Wollongong’s battle with economic problems continues and now our annual Carols by Candlelight have had to be scrapped due to a lack of financial support.

This, together with an ongoing struggle by our soccer and basketball teams, seems par for the course these days.

The carols organisers claim they couldn’t raise enough funds to make the show worthwhile, but funnily enough there appears to be a number of similar shows going ahead in the region.

Blame for the cancellation seems to be pointed towards the present world financial crisis, but surely the general fall-off in funding for local events and sporting teams is the real reason.

Wollongong seems to have gone to the pack, so to speak, where available funding is involved.

Perhaps the situation has more to do with a break from those traditional days when BHP and Cleary Bros, for example, would, along with many other businesses, jump at the chance to sponsor worthwhile events and our sporting teams.

On a brighter note, however, is a successful last ditch stand by the Wolves soccer team to stay alive in the present season, but the future still remains under a cloud.

A word of praise  

Congratulations to Mercury journalist Mario Christodoulou on winning a prestigious Walkley Award for the Best Coverage of Community and Regional Affairs.

Mario’s coverage of the Wollongong City Council scandal tipped the scales in his favour, and from one journalist to another I might say that since Mario moved into this area with our local daily the coverage of local government issues has improved out of sight.

Let’s wait and see  

The latest Wollongong City Council news, which is being delivered now, suggests that the Southern Gateway at Bulli Tops will actually be open for business in the New Year.

This much maligned project is being completed at a great cost to ratepayers and there are still many of us who doubt its value.

I wonder what date we will see the doors actually open in the New Year?

They’re back  

They’re back - and with a vengeance. Wollongong’s weeds, I mean.

It doesn’t matter which way you come into the city the weeds are there and seemingly more prolific than before.

And it’s not just the approaches to the city that are suffering as you can find them in many of our suburbs, too.

The circuses are coming to town 

Wollongong City Council has advertised its plans to grant a licence over a portion of JJ Kelly Park to an entertainment company and it’s likely to extend to a number of circus groups.

Among the circuses we could see come to town are Circus Royale, Michael Edgley’s Moscow Circus, Lennon Bros Circus and at least three others.

The proposed licence is said to be exclusive and will be granted up front for five years.

Be warned

If you’ve got kids at The Illawarra Grammar School, for example, which is likely to break for the annual Chrissie holidays before nearby public schools DO NOT automatically think you can disregard the 40kph zone adjacent to the school.

The Road Traffic Authority, I believe, works on the principle that a school day applies only to the times public schools remain open.

Retirees get together

By the time you read this the BHP Retirees Club will be having its annual Christmas lunch at The Illawarra Yacht Club.

The numbers may be down on last year but more than 120 will celebrate old friendships and there’ll probably be more steel made in a couple of hours than gets made in a year these days.