While for most children the end of the summer holidays is a gloomy time, for those starting kindergarten, the first day of school is often awaited with excited anticipation.

Former Shellharbour councillor Leon Cicolini is considering his legal options after being cleared of leaking confidential council documents to a community website.

An advocate for veterans, Peter Ellis of Albion Park, was named Shellharbour City’s Citizen of the Year at the Australia Day Breakfast by the Lake on Saturday.

Two new recruits from Shell-harbour feature in Integral Energy’s first apprentice intake for 2008.

The future of Lake Illawarra has received a huge boost after the State Government announced grants last week of $120,000 to help Illawarra councils and the Lake Illawarra Authority (LIA) reduce the impact of flooding.

The Tamworth Music Festival was injected with a small slice of “country music done coastal” this year, with the victor of the Shellharbour leg of the Telstra Road to Tamworth competition narrowly missing out on winning the prestigious title.