# THE REDGUM HOLLOW GAZETTE **Est. 1957 — Published When There's Something Worth Saying** *Edition 13 — Monday to Thursday* *Marge Holloway, Editor, Publisher, Typesetter, and Sole Surviving Optimist* --- **WEATHER:** Dry. Still dry. Offensively dry. The east paddocks are developing a personality. --- ## CONNELLY SPEAKS; TOWN LISTENS TWICE The Gazette's feature on Ray Connelly — published Thursday, as you know because you read it, or because someone read it to you — has produced an outcome your editor did not expect to admit wanting: *it worked.* The man said something. Specifically: *settling in, dry but workable, appreciated the note.* Eleven words. This town has built a cathedral out of less. Clarrie Burton read the piece at the pub. Left the paper on the bench. This column will not explain what that means. This column doesn't need to. You already know. Meanwhile, Tuesday and Wednesday found Connelly himself at the east side of the Henderson place — digging, clearing, what several observers are now describing as channel work. Shelley Poidevin, who knows what channel work looks like and is not given to dramatic interpretation, mentioned the old Henderson channel system at the co-op Thursday. Mentioned it *again.* This is the kind of repetition that means something has been seen that is worth seeing. A passing motorist said he's got *a plan for that east side.* Three weeks ago, that sentence would have carried a question mark. It doesn't anymore. --- ## THE CAFÉ QUESTION, NOW IN ITS THIRD WEEK Tuesday morning, before opening. Steve-o at the café. Tash visible. A window between them and the town, but not much else. Steve-o left before the doors opened. The conversation is not known. Margaret Mitchell, at the store Wednesday, was heard saying she is *proud of him whatever he decides.* This is the fourth time a variation of that sentence has entered a public space. The Hartley vacancy — and this paper declines to name it directly for one more edition, as a courtesy to everyone's dignity — is now so close to being named that several locals are simply walking around with it in their mouths, waiting for permission. We are watching. Tash's sourdough continues to sell before ten, possibly before nine-thirty. Lorraine Apps has not confirmed the time. Lorraine Apps is, as ever, precisely as useful as she chooses to be. Alan Reeves was at the café Thursday. Second time this week. He spoke to no one in particular. That is being filed. --- ## FESTIVAL UPDATE: THE SILENCE SPEAKS, DULLY Deb Forsythe's exemption application enters its third week of processing. The three-week window — which everyone noted when it was mentioned and no one has forgotten — is upon us. The question now circulating, quietly and then less quietly, is: *what is the backup plan?* This paper has posed this question, in print, in a spirit of civic helpfulness. It has not been answered. It may yet be answered. This paper remains available for the answer. --- ## LETTERS TO THE EDITOR **From Shelley Poidevin, Landcare:** *Marge — I wouldn't normally write in but I think it's worth saying that the Henderson east channel hasn't been cleared since at least 2009. If someone is doing that work properly, the district benefits. I'll leave it at that. — S.P.* **From Keith Drummond, Old Flat Road:** *Marge, I drove past that Henderson place Wednesday and what I saw was a man who knows what he's doing. My father ran those channels. Not everyone can read that ground. Thought you'd like to know. —Keith* **From L. Apps, Redgum Hollow:** *Marge. The sourdough time is what it is. I suggest arriving early. I am not in a position to say more than that. —L. Apps* *(Ed. note: Lorraine, you absolute piece of work.)* --- ## AROUND THE DISTRICT — Fuel at the servo up again. Bring a packed lunch. — The footy coach has requested the names of anyone who can still kick from the pocket. This is not a metaphor, apparently. — The Royal Hotel remains open. Ronnie's parmi remains excellent. Go while both remain true. — There is still no rain. This bears repeating every edition until it stops being true.