In this week's Westmeath Independent

This week's Westmeath Independent is on the shelves and is packed with news, sport and photos. Featured stories include: * A two-page special with reports and reaction to the Luan Gallery art controversy. We also publish letters and an editorial comment on the matter. * A feature interview with Gabrielle McFadden, sister of local TD Nicky McFadden, who says Nicky "is a fighter" and plans to remain in politics despite her diagnosis with Motor Neurone disease. * Athlone IT is helping struggling students by providing them with vouchers for a free bowl of soup and bread roll. * Plans for a new Diskin retail centre in Athlone, which would be larger than the Golden Island Shopping Centre, are in tatters after An Bord Pleanala ruled that the project would damage the town centre. * Moate businesses are feeling the impact of the AIB Bank branch closure in the town. * We have a page of photos from The Bounty in Athlone where Adam Dollery had his going away party before leaving for Australia. * We highlight the twelve monthly winners of the Westmeath Independent sports awards for 2012 and give details of how you can vote for the winner of our readers' choice award. * Also in the sports pages, we cover the departure of John O'Sullivan from his role as Athlone Town FC's CEO; report on last week's senior GAA clash between Westmeath and Athlone IT, and preview Leinster Colleges fixtures involving Moate Community School and Athlone Community College. 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)