The Best and Worst Things I Have Read This Week

It has been a big week in the Gympie region, with some sad news

WE'RE FOR YOU: The Gympie Times editor Shelley Strachan is committed to delivering the news that is from the heart to Gympie readers. Picture: Renee Albrecht

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HONESTLY, I find budgets incredibly boring.

Your 5-minute guide to Budget 2019

The Budget papers during the 2019 Budget Lock-up at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: MICK TSIKAS

Everything has usually been announced and reannounced well in advance of the official allocation of money on budget day.

BREAKING: Bauxite mine to bring 200 jobs to Wide Bay

JUST IN: Former Stirling Homes director fronts Gympie court

Peter Bazzan. Picture: Craig Warhurst

Now of course, we can expected a federal election date announcement at any minute.

OPINION: We are all to blame for Fraser Anning's behaviour

Tim Jerome. Picture: Scott Kovacevic

We have three candidates vying the well-paid position of Wide Bay MP so far, and the number crunchers have already predicted it would take an astonishing swing against the National Party here for Llew O'Brien to lose his seat.

Llew O'brien. Picture: Troy Jegers

I met Jason Scanes this week during his visit to Gympie and he seems like a quality candidate. Is it just me or does Jason Scanes look a little like Jason McPherson?

Jason Scanes. Picture: Josh Preston

Some other good people I met this week were Gympie High principal Anthony Lanskey and P and C president Mal Dodt.

Good men who are rightly proud of their school and doing their best to make it an awesome place of learning. Poor Gympie High has been the subject of some bad press over the past few weeks, but it is important to remember every school has its share of problems and bullies and other dramas.

Gympie High principal Anthony Lanskey. Picture: Renee Albrecht

When you see some of the incredible talent coming out of Gympie High and the achievements and growth happening there, you will be amazed and delighted.

It was fun watching the fallout from Brendan Allen's line in the Gympie Chamber of Commerce's first fortnightly column asking if Gympie would be better off ditching its name and returning to Nashville.

Brendan Allen. Picture: Connor Peckitt

READ IT: How do we fix Gympie's identity crisis?

A lot of people who live here like to bag their home town, but they don't like it when anyone else does. Not that Brendan was bagging Gympie, or its name. He is a proud Gympie man, that is why he and Tony Goodman and the other members of the new Chamber of Commerce committee, have generously committed themselves to really making a difference for our local economy and business community.

CLICK HERE: Gympie says 'No!' to Nashville

Brendan did an excellent job of calling attention to his column and generating debate and thought on how we feel about this great place we live in.

Our prayers and thoughts as we near the end of yet another week go to the family of young David Story, who remains in Intensive Care following a ghastly accident at Amamoor last weekend, where the car he was driving aquaplaned out of control and into a tree.

Gympie teen David Story remains in the Intensive Car Unit at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital after a crash at Amamoor. Picture: FACEBOOK

READ IT: 'It was like sliding on ice'

On a weekend when four other beautiful young men who should be just setting out on their adult adventure, were killed, the whole of Gympie region wishes young David a full recovery. When we have some good news to bring you on David we will be doing so. In the meantime we can only hope and pray.

Amamoor crash scene last weekend. Picture: Troy Jegers

On another desperately sad note, one of the greatest Gympie women I have ever known is critically unwell this week and her family are gathering around her.

LIVING LEGEND: Former councillor celebrates her 90th birthday

Julia Lawrence OAM celebrates her 90th birthday in Gympie. Picture: Contributed

My personal love and heartache goes out to Julia Lawrence, former Gympie councillor, long-time friend, prolific volunteer, letter writer and Gympie Times reader. You take care Julia. You have been an inspiration to so many.

Flashback to The Gympie Times, Friday, February 3, 1989. Chamber requests members directive in questionnaire. Attending the Chamber of Commerce meeting at Gunabul Homestead on Wednesday night were (from left) Hanjo Smith, Bev Giles and Ald Julia Lawrence. Photo File photo / Gympie Times. Picture: Greg Miller

That's it from me for another week.

Hopefully I will see some of you trackside on Saturday at the Gympie Turf Club 100 Club Race Day.

It's going to be massive and let's hope the weather stays nice.

I know a certain Gympie bank manager who is "quietly” celebrating a certain milestone birthday at the races, and my own amazing niece, who has been on deployment in Dubai with the Army for the past nine months wanted to celebrate her return home with a family day at the Gympie races.

Happy birthday to this lady