A 22-year-old man will face court tomorrow (Wednesday 25 February 2015) in relation to the 2013 death of Corey Power at Young.

Shortly after 5am on Thursday 29 August 2013, Corey Power was located with severe head injuries on Wombat Street, Young. He died a short time later.

Strike Force Bumble, led by detectives from Cootamundra Local Area Command, and assisted by detectives from Wagga Wagga and The Hume local area commands and the Homicide Squad, was established to investigate Mr Power’s death.

Today (Tuesday 24 February 2015) Detectives from Strike Force Bumble have charged a second man in relation to Mr Power’s death.

A 22-year-old, previously from Young, has been charged with murder, accessory before the fact to murder, steal motor vehicle and aggravated break, enter and steal.

He was refused bail and will appear at Wagga Wagga Local Court on 25 February 2015.

A 19-year-old man from Young has already been charged in relation to Mr Power’s death.

The 19-year-old is due to reappear at Wagga Wagga Local Court tomorrow.

Both Federal Member for Eden Monaro Dr Peter Hendy and Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor last week announced funding for much needed updates to local bridges in their electorates.

“Today I welcome the much-needed upgrade to local bridges under the Australian Government’s new $300 million Bridges Renewal Programme,” Dr Hendy said.

The Coalition Government is committing $28.5 million – matched by proponents – to 29 projects across New South Wales as part of Round One of the Bridges Renewal Programme.

This includes several bridges around the Southern region such as Candlagan Creek Bridge on Coronation Drive at Broulee, the Abercrombie Bridge between Goulburn and Oberon, Gobarralong Bridge in the Gundagai Shire, 9.3kms east from the Hume Highway near Coolac, Parsonage Creek Bridge at Bombala, Kippilaw and Lansdowne Bridges in Goulburn, Kirkland Rd Bridge and Caalong Bridge near Robertson in the Southern Highlands, and Burrangong Creek Bridge, 12 kms north of Young.

Some $937,000 was announced by Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor for the Kippilaw Bridge renewal, as well as the remaining amount of $1.1 million provided by Goulburn Mulwaree Council, bringing the total cost of the project to approximately $2 million.

He also announced $3.25 million for Lansdowne Bridge in East Goulburn, in addition to another $4.5 million already announced by the State Government.

The Lansdowne bridge works will involve the demolition of the existing State Significant 1902 deBurgh truss structure with work to be carried out by Roads and Maritime Services (RMS).

All in all the Lansdowne Bridge works will cost approximately $7.7 million with the RMS to supplement the federal funding.

“Congratulations to Goulburn Mulwaree Council on securing funding for such an important project,” Mr Taylor said.

“Hume has done particularly well to win funding for five separate projects under the Bridges Renewal Programme, where many other electorates have missed out.

“I can also announce $3.25 million for Lansdowne Bridge in east Goulburn, which is in addition to money already announced by the NSW Government.

“My office is always enthusiastic about helping councils and local communities – with letters of support, with guidance on application preparation, with general advice – to try and get these worthy projects underway,” he said.

Goulburn Mulwaree Mayor Geoff Kettle also welcomed the funding announcement for Kippilaw and Lansdowne Bridges.

He says that the Kippilaw Bridge especially needs a complete replacement, due to regular flooding.

“We’re going to straighten the Gurrundah Road, realign it and raise the height of the new Kippilaw Bridge, because it’s prone to flooding,” he says

“Council budgeted for the work in its 2015-16 operational plan, and the announcement of the funding is most welcome, as it’s an increasingly busy road and an important route for stock carriers.”

In his electorate of Eden Monaro, Dr Peter Hendy announced the injection of almost $1.1 million towards improvements to the Canadlagan Creek Bridge at Broulee in the Eurobodalla Shire.

Bridges get vital funding for upgrades

“The injection of $1,097,000 to upgrade the Candlagan Creek Bridge on Coronation Drive in Broulee will make its use safer and more reliable, while also being a huge fillip for freight providing major benefits for the community and the region,” Dr Hendy said.

“In particular, our programme will improve road access for local traffic and increase efficiency on local roads, which will be a relief to all.

Eurobodalla is a vibrant region and our Government is investing in its continued growth.

These important projects are made possible by close and effective consultation between Local Government Areas and the Commonwealth.

I would like to acknowledge the excellent work of Mayor Lindsay Brown and his team at the Eurobodalla Shire Council.

The Eurobodalla Shire Council will play a significant role in managing this project, ensuring the bridge can continue to contribute to productivity and community access.”

The Federal Government will provide a total commitment of $300 million over five years from 2014-15 for the entire bridges renewal programme.

Three police officers were injured during the arrest of a man in Albury yesterday.

About 7.15pm (Tuesday 17 February 2015), police attended licensed premises in Lavington after reports of alleged drug activity.

Two officers searched a 53-year-old man and allegedly located prohibited drugs and cash in his possession.

As police arrested the man, he became non-compliant and a third officer was called to assist.

Police will allege the man’s female partner hindered police and was also arrested.

As a result of the arrest, the man and the three officers all suffered lacerations.

Many patrons in the licensed premises abused the officers while they were trying to affect the arrest.

The man and his 29-year-old partner were conveyed to Albury Police Station where the man was charged with possess prohibited drug, assault police and resist officer in execution of duty.

He was granted conditional bail to appear before Albury Local Court on Tuesday 24 March 2015.

The man’s partner was charged with hinder police and was also granted bail to appear before Albury Local Court on Tuesday 31 March 2015.

Work is expected to begin on most projects in the coming weeks and months.

A bevy of trucking-specific projects across New South Wales will soon get underway to strengthen the state’s bridges, upgrade key routes and build new rest areas.

The Federal and NSW governments will jointly fund projects on council-owned and state government-controlled routes under the NSW Fixing Country Roads initiatives and the federal Bridges Renewal and Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity programs.

NSW roads minister Duncan Gay says Fixing Country Roads is aimed at better connecting local and regional roads to state highways and freight hubs to make it easier to move freight from paddock to port.

The Federal Government’s Bridges Renewal scheme is designed to improve the load-carrying capacity of council-owned bridges, while the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program funds trucking-specific projects such as rest areas, parking bays, road upgrades and technology trials.

Gay says 75 per cent of the 77 projects to receive funding from the programs are shovel ready, meaning works can begin in the coming weeks and months.

“Sixty successful council applications are road and bridge construction projects while 17 successful applications are bridge and culvert assessments, which will see the load-carrying capability of a total of 420 bridges and culverts assessed right across country NSW,” Gay says.

Many of the bridge projects involve replacing one-lane timber structures with concrete bridges, which Truss says will lead to better, safer and more reliable road access and more efficient freight movements from farms and local factories.

The Federal Government will allocate $119.6 million to 27 projects under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. Most of the projects are on local-government controlled roads, with six projects on state routes.

“These projects will improve the safety environment for heavy vehicle drivers and increase road transport productivity,” Gay says.

Funding will be used on projects such as a new rest area on the Hume Highway north of Albury. The project will include toilets and shelters and capacity for 15 B-triples or 20 B-doubles.

A new truck rest area and decoupling bay with toilet and shower facilities will be built on the Mitchell Highway. It will have capacity for 20 B-doubles and will be erected next to an existing 24-hour commercial fuel station.

Money will also be spent on installing green reflectors on existing guide posts to notify drivers they are approaching a stopping area, upgraded parking bays on the Golden Highway and a new parking area for 25 B-doubles on the Pacific Highway at Chinderah.

Furthermore, 50 new rest stop signs will be posted along the Mitchell, Kamillaroi and Gwydir highways and Kidman Way.

Funding will also go toward a number of road projects to improve heavy vehicle access in council areas.