MATILDAS star Mary Fowler has ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and is in a race against time to play in next year’s home Asian Cup. Manchester City had been hopeful the brilliant winger had avoided the dreaded injury, suffered when she appeared to wrench her right knee while overstretching for the ball on Sunday. […]

Police conducting bail checks on ‘weak’ legal basis
POLICE in Australia’s largest state have been slammed for regularly entering the private property of former inmates out on bail to conduct compliance checks, without a court order. A damning report from the NSW Law Enforcement Conduct Commission says police have been stretching their authority and powers by relying on a weak legal principle to […]
MacKillop students kick their way to international football tournament in Tokyo
DREAMS have come true for two MacKillop College students who have been selected to play in the International Youth Football Tournament in Tokyo. Nikita Poltorasky of Port Macquarie will represent Northern NSW Football in the only U14 Boys team it is taking to the tournament, which runs from 28 April – 9 May. Outside of […]
Remembering Maria River’s Private Valentine Scott Aloysius Cain
Private Cain in uniform. Photo: Australian War Memorial. VALENTINE Scott Aloysius Cain was the auspicious-sounding name of a lad from the Maria River who signed up to fight for his country in 1917 and died a year later – a month before the Armistice that helped end the war was signed. Private Cain’s story is […]

‘Little Wings’ giving 10-year-old Oliver a fighting chance
TEN-year-old Oliver Davis of Kew lives with a rare autoimmune disorder known as Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP). The condition impacts his peripheral nervous system, leading to the intermittent loss of nerve function, and fatigue. Oliver undergoes essential Intravenous Immunoglobulin Therapy each month, and is flown to the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick on board […]

Visitors and locals gather at Oxley Beach to reflect on Good Friday
Students play the roles of Jesus and Simon of Cyrene, who helped Christ carry the cross. Photos: Pauline Cain. ST AGNES’ Catholic Parish chose Oxley Beach as the place to reflect on the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday morning, the holiest of days in the Christian calendar. “Good Friday” comes from the word […]

St Joseph’s Regional College student Esther Cummins represents NSW at Constitutional Convention
ST JOSEPH’S Regional College student Esther Cummins was one of 30 selected to represent NSW at the National Schools Constitutional Convention (NSCC) in Canberra. Esther, who is in Year 12, joined 120 young leaders from across Australia to explore the theme of fiscal federalism and its role within the Australian Constitution. “I met Federal members […]
Hooked On: Promising weather and post-swell bites
THIS long weekend promises promising weather, offering ample opportunities for anglers to head out fishing. Mid week we saw limited fishing due to significant swell, but this is expected to subside over the long weekend. In the Hastings, water clarity is improving, although the bottom of the tide still has some colour from consistent rainfall. […]
‘On the couch’ with Jasminda
DEAR Jasminda, WHENEVER I go to the supermarket for a couple of items, I end up leaving with a trolley full. How can I avoid the temptation and stick to my budget? Gloria V. Dear Gloria, It’s easy to feel defeated when you go into the supermarket for eggs and milk and return with two […]

Cowper candidates face-off at lively Kempsey event
EIGHT candidates for Cowper in the upcoming Federal Election have faced-off in Kempsey. The Meet the Candidates event at the Pensioner’s Club was attended by around 100 people and proved to be a lively and fast-paced affair. The Lower House and Upper House candidates included Wendy Firefly (The Greens), Greg Vigors (Labor), Geoffrey Marlow (Fusion […]