[ 17 April, 2009 to 19 April, 2009. ] [First filed: April 16, 2009 @ 09:51]

It might feel like you’ve barely cleared your in box since getting back to work, but here is the weekend once again.

So what’s worth seeing and doing out and about this weekend?

Just leave your thoughts in the comments.

Rugby League Live has an extraordinary article on the public lengths the Panthers are going to in order to snare Canberra’s Terry Campese.
Penrith are believed to be considering axing six players in order to save money under the NRL’s salary cap, with the aim of launching a $350,000 bid for the Raiders playmaker.
The club could [...]

Foxsports is across the bizarre backline the Brumbies have been saddled with, following a spate of injuries.
Injuries to fullback Mark Gerrard (hamstring) and winger Alfi Mafi (groin) saw coach Andy Friend ask Mortlock to hand over his outside centre role to Tyrone Smith, while Gene Fairbanks will start at inside centre.
And Wallabies fullback Adam [...]

Having seen over many years the civil disobedience campaign waged by the smokers of Parliament House I’ll admit I was always intrigued by the idea of the hardened criminals of the new prison and their response to a happy clappy no-smoking regime.
The Canberra Times reports that in the few short days since the prison was [...]

The magic of YouTube brings part one of pankrialsteve’s survey of graffiti around Canberra, complete with the following note:
Some of the better pieces from around Canberra and the ACT.
Part two should be coming soon…
P.S If you know of any spots in the ACT that you would like to see in the next video, let me [...]

Here’s an interesting tidbit from this week’s Culturazi newsletter:
Ainslie Arts Centre Out of Action
Inquiring recently whether I could hire a room at the Ainslie Arts Centre, I was first directed to Canberra Youth Music who were acting as centre management, only to find they’d recently relinquished control back to ArtsACT. Ringing the ArtsACT contact, I [...]

The Department of Territory And Municipal Services (TAMS) has announced that they’re making Black Mountain blacker tomorrow when they undertake hazard reduction burns.
Temporary smoke cover may occur. Every effort will be made to conduct the burn in weather conditions that will minimise the impact of smoke in the area.
ACT Health advises that people with [...]

CoffeeGeek has sent in this HDR picture of stormclouds over our city with the following note:
I have this one I took roughly 4 weeks ago on a Friday afternoon. I can’t remember the date. The hill in the distance to the right is Mount Ainslie, and the road crossing the view is the Gungahlin bypass. [...]

CityNews have an interesting piece on the general decrepitude of Canberra, particularly Garema Place.
DESPITE researching clear community benefits, the ACT Government is in no hurry to replace the screen and broken canopy in Garema Place with a digital one.
The original screen was intended also to be used as a canopy, tilting to cover performers [...]

1. Do you know where your children are?
ACT Policing has summonsed a 34-year-old south Canberra woman over allegedly failing to ensure the compulsory attendance of her three children at school.
She will be charged with three counts under Section 11 (3) of the ACT Education Act 2004.
This follows an incident on April 6 in which police [...]

Just a little deal in from our sponsors at Adventure Paintball to reward our long suffering readers:
This ANZAC Day weekend, anyone who books a group and mentions the year that RA started will receive a bonus 300 paintballs worth over $50. Minimum group size of 8 applies. Minimum age of 16.
Click through [...]

Katy Gallagher has announced that in an effort to stem Canberra’s reversion to the dark ages she’s going to pick up the bills of oxygen thieving parents who have failed to vaccinate their children against whooping cough.
ACT Health Minister, Katy Gallagher MLA, today announced that parents of babies under 12 months of age and grandparents [...]

The Canberra Times has a bit on the trouble at Cooleman Court where asbestos has been found in the aircon and shops have had to close:
Four Cooleman Court shops are gradually reopening after an asbestos scare late last week.
The shops were closed on Thursday when asbestos-related material found in an air-conditioning duct months ago [...]

1. Heritage planning for LBG underway:
Andrew Smith, Executive Director with the NCA says:
‘Once finalised, the management plan will ensure that Lake Burley Griffin and adjacent lands are protected in accordance with their heritage significance.’
This is the second phase of public consultation undertaken by the NCA. The first stage included the preparation of a [...]

[First filed: April 15, 2009 @ 08:40]

Canberra’s longest running and least reliable podcast has coughed up a lung, dropped the F-bomb, and stumbled out of bed .
This week in podcast number 108 we have the jazz singing, foot stomping magic of Ellen Claire and Little Sister.
Track list:
Sister Why? 9:52
Wild Thing. 19:56
What Do You Know? [...]

The ABC brings word that Stephen Robert Milicevic, 32, of Forde has been granted bail with a $2,000 surety and a requirement to report to police three times a week.
Milicevic has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm which allegedly lead last month to the death in Wanniassa of James Peisley.

The ACT Emergency Services Agency has posted the following note:
Strong winds and dust
The ACT State Emergency Service (ACT SES) and the ACT Fire Brigade are responding to calls for assistance as a result of the current strong winds and dust storm.
The call outs are for fallen trees in various suburbs across the city [...]

The Canberra Times brings word that the accused Couchman Crescent double murderer, Russell Field, 20, has plead not guilty to the “fatal double shooting of senior Rebels Motorcycle Club member Richard Roberts, 57, and his associate Gregory Carrigan, 48, last month.”
Despite fears to the contrary Field, of Chisholm, appears to have survived so far in [...]

Andrew Barr is asking for your thoughts on the proposed development of Lawson South. Basically the northern shore of Lake Ginninderra.
You can find the draft planning study online.
To have your say send in written comments by 12 May 2009 to: Project Manager, Lawson South Planning Study, Land Policy Section, ACT Planning and Land Authority
Post: GPO [...]

[First filed: April 14, 2009 @ 09:55]

Very very quietly, without a media release, the ACT Department of Education and Training has slipped out it’s “Pathways to the future” paper.
The paper is dated February 2009, but the DET website reckons it was released on the ninth of this month.
The Canberra Times, however, is now onto it. [...]

Another landscape from Pommy Bastard, this time of clouds sweeping up on the Mt Stromlo observatory.
(Got an image of Canberra you want to share with the world? Email it to images@the-riotact.com)

[First filed: April 14, 2009 @ 00:06]

Canberra’s most reliable podcast runs like a swiss watch, even through four day long weekends and returns for episode eleven of 2009.
Jazz, Che and I mix up the rugby ideas in All Bar Nun’s back room.
The music for this episode is by the Ocean Moses and the beer for [...]

The Brumbies have named their 23 man squad for Friday’s crunch game against the rampaging Blue Bulls.
The big news is skipper Stephen Hoiles returning from injury, not that the pigs have run badly in his absence.
Here’s the squad:
Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell Chapman, Huia Edmonds, Gene Fairbanks, Francis Fainifo, Mark Gerrard, Ben Hand, Stephen Hoiles, [...]

[ 27 April, 2009; ]

I’ve just had a moderately interesting media release drift across my desk.

The “OutInCanberra Race ‘n’ Taste” is kicking off for the first time on the Anzac Day holiday Monday at the racecourse Thoroughbred Park.

Here’s the blurb:

Offering something for every level of enthusiast, taste and budget, OutInCanberra Race ‘n’ Taste will boast a wide variety of [...]

The ACT Emergency Services Agency has announced the end of bushfire season tomorrow, following the weekend’s rain.
“The official bushfire danger period will formally finish on Wednesday 15 April 2009,” Acting ESA Commissioner David Foot said.
“The end of the season was extended by two weeks on 31 March 2009 due to continued hot and dry [...]

Simon Corbell has announced that at the midpoint of his firearm amnesty 66 guns have been surrendered including 9 prohibited weapons:
“I am very encouraged to see Canberrans getting involved in the amnesty and continuing to make our community a safe place to live,” said Mr Corbell.
“Often these firearms are not obtained for illegal purposes, but [...]

Ok, I’ll admit it… I’m a big girl’s blouse when it comes to my metal and I like stuff where I can make out the words.
But back in 2003 Canberra’s Psychrist were tearing it up with the other sort.
This video’s just surfaced on YouTube, posted by “defangthewolf” with the following note:
Psychrist – Abate the Chains [...]

The ABC is warning that hundreds of Tamils are threatening to descend on The Lodge today in protest over their losing the long running Sri Lankan civil war.
The demonstrators will move their protest from the Prime Minister’s residence in Sydney to The Lodge in Canberra today.
Organisers say they are expecting several thousand protesters to descend [...]

The RSPCA is announcing that they’re now taking bookings for places in their very popular calendar.
So if you want to support the organisation and also get your furry/feathery/scaly friend a degree of vicarious fame this is your big chance.
Apparently the dates are handed out on a first come, first served basis so you need to [...]

1. Wanniassa Crash:
ACT Policing is investigating a single vehicle collision in Wanniassa today (Sunday, April 12) which has resulted in the serious injury of a 34-year-old Chisholm man.
Just after midnight a white sedan travelling south-west on Erindale Drive towards Tuggeranong left the road onto the median strip taking down two light posts before coming [...]

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The National Capital Authority warns us that the relentless progress of the RG Menzies Walk around the lake comes at a price.
The road between Blundells Cottage and the Carillon, Wendouree Drive, is being turned into a temporary footpath while the mighty promenade is constructed.
The road between Blundells Cottage and the National Carillon [...]

John Hargreaves has announced that Reverend Canon Simon Wooldridge will be the first pastoral care chaplain at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.
“I am passionate about gaol chaplaincy so I am very excited about my new role,” Canon Wooldridge said.
“While I am a minister of a Christian denomination, my responsibilities are to all prisoners and custodial officers. [...]