Downhill run: Mt Keira features as the first stop in the 2016 World Cup for downhill skateboarding.

Rumour mill: Wollongong MP Noreen Hay dismisses rumours she would run for Lord Mayor of a merged Wollongong-Shellharbour council and ditch her parliamentary position if successful.

Merger mayhem: Shellharbour mayor Marianne Saliba is ejected from the gallery during a feisty Wollongong City meeting over the proposed merger. She yells to Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery “you lied, Gordon, you lied” as she is led out.

Time’s up: WIN newsreader Kerryn Johnston calls it quits to spend more time with her family.

Legalise it: Injured miner Roger Reeves appears in court to appeal convictions over marijuana possession. He says he uses it to deal with back pain. His charges would be dismissed.

Nigerian scam: A woman loses $150,000 in a scam orchestrated by a man she met on Facebook. A Nigerian man named Chidoo Ohad Nukobam is arrested and later pleads guilty.

Not correct: A severe shortage of Corrective Services staff is threatening to bring trials at Wollongong courthouse to a standstill. The law requires that all prisoners are escorted by two Corrective Services officers.

Heartbreak: People visiting Lakeside Memorial Park find items they had left on loved ones’ graves have been thrown in bins. It was part of a  “no ornamentation” policy that had been in place, but a relaxation of that policy was under consideration.

Life-changing: Towradgi man Ben Oakley – who suffers from stiff person syndrome – was in federal parliament to see new laws on marijuana cultivation tabled. Mr Oakley uses medicinal cannabis to stop regular spasms.

That’s ruff!: Merryn Joske, a vision-impaired woman, and her Pets as Therapy dog Toby are refused entry to four different Kiama cafes. The dog has the same rights as a guide dog.

Rude words: Text messages surface in which Kiama councillor Neil Reilly refers to Kiama MP Gareth Ward as a “c--t” and a “f--king arrogant turd” for refusing to cross the floor to vote against council merger.

Big win: Illawarra Hawks’ Kevin Lisch wins the NBL Most Valuable Player award.

In the red: While BlueScope records a $200 million half-year profit, the Port Kembla steelworks is still losing money.

Bucks for a battler: Oak Flats ambulance paramedic Paul Norwell wins $10,000 in the Channel 9 Today Show’s Knock of Cash. Battling cancer, he was nominated by 30 colleagues. Mr Norwell would pass away on June 20.

Controversial call: The Illawarra Business Chamber supports the mooted Wollongong and Shellharbour council merger. On top of that CEO Debra Murphy says Kiama should be part of the merger as well.

It’s final: The Illawarra Hawks miss out on making the NBL grand final series after losing their semifinal series to the Perth Wildcats.