Blackwood: middle of nowhere, centre of everything
BLACKWOOD NEWS: AugSept '10 issue online
The AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2010 issue of Blackwood News is now available for pick-up from your usual pickup points
or if you're not in Blackwood you can pick up a copy at Greendale Hotel, Trentham Newsagency or the Radio Springs Hotel, Lyonville – or download the colour version Vol 3:Issue 2/6: AugSept10 colour (3mb .pdf)
Advertising & donations pay for the publication of your community news so, if you pass a Blackwood News donation box, please drop some spare change in & when you contact a business through their advertisement, please remember to tell them you saw them in our paper!
We are very close to needing to increase the size of the paper from 24 to 28 pages but to do this we need pay for it! If you know someone who would like to do business with Blackwoodians please suggest us to them. Advertising rates can be downloaded here.
Blackwood News on TWITTER
In my role as editor of Blackwood News, I spent the weekend at the Community Newspaper Association of Victoria 2009 conference (cnav.org.au). Held in Toolangi, near Kinglake, the focus of the conference was 'Strengthening Communities in Times of Crisis'.
The conference was opened by Jacinta Allan MP, Minister for Regional & Rural Development who spoke about the role her department has played in the aftermath of Black Saturday fires & the importance of locally delivered information delivered by credable locals.
Senior writer for the Age, Karen Kissane was the keynote speaker. She spoke about her experiences while covering Kinglake in the days immediately after the fires. She is now covering the Royal Commission.
The Emergency Services Commissioner, Bruce Esplin, reinforced the value of community newspapers in aiding the dissimination of emergency information. One of his main points was the trust that communities have in information provided by their own members. He spoke of the Emergency Services plans to use community newletters/papers as one of their means of communication through an email system.
Blackwood News is a bi-monthly publication & one of the things that particularly concerned me during the February fires in Daylesford was that communication is a massive problem in our area. Up until now Blackwood News has not had the means to provide current, accurate & validated information immediately.
Come in TWITTER. Any releases relevant to Blackwood which we receive from Emergency Services will be put on TWITTER. On our TWITTER site http://twitter.com/blackwoodvic you can subscribe to our RSS feed or add us as a favorite. Twitter can also be accessed from most mobile handsets. We will also tweet upcoming happenings in & around Blackwood.
Subscribe to the Blackwood News elist
You can now sign-up on-line to our Blackwood News eLists. Choose the list you wish to be on from directly below navigation bar on the left of this page.
• Community groups – Blackwood or surrounding areas. As a member of this list you will receive deadline reminders & be notified when issues are published on-line & distribution points.
• Blackwood News Fan Club – anyone who wants to keep up with what's happening in Blackwood will sign-up to this eList. You will receive deadline reminders so you can let us know about your news & be notified when issues are published on-line & distribution points. You will also be notified of important updates between issues.
• Blackwood News Advertisers – whether you are a regular or seasonal advertiser, this list will remind you of booking space & artwork deadlines so you never miss out on letting your customers know what you are up to in your business.
• Media Releases – sign up to this list if you want to receive deadline reminders & press releases.
Blackwood in the Press
I love Lucy!
Following the 'Where are they now!' column which featured Lucy Lysenko in the April May '09 issue of Blackwood News many Blackwoodians were moved to support Lucy in her struggle with cancer.
June 9, 2009: Melton Moorabool Leader ran an article called "Lucy's flight in cancer fight" (.pdf 1.2mb)
Talk to the Animals
May 7, 2009: Herald Sun featured Blackwood's local wholistic veterinarian (.pdf 748kb)
153 year old letter Found
July 8, 2008: Blackwood historian, Margot Hitchcock, talks to the Melton Moorabool News (.pdf 227kb) about her latest acquisition for the archives.
BLACKWOOD POST OFFICE DRAMAS
July 8, 2008: Moorabool Leader (.pdf 233kb) featured the Blackwood Hotel & the post on its front page.
July 15, 2008: Blackwood hit page 3 in Melbourne Age with 'A Draught at the Post Office?' article. Read it on-line
Comedy Night
15 July, 2008: Genevieve Messenger both the Melton Leader (.pdf 385kb) & the Moorabool News (.pdf 135kb) talking about her up-coming comedy night in Blackwood.
Praise for Blackwood News
Praise on our first birthday...
"Congratulations on The Blackwood News' first birthday. It is a great achievement. May you continue to serve the community for many years to come." Best wishes Catherine King, MP
"I have only recently discovered the Blackwood News. Thank you very much for your effort putting it together, it is a greatasset for the community." James Caldwell, Coordinator, Trentham Neighbourhood Centre
"Thanks for the latest edition of the Blackwood News. It is very well presented and informattive as usual and you are doing a great job in keeping so many people informed about what is happening in and around the Blackwood area." Greg Falkiner, OIC, Trentham Police
"Congratulations Jinny! It's a great newsletter and I look forward to reading future issues. I had no idea Blackwood had so much activity." Nadine, Woodend