DEAR Jasminda, My wife recently picked every green mango off our tree because she was worried about possums and bats. Now we have green mangoes all over the house and they don’t seem to be ripening. Has she made a fatal mistake? George F. Dear George, Since I’m not a mango expert, I was tempted […]
DEAR News Of The Area, E-bikes are topical, let’s keep the discussion going. Jasminda (NOTA 4 Feb) and Allan Shrimpton (NOTA 11 Feb) raise pertinent issues but there are more. Too much of the news about e-bikes is negative: Jasminda quotes increasing injury rates. Bike usage is increasing. She does not reference the reduction in […]
DEAR Jasminda, MY ex-boyfriend is in many significant family photos such as Christmases, weddings, birthdays and other occasions. Now we are no longer together, what on earth do I do with all the pictures? It upsets me to look at them, but I don’t want to forget the occasions. Rachel P. Dear Rachel, This one […]
DEAR News Of The Area, Thanks for Jasminda’s sensible response to the Kids on e-bikes question (NOTA, 4 February). Below is a description of a legal e-bike [from the State Government]. “In NSW, legal e-bikes (Pedalec) must have a maximum continuous motor output of 250 watts, with power cutting off at 25 km/h and only […]
Dear Jasminda, Kids on e-bikes are on the rise. How do we share the road safely with them? Hayley S. Dear Hayley, Having recently observed two young girls powering across a T-intersection on their e-bikes without looking left or right, and after conversations with friends who have similar stories, the safety issue you raise is […]
Dear Jasminda, I was driving up a long and winding road in my ute on the weekend when I passed a cyclist. She seemed to be doing it very tough and wasn’t making much progress. Should I have offered her [and her bike] a lift to the next town? I’m now regretting that I didn’t […]
CONGRATULATIONS to the 680 Australians recognised in the Order of Australia in the 2026 Australia Day Honours list, which we the Council of the Order of Australia, recommended to the Governor-General. This represents the highest number since Australia Day 2024. The recipients come from all parts of the country and their service, achievements and impact […]
