Parkes Phoenix Editor

The Secret Life of Pets is from the creators of Despicable Me. It begins with a young terrier named Max who lives a great life riding through Central Park in the bicycle basket of his owner Katie. They have shared a great relationship
ever since Katie found Max when he was a puppy.

Max also has a close relationship with his friends: Chloe the cat, Gidget the pampered dog who is Max’s love interest, Mel a hyperactive dog, Sweetpea a little Budgie, and Buddy a laid-back Dachshund. One day Max’s owner Katie brought home a big brown furry dog named Duke who tries to steal away all the attention from his owner Katie. Max becomes so jealous he tries to frame Duke by causing destruction to his owner’s apartment. Duke and Max
decide to go on an adventure through the streets and find themselves caught up with a crazy bunny named Snowball and get themselves into a bit of trouble. They need to work together with Max’s other apartment friends to get out of trouble.

This was a good movie. It made me laugh a lot. I wish to see it again. This would be a good movie for kids of all ages.

With so many mosquitoes around following our recent floods, we thought it would be a good idea to give you some mosquito related information. Mosquitoes can carry diseases that may be passed on to people through mosquito
bites including Murray Valley encephalitis virus and Ross River virus.

Periods of heavy rainfall or floods can lead to ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes and we are definitely seeing evidence of this in Forbes at the moment. There are many simple things you can do to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes, including:
• Wear long, loose-fitting clothes if mosquitoes are around.
• Cover up as much as possible.
• Use an effective mosquito repellent on all exposed skin.
• Prevent mosquito breeding around your own home.
• Prevent mosquitoes from getting inside by using fly screens on windows and doors.
• Use mosquito coils or insecticide candles in small, outdoor areas.

There are many effective mosquito repellents available to suit the whole family including the all natural Mozzigear mosquito bands (for kids and adults), patches (to put on clothing) and wipes. For younger children or those with sensitive skin, we have our own Life mosquito repellent or alternatively you could try Moogoo Tailswat, a natural scented body spray that seems to be unpalatable for mossies. It can be sprayed as liberally as needed, including
over the face. It is also great for small children that are sleeping in an area where they may be bitten.

We also have a range of DEET repellents for those who like a heavy duty option. Call in to Flannery’s Pharmacy to ask for advice on prevention or treatment of mosquito bites.

Aurora College, the state’s first virtual secondary school, is a new and unique option for students in government schools in NSW. To be eligible for enrolment, students must also be in a NSW Government school classified as rural and remote. Aurora offers selective classes in English, Mathematics and Science to gifted and talented Year 7-10 students. Students are chosen in the same way as students in all other selective classes in NSW government schools.

The college also gives Stage 6 high school students the opportunity to study subjects not available in their school Aurora provides a mix of online and residential school classes twice per year. Students connect with their teachers and classmates through a virtual learning environment comprising of web conferencing software, a learning management system, and a range of cutting-edge online communication and collaboration tools.

Aurora has a strong science and mathematics focus. Mentoring opportunities and master classes are key features of the learning experience. They offer students expanded career options through innovative partnerships with business and with scientific, cultural and tertiary education institutions. Call 9886 7560 if you have questions or visit www.aurora.nsw.edu.au.

All registered voters in the Orange State District, which includes Forbes, will have to go to the polls for the third time this year in the NSW State by-election on Saturday, 12th November to vote for a member of the Legislative Assembly.
The seat of Orange became vacant when National MP Andrew Gee won the federal seat of Calare in the July election.
A field of seven candidates are contesting the elections with Forbes resident Dianne Decker the only candidate from outside Orange. The other candidates are Scott Barrett for the Nationals, Philip Donate for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, Janelle Bicknell for the Greens, Scott Munro an Independent, Bernard Fitzsimon for Labor and Kevin Duffy Independent. Dianne is standing for the Christian Democratic Party.

Dianne, who served as a Forbes Councillor for 16 years, said the biggest issues she would be focusing on were council amalgamations, flood proofing the Newell Highway to Parkes and West Wyalong and health. She said the Shire Council was the first place people would go to when they had a problem. “This is where locals feel they can be heard. If councils are amalgamated this would no longer happen.”

For Dianne, who lives on the Newell Highway and experiences the silence and desertion on a daily basis since the floodwaters, the need to flood proof this important link has never been bigger. Another service she has experienced
personally is health when she needed life saving medical care 18 months ago. “The Orange Hospital is vital for medical services in our region and must be given sufficient staff.”

“Each morning I have to hobble to the toilet because I get a sharp pain in my heel when I walk. It settles after a while and feels like I am walking on a bruise.” Is this you? Plantar Fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. According to research, 80% of all cases of Plantar Fasciitis show spontaneous improvement within 12 months. This means that if you are prepared to suffer the pain for the next year, you have an 80% chance of improvement. If you want to be a little more proactive there are a few things you can do.

The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band of tissue that fans from the heel to the base of each toe. It helps to support the arch of the foot. Plantar Fasciitis strikes when degenerative changes occur in the fascia where it attaches to the heel. It is sometimes associated with bony heel spurs however the spurs themselves do not cause pain.

The cause of Plantar Fasciitis is often multifactorial and may include any combination of; stiff ankle joints, low arches, high arches, weak foot muscles, poor footwear or increased load due to weight gain or prolonged periods of standing. Self-treatment for this problem should involve massage to the foot arch and gentle calf stretches before rising each morning, strengthening exercises for the intrinsic muscles in the foot, a temporary decrease in training and a gradual return to sport when it is no longer painful to walk. In addition any biomechanical issues present in
the lower limbs should be addressed to prevent recurrence.

“For the fitness of you”
Linda Reilly

Forbes Business Chamber members were given a guided tour of the new Forbes Pre-School last week. Director of the Pre-school, Amy Shine, said it all started as a request for new bins from then Mayor Phyllis Miller and it ended up with what is now a state of the art facility. Amy worked with various departments to secure grants for the new building to be constructed. The site chosen was once the tennis courts and some of the memorabilia and boards of the Forbes Tennis Club are seen inside the building. The capacity of the school has increased from 39 children per
day to accommodating 180 families.

The facility consist of large storage areas, a laundry, bathrooms, staff room and even doors on the small toilets to give the children privacy. “We wanted the pre-school to feel homely, welcoming and friendly,” said Amy. “Children
from all walks of life are welcome. We believe we can teach the children through sand, dirt, and paint, while iPads are only used for programming and observation for the teachers.”

Each room has between 20-25 children with three staff members. The school employs five full-time staff and 13 part-time staff members. The facility is open for use by other groups. These include an occupational therapist, a
speech therapist and motherhood groups. We try to be inclusive of everyone and are very mindful of meeting the needs of the community” said Amy.