PERTH’S Cuban community is holding an exhibition to celebrate the 90th birthday of the country’s communist leader Fidel Castro. Regularly portrayed in Western media as a moustachioed Cold War villain, defying Lady America with every authoritarian puff of his cigar, the exhibition is designed to put a more human face on Castro. It’s being organised…

THE clearing of a privately owned wetland near Eric Singleton bird sanctuary has been referred to the Environmental Protection Authority. The referral was by a “third party”  according to the EPA, meaning it was likely a concerned citizen and not a government agency or Bayswater council. The EPA has 28 days to decide whether to…

THE scuffing feet of thousands of Pokemon Go players is causing havoc at Kings Park. While the ridiculously popular app has been a boon to businesses and helped dragged gen-yers off the couch and into daylight, newly planted garden beds and grass where Pokemon characters “gather” are being trampled to death. Thousands are flocking to…

NEWLY minted Perth Labor MP Tim Hammond has walked straight into federal Labor’s shadow cabinet. Mr Hammond has been given three assistant shadow ministries by Opposition leader Bill Shorten. Mr Hammond will answer directly to Mr Shorten in the digital economy and startups portfolio, and joins fellow Sandgroper Kim Carr with innovation. He’s also picked…

VINCENT council has introduced tough new rules requiring 25 per cent of big developments be set aside for greenery. Previously developers only needed to leave 10 per cent for gardens, lawn or trees in mixed use developments or blocks of flats, but the council is concerned about the city’s rapidly diminishing tree canopy. It’s busily…

DOG exercise parks in Stirling have been so successful the council is thinking of creating another five. Stirling opened its first doggie run-around in Inglewood in 2013 and when it proved a hit opened a second at Charles Riley Memorial Reserve in November last year. Now it wants pooch owners to be no more than…

A “VISIONING” event run by community and business group Future Bayswater has been a smash, with more than 150 interested locals packing out the local bowling club. Paul Shanahan from FB says they weren’t sure what to expect after setting up a series of talks involving planning experts, who’ll give locals ideas about how they…

A FORMER psychiatrist from the Hillview Terrace Hospital (also known as the Hillview Child and Adolescent Clinic) has been charged with sexually abusing three patients. Police from WA’s child abuse taskforce charged 68-year-old Ian Stuart McAlpine of West Leederville with 26 counts of indecent assault, eight counts of sexual assault, five counts of indecent treatment…

SICARI STATIONERY on William Street closes its doors at the end of this month after 35 years in the heart of Northbridge. Owner Frank Sicari insists the store is closing up, not down, giving it the positive spin of someone heading happily into retirement. He’s even celebrated the occasion with big fluoro letters in the…

IT’S the dish Pauline Hanson refuses to eat. The halal snack pack; a multicultural fusion of doner meat, chips, cheese and sauces to terrify any purist (foodie or racial). The online Halal Snack Pack Appreciation Society now boasts 162,665 members on Facebook and is growing by thousands every week, its popularity soaring since Labor senator…