Longtime listeners of 4BC may remember the name Aaron Lucas. Aaron used to read the weekend news a few years ago.

Aaron and his husband based in Margate, have started a media company called Trending Media Australia where they produce wedding, commercial and event videos.

One of their Aussie made commercials has hit the big time and is now being played on a huge billboard in Times Square.

Aaron caught up with Mark straight off the plane from New York where he was checking out his handiwork for himself.

After representing Australia in three paralympics in different sports blind Paralympian -Gerrard Gossens was set to achieve his next milestone at the Tokyo Paralympics.

In an unfortunate twist, Gerrards Guide -  Silver medallist Stephen Thompson- has been hit with a four-year ban after testing positive to banned hormone EPO.

As a result Gerrard has been disqualified to no fault of his own. Gerrard tells Mark of his disappointment of losing his ranking.

The Brisbane City Council has approved spending $58 Million dollars on the Indooroopilly Riverwalk. 

The high cost of the riverwalk was questioned in council meetings earlier in the week, after the council announced the original $8 million first stage of the bikeway would be combined with the planned second stage and upgraded to a riverwalk late last year.

The riverwalk will connect the Western Freeway Bikeway and the University of Queensland, taking cyclists off the main roads and onto dedicated cycling connections.

Deputy Opposition Leader Cr Jared Cassidy tells Mark the money is better off spent elsewhere, while Deputy Mayor Cr Krista Adams says it will be a vital piece of infrastructure.

Shop assistants and cashiers are often among the least paid, but they are the ones who bear the brunt of angry and unreasonable customers.

 

A new campaign is underway to tackle what’s being called a customer abuse epidemic in retail and fast food outlets across the country.

National Retailers Association CEO Dominique Lamb tells Mark businesses need to take a zero-tolerance approach to badly behaved customers.

Five children, the oldest 17 and the youngest just 12, have been charged with a range of driving and stealing offences after a rampage that left 15 cars damaged at Petrie yesterday.

 

It is the latest incident on Brisbane’s northside involving children and stolen cars.

 

In May, a 14 year old boy died when the car in which he was a passenger and driven by an underage boy hot a pole.

 

Criminologist Dr Terry Goldsworthy from Bond University tells Mark that one solution to the juvenile crime problem on the northside may be to take a leaf out of Townsville’s book.

Almost three years on from ‘rail fail’ passenger train services in southeast Queensland have finally returned to a regular and complete Monday to Friday timetable.

Queensland Rail has added 430 services a week, while 59 trains have been extended to six car passenger trains, adding an extra 200,000 seats a week.

Robert Dow from public transport lobby group Rail Back On Track has welcomed the new timetables but tells Mark there are still concerns about the rollout of the NGR trains.

The Gabba will play host later this month to an attempt at the world record for the largest “Personal Training Circuit Class”.

The attempt is a fundraiser for the Motor Neurone Disease And Me Foundation.

Foundation CEO Paul Olds tells Mark an attempt in 2015 fell agonisngly short of the 2,061 person record and he is confident they’ll get there this time.

http://www.mndandme.com.au/events/muscle-up-for-mnd-2019/

The quarterly CommSec State Of The States report has found Queensland has clawed its way marginally up the ladder to now sit in fifth, just ahead of South Australia.

The only bright spots were a third for economic and population growth, but retail spending remains sluggish and building activity is going backwards.

Chief economist with the Chamber Of Commerce And Industry Queensland Dr Marcus Smith tells Mark the numbers confirm that Queensland is continuing to underperform.

What's On this weekend with Olympia Kwitowski.

It’s been almost 50 years since The Beatles broke up and their music remains as popular today as it has ever been, perhaps even more so.

The songs of Lennon and McCartney are timeless and continue to inspire generations of musicians including some of the biggest names in Aussie Rock.

At QPAC next month five Aussie legends.. John Paul Young, Russell Morris, Glenn Shorrock, Doug Parkinson and Jack Jones.. will take the stage for two nights in Let It Be.

JPY tells Mark he’s been immersed in The Beatles since he was a boy.