WEATHER FORECAST
Cairns: 20-28C max, 90% chance of rain
Port Douglas: 23-28C max, 90% chance of rain
Mareeba: 17-27C max, 60% chance of rain
Innisfail: 20-26C max, 90% rain

TODAY'S TOP STORIES

RING ROAD ROUTE GETS THE NOD
Advance Cairns has finally settled on a ring road route around the Cairns CBD after years of debate, and will now start lobbying federal and state governments to get it built. It's a topic we covered extensively last week on TropicNow here and here.
Plans for the ring road include extending the National Highway through Sheridan St to the Smithfield roundabout and back along the Western Arterial Rd to rejoin the Bruce Highway.
Mayor Bob Manning told News Corp that a series of “choke points”, including the Bill Fulton and Kamerunga bridges, would have to be redesigned as part of the plan.
Advance Cairns CEO Kevin Byrne said they wanted construction to begin in the 2018-2019 financial year.

BUBBA BOOM
It's boom time for babies at our public hospital. A remarkable 45 babies were born in the past five days, including 14 on one day.
That compares to an average of six babies per day throughout the year, and far above the rate at Cairns Private Hospital, which welcomed 13 babies since 15 May.

CBD UNDERSEA?
A new website predicts that the Cairns CBD and airport will be underwater by the end of the century.
The Coastal Risk Australia site uses updated data from the North American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to show what Australian coastal cities might look like in 2100, based on the current rate of sea-level rise.
The site, run by WA-based business management consultants NGIS, also shows that flooding would extend as far west as Manoora and Woree.
Mayor Bob Manning told News Corp that the claims were “wild or outlandish”.

INDIGENOUS HOCKEY PROGRAM NOMINATED FOR AWARD
Cairns Hockey’s Indigenous hockey program has been selected as a finalist in the 2017 Queensland Reconciliation Awards.
The BDO Aspire to be Deadly program delivers sporting opportunities, personal development and pathways to young Indigenous women and girls.
The program, nominated under the Community section of the awards, encourages improved behaviour at school, increased attendance at specialised workshops and development of relationships with female role models through a specially designed Mentor Support Program. It provides increased opportunity for young women and girls to attain further education and employment while being mentored to exercise positive life choices.
The winners of the Awards will be announced June 1.