--- THE REDGUM HOLLOW GAZETTE Edition 4 — Monday to Thursday Marge Holloway, Editor, Publisher, Typesetter & Concerned Party "All the news that fits, and some that doesn't quite." --- WEATHER: Dry. Still dry. Powerfully, insistently dry. The sky continues its policy of non-engagement. --- RAY SHOPS. TOWN REACTS. RAY UNAWARE OF EITHER. --- He came in Wednesday. Left inside two minutes. Paid cash. These are the facts as reported by Lorraine Apps, whose account I present here with my customary caution regarding Lorraine's accounts, and also with the acknowledgment that this is currently all we have. "Very quiet." "Polite." These are not disqualifying traits. What IS doing considerable work in this editor's imagination — and, I am told, several others' — is the detail that Ray knew a parcel might be coming for him. He has been here what, three weeks? And already a parcel is inbound. A parcel suggests connections. Connections suggest a life elsewhere. A life elsewhere is not suspicious. It is, however, interesting. This column's position is that "interesting" is sufficient justification to print. The Gazette has been exploring a feature on new residents. That feature remains exploratory. The subject has not been contacted. This is not an oversight so much as a strategy. We don't yet know what we're asking. --- MILLBROOK ROAD: WHAT THIS EDITOR MEANT TO SAY --- Wednesday's piece on the Regional Infrastructure Grants EOI has generated pleasing discussion. The last paragraph in particular has been quoted at the pub, which is — and I say this without shame — exactly why it was written. This edition declines to clarify what, if anything, the last paragraph implied about any particular resident of the Henderson property. Readers may continue forming their own views. That is what readers are for. What can be confirmed: Gundagai Shire has lodged the EOI. Millbrook Road floods every wet season. A decision before Christmas would be — in this editor's estimation — nothing short of miraculous, but stranger things have occurred and some of them have happened right here on this road. --- BORE QUESTION REFUSES TO STAY QUIET --- Shelley Poidevin — Landcare coordinator, woman of action — was observed Tuesday placing a flyer in Clarrie Burton's hand on the bench outside the hardware. Clarrie folded it into his shirt pocket with the air of a man receiving intelligence rather than a pamphlet. Given that the NSW DPI water-testing service is now available through the shire office, and given that three eastern farms have already quietly signed up, and given that the Henderson bore has been the subject of footy-ground whispers, this editor is prepared to connect these dots with a line that is light but visible. Deb Forsythe, reached Thursday, confirmed the testing service is "absolutely worth doing — it's free and it's sensible and anyone with bore water should look into it." That settles the matter of whether it's a good idea. What it doesn't settle is whose bore we are all thinking about while discussing it. Also noted: Bruce and Clarrie were both on the bench Thursday morning, which is unusual for Bruce. Something was said before Clarrie redirected proceedings. Bruce has been in a flattish mood since. This column declines to speculate. This column is, however, paying attention. --- LETTERS TO THE EDITOR --- FROM CLARRIE BURTON, Redgum Hollow — Marge, just a note to say your Millbrook Road piece was the most useful thing I've read in this paper since the septic tank survey of 2019. About time someone put it plain. Some of us have been saying that stretch is a disgrace since before the last council bloke was even elected. Also re: the water testing — Shelley Poidevin is doing important work and people should listen to her instead of standing around on footpaths waiting for someone else to act. — C. Burton [ED. NOTE: As always, Clarrie has identified the nub of it. Full agreement on both counts. — M.H.] --- FROM CONCERNED RESIDENT (name supplied) — I'm not one to gossip but I did notice Steve-o at the café on Thursday afternoon and I thought it was quite nice actually. Lovely to see the place getting some daytime trade. That's all I wanted to say. [ED. NOTE: Quite so. — M.H.] --- FROM BEVERLEY COOGAN, Redgum Hollow — Marge, for what it's worth, Bruce said at the sub-committee that Ray's fencing is ahead of schedule, and if you knew anything about that property's back boundary you would know that is no small thing. I'm not saying anything more than that. I am saying it counts for something. — Bev --- AROUND THE DISTRICT --- … The child's shoe on the Henderson fence post remains. A grey Subaru stopped near Priya Tuesday evening. Brief words exchanged. Car moved on. The shoe did not. … Alan Reeves was in the café Thursday. Alan has since said nothing. He has also, notably, not said nothing. … Two visits to the café, two days running, by the same individual. The town is counting. The town is good at counting when it wants to be. … Bruce Patten at the bench on a Thursday morning: mark it down. Something is in the air besides the dust. … This editor notes the absence of rain for the record, as she has noted it each edition, and will continue to note it until it is no longer notable. Which may be some time. --- Next edition: when there is more to say, or Thursday, whichever comes first. ---