YEAR IN REVIEW | Sarah Cran creates life saving comedy and Taco Bell approved

Ms Cran's Facebook page Sarah the Entertainer was the outlet for her alter-ego Raylene, who's the star of short comedy videos tackling a whole range of issues - from trivial to topics as serious as suicide.

Discussing suicide is also what makes the videos a lifesaver - Ms Cran credits running the page with giving her a purpose after she nearly took her own life earlier this year.

"I ended up losing myself in the process, when I went to take my own life. Prior to that I never thought I could give up on my kids by leaving them, but in that moment when I lost myself I thought my kids were better off without me," she said.

"When I turned my life around I realised I wanted to make people laugh because I knew what it was like to be so miserable."

A pregnant passenger was walked from a car while another had to be cut from the vehicle by firefighters following a two car crash on the Mitchell Highway on July 11.

The two cars collided outside of Orange towards Lucknow near the Northern Distributor Road about 12.42pm.

Both female drivers and the female passenger were taken by NSW Ambulance to Orange hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

NSW Fire and Rescue Orange station officer Shane Brinkworth said the road was closed in both directions and firefighters cut away the side of one vehicle so the female driver could be removed.

The crash followed another collision in Orange on July 11 that caused an oil spill.

Mr Brinkworth said no one was injured in the other crash at the intersection of Peisley Street and Franklin Road.

One car from that crash had to be towed from the scene and NSW Fire and Rescue cleaned up spilled oil and petrol to prevent another crash.

A resident living next door to a proposed fast food restaurant was concerned her driveway would be blocked by cars entering the eatery.

Orange City Council approved a development application in July for a Taco Bell restaurant to be built on the corner of Bathurst Road and Eyles Street.

However, resident Jessica Tom asked Orange City Council and the developer to find a solution to her concerns.

Ms Tom spoke in council's open forum before the DA was considered on July 7.

It will have a major effect on her residence when it is in place.

She said she was not opposed to the restaurant but only the location of the driveway into the venue.

"It's only, from the plans, it seems to be approximately 1.5 metres from mine, which is quite close," she said.

IN a world where state borders were closing and coronavirus fears were rising, Orange police offered up a shiny piece of hope to one couple on July 8.

The police station is often a place where lost goods are handed in, and officers were looking for Sue who had lost her gold ring.

Recently, a good Samaritan handed in a ring that they'd found in the Orange CBD and police believe the community could help find its owner.

"The ring says 'To Sue, eternally yours love Ray' and then it has a date," Sergeant Mick Sullivan said.

He said the rightful owners would also know the date that is engraved in the ring.

On July 1 it was announced that a pothole and patch-ridden section of Ploughmans Lane that has been labelled a 'goat track' would be rebuilt with government funding.

Orange councillor Jason Hamling said the road between The Escort Way and Cargo Road had been in urgent need of repair.

It was announced the federal and state governments would share the $2.1 million costs to repair four roads in Orange, including the section of Ploughmans Lane.

Cr Hamling said he first raised the situation 18 months ago.

"I'm just happy that we're going to get something that's not a goat track," he said. "It is very busy. You've only got to see some of the traffic that use this road."

Orange City Council will provide $100,000 toward the project.

While the road will be repaired and re-sealed he said a proposed concrete bike path adjacent to the road would not be built with this round of funding.

Work on the project was due to start before the end of the year.