Melinda James

4 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Brooke Chandler |Melinda James

A grape grower and winemaker in the New South Wales Southern Highlands says he has been left millions of dollars out of pocket after his grapes were ruined by a nearby hazard reduction burn. Dave Lorentz, the owner of Cherry Tree Hill Wines near Sutton Forest, said he was unable to use about 60 hectares worth of fruit destroyed by the smoke. Mr Lorentz said he was still coming to terms with the fallout. "This is just absolutely devastating for the whole region and my business," he said.

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Nick McLaren |Melinda James

The University of Wollongong (UOW) has announced up to 10 per cent of non-academic staff are set to lose their jobs in the latest round of redundancies. The university has announced plans to cut up to another 180 jobs as part of a major restructure, bringing total job losses this year to around 276.

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Nicole Curby |Melinda James |Amy Duggan

A NSW upper house inquiry has found e-bike, e-scooter and e-mobility device regulations are in urgent need of reform. The inquiry made 34 recommendations, including reducing speed limits to 30 kilometres per hour and allowing the devices to be used on footpaths. Lena Huda, the co-founder of 30 Please and President of Walk Sydney, has long advocated for 30kph speed limits, which she says is the "sweet spot for neighbourhoods".

2 months ago | abc.net.au | Melinda James

We are so lucky here in Wollongong to be hosting the NSW premiere of Love Stories. The hit show - based on Trent Dalton's best-selling collection of stories about love as told to him by random strangers on a Brisbane street corner - wowed sell-out audiences in Brisbane and received rave reviews. Trent was good enough to visit Wollongong last month to chat with ABC Illawarra's Melinda James in front of a full house at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre.

Jan 24, 2025 | thecottagejournal.com | Melinda James

Text by Bethany AdamsThe partnership between designer Melinda James and the Martins began long before the renovation of the couple’s cottage in Beaumont, Texas. As an electrician, Robert Martin has worked with Melinda for decades, so it was obvious who would be the perfect person to help them turn the space into a home they could truly call their own. “The house had really good bones and framing, and we just made it theirs,” Melinda says.