Last week, Viv May, begin his job of replacing the suspended Armidale Regional councillors.

"I've been in local government for nearly 50 years and I thought I'd seen it all until I came here," the administrator said on Thursday morning.

One of his first jobs, after meeting with the suspended councillors, was to put the council budget for the coming financial year on public display.

The council described it as a resilient budget designed to counter the triple body blows of drought, bushfires and COVID-19.

Of course, the biggest political story nationally last week was the turmoil in the Labor Party, with allegations of branch stacking. We asked Deb O'Brien, from the Armidale branch about it.

While she said she was pleased with the action the party had taken, she also suspected there would be party branch officials in Victoria who would have to have known about it.

Meanwhile, more coronavirus pandemic restrictions were lifted last week.

We caught up with Jenna Marshall at Feel Good Gym, which was one of the local business able to reopen again after being closed for three months.

And if you thought that was good news, the biggest story of the week was the lucky local woman who picked up more than $1 million on Keno at the Armidale City Bowling Club.

First we reported that there had been a win, and the winner was yet to come forward.

"It wasn't until my husband told me he read it in the paper that someone in Armidale had won that I knew there had been a 10 Spot win," the woman said.

Congratulations, I say.

I hope everyone has a great week, and remember if you have a great story to share with us, please contact me at laurie.bullock@austcommunitymedia.com.au.

Laurie Bullock, editor