NO-ONE in our omnipresent nanny state seems to give one when it comes to removing this offensive graffiti daubed on the Mitchell end of Gungahlin Drive.

Our northern snout says he’s been driving over the vulgar daubing for weeks (in deference to the sensibilities our our delicate readership we have modified it).

Bewilderingly, CC can’t deduce whether the author was insulting someone called Pauline or urging a call to action.

Either way, wake up, City Services; it’s a disgrace to Paulines and children everywhere that it’s been there for more than three weeks.

Rough and smooth

AND while our intrepid lensperson was heading back, city bound, on Gungahlin Drive, along where there have been weeks of inconvenience while the Sandford Street intersection area was widened and resurfaced, it was impossible not to miss the nasty nest of patched-up potholes, undisturbed amid the new smoothness, just before the traffic lights.

Another stop for snaps revealed that all around has been resurfaced, but not the pothole area. They seem to be saving it to spend more money to bring the asphalt crew back again instead of sorting it at the same time?

Andrew Barr and that furry head

Comrades in creativity

IT would seem the soon-to-be-campaigning ACT Labor Party is towing the party line and following the Federal comrades in jobbing out creative work to a Sydney ad agency in Chippendale.

CC was alerted by an incomplete press release from Chief Minister Andrew Barr who was writing to tell us about the promise of off-peak free travel for seniors. The header was missing his “furry” bonce, the entertaining result of unfinished artwork that had previously evoked giggles from graphic designers around our office.

And in lieu of the missing footer, the revelation it was work of junior art director Dean Arrow; the agency, Creative Edge and the clients, ACT Labor. No one in Barr’s Clever Canberra can do this better? Seemingly not.

Yvette’s all ears

READERS will doubtless be buoyed to know that Youth Minister Yvette Berry is traversing the ACT on a “youth listening tour”.

Last week she co-hosted, with the ACT Youth Advisory Council, a late-afternoon “Pop Up Politics” conversation at Smith’s Alternative licensed venue in Civic.

Although aimed at the 18-25-year-olds, the minister’s largesse over happy hour didn’t extend to shouting the bar. Hospitality was limited to free coffee and cakes.

CAPTION

Spooky times in Queanbeyan

QUEANBEYAN’S irrepressible Mistress of Mystery is planning to scare the bejesus out of those brave souls turning out for the fundraising “Night @ the Haunted Penitentiary” experience.

The normally sedate journalist, historian and “CityNews” columnist Nichole Overall takes on a disturbing alter-ego as she shepherds the unwitting through the deserted corridors, silent rooms, restricted areas and empty cells of the ghost-enriched, abandoned, downtown Queanbeyan building.

“It’s a place where your worst nightmares come together behind the barred, blackened windows,” she chillingly taunts.

“It’s a performance/experience based on the factual, historic record exploring Queanbeyan’s judicial past and some of what transpired over the course of the town’s earliest years, all built around a purposefully constructed ‘haunted’ prison/asylum.”

The Misfit Of Magic, Nyte Mare, will be there as will be Suzie’s Mysticism & Emporium.

In aid of the Queanbeyan Children’s Special Needs Group, it runs from 6pm in 20-minute sessions until sold out on Saturday, July 30. Tickets are $15 and bookings to qbn@qbncityofchampions.com.au

New faces

BECAUSE we can… Our senior advertising account executive David Cusack and wife Allie were blessed with a baby boy, Joshua, last week and last month reporter Kate Meikle and husband James Anderson welcomed little Audrey into the world.