Western Focus

A St James vendor, who denied chopping a man he had an argument with over a seat on a bus, had his bail extended when he appeared in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday.

The Noel Holmes Hospital in Lucea, Hanover, received a donation of 18 beds on January 31 from the Negril International Hospital (NIH) and the Vincent Hosang Family Foundation.

For many cane-farming communities in western Jamaica, last year was not so prosperous as the Frome Sugar Factory in Westmoreland and Long Pond Estate in Trelawny failed to realise their respective production targets, which meant less spin-off benefit to the communities.

Western Bureau: The mystery surrounding the amazing longevity of sprint legend Merlene Ottey, who is still competing at age 52 years old, could well be the result of the genes she inherited from her grandmother Blanche Bowen, who, at 100 years old, is as fit a as a fiddle.

Western Bureau:The generous spirit of reggae singer Edge Michael was again demonstrated in a tangible way last week Thursday when he answered a call for help from the Montego Bay-based Open Heart Charitable Mission and fed some 100 street people for whom the organisation has established a feeding programme.

WESTERN BUREAU:Two Russian nationals, who got involved in a drunken brawl aboard an aircraft shortly after it landed at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, were fined a total of $40,000 following guilty pleas in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Having already completed two phases of its development plan, the developers of the Treasure Beach Sports Park in St Elizabeth are now moving swiftly to finish work on Phase Three as its 2,400 square-foot pavilion is slated to be opened on Sunday, February 17, by the visiting House of Lords and Common Cricket Club from England.

Stakeholders in the local music industry are of the view that if properly managed, entertainment tourism could well become the catalyst that would drive the Jamaican economy to prosperity.

The just-concluded 2013 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival should leave members of the Herbert Morrison Technical High School Band with pleasant memories as the young musicians got a chance to meet the legendary Third World Band, arguably one of the most potent forces in reggae music.

Organiser of Jamaica Jazz and Blues Walter Elmore relaxes with Johnnie Walker/Ciroc brand manager Marsha Lumley during the music festival in Trelawny.

A Canadian chef, who pleaded guilty in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday to trafficking three and three-quarter pounds of cocaine, is to be sentenced on February 25.

Western Bureau:Derrick Kellier, minister of labour and member of parliament for South St James, has assured World Boxing Association (WBA) Featherweight champion Nicholas 'The Axeman' Walters that work on the community centre in Roehampton, St James, will be concluded by April.