the Resurrection of Christ Parish in Kogarah experienced a truly beautiful and historic day Thousands of faithful — young and old — gathered at the church to witness a moment of deep national and spiritual significance: the visit of the Evzones members of the Presidential Guard of Greece The day began with the Evzones attending the Divine Liturgy presided over by Bishop Christodoulos of Magnesia was filled with devout and proud Greek Orthodox faithful and members of the wider community all eager to participate in this unique and meaningful occasion the Evzones led an official procession to the Lemnos Memorial where a memorial service was held in honor of the fallen ANZAC heroes of the First World War paying tribute to their sacrifices and to the enduring bonds between Greece and Australia Bishop Christodoulos warmly welcomed the Evzones to the Resurrection of Christ Parish conveying the fatherly blessings of Archbishop Makarios of Australia and expressing the pride and gratitude of the parish for their presence This was more than a ceremonial visit — it was a deep reconnection for all in attendance with their heritage The faithful felt a renewed sense of pride and unity deeply moved by the dignity and symbolism of the Evzones’ presence This unforgettable day will remain a historic milestone for the Resurrection of Christ Parish in Kogarah and national pride were beautifully united Photos: MK Creative Photography and Designs A car once used by Pope Francis during his 2014 visit to Bethlehem is being transformed into a mobile.. the Monastery of Saint Vlash in Albania hosted a festal Divine Liturgy on the.. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece presided over the festal Great Vespers at the historic.. The holy Great Martyr Irene was born in the city of Magedon in Persia during the fourth century Archbishop Elpidophoros of America arrived at Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in Dunlap 2025—the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women—Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the Patriarchal and Concelebratory Divine.. (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [] cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt callback: cb } ); } } }})(); © 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website Error: no decision tree source folder detected But this has just been crazy.” Why a pioneering Sydney butcher is shutting after more than four decades in business Remove items from your saved list to add more. Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. ShareOne of eastern Sydney’s beloved butcher shops will shut within days due to extended roadworks associated with the M6 construction, according to the owners. Almost 46 years after he opened Pino’s Dolce Vita in Kogarah, butcher Pino Tomini Foresti will close his all-Italian butchery-deli-cafe on President Avenue. The last day of trade will be Tuesday, December 31. Since construction on the M6 motorway began three years ago, Pino’s Dolce Vita has been confined behind the dusty roadworks of a multi-lane highway, which Pino claims has deterred customers from visiting the shop. The only option now, Pia Tomini Foresti says, is to shut their doors. “We’ve overcome a lot of things that came our way. Even through COVID, we survived. But this has just been crazy,” she says. “Since the M6 works began, we’ve just been hammered.” Construction outside Pino’s Dolce Vita.Dominic LorrimerFrom its early days, Pino’s attracted South American and Italian customers of every regional heritage, who would bring personal or family recipes. Pino, who himself is of Calabrian origin and came from a butcher’s family, hung bespoke seasonal salami while his customer base and sausage selection expanded to cater for migrants from South America, Greece, Malta, France and the Philippines. Word got out, and the business grew to serve food-focused shoppers from across the city and interstate who were drawn to products “made the real way”, as Pino’s packaging explains. Pino used meat from the best producers, custom cuts, sustainable-farming suppliers and a natural curing and fermentation process, with no starches or preservatives. Pino Tomini Foresti at work in 2007.Natalie BoogAfter an electrical fire destroyed the interiors in 2016, the business took the opportunity to reposition, refurb and reopen with a new in-house cafe and eatery. The fire also prompted the family to set up a separate, wholesale premises in Kingsgrove. This will continue to operate. Pino is grateful for the support his business has received from the community over the years. “I love what I do. If something I give my customers and their families makes them happy, that’s the most beautiful thing in the world,” he says. Daughter Carla Filipovski feels it’s time her parents took it easier, while hinting at a possible new direction for the family: “It’s not over ... We will reinvent without Dad, but the name will always be ‘Pino’. He just doesn’t have to be the front-of-house any more.” Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that the wholesale premises were run by sons Fabiano and Marco Tomini Foresti. The correct operators are son Fabiano Tomini Foresti and son-in-law Michael Filipovski. news and the hottest openings served to your inbox Remove items from your saved list to add more The Dragons opened their 2025 Pre-Season Challenge campaign with a 26-8 win over the Sydney Roosters at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium It marked Clint Gutherson and Damien Cook’s first opportunity to lead the side out in 2025 less than three weeks out from the club’s season opener against Canterbury A host of rookies got the chance to stake their claims as the clash went on including Nathan Lawson and Kade Reed who combined for a superb try midway through the second forty Lachlan Ilias made his presence known early without the ball dragging down a charging De La Salle Va’a inches short of the stripe to save a four-pointer His display was backed up by halves partner Kyle Flanagan who came up with a show-and-go reminiscent of the effort he produced in his club debut on the Gold Coast a year ago to draw first blood for the Dragons Valentine Holmes knocked over the extras from in front to give his side a six-point edge Flanagan orchestrated a second try shortly after launching a fifth-tackle raid down a short left side and putting in a left-footed grubber which ricocheted into the waiting arms of Damien Cook who slammed the ball down The hosts’ hot start continued with Gutherson sending Mathew Feagai streaking into the backfield from inside his own half before being brought down a Cook grubber out of dummy-half ricocheted into the arms of Flanagan who lobbed a ball over the top to Sione Finau Finau scurried over in the left corner to add to the lead with Holmes slotting the conversion from the sideline to remain a perfect three-from-three from the tee Gutherson and Holmes left the field off the back of it having knocked out a solid half-hour shift with youngsters Ben Rumble and Hayden Buchanan entering the action The Roosters were able to strike back prior to the break through Dominic Young who took in a Sandon Smith face ball to place the ball down in the corner and cut the deficit back to 18-4 The first points of the second half came via Roosters winger Tyreece Tait who finished off a right side shift with Jake Elliott’s conversion attempt waved away as the score remained at 18-8 Rugby Sevens convert Lawson ignited the Kogarah crowd with a moment of brilliance in which he skied to take in a Reed bomb and put it on the toe again for a supporting Reed who won the race to the ball to score and extend the lead back beyond a pair of converted tries It capped off a whirlwind weekend for the teenage halfback who managed a four-pointer in Illawarra’s SG Ball outing in the nation’s capital yesterday afternoon Match Highlights: Pre-Season Challenge v Roosters Dylan Egan was placed on report late for a lifting tackle but the Dragons defence was able to hold strong off it Mikaele Ravalawa went over in the corner untouched off a Ben Rumble cut-out in the dying stages to put a bow on a clinical Dragons win Attention now shifts to next Saturday’s Charity Shield clash against South Sydney in Mudgee for Shane Flanagan’s men The best and most affordable way to guarantee your spot at the biggest blockbusters of the season is with Red V Membership With ticketed Membership options starting at $70 there’s options for the whole family to make lasting memories at Dragons home games Find your perfect Membership today with our Choose Your Membership Tracker or email redv@dragons.com to request a call back NRL Press Conference: Magic Round v Wests Tigers NRL Match Highlights: Magic Round v Wests Tigers Dragons fall to Wests Tigers in Magic Round shootout an unknown man has entered an elevator which a 28-year-old man was also. the unknown man has made antisemitic comments towards the other man Officers attached to St George Police Area Command were informed and commenced inquiries The man is described as being of Caucasian appearance detectives have released CCTV images of a man who may be able to assist with their inquiries An image of the man is available on NSW Police Force social media sites Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au Information is managed on a confidential basis The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy The St George Illawarra Dragons welcomed Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles to Netstrata Jubilee Stadium this morning for a scrimmage as both teams prepare for the 2025 NRL Pre-Season Challenge Conditions were perfect with the sun shining on a pristine Kogarah surface just a month out from the Dragons' highly anticipated season opener against the Bulldogs Co-captains Clint Gutherson and Damien Cook took command of the side on the pitch for the first time whilst Kyle Flanagan and Lachlan Ilias earnt an opportunity to further craft their halves combination Recruits Valentine Holmes and Emre Guler also got some burn along with rookies Loko Pasifiki Tonga big guns Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic spent an extended stint on the paddock as well as new faces Siua Taukei'aho and Jazz Tevaga Dragons assistant coach Ryan Carr said that the players got plenty out of the hit-out "It was really good for the boys to go through a bit of a run-through here at Kogarah," Carr said "It's something we've done with Manly in the past and both teams get a fair bit out of it plenty of work has been done throughout the preseason but to put that to the test a little bit in a scrimmage is pretty beneficial "It was great to see some of our younger boys get an opportunity to go up against NRL-calibre players The hit-out featured simulated match scenarios and match-flow periods with NRL referees on-hand to adjudicate the run of play While no score was kept in the opposed session the Dragons' backs enjoyed some of the attack scenarios with Mat Feagai and Christian Tuipulotu crossing for "tries" on the end of shape and Holmes touching down late in the scrimmage Jacob Liddle (hand) and Corey Allan (knee) sat out of the scrimmage as they target a return to play in the upcoming trials The Dragons kick off their NRL Pre-Season Challenge with a clash against the Roosters at Kogarah Fans are urged to get in quick for next Sunday's Pre-Season Challenge opener where the Bulldogs will face the Wests Tigers before the Dragons and Roosters round out an electric double-header. Tickets are available for purchase through Ticketek Attention then firmly shifts to the side's Round 1 face-off against the Bulldogs which is set to sell-out Guarantee your spot at our biggest games with a Red V Membership and be there for every unforgettable moment Not sure which membership is right for you? Explore your options effortlessly with our interactive Choose Your Membership online tool Whether you’re looking to create a family tradition Email redv@dragons.com.au or phone the Red V team on 1300 372 466 to take your place in our squad today Jersey Flegg Cup Highlights: Round 9 v Wests Tigers The Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ was celebrated in Sydney with ecclesiastical grandeur and solemnity The centerpiece of the celebration was the Greek Orthodox Church in the suburb of Kogarah where Archbishop Makarios of Australia presided over the Resurrection Ceremony He was joined by Bishops Iakovos of Militoupolis and Christodoulos of Magnesia Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Archdiocese of Australia and Hierarchical Head of the celebrating parish the turnout of pious believers was massive and deeply moving along with Orthodox Christians of various ethnic backgrounds and the surrounding streets from early in the evening singing the solemn hymns of the Resurrection the faithful waited with patience and reverence to hear the triumphant paean: “Christ is risen from the dead when the Archbishop proclaimed the joyful message of life’s victory over death countless flames from the candles of the faithful formed a luminous veil that pierced the darkness of the night the Paschal Encyclical of Archbishop Makarios was read in both Greek and English by the Bishops of Militoupolis and Magnesia with the concelebration of the aforementioned Hierarchs and the clergy of the celebrating parish The splendid celebration of the Resurrection in Kogarah was attended by several distinguished guests including the Ambassador of Greece to Australia and the Consul General of Greece in Sydney Also present were Federal MP of the Liberal Party and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs David Coleman; New South Wales Minister for Multiculturalism Stephen Kamper; State MP and Shadow Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper; Municipal Councillor of the Georges River Council Ashvini Ambihaipahar; Liberal candidate for the seat of Barton Fiona Dushkou; and Archon of the Great Church of Christ and Vice President of the Archdiocesan Council Pope Francis died at the age of 88 in the early morning of 21 April causing a coma and "irreversible" heart failure He had made his last public appearance the day before remembrance and thanksgiving will be held at St Patrick's in his memory and to honour his remarkable life Entry via 143 Princess Highway or 38 Chapel Street Covering Georges River Council, Bayside Council and general news. For news tips contact me at jgainsford@theleader.com.au The Red V faithful turned out in their hundreds on Friday for a Members-Only Open Training Session at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium Red V Members had the opportunity to watch on from the stands as Shane Flanagan's men were put through their paces before getting the chance to mingle with their favourite NRL players taking photos It was the first time that co-captains Damien Cook and Clint Gutherson were able to introduce themselves to Red V Members as well as recruits Valentine Holmes and Lachlan Ilias it proved a reintroduction of sorts with the Helensburgh junior back at the club for the first time since 2013 "It's really special to be back here and seeing all the fans again," he said it's been a long time coming but to come back as a local junior and now as a senior player has been really good and I know how much the boys appreciate their support We really appreciate our Members taking time out of their busy days to come and see us here." Dragons supporters are encouraged to 'Beat the Sell Out' for our opening two home fixtures by becoming a Member today Breathe Fire with us in 2025 by securing a Red V Membership Dragons team up with Squadron for Central West Blitz The event was held over two nights (March 8-9) and drew more than 4600 people on its first night alone to Carss Bush Park friends and strangers each carried a lantern The globally celebrated event debuted nationally and carried personal messages of hope people gathered in joyful and heartfelt moments to float a lantern among shared love Designed as an environmentally sustainable event (recyclable lanterns and a strict clean-up protocol) the festival encouraged people to decorate their lanterns with messages of empowerment and remembrance before setting them afloat "One of my favourite things about the Water Lantern Festival is how it truly brings the community together," festival operations manager Giovanna Schmeil said giving them a fun and rewarding fundraising opportunity while showcasing amazing local food trucks The popular international event had high hopes the Sydney debut would attract a substantial crowd "It's a great opportunity to go into a different market and also see if people in Australia share the same passion and excitement for the Water Lantern Festival that we do in the US and Canada," festival event coordinator Bridger Thomas said "One thing that drives us is to make a difference We want it to be something that people look forward to both to enjoy the event and participate in something so special." A highlight was the 'lantern stories' segment - an emotional part of the festival where participants were invited to share the meaning behind their lanterns Moving stories drew applause from people gathered on blankets by the bay we invite participants to take the stage and share their stories if they would like It's a powerful and moving experience," Ms Schmeil said The festival also hosts events in other capital cities across Australia until June St George and Sutherland Shire Leader reporter covering education, health and general community news. Email: ekolimar@theleader.com.au The Dragons are excited to bring top-tier rugby league action to the heart of the community with the highly anticipated NRL Pre-Season Challenge double-header taking place at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Sunday Game 1: Bulldogs v Wests Tigers at 5:30 PMGame 2: Dragons v Roosters at 7:30 PM This event is an incredible opportunity for an early preview of the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership Season with four Sydney teams descending on Netstrata Jubilee Stadium for their first hit out of the year Dragons CEO Ryan Webb highlighted the opportunity this event provides for fans to see their teams in action ahead of the upcoming season all fans are excited to see how their sides are shaping up for the upcoming season “To have four Sydney teams playing at our spiritual home on the one afternoon will be a great experience for everyone who attends.” Georges River Council Mayor Elise Borg expressed her excitement about hosting the event at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium “The Pre-Season Challenge marks the return of top-flight rugby league to our local area for the 2025 season “Events like these not only showcase our region but also highlight the importance of sport in fostering community spirit and excitement.” Dragons Head Coach Shane Flanagan shared his excitement for the trial  “We’re excited for our first trial here at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium against the Roosters “It’s the first opportunity for our fans to see some of our new players in the Red V and we’re looking forward to seeing our fans fill the stands for the first time this year.” Tickets are now available for the Pre-Season Challenge double header at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium The best way to experience the 2025 Dragons NRL season is with Red V Membership. Be there for the biggest games of the season, visit dragons.com.au/membership to find your Red V membership When: Sunday, February 16, 2025Where: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, KogarahGates Open: 5:00 PMTickets: Available through Ticketek here NRL Match Preview: Magic Round v Wests Tigers Picture suppliedFriends are mourning the loss of a young Kogarah father who died after falling on the road and hitting his head Rodolfo Kussler Junior (Rod) was walking on the Princes Highway near Bay Street at about 9pm when he fell off a gutter and onto concrete his heart had stopped beating for about 13 minutes Mr Kussler had a brain bleed and was in hospital for three days He died on April 1 after his parents arrived from Brazil and made the decision to switch off his life support Friend Adam Regetas of Rockdale said Mr Kussler previously had heart problems "I think that may have contributed to the fall," he said I live near when it happened and could hear all the police coming I got there as he was being put into the paramedic." Mr Regetas said his friend was "the most loving "He would jump through hoops to help someone," he said "He lived here for a long time and worked in construction," Mr Regetas said "He got his citizenship a few years ago and was proud of that "He loved to fish and play basketball with his son the first thing he did for them was buy them a soccer ball he came to the hospital with a soccer ball Friends have launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe to support his children and parents with travel expenses Australian Hellenic community organisation AHEPA (Australiasian Hellenic Progressive Association) NSW has organised the visit as part of celebration of the close bonds between Australia and Greece "We have our 91st anniversary of service to Hellenism with a very special luncheon in honour of the Hellenic Presidential Guard," a spokesperson for AHEPA NSW said "A 15-person detachment of the Presidential Guard their final public appearance of their 2025 visit to Sydney "2025 marks 80 years of the end of World War Two the conflict that reinforced the bonds Australians and Hellenes built a generation earlier on Lemnos "Greece is the only country in the world to host both the First and Second Anzac Corps The First Anzac Corps in 1915 and the Second in 1941," the AHEPA NSW spokesperson said The Evzones or Evzonoi were a light infantry unit in the Hellenic Army they are the members of the Presidential Guard a ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Presidential Mansion in Athens a memorial service will be held at the Greek Orthodox Parish and Community of Kogarah followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Kogarah ANZAC Memorial and Kogarah Clubhouse General Manager Grant Amer inspect construction work on the new flexible co-working space Picture by Jim Gainsford.Kogarah Clubhouse will soon house a 120-desk flexible co-workspace after partnering with WOTSO FlexSpace to provide new jobs and opportunities in the area The club has signed a 10 year lease agreement with WOTSO to establish its co-working business space in Tower B of the Kogarah Clubhouse development WOTSO is an ASX-listed company and has 32 locations across Australia and New Zealand offering co-working and flexible office spaces This will be the first WOTSO FlexSpace in the St George region WOTSO Chief Executive Officer Jessie Glew said the company is expanding its operations in Sydney and described the opening of its Kogarah branch as a sound strategic move "We believe southern Sydney offers significant potential for flexspace," Ms Glew said "Kogarah has great transport links and there's been strong population growth over the past three years thanks to the increased densification of the area the majority of whom are living in apartments need a place to work and that is where the opportunity lies," she said WOTSO was introduced to Kogarah RSL through disability employment service Nova Employment which works with both businesses Kogarah RSL Chairman Chris Blaxland-Walker says the club continues to evolve and welcomed the imminent arrival of WOTSO mixed-use development including apartments and commercial space five years ago "We're creating a dynamic environment where business community and social activities can co-exist," Mr Blaxland-Walker said "We're still very much rooted in support of veterans and veterans' organisations "So we're offering elements that build greater community cohesion and bring different types of people together "Our WOTSO partnership is part of that strategy The office market is very different to when we first planned this development and flexspace is Kogarah Clubhouse General Manager Grant Amer said the club is very excited to be working with WOTSO "The club is always seeking to diversify our revenue streams to ensure our long term future is secure," Mr Amer said The WOTSO Flexspace branch will open in April Police allege the 19-year-old driver of a car involved in a crash at Rockdale on Friday night in which another man of the same age was critically injured The driver was charged with aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm - PCA in charge of motor vehicle and drive with high range PCA He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court has been charged following a crash in Rockdale on Friday night in which another man of the same age was critically injured A police statement He was later taken to Kogarah Police Station where he was subject to a breath analysis that returned an alleged reading of 0.203 He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court today (Saturday 19 April 2025) A 19-year-old man is in a critical condition following a crash at Rockdale overnight Police allege that five minutes earlier the vehicle in which the man was travelling with two other men the same age hit a parked car at Kogarah and failed to stop emergency services responded to reports of a vehicle being located in Clarence Street with extensive damage and three males at the scene "NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the men who are alleged to be occupants of the vehicle," the statement said "Two of the passengers were taken to St George Hospital with one listed as being in a critical condition and the other as serious but stable "The alleged driver who was uninjured was taken to the same hospital for mandatory testing "Officers from St George Police Area Command established a crime scene that was examined by specialist police from the Crash Investigation Unit "It will be alleged that the vehicle had been involved in a crash with a parked and unattended car along Railway Parade about five minutes earlier where it drove from the scene without stopping." is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 Pino's Dolce Vita is facing an uncertain future due to ongoing construction works for the M6 Stage 1 Master butcher Pino Tomini Foresti has been operating at the business with his wife Pia at 45 President Avenue But business has dropped by 70 per cent since the start of the M6 Stage 1 road works in 2021 And following the opening of two sink holes in West Botany Street earlier this year the completion date for the M6 construction works has been pushed back further The M6 roadworks meant that the shops on President Avenue have lost all the parking spaces from Oakdale Avenue to Moorefield Avenue "We lost about eight to ten spaces plus the convenience of customers being able to park outside the front the business," Pino said "Customers used to ring us and say there was no parking and our business suffered We went from employing 18 people to now employing six and that includes both of us," he said "Now there are no forward bookings," she said "Since 1978 we have overcome many other obstacles the major being when the building caught fire after Christmas 2016 which extensively damaged the business and required a complete refurbishment "COVID also had a serious impact but being a food business we were able to carry on "But what is happening out there on President Avenue with the M6 has severely impacted our business Even though we are a local business a lot of our customers travel from elsewhere "One customer recently visited who we hadn't seen for three years He told us he has totally avoided the whole area because of the road works and the difficulties with parking "Since we lost the parking out the front from Oakdale Avenue to Moorfield Avenue the customer convenience has gone and our business has dropped dramatically Originally we were told that the construction works would finish in 2025 We used to get constant updates but we haven't heard anything "I understand what they are doing needs to happen," Pia said "But with the news of the sink holes having delayed works we face an uncertain future We started this shop just after we got married in 1977 so it's like our first child." "Most of the surface road work on President Avenue in Kogarah as part of the M6 Stage 1 project is on track to be completed by early 2025 This is in line with the targeted time for completion of these works as is construction on the five kilometres of active transport connections in and around Bicentennial Park which is on track for completion by the end of next year "Construction and roadwork on President Avenue has been complex and disruptive Transport is conscious of this impact and has been notifying businesses each month of upcoming work and seeking to reduce the impacts as much as possible "We acknowledge the residents and businesses on and around President Avenue have experienced considerable construction impacts in recent years We appreciate their patience as we enter the latter stages of this important work to prepare the road to become a key intersection point for motorists entering and exiting the M6 tunnels "We will continue to do everything we can to reduce the impacts on nearby residents businesses motorists and other affected members of the community as M6 Stage 1 construction continues." Mongolian and Nepalese community groups participated in the celebrations for Harmony Week which runs from March 17 to 23 Guests were welcomed by Kogarah Storehouse General Manager Lala Noronha and the welcome to country was given by Yama Guroo from Bourke Special guests were Kogarah Police Superintendent Paul Dunstan Kogarah Police Multicultural Community Liaison Officer and Kogarah Storehouse Chairman Russell Foxe The Kogarah Storehouse is recognised as a charity and is affiliated with Brighton-Kogarah Uniting Church The Storehouse staff and volunteers have been providing welfare help in the St George area since 1992 and assist thousands of clients every year with emergency relief and food programs "Harmony week is a time to embrace and promote Australia's cultural diversity respect and sense of belonging," Ms Noronha said "These values are at the heat of our community and align with the Kogarah Storehouse's mission 'Harmony - We all Have a Role to Play' reminds us that building an inclusive society is a shared responsibility contributes to a more united and respectful community and understanding in everything we do," she said The festivities culminated in the Indonesian singing group leading everyone in a rendition of 'I am Australian' Kogarah have raised concerns from residents of the adjacent Moorefield Estate St Pope Kyrillos VI and Habib Girgis Coptic Orthodox Church has purchased three properties at 57-61 President Avenue to make a 1,911 square-metre site and have submitted plans to build a two-storey church The church needs to move from its current premises in Barton Street on the corner of President Avenue and Moorefield Avenue is unsuitable and will create traffic snarls Moorefield Avenue is the main entry to the Moorfield Estate which has about 300 residences the main vehicular entry and exit to the church will be from Moorefield Avenue The church's DA has basement parking for 27 cars and residents say many more will be needed to cater for the church's proposed 150 strong congregation The church's main hours of operation will be Monday Thursday and Saturday from 7am to 8.30pm; Tuesday and Friday 5.30am to 8.30pm and Sunday and public holidays from 7am to 3pm Moorefield Estate resident Mary Elek said the council's traffic study of the area for the church's DA was done on a weekend and does not give the right indication of the parking capacity for the area "They plan for 27 basement car spots reserved for volunteers and priests so where are the 150 parishioners going to park?" Mrs Elek said "We have already endured enough with the M6 construction People attending TAFE and St George Hospital also park in the area The services are quite early on a weekend for a resident area." former Rockdale and Kogarah Councillor Anne Field said "President Avenue is a very busy road particularly in morning and evening peak times "The site is located opposite a busy intersection at West Botany Street Moorefield Avenue is used as the entrance and exit point by many residents on the Estate "Moorefield Avenue is itself a narrow street and when cars are parked on both sides who has legal experience in handling serious traffic matters "A major flaw in the traffic report is the proposed drop-off and pick-up entrance close to the corner of President Avenue and Moorefield Avenue," he said "The northern end of Moorefield Avenue is not directly opposite West Botany Street but is off-set vehicles travelling south in West Botany Street and intending to enter Moorefield Avenue after crossing President Avenue need to take a partial right turn in the intersection and then a sharp left turn into Moorefield Avenue "If the development proceeds the view of vehicles before entering Moorefield Avenue will be restricted by the size and dimension of the two-storey church and its surrounding fence and vegetation "Such a motorist may be suddenly confronted by parishioners' vehicles arriving or departing the church," he said A spokesman for the church said that the traffic assessment for the church's Development Application has been done by professional traffic engineers The council says it complies," the spokesman said "Otherwise the council would not have accepted the DA "The M6 (Stage 1) was designed before the church was even considered "The neighbours should have been complaining about the M6 and not the location of the proposed church Our average turnout is approximately 100 to 120 on a Sunday We have a maximum of 150 at a special event such as Christmas or Easter "We have given the council our schedule of services The church won't have 150 attending services seven days a week," he said the council has extended the deadline for submissions until Thursday the council will assess all the submissions submitted All the potential issues and concerns will be listed in the letter and sent to the church to address including the issues identified from the submission letters The applicant will be provided a chance to address the letter Bayside Council will not make the final decision on the church's DA The application will be ultimately determined by Bayside Local Planning Panel (BLPP) which is an independent consent authority and make an independent decision The application is expected to be determined next year Residents will be provided a chance to speak in the panel meeting Details will be sent out before the meeting date Police have been investigating a report that antisemitic comments were directed at a 28-year-old staff member in a lift at a hospital at Kogarah about 4pm on Friday Following inquiries by officers attached to St George Police Area Command a 24-year-old man was arrested in Arncliffe about 6.45am today (Thursday 3 April 2025) St George detectives took the man to St George Police Station where he was charged with stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm and use carriage service - possess violent extremist material The man was refused bail to appear in Sutherland Local Court today (Thursday 3 April 2025) seized when a search warrant was executed at premises at Arncliffe Picture by John VeageDragons supporters group R2K is calling on St George Illawarra officials to work with governments to "future-proof" the club's Kogarah connection through an upgrade of Netstrata Jubilee Stadium welcomed head coach Shane Flanagan's statement Kogarah would continue to be "really important" in the future of the joint venture and games and training would continue there Flanagan made the statement on Friday at the official launch of work on the club's $65 million high performance centre at the University of Wollongong's Innovation Campus Kogarah 'still important' as work starts on Dragons $65m 'home' in Wollongong The project will bring the administrative and football programs together under one roof The Dragons have been based at Kogarah Park since 1950 the Legends Walk and the Norm Provan grandstand who was previously an independent on Kogarah Council said Premier Chris Minns "should be the first port of call for ensuring Kogarah remains viable for future generations of St.George District sporting stars" "We're fortunate enough to have the Premier as the Member for Kogarah and this is a window of opportunity to make sure the St.George region gets the stadium it truly deserves," he said "Kogarah has some great facilities after receiving $37.6 million of funding since 2002 but we need to finish the job to make sure the Dragons' spiritual home keeps pace with community and NRL expectations." "We feel let down by the previous Liberal state government under Dominic Perrottet after it signalled a $200 million upgrade for Kogarah and then backed away." McLean said R2K would like to see Kogarah upgraded to ensure it remains NRL compliant but also has a vision of Kogarah becoming a female friendly sporting hub "The St George-Illawarra NRLW team is an inspiration," he said "Let's extend the grandstand southward and provide female friendly facilities that send an important message that every woman is encouraged to participate in their sport of choice," he said "Let's make the ground multi-purpose for sports including soccer and rugby union "The upgrade could also provide some great training facilities for rugby league juniors in the St George District and kids from schools such as Carlton South Public." The St George Illawarra Dragons are pleased to confirm the club's fixtures for the 2025 NRL and NRLW seasons Our NRL squad kicks off its season against the Bulldogs at Kogarah before hosting the Rabbitohs in Wollongong the following week in what beckons as a bumper opening fortnight for the Red V Secure your seats today with a 2025 Dragons Membership. The first of the side's byes comes in Round 3 before a second bye in Round 12 in the lead-up to Origin I and a third bye in Round 16 in the aftermath of Origin II Our first game away from home comes against the Eels at CommBank Stadium in Round 5 with Clint Gutherson facing his former side for the first time We face the Roosters in our traditional Anzac Day clash in Round 8 before making the trip up to Brisbane to face the Wests Tigers in Magic Round Magic Round kicks off a period in which the side will be in action at Suncorp on three occasions in the span of six weeks – a positive development for the Red V fans based north of the border The NRLW season begins in early July with Nathan Cross's squad making the trip down to the nation's capital for a Round 1 showdown against the Raiders The Red V faithful will be treated to a quartet of NRL-NRLW double-headers over a two-month period across Netstrata Jubilee and WIN Our NRLW group meets the defending premier Roosters in Round 2 at Kogarah before an inaugural meeting against the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium To ensure you don't miss out on any of our electric gamedays, find a membership package that is right for you. Dragon's supporters are encouraged to 'Beat the Sell Out' for our opening two home fixtures by becoming a Member today Breathe Fire with us in 2025 by securing a Red V Membership Don't miss your opportunity to make every moment count Experience the best of Dragons premium hospitality and the perfect setting to entertain clients or reward your team Secure your spot today and join the Dragons Inner Sanctum For the past few months the knitters have been busy preparing blankets mittens and bedsocks to be distributed to charities and hospitals. The blankets are given to the Wrap with Love charity to distribute to those in need in across Australia and also sent overseas to countries where people are experiencing extreme poverty or natural disasters The group also knits small cardigans and wraps for premature babies at St George Private Hospital mittens and bedsocks for the Lamrock Committee at St George Public Hospital The Kogarah Library Knitting Group has been making items for charity for the past 20 years Some members knit squares at home and when they have 28 ready they bring them to the library where they are sewn up as blankets The knitting group continues to knit together at the library twice a month - on the first Monday at 10am and the last Friday at 12 noon "Anyone is welcome to come and join us for both times or for an hour or two," Valda said "Everyone is valued and can sit near the person they can relate to Valda said knitting is relaxing and therapeutic "And when you see all the knitting laid out you think well-done," she said "It's people's way of doing some valuable voluntary work." "I just like to do it to help the premature babies." Valda said that donations from the public of acrylic yarn 8-ply are very welcome "Whatever comes into the library is used," she said Anyone who wants to join in the activities of the Kogarah Library Knitting Group should ring the library on 9330 6111 Sumbaijai Thai Esan in Kogarah is a restaurant that serves Thai Isan or Esan food from the Northeastern region of Thailand While their menu has all of the classics like Pad Thai there's a separate page of items celebrating the punchy This food from the Northeastern part of Thailand is very different from the food that you get in other parts of Thailand The Thai food that most people are most familiar with being served in Thai restaurants in Australia is Central Thai/Bangkok food But Northeastern Isan food is more savoury bitter and punchy with lots of fermented items all tied together with sticky rice rather than steamed rice There are spicy salads and fewer curries and the food is similar to Laotian food as they share a border Isan people are an ethnic group which means Northeastern people and are majority ethnically Lao but consider themselves Lao Isan Sumbaijai Thai Esan has a steady stream of customers this Friday evening The name Sumbaijai translates to a relaxed or good feeling There's a small crowd gathered outside waiting on takeaway orders and the restaurant is right next to Kogarah train station Mr NQN and I are sitting outside with the dogs Service is very friendly and we take a few minutes to flick through the extensive menu beef salad etc but there's also a section for street food eats many dishes with pictures and another section for Esan dishes I order a green milk tea as I'm curious about what it is (it looks like pandan but the man doesn't know how to describe it but he says that it isn't pandan) It's matcha with jasmine flavouring which is gorgeous and quite sweet Mr NQN loves his longan juice which is super sweet and icy I love the little fermented pork sausages made with sticky rice and served with a salad with plenty of sliced The sausages are served piping hot and have a subtle fermented flavour to them and the ginger goes very well with them There are two types of green papaya salad or som tum and we opt for the one without the salted crab Ours has a chilli and lime dressing with dried shrimp We opted for medium spicy because you should never mess with Thai people and their spice level While I'd normally order food hot or spicy the only exception is Thai food where I order it medium hot one with soft pork bone and one with chicken's feet The latter is the more popular street food so we order that It's a spicy and sour broth with lots of coriander lemongrass and shallots with halved mushrooms and boiled chicken's feet The soup is punchy and sour and there's enough to feed four in this pot When we order the goi dip the man hesitated for a moment "Medium?" I answered not knowing what to say as I've never had this before This raw minced beef dip is seasoned with herbs chilli flakes and a Thai dressing with roasted While the beef is raw it isn't wet and the seasonings almost slightly cure it The bitterness is a bit of a challenge and perhaps I should have ordered it mildly bitter We also order some sticky rice that comes in a plastic pouch in a kratip or bamboo basket I also order a soup that isn't an Esan or Isan selection but I really love this soup It's the Yen Ta Fo or pink soup that is sweet and spicy with fish balls It's given its pink hue from the fermented soybean paste that is added to the broth I love the won ton crisps on top and the herbs and it's like a comforting There's no dessert on the menu as it changes regularly Tonight it's a box of custard puffs for $13 but as we're too full from our meal to have some https://www.facebook.com/sumbaijaithaiesan/ The Dragons will meet the Bulldogs on Saturday Kogarah in Round 23 of the 2024 Telstra Premiership It was announced on Monday that the clash will be a sell out as both sides continue their charge towards potential postseason berths The club's Knock-On Effect NSW Cup unit kicks off at 5:15pm before the Score Dragons meet the Score Raiders in an anticipated affair continues to grow in popularity and is enjoyed by all involved Show your support and continue the success of this program by donating to the Score Dragons Program today The Dragons are partnering with Georges River Life Care for Round 23’s 50-50 Charity Raffle community not-for-profit that’s been in operation in Peakhurst since 2007 supporting and enriching the lives of people in the Georges River community who have been impacted by domestic violence and financial hardship through caring and compassionate services Dragons partner with Georges River Life Care for 50-50 Charity Raffle Shane Flanagan has opted to stick with the same 17 that got the job done against the Storm at AAMI Park Francis Molo and Jack de Belin have been named to start in the front row however after they switched with Hame Sele and Blake Lawrie prior to kick-off last week Mathew Feagai has been named among the reserves having missed last week with a head knock Bulldogs head coach Cameron Ciraldo has named the same squad that defeated the Raiders Josh Curran has been named to play despite spending time on the sideline with a shoulder complaint in Round 22 The Dragons have outscored the Bulldogs 72 points to 16 over their past two meetings at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium with Flanagan's men hoping to continue that trend come Saturday night NRL Round 23 Press Conference: Dragons vs Bulldogs NRL Round 23 Highlights: Dragons vs Bulldogs Dragons fall to Bulldogs in front of Kogarah sell out LATE MAIL: Dragons finalise Round 23 NRL team list Picture by Jim Gainsford.NSW Premier Chris Minns has put young Kogarah art students in the picture on the importance of nurturing their creative side Mr Minns was announcing the winners of the annual Kogarah Lunar New Year Card Competition at the award ceremony in the Jubilee Room at NSW Parliament House The competition encourages students from Kindergarten to Year 12 living in the Kogarah electorate to create an artwork celebrating the upcoming Lunar New Year of the Snake "Artistic expression is incredibly important in talking about what it means to live in Australia in 2025," Mr Minns told the students "In the years ahead if people want to know about what life was like In January they are not going to read Hansard in one of these books in 50 years or 100 years time "But they will look at the art work and listen to the poetry and read the books and they will appreciate the art that was produced and that will give them a better sense of what life was like," he said "Whether you go on to become an artist as an adult exploring your creative side is a fundamental part of problem solving It could be in finance or medicine or politics or academia Your creative side will help you untie some knotty problems." Around 500 primary and high school students from local and language schools based in the Kogarah electorate submitted their artworks for this year's Kogarah Lunar New Year Card Competition Ultimately a total of 20 finalists were nominated from the primary and secondary categories The judging panel was made up of Mr Minns; president of the St George Art Society The winners and finalists were presented with their certificates and framed artworks at the award ceremony Her winning artwork depicts a cheerful red snake a symbol of the prosperity and vitality of the Year of the Snake Coincidentally he and Sophie are brother and sister Alvin's winning artwork is based on the theme of sending a postcard to his grandmother for Lunar New Year "It evokes emotion as the idea of sending a postcard to Grandma puts a smile on your face and happiness in your soul There is a sense of reaching across vast distances to share joy and happiness with your loved ones the simple act of wishing Grandma a happy Lunar New Year," the judges said Mr Minns congratulated all the students who participated in this year's Kogarah Lunar New Year Card Competition it is really magnificent to see the competition's growing popularity but also how it promotes the importance of continuing to share and pass down art and languages within such a multicultural and diverse community like St George," he said The winning artworks will be printed on greeting cards sent throughout the St George area to celebrate the Year of the Snake An 18,416-strong crowd packed into Netstrata Jubilee Stadium as the Dragons went down to the Bulldogs 28-10 on Saturday night It was the club’s sixth-highest crowd at the venue as two traditional rivals fighting for postseason berths battled it out The visitors struck first through Matt Burton who intercepted a Ben Hunt pass and raced away nearly 80 metres before converting his own try to make it 6-0 less than five minutes in The Bulldogs added to their lead with Burton knocking over a penalty goal after the Dragons were whistled for a strip Tyrell Sloan was placed on report a quarter of the way in before the Dragons found a response through Zac Lomax who took in a pinpoint Hunt grubber and slid over the right corner The State of Origin star converted his own try from inches inside the chalk to cut the deficit down to two An error off the corresponding set paved the way for the visitors to nab their second with Bronson Xerri on the end of a Toby Sexton grubber to make it 14-6 Xerri found a second off a fifth tackle Sexton face ball after the Bulldogs were awarded a piggyback penalty the following set The hosts went close to responding after forcing an error with Sloan pouring through to ground a Dragons drop which the side claimed had been stripped out only for video officials to agree with the on-field decision of knock-on The Dragons managed to notch a try prior to the break with Luciano Leilua sending Sloan into space with a crisp inside ball Sloan glided past his opposite to dive over in the left corner and bring his side back within 10 points A two-point field goal attempt off the boot of Burton came up short as the half-time siren sounded with Josh Addo-Carr going close to snaring the bouncing ball only for Sloan to bat it dead just in the nick of time Hame Sele was unable to return for the second half with the front rower taken to hospital as a precaution after concern from the team medicos The Bulldogs fired in a challenge soon after in an attempt to overturn a strip call with video officials instead ruling that the ball had been raked out and knocked on with the visitors retaining their right to challenge despite possession remaining the way of the Dragons Harry Hayes was held up over the line for the Bulldogs soon after with an urgent display of Dragons scramble all that could prevent the interchange forward from getting the ball down The Dragons lodged a successful challenge moments later with replays showing that Ryan Couchman had forced the ball free of Stephen Crichton’s grip rather than stripping it Hunt nearly found one for the Red V off it after toeing forward a Couchman offload only for the ricocheting ball to end up in Bulldogs arms Kurt Mann bumped his way over for the visitors to extend their lead back beyond two converted tries entering the final quarter of the clash Jacob Kiraz went close to adding to the visitors’ lead off a right-side set play only for Moses Suli to come up with a tremendous try-saver Suli was assisted from the field with a knee issue as the situation worsened for the Red V before Burton added another penalty goal to the Bulldogs’ tally late The Dragons’ Knock-On Effect NSW Cup finals hopes remain alive with Ben Woolf’s men securing a 30-6 win over the Bulldogs at Kogarah on Saturday evening Defence proved the catalyst for the Red V’s dominant victory with the Bulldogs taking over an hour to find their first and only four-pointer It was the young guns who sparked the Dragons' dream start with Lyhkan King-Togia and Hamish Stewart finding tries in the opening 10 minutes to open up a handy buffer The scoring dried up for the hosts on either side of half-time but it was their defensive desperation and early attacking flair that secured the vital pair of competition points The Dragons drew first blood through King-Togia who put Mathew Feagai into space down the left-hand corridor before following him on his inside to score Jonah Glover knocked over the extras from next to the posts to make it 6-0 less than 10 minutes into the contest Lachlan Vale limped off early with an injury concern for the Bulldogs leaving their forward rotation light for the remainder of the game The hosts found another off the back of it with Stewart pouring through after being promoted into the run-on side and slamming the ball down as the lead improved to a dozen The Dragons’ sideline-to-sideline ball movement found some inroads midway through the opening forty with wing partners Savelio Tamale and Mikaele Ravalawa making half-breaks on back-to-back plays before an error put an end to the raid The Dragons extended their lead a little over a half-hour in after a period of stagnancy with Dylan Egan pouring into space down the right edge and hitting a supporting Glover back on the inside for the side’s third Ravalawa poured through off the corresponding kick-off to put the Red V back on the front foot before Blake Wilson was assisted from the field for the Bulldogs as their injury toll worsened Alec Tuitavake was denied the hosts’ fourth as the half-time siren sounded with officials ruling that he had promoted the ball The Dragons were dealt several defensive tests early in the second stanza but held strong on each occasion to maintain an 18-point edge Haele Finau looked to have slid over off an attacking scrum an hour in only for the officials to rule an obstruction in the lead-up The Bulldogs found their first points soon after with Eli Clark diving over the in the left corner off a scrum win and converting his own try to cut the deficit back to a dozen Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Highlights: Round 23 Jeral Skelton was binned late for the visitors for a dangerous tackle on King-Togia with Glover slotting a penalty goal off it to grow the lead back beyond a pair of converted tries Fahmy Toilalo joined Vale and Wilson in the casualty ward for the visitors with Ravalawa powering his way over in the right corner moments later to ensure the result would go the way of the Dragons The Fijian international found a second in the final stages storming his way through against the grain to put a bow on a comprehensive Red V win Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Highlights: Round 9 v Magpies Knock-On Effect NSW Cup: Dragons thump Wests Knock-On Effect NSW Cup: Dragons dominate Manly at Collegians Knock-On Effect NSW Cup: Warriors down Dragons in NZ As often occurs the local roads were closed to traffic for the duration of the game When we wanted to leave our home and get to the Kogarah station to catch a train to the city we were told that the road closures were still in force and we could not exit our area until the security company in charge of the event decided that it was safe to do so We remained 'locked in ' until they allowed us to leave We waited half-an-hour and were late for our event in the city The roadblocks were opened enough to permit a car to exit in the past Had we been out of the area and wanting to return home We cannot have our liberty impinged like this I presume it is a new security firm being overly zealous There are two ways of assessing the e-scooter trail ignore the concerns of pedestrians and residents on footpaths instead focus on the number of rides recorded point to the belated State Government's effort to consider the rules of the road and footpath for e-scooter users as if pedestrians concerns will be addressed some time in the future Many pedestrians have pointed to accident prone situations such as who has right of way between an e-scooter on the footpath What can be deduced from the Kogarah trial The e-scooters were left abandoned on the footpaths After many calls for safety rules to be introduced for users of e-scooters the State Government put forward a lame set of rules There are some strict rules for pedestrians crossing streets at traffic-light controlled pedestrian crossings Or try travelling on public transport without a valid Opal ticket There are no rules for e-scooter users riding on footpaths folk walking on footpaths are dodging business A-frames near doors added onto the footpaths are abandoned e-scooters riders on e- scooters travelling much faster than walkers And not forgetting the existing bikes for food delivery gig-economy workers The dumping of shopping trolleys is a direct result of the theft of these trolleys from stores in our shopping precincts These trolleys end up dumped throughout parklands Councils could take action against the owners of these trolleys by impounding the trolleys then returning them back to the owners with a hefty fine attached That additional revenue going into the Council coffers may go a long way into solving this unsightly theft problem by employing additional rangers to resolve this growing problem Maybe a class action lawsuit against the supermarket owners would get the attention of the supermarkets The draw for the 2025 NRL and NRLW seasons has dropped and is chock-full of electrifying home fixtures across Kogarah and Wollongong You'd be hard-pressed finding a more electric Round 1 fixture to sink your teeth into 18,416 packed into a sold-out Netstrata Jubilee when the Bulldogs came to town in 2024 and the expectation is for that to be replicated this time around The Red V faithful will get their first look at prized recruits Damien Cook and Valentine Holmes as the squad looks to open its year with a win for the fourth time on the trot The squad rounds out a bumper opening fortnight with a Saturday afternoon showdown against the Rabbitohs at WIN Stadium Incoming Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett returns to Wollongong whilst Cook faces his former club for the first time The last time the Rabbitohs made the trip to WIN they were hit with a red and white avalanche as a Mikaele Ravalawa double pushed the hosts to a 32-0 advantage less than a half-hour in Our opening double-header of 2025 is set for Saturday Incoming NRLW head coach Nathan Cross earns an opportunity to introduce himself to the Red V faithful as his side takes on the defending premier Roosters at 3:15pm Attention then shifts to an NRL blockbuster against the Roosters at 5:30pm with Shane Flanagan's men looking to replicate the result of the sides' most recent clash at Jubilee in 2023 This year's local derby is set to erupt with a thrilling double-header at Kogarah as arch-rivals Cronulla make the trip across the bridge for an Indigenous Round showdown Our NRLW outfit will be eager to knock off last year's grand finalists as the two sides meet at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium for the first time The second leg of the double-header sees Shane Flanagan's Dragons meet Craig Fitzgibbon's Sharks with another packed crowd expected to be on hand for the clash Defending premiers Penrith make the trip to Wollongong to round out the regular season with our NRLW squad in action against the Cowboys beforehand in the opening leg of the club's fourth double-header 18,988 crammed into WIN Stadium to welcome the Panthers in Round 21 last season Odds are there will be plenty on the line for all four teams come September with the premiership's focus shifting to finals football soon after Picture by John VeageSt George Illawarra Dragons will be fully based in Wollongong from mid-2026 when the club's $65 million high performance centre is completed head coach Shane Flanagan says the club's traditional Kogarah base is "really important" and games and training will continue at Netstrata Jubilee Oval A sod-turning ceremony was held on Friday to mark the official start of work on the Dragons Community and High Performance Centre at the University of Wollongong's Innovation Campus NRLW star Bobbi Law & NRLW Head Coach Nathan Cross celebrate the high performance centre project milestone Picture Dragons MediaThe centre will include two full-sized NRL playing fields equitable male and female player facilities lecture theatre and meeting rooms and office space for football Dragons chief executive Ryan Webb said the project would bring the administrative and football programs together under one roof which would be hugely beneficial for club cohesion and unity The hill at Netstrata Jubilee Oval during a game in 2024 Picture by John Veage"The majority of our administration are up in the St George Leagues Club the football department are in WIN Stadium," Webb told the Illawarra Mercury "We have some other staff at the Steelers in offices there Dragons head coach Shane Flanagan said having a central base would also make a difference from a training perspective given the team uses a number of different venues in the Illawarra from fields to swimming pools "At the moment we're a bit scattered," Flanagan said our theatres and our gym and the field is straight out there it gives us the best quality of the building and it's great to be able to have everyone in the one space." Flanagan said Netstrata Jubilee Oval would still be used "We play a lot of home games there and it's a really important part of our club," he said but you know this [the new centre] is our home This is where all our administration and everyone will be and live." Flanagan expects the facility to provide a boost to the club's football program "I've seen the plans and I expect this to be one of if not the best high performance centres across the NRL," he said teams are so evenly matched that having the best possible facilities is crucial to give your team the best chance of success "We've been on a steady path of improvement since I joined the club and I expect that will continue even further once we are able to move into our own purpose-built facility." Flanagan also confirmed he had privately apologised to half-back Lachlan Ilias over comments following the 25-24 loss to the Rabbitohs which suggested the new recruit had played very poorly He declined to reveal what he said to Ilias "We've just got to work harder and make sure if we're in front by 12 points The Dragons will be seeking their first win of the season when they play the Storm at Kogarah on Saturday March 29 at 3pm the Dragons pulled off an 18-16 upset win over the Storm in Melbourne the Club Superintendent (centre) outside the Bexley Masonic Hall Picture by Jim Gainsford.The Kogarah RSL Sub-branch Youth Club is closing its doors next month after more than four decades of community service the Club Superintendent and volunteer manager for the past 35 years has decided to wind up the Youth Club due to increasing challenges in securing coaching staff and managing day-to-day operations the Youth Club offered a wide range of activities and senior dance and fitness programs," Jenny said and the club has taken immense pride in providing inclusive gymnastics classes for children with special needs," Jenny said The club has been a beacon of affordable and accessible sports fostering social connections while building strength and fine motor skills for its young participants the Youth Club members have participated in the Kogarah RSL Sub-branch ANZAC Day service and distributing ANZAC cookies to veterans and their families The club was originally housed in Colvin Hall Kogarah for many years but had to move out in 2016 to make way for the redevelopment of the Kogarah RSL Club After a temporary stay at the Shopfront Arts Co-op at Carlton the youth club has been at the Bexley Masonic Hall for the past five years The youth club has had activities for preschoolers and a disability class for about seven children soccer and karate over the years and even had its own band The club has also kept its fees as low as possible so people from low socioeconomic families can come "Leading the RSL Youth Club has been the joy of my life," Jenny said I've dedicated myself to creating a place where all kids could learn While this decision is incredibly emotional I am deeply grateful to the families who have been part of our journey and to the countless committee members who volunteered their time and energy to make this club a success and for the joy of seeing young people flourish." To honour its rich history and celebrate its current students the Youth Club will host its Annual Display and Presentation Day on December 1 at the Bexley Masonic Hall The final farewell will take place on December 16 at the same venue with a Christmas party marking the club's official closure Two years ago the club faced closing but was able to carry on the Youth Club acting president Denise Mitford described the club has providing local youth with social interaction "We have got all these youth who need to be looked after and developed," Denise said The Kogarah RSL Sub-branch Youth Club leaves behind a legacy of community spirit and unwavering commitment to enriching the lives of young people The NSW Government has revealed that the opening of a $3.1 billion underground motorway will be delayed until the end of 2028 following the opening of two large sinkholes on a section of the tunnel in West Botany Street earlier this year Master butcher Pino Tomini Foresti announced this week that he will close his family business Pino has been operating at the business with his wife Pia and their children at 45 President Avenue "We lost about eight to ten spaces plus the convenience of customers being able to park outside the front of the business," Pino said "The deadline of 2028 is too long for us," Pia said "They have started to dig up the footpath outside the shop and put up orange barriers We have been telling our very good customers that we are closing My husband and I are a bit numb at the moment but we are fighting to keep our spirits up We thank the community for their support but the reality of the situation has taken its toll." Savannah Spahich has also decided to close her business Dermal Boutique several doors down from Pinos in the new year "We have lost over 80 per cent of our clients because of the road works They took away our parking and we lost our convenience," Savanah said "And now they have decided to dig up the footpath outside my business and they have chosen the busiest time of the year "I've put myself into debt hoping things would improve People come here to relax but with jackhammers and constant heavy traffic we have lost our zen-like environment President Avenue Fruit World owner Avtar Singh Dhaliwal said he has lost half his business since the roadworks started in 2021 across the road from Pinos and the Dermal Spa But it is still feeling the ongoing effects of the M6 Stage 1 road works "They took away our parking outside in 2021 and we have lost our convenience," Mr Dhaliwal said "They put barriers up outside our shop for two years President Avenue got down to only one lane and that just killed our weekends We have parking for 14 spaces out the back of the shop but if they weren't there we would be gone." Mr Dhaliwal said the road works have moved to the other side of President avenue but the traffic is still bad "I'm not going to close but I've lost a lot of money I am just hoping that when they finally stop I will be able to get my customers back." Transport for NSW said it will assess a claim from any business for loss of trade as a result of M6 construction "Transport for NSW thanks the community for its understanding and patience while important work on this major infrastructure project is completed Most work on President Avenue will be completed in early 2025," a Transport for NSW spokesperson said Transport and its delivery partner CGU have worked with the community to understand how to best mitigate the impacts of construction "The project team has been liaising with businesses most impacted by construction on a monthly basis to provide updates on upcoming work and potential impacts," the spokesperson said Inset Chris Minns leading a protest after the express service cuts The return of peak period express train services between Kogarah and the City remain a possibility down the track despite not being part of a major overhaul of the network timetable announced on Saturday Premier Chris Minns and Kogarah MP Chris Minns told the Leader he was seeking to have the faster services restored in keeping with his promise when in Opposition A state government transport spokesman said "The focus of the new timetable is to enable Bankstown line closure and adjustments to parallel lines in the west to re-balance services" which operates completely independently of other rail lines was not included in the scope of the change "The T4 line timetable will be reviewed and assessed in the next few years including at Kogarah will be reviewed as part of that process "The next change on T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra and South Coast Lines will come before Mariyung trains are deployed to the South Coast "The government will continue to look at ways we can tweak services to benefit the broadest number of commuters." which is the first adjustment since since 2017 will add more than 800 new services a week on western north shore and inner-west lines from October 20 A statement by Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the T8 Line would have two extra morning peak services "increasing from 14 trains per hour to 16 trains per hour benefiting Revesby and stations between Holsworthy and Macarthur" "To ensure passengers at St Peters and Erskineville continue to get the train services they need more T8 train services will operate via Sydenham while during the busiest morning peak hour two fewer services will operate via the Airport Tunnel" The T4 Line was not specifically mentioned but the statement said there would be "some minor timing changes on other lines" Peak period express services between Kogarah and the City were cut by the Liberal government in 2013 in a move denounced by Labor Premier Chris Minns and Kogarah MP Chris Minns told the Leader he was seeking to have them restored in keeping with his promise when in Opposition Mr Minns said a full review of Sydney train network timetables was being carried out and he had given "specific advice that we have a big problem in Kogarah" rearranging the timetable to get more express services for Kogarah," he said Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Jubilee Stadium: They cheered when Toby Couchman and Jaydn Su’a shoved Xavier Coates back into the in-goal area They cheered when Moses Suli shaped up to Cameron Munster They cheered their latest debutant Dylan Egan They even cheered their team’s first penalty which did not arrive until half an hour into the game St George Illawarra caused an old-fashioned boilover against the Melbourne Storm in what could only be described as an old-fashioned bash-up But the 6211 Dragons fans who braved the wet on Saturday including former Prime Minister John Howard The Dragons deserved credit for the way they kept turning away the Storm on their own line and were on the wrong end of a 9-4 penalty count Coach Shane Flanagan vowed to put his players through hell during the bye round after they dropped their first two games He watched the second half from the sidelines and while happy for the first two points for the season The Dragons shocked the Storm on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images the last 10 minutes we still had a few errors in us … we had a bit of resolve about us today “Good sides like Melbourne and Penrith don’t put themselves under pressure but we can’t put ourselves under pressure like we did today We can’t make 46 tackles on our own tryline week in week out The Dragons do not have the strongest roster but they have plenty of blokes prepared to have a dig which Flanagan loves – and which was on full display at Kogarah a 20-year-old back-rower from Gerringong who grew up loving the Dragons with one barnstorming run leading to a vital penalty The scores were level just after the hour when Val Holmes slotted a penalty goal Val Holmes in action against the Storm.Credit: Getty Images whose attack truly looked clunky without the injured Jahrome Hughes thought they hit the lead with a try to Eli Katoa but the bunker ruled he had knocked the ball forward into the arm of Kyle Flanagan who was joined in the box by NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley The Storm were well down on their own lofty standards with Bellamy suggesting they struggled on the road the first time this season especially after enjoying the bye in round one then the comfort of hosting two games at home Harry Grant appeared to pick up an ankle injury midway through the second half David Klemmer in his club debut for the Dragons.Credit: Getty Images The Dragons head to Parramatta next Saturday afternoon where former favourite son Zac Lomax awaits Lomax made a low-key cameo at Kogarah for the early game to cheer good friends Cody Ramsey and Blake Lawrie in the NSW Cup The Storm travel to Brookvale next Sunday for what should be an epic against one of the competition’s few September certainties provided they improve drastically on what they produced against the Red V Clint Gutherson blew a captain’s challenge in the second minute and the Storm spent what felt like an eternity parked down the southern end of the ground only for the Storm to hit back immediately via Ryan Papenhuyzen who ran on to a lovely ball from Katoa who had been put into space by Tyran Wishart Michael Chammas and Andrew “Joey” Johns dissect the upcoming NRL round, plus the latest footy news, results and analysis. Sign up for the Sin Bin newsletter. Jubilee Stadium: They cheered when Toby Couchman and Jaydn Su\\u2019a shoved Xavier Coates back into the in-goal area. They cheered when Moses Suli shaped up to Cameron Munster. They cheered their latest debutant Dylan Egan. They even cheered their team\\u2019s first penalty, which did not arrive until half an hour into the game. St George Illawarra caused an old-fashioned boilover against the Melbourne Storm in what could only be described as an old-fashioned bash-up. But the 6211 Dragons fans who braved the wet on Saturday, including former Prime Minister John Howard, sure made the afternoon fun. The Dragons deserved credit for the way they kept turning away the Storm on their own line. They made 46 tackles inside their own 20m, and were on the wrong end of a 9-4 penalty count. Coach Shane Flanagan vowed to put his players through hell during the bye round after they dropped their first two games. He watched the second half from the sidelines, and while happy for the first two points for the season, described the 80 minutes as \\u201Cvery, very stressful\\u201D. \\u201CWe did a lot of good stuff, the last 10 minutes we still had a few errors in us \\u2026 we had a bit of resolve about us today, so it was great,\\u201D Flanagan said. \\u201CGood sides like Melbourne and Penrith don\\u2019t put themselves under pressure. I think we\\u2019re a good footy side, but we can\\u2019t put ourselves under pressure like we did today. We can\\u2019t make 46 tackles on our own tryline week in week out. We need to be smart.\\u201D The Dragons do not have the strongest roster, but they have plenty of blokes prepared to have a dig, which Flanagan loves \\u2013 and which was on full display at Kogarah. Egan, a 20-year-old back-rower from Gerringong who grew up loving the Dragons, was solid in his first outing, with one barnstorming run leading to a vital penalty. The scores were level just after the hour when Val Holmes slotted a penalty goal. Melbourne, whose attack truly looked clunky without the injured Jahrome Hughes, thought they hit the lead with a try to Eli Katoa. Katoa leapt for a Munster kick, but the bunker ruled he had knocked the ball forward into the arm of Kyle Flanagan. Coach Craig Bellamy, who was joined in the box by NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley, only had the one look at the try, but said, \\u201CI had a bit of a different opinion\\u201D. The Storm were well down on their own lofty standards, with Bellamy suggesting they struggled on the road the first time this season, especially after enjoying the bye in round one, then the comfort of hosting two games at home. Harry Grant appeared to pick up an ankle injury midway through the second half, but soldiered on. The Dragons head to Parramatta next Saturday afternoon where former favourite son Zac Lomax awaits. Lomax made a low-key cameo at Kogarah for the early game to cheer good friends Cody Ramsey and Blake Lawrie in the NSW Cup. The Storm travel to Brookvale next Sunday for what should be an epic against one of the competition\\u2019s few September certainties, provided they improve drastically on what they produced against the Red V. Clint Gutherson blew a captain\\u2019s challenge in the second minute, and the Storm spent what felt like an eternity parked down the southern end of the ground. Val Holmes scored the opening try, only for the Storm to hit back immediately via Ryan Papenhuyzen who ran on to a lovely ball from Katoa who had been put into space by Tyran Wishart. Michael Chammas and Andrew \\u201CJoey\\u201D Johns dissect the upcoming NRL round, plus the latest footy news, results and analysis. . 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) to fulfil an earlier promise made - that after 154 years without a school hall Mr Minns said the government made the commitment to build a multi-purpose hall last January Further upgrades will include replacing ageing demountables with permanent classrooms adding new classrooms to alleviate overcrowding and improving play areas and learning spaces with the upgrades slated to be delivered ahead of day 1 Mr Minns was at Kogarah Public School earlier this week to discuss updated plans for the project with school management Concept designs are being developed and will be shared through a community information session on October 29 between 2.30pm-7pm to give students residents and other stakeholders an opportunity to see the design and provide feedback of the new school buildings As part of the NSW Government's commitment to rebuilding public education the 2023-24 State Budget reviewed funding for the upgrade to address a range of urgent issues the project scope has been updated to ensure it meets the needs of students and staff into the future Chris Minns said the start of the project was a clear indication of public education investment "We made a commitment to upgrade this school back in January last year following years of campaigning by this community," he said "I am very pleased that critical early work is starting now for what will be a very significant upgrade to this school "This upgrade will transform the school into a modern facility that supports the growth of our vibrant community This project is not just about new buildings; it's about enhancing educational outcomes "The new multipurpose hall and classrooms will provide students with the best possible learning environment and I'm pleased to see the progress made." NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car says the government is working closely with the school community and the P&C to ensure students at Kogarah Public School have access to high quality facilities that meet their educational needs "These early works are an important step towards the delivery of modern state-of-the-art facilities for Kogarah Public School students and the growing local community," she said So many people were shocked at the situation the school was in It was really affected by the development around The school was really overlooked for a long time," she said Ms Harding's child is in Year 2 at the school She said not having a hall greatly affected children "I'm not aware of any other school that doesn't have a hall and that's had a really big impact on what kids can do at school and their access to things like a band," she said "Basically everything happens on the asphalt under the outdoor landing area - assemblies and school gatherings The school hall will make a massive difference to the opportunities that are available to the kids." The mother of two said the limited space was also a challenge for teachers Every square inch of that school is being used Teachers have been so flexible in working with the limited facilities that they have There no spare rooms for anything and teachers are incredible at making use of the situation so I'm happy that the staff will also finally have teaching space." Ms Harding said the Premier was supportive of the school for a long time "He has genuinely supported it for years," she said "It helps that he's in government now but it's not just a new thing he jumped on Kogarah Public School Principal Nitsa Comninos said the school welcomed the start of the early works "It's so exciting for the students and our whole school community to watch our new school buildings being built," she said and we look forward to celebrating the completion of these works and moving into our new facilities." The Dragons are excited to extend a special invitation to all of our Red V Members to a members-only Captain's Run at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on June 15th Red V Members will have the chance to watch on as the squad go through their final preparations ahead of their Round 15 showdown against the Sea Eagles at 4 Pines Park Supporters are encouraged to stick around and meet the boys so be ready to score an autograph and snap a selfie We look forward to creating a memorable experience for you Dragons Wheelchair Rugby League continue march towards finals