Stuart Reid

Dalmellington Community Council will hold an election at the village community centre at 7pm on October 1, 2026, if a ballot is required. Residents aged 16 or over who are registered to vote in the area are eligible to participate. Nomination papers must be submitted by September 17, with forms available from council representatives or East Ayrshire Council’s democratic services officer.

Michelle Stewart's family and the Michelle's Law campaign have spoken out after her convicted killer, John Wilson, was recalled to prison for breaching parole conditions and subsequently denied release. The campaign says Wilson allegedly failed to disclose a relationship in breach of his licence, and argues that victims' families and the public need greater transparency about serious offenders' licence breaches and parole decisions. Wilson is expected to apply for parole again in July 2027, while the campaign maintains that he remains a risk to the community, especially women.

NCT Ayrshire and Arran Peer Support will host a free antenatal workshop at Dalmellington Community Centre in September. The session will cover breastfeeding and bonding, with support for families preparing for a new baby. Children are welcome, and attendees must book in advance.

Ben Pettigrew, 22, and Stephen Riley, 21, were charged with attempted murder, assault to injury and danger to life after a 23-year-old man was seriously assaulted at a property on Lomond View in Drongan. The injured man was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and remained in stable condition. Both accused made no plea at Ayr Sheriff Court, were committed for further examination and granted bail; Police Scotland said a report would be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

Cousins Kenny Sturgeon, Alex Wallace, Craig Wallace and George Fleming completed a challenging 23-mile walk through Ayrshire in just over eight hours, raising more than £2,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. The walk was dedicated to four deceased or seriously ill relatives and was postponed from June because of a family illness. The group credited strong community and family support for helping them complete the emotionally and physically demanding challenge.

Doonbank House Care Home in Patna has been rated very good in leadership, its care setting and care planning following a Care Inspectorate inspection. Inspectors praised staff for providing warm, compassionate and individualized support, as well as maintaining calm mealtimes, meaningful activities, a clean environment and robust improvement systems. They recommended more personalized guidance for supporting residents experiencing stress or distress so care remains consistently person-centred.

Drongan Grassroots Community Group will hold its annual D in the Park family fun day on August 1, 2026, from noon to 5 p.m. The event will feature live music, rides, STEM activities, soft play, stalls, a beer tent, alpacas and Pro2 wrestling shows. Wristbands cost £12.50 and provide unlimited access to rides, while the beer tent will remain open until 8 p.m. Organizers say last year’s event cost about £30,000 and required extensive volunteer effort to return in 2026.

Approval has been granted for TagEnergy’s nine-turbine, 54MW Sclenteuch Wind Farm, three kilometres southwest of Patna in Ayrshire. The £9.6 million project is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power about 50,000 homes annually. TagEnergy has also added the five-turbine, 21.5MW Cairnmore Hill Wind Farm in Caithness to its portfolio after acquiring both developments from RES, with the company describing them as contributions to Scotland’s renewable-energy capacity, emissions reduction and energy security.

Michelle Stewart's family welcomed the decision to deny convicted murderer John Wilson parole after he breached the conditions of his 2025 release and was recalled to prison. Michelle's sister Lisa said the outcome was reassuring but criticized the lack of transparency, including confidentiality requirements, restricted access to parts of the hearing, and the delay in receiving reasons for the decision. The Parole Board for Scotland defended these restrictions under the Parole Board (Scotland) Rules 2022. Wilson can apply for parole again in a year, while the family continues campaigning through Michelle's Law for greater victim participation and public accountability.

Four cousins—Kenny Sturgeon, Alex Wallace, Craig Wallace and George Fleming—will undertake a rearranged 20-mile charity walk through Ayrshire on August 1 to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK. The walk was postponed because of a family illness, but training has resumed and fundraising is approaching the cousins’ £1,000 target through online donations, collection tins and workplace sponsorship sheets. The participants expect the trek to take seven to eight hours and thanked the local community for its strong support.

RAD Hotel Group has acquired the five‑star Lochgreen House Hotel and Spa in Troon, expanding its portfolio to ten Scottish hotels and marking its first five‑star property. The group plans to preserve the venue’s historic character while maintaining uninterrupted operations during the transition. Former owner Bill Costley is retiring, with staff retained, bookings honored, and Costley Hotels continuing to run Highgrove House Hotel nearby.