In this week's Westmeath Independent

This week's Westmeath Independent is now on the shelves and is packed with 44 pages of news, sport and photos. Featured stories include:

* There are growing fears for the future of health services at St Vincent's Hospital in Athlone.

* Young people are behind the surge in burglaries in the Athlone area in recent months, Gardai believe.

* Mary O'Rourke has called for a 'much wider debate' on abortion, arguing that the equal right to life of a mother and an unborn child is 'a false premise'

* Prominent local boxer Kenneth Okungbowa has been found not guilty of stealing €30,000 of items from an Athlone jewellery store. We have a report from the court hearing. 

* We hear from the CEO of the massive China Trade Hub planned for Athlone, on the first anniversary of its award of planning permission.  

* There's a special two-page feature on the RTE All Ireland Drama Festival which begins tomorrow, as well as full coverage from last Friday's Rehab Athlone People of the Year Awards.

* There's a full page of photos from last weekend's Cornamaddy NS First Holy Communion, and a report and photos from the All Ireland successes for local clubs in the Scór competition. 

* Twelve pages of top sports coverage includes reaction and analysis of Westmeath's narrow defeat to Derry in the National League Division Two final. 

All this and much more in this week's paper, which available in local outlets and can also be accessed in the ePaper format (for more on this option, see: http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/epaper#undefined)