Augusta-Margaret River Times

COVID-19 CRISISBusiness closures start to hit

The first businesses confirming they will close permanently — and news Target would shut up early next year — this week underlined the looming economic hit to the region from COVID-19.

Warren Hately

Rugs in the Forest owner Tanya Franchi-Boath is among business operators confirming closure this week.

Council fundingCall to use funds to fix road issues

Warren Hately

COVID-19 CRISISCommunity groups shown cash care

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River’s community care fund has dished out more support for local groups.

On main streetRoundabout ‘set for weekend’

Margaret River’s new roundabout is expected to be finished in time for this weekend, while full access to the main street from the north could be ready in less than a month.

Warren Hately

Regional reliabilityAnger at Target closure

Margaret River’s Target Country will close next year, and residents won’t be able to travel to Target in Busselton either because it will shut too.

Warren Hately

COVID-19 CRISISJob losses among the highest in the State

Margaret River and Busselton have recorded some of the highest job losses in the State.

Muso showcaseLive music online tonight

A new program to connect isolated musicians and South West venues launches tonight from 6.30pm.

Winter warmerCabin Fever festival online for clicks

As visitors trickle back into the region, the organisers behind this year’s cancelled Cabin Fever festival are turning online.

State holds tight line on grants

The State Government has held firm on restrictive criteria for its Tourism Recovery Grants despite widespread criticism from Capes small tourism operators.

Big plan brews for site

A popular corner lot in Cowaramup was finally approved for an innovative new business last week.

Bush clearing splits council

Shire of Augusta-Margaret River councillors have split over a proposed subdivision on land off Kevill Road which will require extensive bush clearing.

open studiosArtists split on open

The reopening of the South West border and a lid on new COVID-19 cases could see the Margaret River Region Open Studios program fire back into life this year.

tree changeMajor proposal for the Boranup

The region’s peak tourism group wants to shift a 3km chunk of Caves Road inland as part of a multimillion-dollar project aiming to give greater access to the popular Boranup Forest.

Warren Hately

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Subscriber Exclusive

Trial of the centuryClaremont trial: Everything you need to know

For so long, so much has been said and written about the Claremont serial killings, but so little was known. Now for the first time, read everything you need to know about the ‘trial of the century’.

The West Australian

ExclusiveSt John using baby monitors to spy on ambos at work

WA paramedics say they are shocked to discover St John Ambulance is secretly monitoring them at work, with some finding listening devices hidden in mattresses in their rest areas.

Ben Harvey

Taken too soonDad’s heartbreak: Best friends killed in crash revealed

Family members have paid tribute to two Perth women killed in a horror crash on Friday, one a newlywed and the other a talented physiotherapist — friends whose futures were destroyed in an instant.

Bethany Hiatt and Danella Bevis

Regional News

Pinjarra arrestCops probe jealousy link in caravan park throttling

Rajpreet Singh is accused of throttling his wife’s former boss with a cord that allegedly left his victim ‘moments from death’.

Jake Dietsch

Relief for businesses‘Toilet tax’ temporarily flushed by Water Minister

Wastewater charges dubbed the “toilet tax” have been temporarily dumped after Minister for Water Dave Kelly bowed to pressure to offer regional businesses some relief.

Peter de Kruijff

AssaultTeenager pleads guilty to assault

A 15-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to an assault in Nickol that left a 37-year-old man fighting for his life with serious head injuries.

Caitlyn Watts

Kalgoorlie rock-tosser’s ‘bizarre’ defence

Ross Richard Munday, 37, faced the Kalgoorlie Magistrate’s Court on Monday and admitted criminal damage and damaging property.

WA borders down for long weekend despite four new cases

Western Australians will be able to travel freely anywhere in the state besides the Kimberley in time for the WA Day long weekend, Premier Mark McGowan revealed this afternoon.

WA Nats hopeful avoids $2m elephant in the room

Former Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA Goldfields manager Rowena Olsen was endorsed as the WA Nationals State Election candidate for Kalgoorlie at the weekend.

WA News

Rotto reconciliationPlans to honour Indigenous prisoners of Rottnest Island

EXCLUSIVE: The traditional owners of Rottnest Island have begun talks about how to commemorate the hundreds of Aboriginal people who were imprisoned and died on the island when it was used as a jail.

Annabel Hennessy

EXCLUSIVEPerth drug dealer tries to claim 1kg haul as pet food

A single mother who says she uses drug dealing profits to help provide for her children was caught with a parcel containing 1kg of synthetic cannabis, which she tried to claim was guinea pig food.

Shannon Hampton

Geraldton ‘COVID’ spitter admits cop assault

A 29-year-old woman has admitted she lied about having COVID-19 after spitting in a police officer’s face in Geraldton.

The savvy businesses blooming amid the economic gloom

Some are bucking the downward trend fuelled by COVID-19 and instead managing to grow or expand their operations during the pandemic.

WA economy ‘set back four years and $17b’ by virus

According to new economics modelling the McGowan Government has drastically underestimated the damage caused by COVID-19 — which will rip $17 billion from the economy.

National leaderThe West Australian records surge in young readers

The West Australian has cemented its place as the country’s top-performing tabloid newspaper Monday-to-Friday, with latest readership figures revealing our metropolitan audience is up 4.5 per cent.