Dessie Blackadder

<p xml:space=“preserve”>Harmony Studio - formerly known as ‘Atnernate Angles’ - has opened their very first retail premises in Broughshane Street, Ballymena. </p> <p xml:space=“preserve”>The social enterprise is part of Triangle Housing Association’s Progression to Employment Service.</p>

<p xml:space=“preserve”>SCULPTURES of ‘Ghost Tommies’ which dotted the slopes below Ballymena’s Moat Hill have been ripped out of the ground.</p> <p xml:space=“preserve”> The figures - representing soldiers and nurses from the Great War era - had been erected in the early summer of 2021.</p>

<p xml:space=“preserve” /> <p xml:space=“preserve”>THE ‘overflowing’ state of ‘dog poop bins’ in the area of Galgorm Road and the general County Hall vicinity has been slammed by a local man.</p>

<p xml:space=“preserve”>Plans for a new i4C Innovation and CleanTech Centre to support local business and industry to innovate and the transition to net zero have received a major boost thanks to the approval of the business case for a £20.5m Belfast Region City Deal funding award.</p> <p xml:space=“preserve”>Located at the St Patrick’s regeneration site in Ballymena, work is set to get underway on the transformational project next year. </p>

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<p xml:space=“preserve”> Six of the newly appointed High Sheriffs for Northern Ireland were recently hosted at Oranmore House by Patricia Perry, High Sheriff for County Antrim. </p> <p xml:space=“preserve”>High Sheriffs are the Monarch’s judicial representatives. </p>

<p xml:space=“preserve” /> <p xml:space=“preserve”>The Mid Antrim RDA Group have successfuly introduced an evening ride at Galgorm Parks Riding School by kind permission of Mrs. Sara Kyle. </p>

<p xml:space=“preserve”>IT’S still hard to believe that a dance floor in an alcohol free ballroom sited in the middle of sedate, early 60s Ballymena played host to so many world superstars.</p> <p xml:space=“preserve”>The visit of The Rolling Stones is, of course, legendary but did you know that the man who changed the dancing habits of the entire world once played before a heaving Ballymena audience?</p>

They say you can lose yourself and find yourself in Art. And this is certainly true of one local aspiring artist, Tiana McMaster.

Local community projects in the Ballymena area will have a chance to be awarded £1000 each by local housing association Choice Housing in partnership with the Department for Communities (DfC) and the NI Housing Executive. Launching the “Choice Community Decision Day” event is Choic...