After rallying every week for over a year, Forbes Shire Mayor Phyllis Miller will see all her hard work pay off when KHub opens in Forbes in early May.

In a real win for the Forbes community, Kmart will be opening a new KHub in the old Target Country building in Rankin Street on May 7.

Kmart confirmed the news in late February and is a smaller styled format store with the most popular Kmart products across necessities such as kids wear and needs, homewares and clothing. KHub specialty stores are proving popular in smaller towns as the brand grows.

“We are strategically setting ourselves up as a retail hub,” said Mayor Phyllis Miller. “It’s great news for the Forbes community!

“And it is fantastic that we can fill that space and open up more opportunities for residents in Forbes.”

The store will be located in the current Target Country Forbes building and all current Target team members in the store are being offered roles at the new KHub.

The closure of Target Country was announced last year and was finalised last weekend on April 17.

IMAGE: https://www.forbes.nsw.gov.au/

Forbes Shire Council’s Central West Livestock Exchange (CWLE) is one of only a few businesses that are addressing barriers for people with disabilities to partake in finding and keeping work in an industry such as the Livestock Market.

“Forbes Shire Council needs good people to work in our team and we do not dis-criminate who those people maybe,” said Forbes Shire Council General Manager, Steve Loane.

“When Ryan Glennan and his mother asked about working with the team out at the Central West Livestock Exchange we didn’t hesitate in giving Ryan a go.”

The Federal Government is currently working on a new National Disability Em-ployment Strategy and CWLE manager, Cassi Walmsley, cannot wait for this to be put into action.
“Ryan is a real joy to have working with us,” said CWLE Manager, Cassi Walmsley. “He is so dedicated and reliable on the job, it’s wonderful to see.”
Ryan has been working at the saleyards for three years and when asked what he likes about working at the Saleyards, he said: “We (at Forbes) have the best saleyards here, there aren’t too many gates.”

Safer journeys are on the way in Forbes and Parkes with projects rolling out under the latest round of the Australian and NSW Governments’ accelerated Fixing Local Roads program.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and Member for Riverina Michael McCormack said Forbes and Parkes Shire Councils would share in more than $5.7 million in road funding to help tackle the increasing amount of work required to provide safe roads for their communities.

“Forbes Shire Council will receive $2,382,564 in joint funding to improve the Yarrabandai Road, which I know was affected by the recent heavy rainfall,” Mr McCormack said.

“Safe reliable roads are essential infrastructure for communities in regional New South Wales – by improving roads, we are making a big difference to people’s lives in ensuring they get home sooner and safer,” said the National’s Leader.

“We know improved roads are crucial to regional communities – the 16 successful road projects across the Riverina and Central West receiving $20,084,287 in funding from the NSW and Federal Governments, will play a big role in helping residents and businesses recover from the effects of bushfires, drought, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.”

NSW Upper House MP, Sam Farraway said that it was great to be able to work with the Federal Government to deliver these vital upgrades to local roads. “This program won’t just ease the burden of maintenance for local councils, but it will deliver safer, more reliable journeys for all local road users.”

Round 1 of the Fixing Local Roads Program saw $243.6 million of joint funding allocated to 253 projects in 83 Local Government Areas, and Round 2 will see $150 million allocated to more than 100 road projects in 90 Local Government Areas.