Mountrath man, Lee Wellstead is still in his home this week after a high noon style showdown last Monday in which the county sheriff failed to evict him from his two storey detached home at Knockanina.

A Donaghmore woman has helped secure 1,000 jobs for Louth has been introduced to the county manager with a view to bringing jobs Laois.

More than 5,000 people have told the HSE they do not want Shaen Hospital to close but campaigners have claimed that the executive is ignoring families with loved ones who need the vital care that the hospital can give.

Glanbia CountryLife Mountmellick won an award at Bord Bia’s National Amenity Horticulture Quality Awards, held recently in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin. Over 180 industry representatives attended the Awards which were presented by Shane McEntee, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture with responsibility for Food, Horticulture and Food Safety.

‘DON’T stop believing’ and ‘lessons learned’ are highlighted on the walls of the new extension of Clonaslee College and these words were emphasised by Olympic gold medal winning boxer, Michael Carruth as he performed the official opening of the new extension of Clonaslee College last week.

The Ratheniska Action Group will address the Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture tomorrow (Tuesday, February 21). The committee will be briefed by a wide range of opinion on the proposed €280 million high-voltage power line from Meath to Tyrone.

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter officially opened a new facility for local Civil Defence volunteers at Mountmellick on Friday last.

Offaly County Council were unable to comment on the situation regarding the unfinished Riverside Estate in Portarlington.

The streetlights have finally been switched off in Shandra Woods, leaving the Portarlington estate of 54 homes in darkness.

Laois Offaly T.D. Charlie Flanagan has welcomed a number of important measures which he says will benefit both the agri food sector and farmers directly. This follows the publication of the Finance Bill by Minister Michael Noonan in the Dail.

SEAN Fleming has hit out at the Government’s decision to increase pupil teacher ratio numbers in primary schools after being warned by schools around Laois that teaching jobs on the line.

The office of the Equality Tribunal is to close down in Portlaoise following an announcement by the Government. and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.

The Durrow man who died following a stabbing incident in Kilkenny in the early hours of this morning has been named.

The young man who lost his life in St Luke’s hospital, Kilkenny after a stabbing incident in a city housing estate in the early hours of this morning was from Durrow and had been living in the rented accommodation a short time.

Laois County Council is owed €9million in unpaid development levies, rates and commercial water charges, according to the 2010 Audit Report. Representing more than 10% of the council’s total spending for that year, head of finance Gerry Murphy said the Council was actively pursuing the recovery of all debts, but admitted that some of the amount outstanding would have to be written off.

The property market hits a new low for sellers next week as an end terrace house in Portlaoise goes on offer for a paltry €10,000.

Portlaoise’s Mayor was the only Fine Gael councillor to support his Government’s controversial regulations on septic tanks.

The Court of Criminal Appeal has further adjourned the sentence appeal of a Laois man convicted of the repeated rape and sexual assault of his daughter over a ten year period.

tHERE are 150 car parking spaces at the Department of Agriculture headquarters in Portlaoise, outgoing Chairman Peter Luttrell told the recent IFA agm. Of this number, 144 spaces were for staff, leaving six spaces for the farmers of this country.

A FOCUS on the next local elections is the first order of business for Laois Fianna Fail, as it seeks to rebuild in Laois-Offaly, following the catastrophic general election a year ago.