INVESTMENT markets react to shocks but then settle with reality. President elect Trump's historic and somewhat unexpected win in the USA elections has set a positive tone to US financial markets. Unexpected because while commentators predicted a close result, opinion polls during the last week of campaigning said Kamala Harris was

DEAR News Of The Area, THERE are several isolated communities identified by the NSW Rural Fire Service as having ‘Extreme’ fire danger rating and potentially ‘Catastrophic’ consequences should a major fire event kick off. This is well known by MidCoast Council, yet they have chosen to ignore the warnings. Council, in the

DEAR News Of The Area, LAST weekend our son Stevo flew to Brisbane to join the crew of a French yacht called “Cocodi”, which is sailing in this year’s Sydney to Hobart. Her skipper and crew have just sailed her from France, across the Atlantic, through the Panama Canal and across the

DEAR News Of The Area, A 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck Muswellbrook again last week and led to a sudden power outage affecting 2,732 homes and businesses. Had there been one of Dutton's nuclear reactors operating in the Muswellbrook area, such an uncontrolled power outage would have disrupted the reactor cooling

DEAR News Of The Area, IN the Mayor’s column published in the Manning River Times on Friday 31 May 2024, the Mayor says in part that Council is developing a plan “which sets forth a path toward financial sustainability” and ensures “operations are lean and efficient, and deliver value for

DEAR News Of The Area, A RESPONSE to Mayor Nikki Williams on the Jetty Foreshore development. We all want improvements at the Jetty Nikki, that we agree, however we do not believe Coffs Harbour should have to sell off its public land to get public recreation benefits. What are these $150m costings

DEAR News Of The Area, WHO is responsible for slashing the weeds on the approaches to the roundabout at the corner of Stadium Drive and the Pacific Highway? Council or the Transport Department? I'm a short person driving a small car, and the weeds are so tall that I can't see

DEAR News Of The Area, OKAY, the block has been cleared! I have heard suggestions that ‘good gum trees’ have been removed illegally. Perhaps so. Perhaps not. A lot of possibilities there! Was it factored into the costs? No matter, they have gone so where to from here? We did have years

NEWS Of The Area, I HAVE been trying to do more exercise lately, walking on the flat and trying to walk on hills. I live in Macksville. I have noticed a decided lack of footpaths in and around Macksville - why? Boundary Street has two footpaths, why is this when most streets

DEAR News Of The Area, THE USA election leaves me with mixed feelings. I supported Kamala Harris because she seemed the more rational and predictable in the face of Donald Trump’s intuitive emotionalism. But, at the same time, I strongly support what Trump has said about a whole lot of issues that