Narromine Star 14.06.2024

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Narromine $2.50 incl GST

Friday, June 14, 2024

PROUDLY SERVING THE NARROMINE, TRANGIE AND TOMINGLEY REGION

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Beautiful wedding at Mungery Hall Food Barn on the brink By SHARON BONTHUYS NARROMINE’S long running, low-cost Food Barn is at a crossroads, and time will tell whether the valuable community service will continue to operate. Patronage of the non-profit service, which has provided low-cost food and non-perishable items for more than 15 years, has steadily declined since organisers raised prices late last year to cover the costs of providing the service. A slow recovery from COVID restrictions and the increasing cost-of-living pressures across the community are also at play, organisers believe. Continued on Page 9

Volunteer Col Shepherdson at the Friday Food Barn. PHOTO: NARROMINE STAR

kids fly high: Camping at the MX First and third in the wetlands set to stop state! STORY: PAGE 4

STORY: PAGE 4

STORY & PHOTOS: PAGE 20

Cash splash resurrects Dolly Festival By SHARON BONTHUYS COUNTRY Music legend Dolly Parton couldn’t have known her own words from her song “Better Day” would shine through when the news casually dropped last Thursday that the NSW Government was throwing a lifeline to Narromine’s Dolly Parton Festival. We’re sure the screams of joy from festival organisers and fans were heard all the way over in Nashville, Tennessee, where the 78-year old inspiration for the annual festival lives. The news fi rst broke on Radio 2GB on June 6, when the Hon. John Graham, whose string of portfolios include Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, and Minister for Jobs and Tourism, told host Chris O’Keefe that the government had “found some new money along with some grants going out to other councils, and it’s now the case this [festival] will be going ahead.” Phones immediately began ringing in Narromine and Trangie where festival organisers including founder Susie Rae and secretary Skye Rush, as well as Narromine Shire Council staff were blown away to hear the government would provide $150,000 to resurrect the recently-cancelled 2024 festival. At the time of publication, limited information is known about the NSW Government cash splash. Minister Graham offered this response to the Narromine Star’s request for further information. “We couldn’t let this great country music festival be cancelled without a fight, and I am pleased the NSW Government could work long past ‘nine to five’ with Narromine Council to make sure the show will go on. Even better, people can enjoy it all for free.”

“W hen th e the rough road is est, And the p r are the to oblems ughest, Or when th are the h e times ardest, Or that o l’ turns the sky darkest, You gotta k the faith, eep ‘Cause I b e there’s a lieve better da y.” ‘Better D ay’ by Dolly Parton

Dolly impersonator Kelly O’Brien from England headlined the 2023 festival.

Continued on Page 3

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