14/01/2016

A quick response from the public prevented a grass fire getting out of control in Wagga early Wednesday morning.

Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at 12.48am and two trucks were sent to the scene – near the Pearson Street-Glenfield Road overpass.

The fire was quickly brought under control, with NSW Fire and Rescue Turvey Park crews leaving the scene 45 minutes after the initial call out.

14/01/2016

The jury in the trial of a Wagga man accused of stabbing his own brother were still deciding a verdict late Wednesday afternoon.

At the end of a marathon day at Wagga District Court, the jury returned and requested that the audio recording of the testimony of Carl Little’s half-brother, Brandon Brown, be replayed.

Magistrate Gordon Lerve granted the request – thereby extending the trial over three days. 

Mr Lerve had earlier denied another jury request to see Mr Brown’s initial police statement because it was not part of the suite of evidence before the court.

Little is charged with wounding with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, which, if convicted, could carry a full-time prison sentence, and assault occasioning actual body harm.

It is alleged Little twice stabbed Mr Brown – once in the ribs and again in the chest – with a red butter knife during an argument on Connorton Avenue in Ashmont in October 2013. 

Little is fighting the charges on the grounds of self-defence.
In his closing address, Little’s counsel, Stephen Lawrence, told the jury that Mr Brown was a liar – and arrived at the Connorton Avenue home as the “aggressor” in the altercation between the two men.

Mr Lawrence argued there would be more significant injuries if Little swung the knife in any means other than self-defence.

“In my submissions to you, the medical evidence is not consistent with the nature and the manner Mr Brown says the knife was used,” he said.

However, the Crown prosecutor, Michael McColm, maintained a different version of events.

Mr McColm told the jury that Mr Brown was “unshaken” in delivering his evidence – the “hallmark of an honest witness”.

He refuted the claim that Mr Brown arrived at the house with the knife and argued Little turned to the kitchen, grabbed the knife and twice stabbed his half-brother as he sought to leave the house.

Summing up the trial for the jury, Mr Lerve asked them to scrutinise what a reasonable course of action would be when acting in self-defence based on the circumstances of the trial, adding that the jury had “very important matters” to decide.

“Not only for the accused, but for society,” he said.

The trial continues on Thursday.

14/01/2016

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of the Riverina.“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds in the warning area over the next several hours,” the BOM said in a statement released at 2pm on Wednesday.“Locations which may be affected include Albury, Deniliquin, Griffith, Hay, Narrandera, Wentworth, Ivanhoe, Menindee, Balranald, Jerilderie, Hillston and Darlington Point.” The State Emergency Service (SES) advises that people should: * Move your car under cover or away from trees. * Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony. * Keep clear of fallen power lines. * Unplug computers and appliances. * Avoid using the phone during the storm. * Stay indoors away from windows, and keep children and pets indoors as well. * For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES on 132 500. The next warning will be issued by 5.05 pm.

14/01/2016

The extreme weather has wreaked havoc on rail services in the Riverina on Wednesday.Residents using the NSW Trainlink services travelling to both Sydney and Melbourne have been met with delays – people travelling to the NSW capital facing delays up to 90 minutes.The sweltering conditions were made worse for those Melbourne-bound, with the train’s air-conditioning system failing on top of delays up to an hour. Passengers were given an option at Albury station to wait for air-conditioned coaches or continue on the train.

January 11/01/2016

David Bowie has died from a 18-month cancer battle which has been posted on his twitter and facebook

December 21 2015

A FAMILY has been left heartbroken after thieves swiped wrapped presents from under a Christmas tree in Tolland.

The Kenny Place home was targeted between 5pm and 9.30pm on Friday night, with a number of presents taken.

It was one of four reported break-ins across the district between 11am and 11pm on Friday.

Homes in Ashmont, Lockhart and Uranquinty were also hit.

Phones and cash were taken during the other break-ins.

December 19 2015

RIVERINA people must tell the government where the mobile blackspots are if they are to be plugged, NSW Farmers says.

Lack of mobile phone reception is a deep-seated issue in the Riverina, with vast slabs of the region going without coverage.

Despite receiving funding for seven new mobile phone towers in June, many more areas were left out in the cold.

According to NSW Farmers, adequate mobile phone reception is key to agricultural productivity.

To nominate a blackspot, visit communications.gov.au.

December 15 2015

WAGGA has dodged forced council amalgamations under the Fit For the Future reform package.

The council was deemed fit when the Independent and Regulatory Tribunal released its assessment of every council in NSW in October. On Friday morning, the state government announced Wagga would remain standalone.

“Today’s announcement shows Wagga is in a good position to meet the demands of our growing community,” Mayor Rod Kendall said.

“As a standalone council, it’s business as usual … It allows us to put behind us any uncertainty and continue to do what we are here to do without that distraction.”

Cr Kendall questioned whether the state government made merger decisions based on community interest and consensus as they had spruiked.