local leaders have warned against using the closure of storefronts as a marker for the city's success All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAutograph, Katies Rivers and Millers have recently closed their doors in the city centre But is this a problem that's unique to Burnie Business Northwest president Ian Jones said the closures of national retail chains in Burnie were no different to other centres around the country Picture FileHe said the folding of national franchises was not a reflection of the strength of local shops and businesses "If we isolate out the national chain stores then there has been very few actual local stores stop trading," Mr Jones said we have had new businesses open up in Wilson Street in the last six months." Burnie mayor Teeny Brumby said the recent departures were a reflection of broader trends "Retail has shifted significantly across Australia with many shoppers moving to online platforms which has naturally impacted traditional brick-and-mortar shopfronts," she said found that one reason for dissatisfaction among residents was the CBD Eight residents cited empty shops and the closing of small businesses as concerns Picture FileTen per cent of people said the availability and enforcement of car parking was a top issue for the city at the moment and when asked about their satisfaction with the provision of adequate and affordable parking 40 per cent of people said they were dissatisfied Of respondents who said they were dissatisfied with the council's overall performance only one per cent said parking was their specific reason for dissatisfaction Three per cent of people considered better cheaper and free parking to be the most important thing the council could do to improve its performance Cr Brumby said that although the recent closures of national chain stores were disappointing she would caution people from using the CBD as a "thermometer check" of how Burnie is progressing "While some might view empty shopfronts as a signal of decline it doesn't paint the full picture," she said "Many of our businesses across the broader city Picture FileCr Brumby said the council is "actively pursuing" the long-term revitalisation of the city centre through the Burnie City Centre Urban Plan which would reimagine the CBD beyond a retail-centric model people spend just 26 minutes in the city centre and primarily visit the area for a single purpose before leaving Business leaders in other centres on the Coast have previously spoken out about how paid parking has the power to make or break a CBD. When asked whether the council would consider implementing free parking in the CBD Cr Brumby did not outwardly support or shut down the idea "While the idea of free parking is often raised it's worth remembering that encouraging visitation and investment requires a more holistic approach," she said a collaboration between Business Northwest has been helping fill empty shop spaces with creative entrepreneurs during the past five years Coordinator Cyndia Hilliger said the program provides insurance for participants and minimal outgoings instead of retail rent to those wanting to break into the brick-and-mortar business landscape "It provides an opportunity for an artist or creative engaged in developing their own works to consider selling these works in a prominent retail site "We work with the prospective participants to make sure they are ready and understand what might be involved in running a business we ensure that what they are offering complements but does not compete with existing retailers." Ms Hilliger said the program also helps retail owners showcase their spaces to prospective tenants "We have had a 50 per cent conversion to full-time leases from this program for shop spaces Business Northwest also manages the Discover Burnie Web app which includes a "retail therapy" section to promote local CBD retailers at no cost Tess Kelly is a journalist at The Advocate. Story tips and goss can be sent to tess.kelly@austcommunitymedia.com.au Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePentarch has lodged a development application with the Burnie City Council to build a new sawmill and pallet-making facility at Massy Green Drive near its existing chip mill Picture Pentarch.The project would use advanced log scanning and sawmill technology to extract extra value from the timber that is currently delivered to the site The green timber would then be turned into pallets on an assembly line Pentaarch's existing woodchip mill is licensed to produce up to 650,000 tonnes per year of woodchip product The new project would not impact the facility's permitted production rate and the pallet-manufacturing business would have the same operating hours as the existing mill - 7am to 10pm "Of the 650,00 tonnes per year received at the site the new project will be designed to receive and process up to 200,000 tonnes of timber," the application says An aerial photo of the Massy Greene woodchip facility Picture Pentarch."Of the 170,000 m3/pa of pulp grade logs received at the sawmill it is estimated that approximately 70,000 m3/pa will be recovered as pallet lumber." The pallet assembly line would have a maximum design capacity of 3542 pallets per day would be transferred via conveyor to the existing woodchip mill and processed into chips and sawdust fines A new building would be constructed - this year if approved - to house pallet assembly and painting operations I have worked as a journalist for more than 20 years and have lived and worked in the North-West for the last two decades after 13 years away in Western Australia The Burnie City Council has unanimously rejected plans for pedestrian access to the city’s new ‘cheese sticks’ gateway artwork citing highway safety risks and significant costs abandons a potential crossing that would have connected the foreshore to the highway median where the yellow sculptures stand Council staff confirmed the crossing project would have cost between $200,000 and $300,000 to complete councillors expressed concerns about encouraging pedestrians near the busy highway A request to possibly increase the artwork’s brightness was also knocked back due to ‘dark sky principles’ that limit upward light pollution The state government provided a $1.25 million grant to beautify the city entrance with the project ultimately costing $1.164 million for artist selection The remaining $86,000 will be returned as the grant must be finalised by June 30 The project is locally nicknamed the ‘cheese sticks’ or ‘french fries’ Send your photos, videos and tip-offs to[email protected], use our News Tips form or call and leave us a message on 03 6124 2526 Pulse Tasmania is published by Pulse Media Group Pty Ltd The family and friends of the late Anissa Bourn are respectfully invited to attend her funeral service which will be held in the Chapel of Parkside Funerals This will be followed by interment in the We invite you to view the service via live stream Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Stephen's funeral service at the Parklands Chapel Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe couple juggle looking after their 10-year-old twins with their careers and a soon-to-open blueberry farm On top of that, they have a small business, Coop Secure, which has a stall at Agfest for the first time Mel Clark and Dan Van der Vlist with Tina the Polish chicken from Coop Secure Pictures by Eve Woodhouse.The pair make automatic doors for chicken coops out of their Bridgenorth shed in the Tamar Valley they purchased an expensive automatic door from Germany but when it stopped working after one year there was no quality replacement in Australia Mr Van der Vlist had a crack at making one himself and customer numbers have been steadily rising since was a preventative measure against predators "It's something that Tasmanians need because of quolls and feral cats," Miss Clark said "For our friends across the ditch [on the mainland] The nurse said having an automatic door was particularly helpful for her family "It's just that you can do your shift work [and] you can let the chooks come and go," she said Although the family has lost count of how many chickens they have Miss Clark said it was somewhere between 35 and 45 Chicken coop featuring one of Coop Secure's automatic doors.With an egg shortage across the country many Australians are turning to backyard chickens Miss Clark suggested smaller chicken breeds Agfest will be held over May 1-3 at Quercus Park To learn more about the business, visit Coop Secure's Facebook page Journalist covering Tasmania's North-West, based in Burnie. The family and friends of the late Mr Barry Sharman are respectfully invited to attend his funeral service Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAn election day vehicle breakdown on a busy bridge has inspired the witty folk at Tasmania Police Don't let anyone say police have no sense of humour. File picturePolice at 3.52pm on May 3 said they were going to the Tasman Bridge in Hobart after a report of a vehicle breaking down while heading east to west "Motorists should allow Liberal amounts of time if commuting in the area before police can get the Green light to clear the scene and traffic can flow Independently," police said but police will clear the scene as soon as we can." Police later said the bridge was now clear "The Member for Towing has attended the Tasman Bridge and removed the broken-down vehicle," they said The Advocate Newspaper, Tasmania. Business, economics, politics, crime. Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Love footy? We've got all the action covered. The latest news, results & expert analysis. Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIt comes as Premier and Tourism Minister Jeremy Rockliff said 100,000 vouchers worth $100 each as part of a $27.8 million suite of initiatives announced in October to support the tourism sector while the Spirit delays continue West by North West Regional Tourism marketing and projects manager Sarah Norton CEO Gabriella Conti and industry support coordinator Meg Hely Picture by Eve WoodhouseWest by North West Regional Tourism has launched light and sound shows to be held at Queenstown and Strahan as well as the return of the Permission to Tresspass program for its third year and the second running of the Stanley and Tarkine Forage Festival The government's package has supported the events "Each of these light shows is surrounded by locals creating even more reasons to visit through pop-up tastings so it talks nicely with the off-season messaging that Tourism Tasmania is pushing." Mrs Conti said each show would tell a story through light and sound meaning the only way to get the whole experience was to book your spot "The artist Alex Moss has done a lot of community engagement to tell the story of the five locations [the four above and Table Cape] so people will have more of an understanding of the region and just coming away feeling they've done something that they've never been able to do on the North-West Coast before "It will be really special for not only visitors coming in but also the local community to see their church [lit up] and be able to watch a 10-minute free visual light show and then be able to enjoy a beer at Penguin Beer Co or go to the Penguin Wine Bar and support the local businesses The Table Cape lighthouse will be one of the locations for the sound and light shows File picture"People can come and watch the show so we encourage them to jump online and book a free ticket which means they'll get a free headset so they can watch the light show and immerse themselves." The tourism body's marketing and projects manager said the aim was to make the North-West "an inviting place to come for winter" "We want to drive visitation to the region whether that's interstate or intrastate visitation or even to get the locals out there," she said For more information, or to book, visit: https://northwesttasmania.com.au I'm excited to have joined The Advocate team having grown up reading the publication. I have experience in agricultural, general and sport reporting during my time in northern Victoria. If you have a story idea, contact me at: rodney.woods@austcommunitymedia.com.au Photo: Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOSMelbourne captain Max Gawn has dismissed the latest trade speculation around Clayton Oliver and expects the star midfielder will to return to the AFL club imminently Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueOliver missed the Demons' win over West Coast last round due to personal reasons granted temporary leave after what the club described as "a difficult week personally" Gawn expects the 27-year-old to re-join his teammates when Melbourne resume training on Tuesday in preparation for the clash with Hawthorn at the MCG in round nine Max Gawn says it was a mature decision for Oliver to take a break for personal reasons (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)"There is going to be stories about him until we're done," Gawn said on Triple M on Monday "He's an elite player who's on a good pay packet and those guys are always going to have stories written about them "He made a very mature decision to spend the week off this week It's been a big first eight weeks (of the season) for him "He came to the club and they organised a good situation He felt like he was getting a bit overwhelmed and just wanted a week off from the club "He'll be in tomorrow and I actually really applaud the mature decision from both the club and Clayton." Oliver had a desire to be traded to Geelong at the end of last year but Melbourne held firm on their contracted four-time best-and-fairest winner A Nine report on Sunday night claimed Oliver will again seek an early release from the multi-million dollar deal "I am literally week-to-week with both the footy club and with Clayton so all I care about is him getting up for Hawthorn and him doing it with a smile on his face Oliver has been the subject of more trade speculation but skipper Gawn dismisses it (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)Gawn said the latest Oliver trade speculation won't be an issue for Melbourne this week as they seek to extend a three-match winning streak "I've lived with so many of these stories .. "It's all a beat-up in May because anything can happen in May "Let's say I have made a decision that I want to go next year and to somewhere else I'm going to pretend it hasn't even been written - nothing to see here - and continue my relationship with Clayton." After last Saturday night's win over West Coast Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said he hopes Oliver will be in the mix to play against Hawthorn But Goodwin stressed Oliver's wellbeing is "the biggest thing for us" and said the club won't put any pressure on him to play Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueSunday dawned clear Autumn's chill lingered a while in the shadows but was quickly banished by the sun And the sky did not fall the morning after the night before At least not for most ordinary Australians The scale of the Coalition loss was historic and largely unforeseen - except by one poll last week When YouGov modelling predicted Labor would be returned with a substantially improved majority and the Coalition would suffer its worst result since 1946 most polls had predicted Labor would hold its small majority Turns out it was almost on the money - "almost" because it underestimated the extent of the Labor win But this one poll wasn't the only vindication to be had As analysts crunched the numbers on Sunday morning Labor under Albanese had outperformed Chifley all of them historic ALP wins in their day The Marrickville mumbler had found his voice and Anthony Albanese's second election victory will rank among the greats. Picture Getty ImagesYouGov predicted Labor would win 84 seats, which seemed fanciful last week. By midday yesterday, it was being projected to win 88 and was within shooting distance of a final outcome somewhere in the 90s. If Canada's election result was breathtaking the landslide sets up huge challenges on both sides of the dispatch box With Peter Dutton's loss in Dickson the opposition has the monumental task of rebuilding itself It must choose a new leader from a badly diminished field Andrew Hastie and Dan Tehan are touted as the top contenders but none of them presents a particularly inspiring choice And the Liberal Party must somehow re-emerge as the senior partner in the Coalition even if the numbers suggest that status is now unjustified and that the LNP acronym ought to be changed to NLP "Will we see a Littleproud for PM campaign in 2028?" a landslide win brings with it enormous expectations cost of living and energy hasn't gone anywhere Albanese in this next term will be expected to be bolder in his reform agenda - certainly less timid and incremental than he was in his first term But he'll also have to be wary of creeping hubris - and risk taking - within Labor ranks Which gets us back to election night and the grace shown in both victory and defeat Finally, we got to see that softer side of Peter Dutton in his concession speech He took full responsibility for the Coalition's defeat saying his mum would have been proud of him who had taken the seat he'd held for so long Dutton said her late son would be immensely proud of her ticked off a supporter who had nasty words for Peter Dutton we treat each other with respect irrespective of our differences Grace on both sides is something that should make us proud of our democracy HAVE YOUR SAY: Did the extent of the Labor win take you by surprise? What do you expect from the PM in his second term? Who is best suited to lead the coalition out of the political wilderness? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too - Just days before the Vatican convenes to elect a new pope, US President Donald Trump has stirred controversy by seemingly sharing a doctored image of himself dressed in papal regalia The digitally altered image was posted without explanation on Trump's social media platform at 10.29pm on Friday night (12.30pm Saturday Australian time) It quickly triggered criticism - and amusement - online - Labor is set to have an easier path to implementing its second-term agenda, picking up several Senate seats at the federal election. Fresh from its increased majority in the lower house, Labor looks likely to pick up three more seats at the coalition's expense - The Nationals have again outperformed the Liberals battening down the hatches in their seats as their coalition partner experienced an electoral storm The junior coalition party has retained almost all of its seats and took large chunks out of Labor's margin in the Northern Territory seat of Solomon and Victorian seat of Bendigo THEY SAID IT: "Grace is not part of consciousness; it is the amount of light in our souls YOU SAID IT: The other clear winner in the election was democracy itself the Australian version of which has no time for extremism or populism "This column hit the nail on the head," writes Louise "We do enjoy a democratic process in Australia no mention of the horrific domestic violence and a significant increase in funding to get on top of this shameful stain on our community we must remain vigilant that the rise of Trumpism does not make its way into our enviable way of life." and within that context he was perfectly accurate When Trump trumpets himself in the same fashion he is not restricting his context and his main believer is himself While there will be some Australians who see his style his message and his apparent success as something worth adopting or following I believe the majority of Australians are sufficiently unimpressed to support his political style but the vast majority of us accept that other people have opinions too." "Many people can be so easily persuaded by simplistic slogans towards easy solutions Being disrespectful of others is never the answer to a cohesive society Joan writes: "I think we are in great danger of the Trumps of this world we are too complacent with our democratic rights too many Australians are only concerned with their own backyard and their hip pocket They only get upset when either of those are directly affected by a political manoeuvre." "Trump's actions have made many people across the world realise how lucky they are not living in America and to appreciate our own countries "If we allow inequality and greed to thrive here as they do over there We need to explain the long-term benefits of this to the community as a whole If we properly support people who are struggling instead of locking them up build interesting communities from our diversity Crazy to squash people down until they become desperate and act irrationally to deal with their pain." Jeanette writes: "Australia can remain immune to Trump's style of politics as long as we remain vigilant and become far more perceptive than we are at present Trumpism is multifarious and that's the biggest danger - not recognising it for what it really is." Four decades in the media, working in print and television. Formerly editor of the South Coast Register and Milton Ulladulla Times. Based on the South Coast of NSW. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueJust after 7am there was a knock on her door in Burnie; it was Mark Field He had noticed what appeared to be a small stream of sewage water Princes Street in Burnie after a water main burst on Sunday morning Pictures by Emily Williams"It was a little bit to start with," Mr Field said but while I was upstairs knocking on [Ms Gladwell's] front door it just burst and came pouring out like a waterfall; all the mud A water main had burst on Seaview Avenue and flooded Ms Gladwell's backyard below the water was almost up to the windows," Mr Field said The water and mud gushed down Ms Gladwell's backyard and driveway Water at Burnie's West Beach turned brown as the mud made its way into the ocean When asked if there was any damage to her property but she was grateful that no mud had entered her home Cass Gladwell said she was grateful no mud or water had entered her home."The house is about to be painted if we don't get the mud off the house quickly TasWater crew arrived on-site about 7.30am Cass Gladwell's backyard once the water had stopped flowing."Within the span of half an hour and I've gone back to work," Mr Field said said about 30 customers were impacted by the burst water main "The burst occurred on a 75-year-old cement-lined 100mm cast iron pipe," she said "Our team is working hard to restore water as a priority with repairs underway and traffic management in place The mud had flowed down into the ocean at Burnie's West Beach Picture supplied by Andrew Smith."We're also awaiting support from street sweepers to assist with the clean-up." She said water was expected to be restored by about 2pm Ms Gladwell said she had quite the clean-up ahead of her Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe site is a new listing on Elders Real Estate Devonport's website with an asking price of $2.4 million Picture Elders Real Estate.TasFoods told the ASX this week that the purchaser it announced was buying the factory had failed to complete the transaction "The company will be seeking damages and is pursuing a new purchaser for the property," the company said in a statement TasFoods announced in December last year it had sold the factory for $2.4 million The failed deal has put a dent in TasFood's plan to pay off debt through the sale of the factory TasFoods told the stock exchange that "funds from the sale will be used to pay down term debt with NAB and remaining funds will be used in Pyengana Dairy for growth initiatives and Nichols Poultry for operational efficiency initiatives." The company announced in August, 2023, that it was selling the Betta Milk and Meander Valley Dairy brands to Bega Cheese TasFoods retained the land and buildings of the Betta Milk site and leased them back to Bega Bega revealed the "ageing' facility" would close and milk production would move to Lenah Valley That meant the building was surplus to Bega's needs and the lease was not needed The factory sits on just under a hectare of land Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe now 19-year-old took to the witness stand in the Burnie Supreme Court on Friday to give evidence in the trial of James David Perry James David Perry is standing trial in the Burnie Supreme Court Picture FileMr Perry has pleaded not guilty to 16 charges including rape indecent assault and having penetrative sex with a young person It's alleged the offences were committed against six girls aged 14 and under between 2018 and 2019 the girl told the jury that she had asked Mr Perry on Snapchat if he could give her a lift from Devonport to Ulverstone The young woman told the court that after Mr Perry picked her up he started to put his hand on her thigh and rubbed her leg while he was driving before pushing her to have sex She said she told Mr Perry she didn't want to and reminded him that he had a girlfriend but he told her that no one would find out The woman said she agreed to have sex with Mr Perry so he would stop "harassing" her Mr Perry pulled over near the Leith turn-off When asked by the prosecution what happened after Mr Perry pulled over the woman asked if she could have a minute and momentarily turned away from the jury and faced the wall The woman said she laid down in the passenger seat took the condom off and chucked it out the door During cross-examination by Mr Perry's lawyer suggested to the woman that there was never an occasion when the accused sexually assaulted her on the side of the highway or anywhere else Story tips and goss can be sent to tess.kelly@austcommunitymedia.com.au Tess Kelly is a journalist at The Advocate The family and friends of the late Margaret Blake are respectfully invited to attend her funeral service which is to be held in the Chapel of Parkside Funerals Picture file.A North-West man accused of evading police speeding and being on the road without a driver's licence has appeared in court from his toilet at home Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueJade Brian Kaye was due in court on Friday so his matter could proceed to hearing Instead he sent a medical certificate to the Burnie Magistrates Court stating he was unfit to attend "I've been up all night with gastro and didn't come in because I was crook," Mr Kaye told Magistrate Leanne Topfer Magistrate Topfer declined Mr Kaye's suggestion that he could send a video to prove where he was She also told the defendant she was not impressed with his medical documentation - an instant script issued online without a patient having to talk to a doctor The prosecution also suggested the medical certificate provided was not valid and asked a warrant be issued for Mr Kaye's arrest for failing to appear in court we have four witnesses here," the prosecutor told the court "I am definitely not impressed but he is telling me he is not well so in the circumstances I will adjourn the hearing until January 22," Magistrate Topfer said. Mr Kaye told the court he "100 per cent" intended to defend the charges against him Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe business has been operating from the same site in Wilson Street for 30 years Craig and Jo Brooks told customers that they had decided to close because the landlord was redeveloping the site Picture Helen Kempton.The Ulverstone Contel store closed down more than 12 months ago The Devonport store is also permanently closed The couple said that despite exploring all viable options with its long-term partner "We are incredibly grateful to our loyal customers over the past 15 years and to those who supported our predecessors "To our dedicated staff - past and present - thank you for being the backbone of our business and for your unwavering commitment to our customers." The shop will operate at capacity until the end of May How the site will be redeveloped is not yet clear which includes their removal by an independent tribunal Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThere has been debate over a number of years that the rules governing councillor misconduct are sufficient and penalties for code of conduct breaches are insufficient Trent Aitken, known as the Boy from Burnie, was elected to the Burnie City Council in 2022. Picture by Brodie Weeding.It was recently revealed by Burnie City Council general manager Shane Crawford that there had been more than 100 complaints made about councillor Trent Aitken so far this year. More recently, the outspoken councillor has expressed views on transgender people that have been deemed offensive to that community started by North-West resident Alysa Polden has been circulated that calls on Cr Aitken to resign from the Burnie City Council It has requested that the council lobby the Local Government Association of Tasmania and state government to empower the Local Government Minister to dismiss a councillor for breaching the Anti-Discrimination Act Ms Polden said she believed that it was important that an elected councillor be held to account for "hate speech" as any other elected politician would be "If you are in the public eye and have a public platform you need to be responsible for what you say and make sure you are not making anti-discriminatory comments," she said I've seen a much different conversation about the LGBTIQA+ community and getting rid of stereotypes and stigma and then things like this happen and you realise that we have so much further to go." Mr Vincent was approached for an interview about whether a minister should have the power to remove a councillor if they were deemed to have seriously breached the Local Government Code of Conduct or presented the council on which they served with an unworkable situation Mr Vincent said the government had recently proposed new provisions to deal with serious councillor misconduct under the code "These matters would be heard and determined by the Tasmanian Administrative and Civil Tribunal which would be given the power to dismiss a councillor in certain circumstances," he said "This would not be an appropriate role for the minister to play and its vital we keep decisions like this completely independent." He said a draft bill incorporating these amendments would be released in the coming weeks Labor's local government spokeswoman Anita Dow said the code of conduct process needed improvement "There has been strong advocacy for improvement from local government and our community for a long time," she said "I understand the government is currently consulting on changes to the Local Government Act in relation to councillor conduct the community has the final say when it comes to deciding who represents them Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend David's funeral service at the Parklands Chapel Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePlans are afoot to transform the site into the Burnie Health Hub in two stages Pharmacist Jack Muir Wilson and Laurel House chief executive Kathryn Fordyce at the former UTAS campus in Burnie Picture by Sean FordBurnie pharmacist Jack Muir Wilson is behind the idea He said it had long been his ambition for the facility to be transformed into a health hub for the benefit of the community Mr Muir Wilson said the Burnie Heath Hub had been working for some time with site owner the Department of Education Children and Young People to negotiate a commercial long-term lease "Negotiations have been extremely positive and we are hopeful of the lease being finalised in coming weeks," Mr Muir Wilson said "We have been working hard to make this dream a reality and have now lodged a development application for the site with the Burnie City Council bringing the redevelopment of the now vacant site one step closer not only will it provide a range of much-needed health services but we will also be inviting local not-for-profit providers to provide services which will allow convenient coordinated access to health at no extra cost to eligible patients." He floated it as a potential site for the Burnie urgent care clinic promised by federal Labor How the former UTAS campus in Burnie could look redeveloped as a health hub Supplied pictureThe proponents are seeking commitments of $8 million from the federal parties for the health hub which would be two minutes' drive from the North West Regional Hospital The remaining $16 million would be private money "We want the Burnie Health Hub to become a one-stop health destination elderly residents and those with complex medical needs," Mr Muir Wilson said TAFE and major aged care facilities ensures convenience and ease of access .. a dedicated bus stop and close proximity to emergency services the site is well placed to meet the growing needs of the community." the chief executive of sexual assault support service Laurel House said the organisation welcomed the opportunity to be part of the hub "Co-locating with aligned services would strengthen support for victim-survivors of sexual violence and child sexual abuse and enhance sector collaboration," she said It would help avoid clients having to visit various locations for services which Ms Fordyce said could discourage some people from using them Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAccording to the strategy which was completed by Playstreet and cost the council $29,700 six parks/reserves and five exercise sites are dispersed across the Burnie municipality What the foreshore could like once works are complete Picture suppliedWhile four of those are set to be upgraded the council will also identify smaller playgrounds that could be considered for disposal to consolidate its park assets Playstreet said the upgrades were required because the Shorewell Park play equipment and amenities lacked appeal an investigation is needed at View Road Reserve because of its prior use as a tip site and the equipment at Burnie Park and the waterfront is "tired" Upgrading the play equipment at Shorewell Park is a priority for the Burnie council after funding commitments were secured from both major parties ahead of this weekend's federal election each playground has been given a theme to ensure each offers a different experience and appeals to a broader audience," the agenda item reads The strategy recommends wayfinding play spaces to fit the rural theme at Shorewell Park adventure style play for all age groups at View Road Reserve as well as relocating the skate park there from West Park building on the crayfish theme at Burnie Park and the octopus theme at West Beach The upgrades are expected to cost about $9 million The council is investigating opportunities to complete the Shorewell Park project within the 2025-26 capital program Councillors were set to formally consider the strategy at the April 29 meeting Burnie City Council has released a city centre plan that would put people who want to ride in a dangerous and uncomfortable position on some of its streets The Burnie City Centre Urban Plan professes a desire to make it easier to cycle through the city centre and several “green links” are marked on the map Green links are described as shared paths but detail on the width of the paths is not provided and the cross-section diagrams for “city streets” only mention a “pedestrian space” of 2.5 metres shared paths would need to be at least a clear 3 metres wide but in a busy setting with a lot of pedestrians widths should be increased and people walking should be separated from people riding or scooting The proposed street designs also include a “city loop” that has painted lanes that are too narrow and sandwiched between parked cars and traffic Tasmanian government guidelines recommend using painted lanes only when traffic volumes are less than 400 vehicles in the busiest hour and moving at speeds of 30-40km or less then bike lanes should follow the City of Melbourne painted lane guidance which is a bike lane of 1.5-1.8 metres in width with a painted chevron buffer of 0.6-0.8 metres between parked cars and the bike lane Burnie Council is proposing lanes on its city loop that are only 0.8 metres wide That’s 0.13 metres short of the minimum space required (see cross-section above) The “operating envelope” width for a standard bicycle is 1 metre and for a cargo or trike bike it’s 1.2 metres The proposed bike lane width doesn’t cover a moving bike provide enough space to avoid debris or defects account for wind buffering or allow room to pass another rider The proposed designs for the city loop provide a standard traffic traffic lane width of 3.5 metres and parking bay width of 2.5 metres travel lane widths can be reduced to 3 metres on low-speed streets that don’t accommodate heavy vehicles and parking bay width to 2.1-2.3 metres Narrowing traffic lanes and parking bays would allow more space for people who want to ride This would leave room for a painted lane on one side of the street – or on both sides of the street if some of the street furniture space was also reduced Let the council know its plans fail people who want to ride before 2 February via email burnie@burnie.tas.gov.au Become a Member and help fund our advocacy work The Great Victorian Bike Ride is set to return in 2025 on 24–28 November offering an exciting new format while keeping the spirit of this beloved event alive Bicycle Network Memberships offer benefits to all kinds of riders The Peaks Challenge Ride2School fundraiser is on again for this year's epic event on Sunday 9 March The City of Adelaide will undertake a speed limit review to understand the need for reducing speeds to support business and residents and create a safer city environment Work on the much-anticipated $38.9 million Sydney Harbour Bridge ramp upgrade has begun the bike lane will link the country's most famous bridge to the bike network in Milsons Point we launched our Affiliate Membership program specially designed for cycling groups and clubs Orange in New South Wales is in line for a nice new stretch of bike path one that will expand the off-road network and improve access to schools Work has kicked off on a key Canberra bike route setting the wheels in motion for safer and more pleasant journeys through the city’s northern suburbs In a submission to the federal government’s draft National Urban Policy Bicycle Network and seven other Australian bicycle organisations have called for active transport infrastructure funding to be increased to 10% of federal transport investment Many of our best bike journeys are along coastlines or up and down the creeks and rivers that meet the sea But with rising sea levels some of this vital infrastructure is at threat of inundation erosion and from changes in groundwater chemistry "The millions of dollars they spent at Leith [to improve safety] and then they dropped the speed limit," she said and I don't see it as necessary for a speed limit change in that area." Ms Cox said the petition was her way of being proactive Spreyton's Cherie Cox wants the speed limit between Burnie and Devonport reinstated to 110kmh and has started a petition Picture by Eve Woodhouse"It's nearly 110kmh all the way to Launceston and it is [mostly] double lanes all the way so I don't see the need for the lower speed limits," she said you might as well try and do something about it "the only areas that should have lower speed limits are the roundabouts" "The width and quality of the build of this important transportation artery fully allow safe driving at this speed," she said in the petition description "Locals and regular travellers argue that the variances in the speed limit only serve to create confusion and unnecessary delay on this essential road transportation becomes smoother and more efficient without compromising road safety "Given the highway's significance to the area's economy and the residents' convenience we ask the relevant authorities to consider this request "Please sign this petition and support us in our endeavour to improve transportation in our region." The 90kmh limit west of the Sulphur Creek roundabout Picture by Eve WoodhouseThe commentary on the petition ranges from confusion among motorists to concerns about whether it is a revenue-raising exercise or about driver safety the change.org petition had 201 signatures To sign the petition, visit: https://www.change.org/p/devonport-to-burnie-speed-limit-change Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOSGold Coast coach Damien Hardwick is urging his players to enjoy the hype of their highly-anticipated clash against Brisbane Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe third-placed Suns play the second-placed Lions on Sunday night - the first time the clubs meet while holding such high ladder positions either," Hardwick told reporters on Friday The former Richmond coach has instructed his players to embrace the hostility from the pro-Lions crowd at the Gabba We have used that a little bit with regard to our away record .. it has been a learning process for our players," Hardwick said "It's understanding and embracing the fact that it's going to be a hostile environment - and enjoy it "You get the privilege to represent the Gold Coast Suns in a hostile environment that is baying for your blood "So the understanding and the growth in that space has been pretty big for us "And they're going to get another big challenge - there's not many more hostile environments than the Gabbatoir when they (Brisbane) are up and going - and they are at the moment." Applause rang out in the Burnie City Council chambers in Tasmania last night when the council voted to support LGBTQIA+ equality and inclusion Councillors voted 8 to 1 to convene an LGBTQIA+ advisory group and develop an LGBTQIA+ action group The sole dissenting vote came from Cr Trent Aitken, who made headlines in January when he described Jonathan Van Ness as “not right in the head” after the Queer Eye star wore a dress to the Golden Globes the motion received passionate support from several councillors and applause from people in the public gallery when it passed Cr Simpson spoke of her pleasure at seeing the council chambers filled with rainbow colours for the vote “Having the support of the LGBTIQA+ community in the gallery was so powerful and when I watched as the rainbow colours walked through the Council Chamber doors I felt so much love and warmth and knew that with their support “I am beyond thrilled with the outcome,” she said “Having the motion carried by all councillors apart from Cr Aitken was so rewarding “We were strong in our passion and we won.” The motion supporting LGBTQIA+ equality and inclusion contrasts sharply with north-west Tasmania’s dark homophobic past In 2005, an Australia Institute survey of homophobia found the region to be one of the nation’s most homophobic Almost 50 per cent of locals believed homosexuality was immoral In 2007, the town of Penguin, 17 kilometres east of Burnie, drew international attention when a local gay couple received death threats and had a dead wallaby nailed to their front door Ulverstone, 29 kilometres from Burnie, was known as “Australia’s most homophobic town” in the 1990s Travel guidebook Lonely Planet even advised gay travellers to avoid the town Rallies opposing decriminalisation of homosexuality were held in Burnie Ulverstone and other nearby centres in the late 1980s and 1990s Tasmania decriminalised homosexuality in 1997 – the last Australian state to do so Tasmanian LGBTQIA+ rights advocate Rodney Croome referenced the area’s past “As someone who protested outside anti-gay rallies in Burnie 30 years ago, I was overjoyed to be in the Burnie Council Chamber when the council voted to support an LGBTIQA+ advisory group and action plan,” said Equality Tasmania spokesperson Croome “Thanks to Deputy Mayor Giovanna Simpson for putting the motion to all those councillors who spoke in favour of it and to those local LGBTIQA+ people family members and allies who came to support.” Deputy Mayor Giovanna Simpson said: “This is a step forward for the community and I hope it heals some of the hurt that has been caused.” Rodney Croome said: “Now the hard work begins to consult with the city’s LGBTIQA+ community and come up with a plan that will make a real difference to people’s lives.” Council’s General Manager Shane Crawford expressed concern there was no allocated budget for the action plan A motion amendment from Cr Simpson committed to expenditure in the 2025-2026 financial year Peter Hackney is an experienced journalist He is the former editor of several LGBTQIA+ publications including QNews Queensland Pride and the Sydney Star Observer He writes for various mastheads on a wide range of topics and website in this browser for the next time I comment We celebrate diverse stories and voices through daily LGBT news content and a monthly print edition covering a range of topics from pop culture to politics We aim to inspire and positively impact our readers facilitating engagement and inclusivity within businesses Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative general manager Shane Crawford has confirmed Burnie City councillor Trent Aitken copped a pasting from councillor Amina Keygan about his recent attacks on transgender people Pictures FileCr Keygan said Cr Aitken had gone out of his way to "vilify" and "target" the LGBTQIA+ community through his social media posts She said the community were facing incredibly testing times which had been made "unnecessarily more difficult and challenging" thanks to Cr Aitken's comments The debate erupted following a proposed motion by deputy mayor Giovanna Simpson to form an advisory group made up of members of the LGBTQIA+ community Equality Tasmania and council representatives It also followed questions by Cr Aitken about whether the council had received complaints or had concerns raised with them about transgender women being in women's change rooms and toilets or if concerns had been raised by transgender women about their experiences Mr Crawford indicated a complaint was made to Equal Opportunity Tasmania relating to transgender access at a council facility in 2018 and a separate email was received in 2023 concerning transgender use of single spaces Mr Crawford also indicated that since his appointment to the general manager role in December he had received more than 100 complaints about Cr Aitken He clarified that the complaints were not all specifically about Cr Aitken's attacks on transgender women Cr Keygan said the claims that the questions about bathrooms and changerooms were concerned about women's safety were "thinly veiled attempt to vilify and incite fear" "The responses that have been received indicate this 'quote unquote' problem that you [Cr Aitken] are trying to create a social and moral panic about are not actually a problem," Cr Keygan said Cr Keygan suggested Cr Aitken should use his "newfound passion" for women's safety to advocate for those who have or are experiencing domestic and family violence Cr Keygan's speech was met with a round of applause from a packed public gallery Cr Aitken indicated he would not be supporting the motion to establish an advisory group as he believed the council needed to be "fair" and "just" to all groups in the community He said supporting the motion would put the LGBTQIA+ community above others "I cannot support that as we should all be equal," Cr Aitken said Cr Simpson said Cr Aitken clearly did not see the LGBTQIA+ community as equal Cr Simpson acknowledged the members of the LGBTQIA+ who filled the public gallery on Tuesday night to support the motion She said they deserve to hold their "head up high" as they walk down the main street of Burnie Cr Aitken foreshadowed that if the motion was lost he would propose an alternative to put the formation of an advisory group to a community vote Cr Simpson's motion was passed with the support of all councillors expect Cr Aitken Picture by Tess KellyKlay and Meg Nayler's dream is to turn their shop full of treasures into a landmark shopping destination for the North-West Coast Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe Treasure Box Evolution Theory barber and Sherwood Auctions marked their opening day in Burnie on Thursday "We've had more people here yesterday [opening day] than we usually have in a week," Mr Nayler said All three businesses were operating out of a shed at Ulverstone's industrial area after Mr Nayler and barber Hunter Sedgwick decided to collaborate together Sherwood Auctions will also operate from the new location at 34A Marine Terrace The businesses are accessible via Spring Street The Naylers - who live in Burnie - said the move had given them more space and a chance to inject some "vibrancy" into the Coastal city "People say Burnie's dead and I don't like to hear that," Mr Nayler said "Rather than whinge about the place we live Mrs Nayler said they wanted to be a part of Burnie's future or you can try and make a difference," she said Evolution Theory barber Hunter Sedgwick at the Ulverstone location you never know what you'll find when you lift the lid on the Treasure Box store A 'Healthy Harold' puppet sits in one corner a wooden rocking horse sits on top of a shelf a white vintage car makes its mark in the middle of the room and customers purchase their new finds over a piano that doubles as a shop counter A staircase leads you up to the barber shop where customers can overlook the antiques while waiting for their trim "In Ulverstone it really felt like a treasure box because it was so condensed but it meant that people with mobility issues or prams couldn't get around in there," Mr Nayler said "You can flow around the space so much better and move around in here." the Naylers have purchased a number of blank full-size mannequins The new store has opened on Marine Terrace but is accessible from Spring Street Picture by Tess KellyMr Nayler said he would like to distribute the mannequins across local schools and get kids to decorate them All the mannequins would be displayed in-store and the most popular would receive a cash prize Despite being open in Burnie for less than a week Mr Nayler said he had a vision of what he hoped the store would become "I just hope over time it develops to be less of a shop and more of an institution," he said "I want it to be this really funky well-known place where you don't ever really know what you might find." The Treasure Box is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays Evolution Theory operates at the same hours during the week and is open every first and third Saturday of the month 2 February 2025 | Tennis Tasmania “It’s been a really good experience having the two new J100s in Burnie and Launceston Having more exposure without having to travel so far is fantastic These tournaments provide really good exposure because these ITFs are international so it’s also really good to see how you’re tracking against the rest of the world.”” Dale said “My aspirations are to hopefully go to college in the USA and experience life over there and then hopefully go on the tour if I’m good enough.” Dale’s recent experience as a hitter during the WTA 250 Hobart International provided valuable insights into professional tennis “I noticed those players are hitting really hard balls… the quality of their shots are really good Every single shot they try and play it as best they can – that was my main takeaway.” who partnered with Dale in the doubles final praised the Burnie Junior International atmosphere “I’ve never been to Tassie before so it’s my first time being here and playing It’s been a good experience with all the locals coming around I was very surprised and excited to see the ball kids – it was my first time with ball kids and they kept us going on the sidelines,” Dattoli said Congratulations to all Tasmanian players who competed in the tournament We look forward to seeing our local talents back in action at the Launceston Junior International For all the details on Tasmanians competing in the five weeks of world-class tennis that’s in full swing across the North and North West of Tasmania Fact Sheet Acceptance List BUY TICKETS New Tennis Centre a Grand Slam for the Community Buy Tickets to the 2025 Launceston International Photo: AP PHOTOUNESCO has announced Nicaragua is withdrawing from the UN cultural and educational body because the organisation awarded a prize celebrating press freedom to Nicaraguan newspaper Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueUNESCO's director general announced that she had received a letter on Sunday morning from the Nicaraguan government announcing its withdrawal because of the attribution of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize which will deprive the people of Nicaragua of the benefits of cooperation particularly in the fields of education and culture," Azoulay said in a statement "UNESCO is fully within its mandate when it defends freedom of expression and press freedom around the world."  Nicaragua was one of 194 member states in UNESCO The body's members set up the press freedom prize in 1997 and the 2025 award was attributed on Saturday to La Prensa on the recommendation of an international jury of media professionals "The newspaper La Prensa has made valiant efforts to bring the truth to the people of Nicaragua," President of the international jury of media professionals Yasuomi Sawa said this newspaper bravely maintains the flame of press freedom." La Prensa is Nicaragua's oldest newspaper and was founded in 1926 It has confronted and survived three dictatorships according to the Inter American Press Association Authorities in Nicaragua tried to financially suffocate the newspaper by blocking the importation of paper since 2018 It was forced to focus on digital news and suspend its print edition in August 2021 after "it was subjected to a violent police raid resulting in the confiscation of its assets and the unjust imprisonment of its general manager," the association said "La Prensa has never ceased reporting for a single day Its editorial team crossed into Costa Rica under emergency conditions and continues its work in exile today," the association said The awards ceremony will take place in Brussels on the sidelines of the World Press Freedom Conference on Wednesday this prize reminds us of the importance of standing by those who protect and bring information to life," Azoulay said Nicaraguan authorities accused La Prensa of promoting "military and political interventions by the United States in Nicaragua" and denounced the award of the prize as the "diabolical expression of a traitorous anti-patriotic sentiment," UNESCO said Nicaragua's angry departure is a blow for the organisation that is also in the crosshairs of US President Donald Trump Trump called for a review of American involvement in UNESCO the Trump administration in 2017 announced that the US would withdraw from UNESCO The United States formally rejoined UNESCO in 2023 after a five-year absence Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA 44-year-old man was in a serious condition after the crash on Bridle Track Road at Stoodley on May 2 They said the single-vehicle crash involved a green BMW sedan and was about 4.30pm Police are keen to hear from witnesses to a North-West crash File picture"Witnesses reported that the vehicle lost control and rolled into the Dasher River," police said police travelling in the opposite direction detected the same vehicle travelling above the posted speed limit and were in the process of safely turning around to make an attempt to intercept it "The police vehicle's emergency warning devices were activated whilst trying to find the vehicle They said a Professional Standards investigation would look into the circumstances around the crash Police were investigating at the scene during the morning of May 3 Police asked witnesses of the crash or anyone who saw the vehicle's manner of driving to contact them Anyone with dashcam footage or information can contact police on 131444 or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au Jason Kubler defeated Omar Jasika to win the Burnie International on Sunday marking his first title following a 10-month injury absence last year Burnie, Tasmania , 24 February 2025 | Jackson Mansell Australian Open 2023 doubles champion Jason Kubler took the biggest step in his comeback from injury thus far with his Burnie International triumph Kubler defeated top seed Omar Jasika 6-3 6-2 in the final to claim his first title on return after being sidelined for 10 months The 31-year-old’s absence followed a heartbreaking first-round loss to Daniel Elahi Galan at Australian Open 2024 in which Kubler pushed the world No.87 to five hard-fought sets Sunday’s victory is a feat Kubler had progressively been working towards. The Queenslander finished the 2024 Australian Pro Tour season strongly following his return to the Brisbane QTC Tennis International in November before a finals berth at the Gold Coast Tennis International a week later It was a case of third-time lucky for Kubler who broke through for his 22nd career singles crown World No.332 Jaimee Fourlis was Australia’s best performer in the women’s singles The 25-year-old achieved her best Pro Tour result in two years following her run to the final four Fourlis pushed eventual champion Tessah Andrianjafitrimo Australia’s Elena Micic continued her scintillating start to 2025 pairing with Kiwi Monique Barry to win the women’s doubles crown The 20-year-old adds to her ITF W75 Brisbane trophy from three weeks ago now closing in on her career-high ranking of world No.266 Matt Hulme won his first title of the year after prevailing in Burnie not dropping a set for the entire tournament The Australian Pro Tour travels to Launceston this week in its final hard-court tournament before the grass swing Omar Jasika enters as the top seed in a bid to better his runner-up result Jasika again faces the prospect of overcoming Kubler who will seek to complete the Tasmanian double Lizette Cabrera and Jaimee Fourlis headline the women’s field as each seeks their maiden 2025 crown Find your way to play: Visit play.tennis.com.au to hit the court and have some fun 31 January 2025 | Tennis Tasmania The first Tasmanian Girl to win the Australia Cup in 44 years has continued to put in the work and is now through to the semi-final tomorrow at the 2025 Burnie Junior International Aimee Jin (NSW) and Jennifer Ott (NSW) as well as fellow Tasmanian Escher Case-Boag on her way to the semi-final where she will go head-to-head with Sara Nikolic (WA) tomorrow at the Burnie Tennis Club Draws and results Order of Play Fact Sheet Acceptance List Draws and results Draws and results Fact Sheet  Draws and results  Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWhile a state government plan to build Burnie's new court complex on the Mooreville Road site fell over amid community opposition the health hub proposal is supported by both sides of politics Braddon Labor candidate Anne Urquhart with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Picture David Bellamy.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a surprise visit to the North-West on Wednesday to announce a re-elected Labor government would commit $8 million to the hub project He was flanked by Health Minister Mark Butler and Senator Penny Wong the Liberals matched the funding commitment The hub would house Burnie's promised Urgent Care Clinic The former UTAS campus has been dormant for three years The land is still owned by the Department of Education and the health hub development proposal has gone to the Burnie City Council for approval Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Burnie pharmacist Jack Muir-Wilson discuss the health hub Picture David Bellamy.Local brothers GP Jerome Muir-Wilson and pharmacist Jack Muir-Wilson have been instrumental in bringing the project to life Jack Muir-Wilson said the project was about a community solving its own problems "It has built up organically with like-minded people," he said Mr Albanese said the $8 million promised was enough to get the centre up and running quickly it's a vacant site which just needs a re-fit and support," he said Labor candidate and former senator Anne Urquhart said a broad collection of health services would be within a stone's throw of each other the vision was developed by locals and now backed by Labor." Shadow health minister Anne Ruston said the hub would drive positive health outcomes and ensure more timely access to essential care Braddon Liberal candidate Mal Hingston said the Coalition had already backed the establishment of an Urgent Care Clinic in Burnie "I am committed to getting access to local healthcare services back on track," Mr Hingston said Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueDetailed plans for the redevelopment of the fast food outlet at the intersection of Wilson Street and the Bass Highway have been released to the public Detailed plans for the redevelopment of the Burnie McDonald's have been released. Picture FileIt's proposed the existing building will be demolished to reconfigure the site and make way for a new restaurant, which would be built closer to Wilson Street. which has been lodged with the Burnie City Council the redevelopment will mean a reduction in car parking and capacity inside the restaurant It's proposed that because of the reconfiguration of the site the available car parking will be reduced from 68 spaces to 41 A parking survey that was conducted in 2024 found that the overall demand for parking at the existing restaurant ranged between 44 per cent and 60 per cent The capacity of the restaurant would also be reduced from 110 patrons to 75 The proposed redevelopment of the Burnie McDonald's. Picture from plansIn August, The Advocate revealed the fast food giant's plan to spend more than $5 million on redeveloping the restaurant to provide a "better service and convenience" for customers the restaurant may have to close for a day or two but there are no plans for extended periods of closure The redevelopment will be done in three stages Picture FileThe application states that during the construction and demolition phase It's proposed that the redevelopment is not anticipated to generate an increase in traffic The development application is on public exhibition and submissions can be made until 5pm on April 28 — A homicide investigation is underway in Glen Burnie Officers responded to the 800 block of Aquahart Road and found the victim He was pronounced dead by medical personnel at the scene Detectives are still working to establish a motive for shooting Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 410-222-4731 you can contact the Anne Arundel County Police tip line at 410-222-4700 Pictures FileThe highly anticipated return of fireworks in Burnie is promising to be a beautiful colourful and dazzling display to end the year with a bang Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueShannon Palmer from Bright Star Fireworks Australia said the display at Burnie's West Park on New Year's Eve will have something to keep both kids and adults entertained colourful and well-designed show," Mr Palmer said The show will start at 9.15pm and go for about eight to 10 minutes and feature a series of different bursts and effects that will shoot up to 50 metres in the air "It will finish with a big bang at the end," Mr Palmer said The fireworks display is being held in collaboration with the Burnie New Year's Eve carnival which will see some of the best runners and riders descend on the West Park precinct Tuesday's event will mark the return of the fireworks show after two years without the display Burnie Athletic Club secretary Allan Johnson said the club had been working hard behind the scenes to ensure the fireworks would take place for the first time since 2021 "Many long-time residents would be well aware that the fireworks finale was an integral part of the carnival for many years," Johnson said Burnie residents will be able to see out 2024 with more than a dash of colour and a big bang." will be heading to Devonport's New Year's Eve party the Illuminate NYE will kick off at the foreshore at 6pm live music and various food vendors will keep crowds entertained throughout the night the night sky will be lit with a spectacular and dazzling drone show A gold coin donation is required for entry Bright Star Fireworks will also be on the ground in Devonport to coordinate the company's biggest New Year's Eve display would be the biggest show his staff would put on The show will see fireworks crack about 120 metres in the air before bursting into different shapes Mr Palmer also hinted towards a "huge finale" "We really get a kick out of seeing people clap scream and whistle as they watch the fireworks go off," he said "A lot of hard work and effort goes into making people smile it's about bringing excitement to kids and families." The Devonport fireworks show will be preceded by the Eve in the City event at Aitkenhead Point, which starts at 6pm Mr Palmer said it was important to remind pet owners to secure their furry friends before the fireworks shows to ensure their safety throughout the night