains valid even if you become mentally incompetent.

You can limit the powers that you give to your attorney in the document. You can also limit it in time, and it can be revoked at any time, provided that you are mentally competent to do so.

You can appoint one or more persons. If you choose more than one attorney, you must decide whether they can act ‘jointly’ or ‘severally’. Jointly means that they must act together. Severally means that each attorney can make decisions by themselves and bind all other appointed attorneys. There are no set rules on whom you can appoint.

Unlike a general power of attorney, an enduring power must be witnessed by a solicitor, barrister or the registrar of the local court. In each case the witness must not work for, or have any close connection with, the person appointed as the attorney.

The power of attorney lasts until:
• You die
• You cancel it (and you have to be mentally competent to do this) by tearing it up and notifying the attorney that it is cancelled
• You become bankrupt
• A court cancels it

This is a complex legal field. If we at Matthews Williams can help you on any legal matter, feel free to call us.

By Mark Olson

Almost Time For The Picnic Races

May 17, 2018 By editor

If you do not want to miss out on the social highlight of the year, make sure to start planning for the Parkes Picnic Races on the June long weekend – there is less than a month to go!

The event offers loads of entertainment with a great day of racing, live music, children’s entertainment and the popular Fashions on the Field.

The racecourse provides full bar and betting facilities, as well as a range of catering services, while a range of catered marquees will offer packaged food and beverage tickets with seating. Patrons are welcome to bring their own food hampers and picnic on the grass, however the racecourse is a licensed venue so no alcohol is to be brought onto the grounds.

One of the Central West’s most prestigious Fashions on the Field competitions will take place once again with fantastic cash and prizes on offer.

A team of ‘Fashions on the Field’ spotters will be keeping a close eye on the crowd for race wear that expresses style and originality, selecting semi-finalists. As the crowd on Picnic Race Day is large, suitably dressed candidates are invited to present themselves at the semi-final judging before 2pm.

All judging commences at 2pm at the Parkes Coradgery and Diggers Amateur Racing Club Committee Tent, near the track. Judging starts at 2pm for all categories, and the finals are at approximately 3.30pm. Fashionable fillies, stylish gents and chic kids have the opportunity to be crowned the highly sought after Fashions on the Field winner, with the following categories: Elegant Lady, Stylish Man, Contemporary and Millinery.

New Cruelty Free Product Line At Kindred

August 17, 2017 By editor

Cherry Blooms brush on fibre eyelash extensions is hitting the beauty world by storm! This revolutionary product has the ability to extend and thicken your natural lashes by up to 600%. The formula contains natural high grade potent beeswax and black fibres which deliver dramatically longer and thicker lashes. The fibres do not fall on your
face unlike other brands; and it looks freshly applied even at the end of a long day. They look natural when you apply and does not clump or smudge.

Contact Kindred Beauty Lounge in Parkes to try out these new exciting products.

Massage Is More Than Just A Treat

July 20, 2017 By editor

While it might seem like a luxurious indulgence that most of us only pamper ourselves with on those special occasions when someone gifts us a voucher, massage is not only a therapeutic treatment, it is one of the oldest healing traditions. Many ancient cultures used massage to treat a range of disorders, and developed massage
practice or styles to take advantage of its therapeutic qualities.

Massage manipulates the body’s soft tissue to reduce muscle tension, maintain flexibility and improve circulation. One of the most obvious benefits is the reduction of self-sustaining pain postures. For instance, tension headaches can be caused by tight muscles, and the pain increases the tension, creating a self-sustaining pain loop. In these cases neck and shoulder massage provides an obvious benefit, reducing muscle tension and breaking the cycle.

Current research has shown massage can treat a variety of conditions, ranging from soft-tissue injuries, to anxiety, insomnia, and even arthritis. Relaxation is one of the most popular reasons people use massage, and there is a reason that people find a good massage so relaxing. Massage prompts the release of endorphins, the neurotransmitters that produce feelings of wellbeing, while simultaneously reducing the levels of stress hormones, such as adrenalin and cortisol.

But it is important to note that there are different types of massage. These can range from therapeutic massage, which is focussed on relaxation, to more rigorous remedial styles that encourage healing of injured soft-tissue. Myotherapy treats pain and reduced joint movement, and is used for musculoskeletal conditions and occupational injuries. Reflexology, shiatsu and aromatherapy each use wholistic concepts of wellness to promote health and
recovery, and sports massage might use a blend of techniques to enhance performance or to encourage a faster recovery for overworked muscles.

But it’s not just elite athletes who benefit from massage. Desk workers are prone to a range of postural complaints caused by prolonged periods of sitting, with the more advanced forms of postural stress manifesting as pain or weakness in the lower back and gluteals, or tension in the neck and shoulders. Regular massage can help to counteract all that sitting, giving you improved posture, and less physical tension and stress.

In Australia massage practitioners undergo comprehensive training, where they not only learn different practical techniques, but also study physiology so they understand musculoskeletal structure, lymphatic and nervous systems. A qualified masseuse offers more than a relaxing pamper session, they are a trained health professional and can work with you to reduce or eliminate a range of ailments.

Qualified masseuse Leanne Vazzoler is available for appointments in Parkes on Fridays from 9am to 6pm and Saturdays from 9am til 4pm.

A Big Weekend Of Fluffing

June 15, 2017 By editor

Some of the items that will be used in the make over.

Tomorrow we have some very special VIP guests visiting our store. TV stars and Brand Ambassadors for Furniture One, Ayden and Jess are visiting the Central West for two special reasons.

Firstly, they will make their in store appearance in Parkes, but the second event brought them all the way from the Gold Coast.

Furniture One ran a nationwide competition offering the winner a $10,000 room makeover and a barbeque with Ayden and Jess and 12 of their family and friends. The lucky winners come from Dubbo, and as we are the nearest Furniture One store, I had the pleasure of organising the logistics of the day. The truck will be loaded with all the goodies that Jess has selected and we will arrive in Dubbo tomorrow for an afternoon of fluffing! Once the room is complete we will be continuing on to the family barbeque
and media commitments with the Dubbo press.

The lucky couple were so excited and I can’t wait to see the smile on their faces when we have worked some magic in their room. They beat a huge array of entrants that came from all over the Eastern States of the country.

I will feature the final results in the next column and on Facebook.

To give you a sneak peek of the pieces Jess has selected. We are going for a peaceful, relaxing and tranquil feel for this busy couple’s bedroom to give them a sanctuary from the outside world. They will be enjoying a new AH Beard king size mattress and a beautiful upholstered bed with underbed storage. Large chests and a huge tallboy will complete the look. Two lovely lamps and a plethora of bedding, quilts, pillows and cushions will add extra luxury and style to the room.

By Karen Creith

Find Kind Beauty At Kindred

May 18, 2017 By editor

Kindred is about kind beauty. Every Kindred ritual is designed to take clients on a journey and show that beauty is more than skin deep.

“After 13 years in traditional beauty, there came a point where I could no longer go on,” said owner of Kindred, Kim Board- man. “I needed to take responsibility for the message I was sending about beauty and for what I was putting on my clients skin. I start work each morning excited to educate my clients that there is another way and that a bathroom full of products does not equal beautiful skin!”

Kim’s warm, caring nature and her passion for what she does shine through offering clients a true vision of just what Kindred stands for.

“Kindred is to be kind to yourself – allowing yourself to reconnect and be taken care of; to be kind to the environment by using toxin-free products and to be kind to others.”

All Kindred’s treatments are designed by Kim from her more than 13 years experience in the skincare and beauty industry. Offering clients holistic professional treat- ments using only small batch products, carefully selected by Kim, a Kindred ritual is prepared to get your skin glowing.

There’s not one product in Kim’s treatments and in salon that she herself wouldn’t use.