In this week's Westmeath Independent

This week's Westmeath Independent is now on the shelves and features the best local news, sports, features and photography coverage. Our stories include:

* Home is the hero: We catch up with Moate's Joe Ward after his world silver medal win

* Taoiseach to turn sod on Center Parcs development on Friday

* Athlone Town stadium dispute reaches High Court

* Impact studies could delay Deerpark area flood defences 

* Local greenway used over 150,000 times in six months

* Rector at centre of UK probe to retire

* Man with local connections to row across the Atlantic

* Pupils return to brand new Cloonakilla National School in Bealnamulla

* Cautious support from councillors for medical cannabis legalisation

* We interview Wicklow native Andy Dunne about settling in Westmeath and his role as Moate Golf Club captain  

* Jean Farrell's popular weekly column returns after a summer hiatus

* PHOTOS: Moate CS and Summerhill grads; the wedding of Stephanie Kenny and Paul Dunning; visit of Children's Minister Katherine Zappone to Athlone

* Athlone native Fiona Taylor to represent Australia at world triathlon event 

* Maryland hit form in crunch game to win battle for survival

All of this and more is included in this week's edition, which is in shops now and can also be accessed online, through the ePaper link at the top of this page.