The Bell Shakespeare company is coming to Lismore next month hosted by NORPA during a national tour of the play Much Ado About Nothing.“As Australia’s national theatre company, our commitment is to make our work available to all Australians, including those outside capital cities,” Bell Shakespeare’s executive director Gill Perkins said.“Our national tour is one of the most important things we do in pursuit of this mission and we are thrilled to present Much Ado About Nothing to Australians in 2019,” she said.James Evans, who directed the company’s national tour of Julius Caesar in 2018, is steering this contemporary production of the Much Ado About Nothing as well.“Much Ado About Nothing is the original ‘from hate to love’ romantic comedy that we’ve seen repeated in films and plays since Shakespeare’s time,” said Evans.“But beneath its sparkling wit and hilarious characters, there is a dark conflict that drives this play to the edge of tragedy.“The story flips from uproarious comedy to utter heartbreak in an instant, and then back again. That is the genius of Shakespeare, and why this play is one of my absolute favourites.”Zindzi Okenyo (Antony and Cleopatra) stars as Beatrice, with Duncan Ragg as Benedick. They will be joined on stage by Vivienne Awosoga, Danny Ball, Marissa Bennett, Mandy Bishop, Will McDonald, Suzanne Pereira, Paul Reichstein and David Whitney.Bell Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing is on at the Lismore City Hall presented by NORPA on Wednesday 24 and 25. For tickets, go to www.norpa.org.au or call 1300 066 772.

Earthworks have begun for a big new property development in Goonellabah with the first lots set to go on the market in the next couple of months.“Eastwood is a fresh boutique community that will offer 133 homesites across the 21 hectare parcel of land including embellished parklands, landscape and open space areas,” McCloy Group spokesperson Lahnee O'Brien said.Ms O’Brien said Stage 1 of the development, which is located at the southern end of Invercauld Rd, would have homesites from 620m2 to over 2700m2 .The sites include a number of benched (flat) blocks using natural site stone retaining walls.Construction works are expected to be complete in November with lots likely to be released to the market in October/November 2019 and registered by the end of January next year.“Stage 1 will be released to market post construction so that potential purchasers can view the unique natural landscape and diversity of homesites that Eastwood has to offer, along with the highest level of quality that will be brought to the estate including planting of mature street trees, statement entry feature and public art instalments,” Ms O’Brien said.The first of the art instalments will be a 2m tall bronze koala called “Cuddles”.“Significant investment in infrastructure is necessary to bring the first stage of lots to the market including a new access road, sewer pump station, stormwater detention and commencement of vegetation management/bush regeneration works,” Ms O’Brien said.“When complete, future residents will be able to take the new access road to reveal the sites key landscape and orientation attributes.“Significant vegetation management and landscape improvement works are being undertaken along Gundurimba Creek and other areas of the site as part of the development.“Stage 2 of the development will include further open space embellishments including a park/children’s playground and the incorporation of further public art instalments.”Ms O’Brien said the timing of Stage 2 and subsequent stages would be dictated by market demand.She said the lots would suit a range of buyers including first home buyers, upsizing families and those looking to downsize.“The masterpanned community is being delivered by the award-winning McCloy Group who are recognised for creating exceptional living environments in which people love to live and Eastwood will no doubt be another tribute to this,” she said.According to the McCloy Group's website, the name Eastwood is a tribute to its location in Goonellabah, to the east of Lismore, and the timber mill history of the region.For more information check the website eastwoodliving.com.au or call LJ Hooker Lismore’s Clint McCarthy on 6621 2387.

An off-duty police officer was allegedly assaulted last night after attempting to detain a Goonellabah man who had crashed his car while drunk."Lismore police will allege that at 11.50pm last night a 39-year-old Goonellabah man was driving along Hillview Drive, Goonellabah, at high speed," a post on the Richmond PD Facebook page said."He has crashed his car into a power pole; the impact was large enough to snap the power pole, causing power lines to fall onto the ground."An off-duty Casino police officer has seen the 39-year-old leave his car and try to walk away.The 39-year-old was told to stay where he was and wait for police to attend; he responded by grabbing the off-duty police officer by the throat and tried to push him away."The police officer punched the 39-year-old to the face in self-defence then restrained him until police arrived."At Lismore police station the 39-year-old recorded a breath analysis almost five times higher than the .05 limit."The 39-year-old will face Lismore Local Court on charges of Assault and High Range PCA - 2nd + Offence in September.

The Richmond Police District has doubled the number of Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers working in the area. “Richmond Police District is happy to announce that we have two new Gay and Lesbian Liasion Officers (GLLO/LGBTIQ) trained up and working out of Lismore,” a post on the Richmond PD Facebook page said. NSW Police Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers wear a special badge. PHOTO: Supplied.“That brings our GLLO number to four, and they will cover the entire Richmond Police District. “This is part of the NSW Police Force's dedication to promoting inclusiveness for all people.“Our GLLO's will wear the attached badge on their uniform. “If you want to speak to any of our GLLO's about any issue please feel free to call Lismore Police on 6626 0599.”

A bridge in the Nimbin street where a woman was killed in an alleged hit-and-run earlier this year will be reduced to one lane until a dedicated pedestrian bridge is built.A group of Nimbin residents concerned about pedestrian safety in Cecil St in June asked Lismore City Council’s Traffic Advisory Committee to install a concrete divider on the bridge with one side for pedestrians and a single lane for traffic on the other.A council notice said the work was due to take place at the end of August.The council has applied to Roads and Maritime Services for funding to build a pedestrian bridge across the creek and is currently finalising the design for this bridge.“Further consultation with the community will take place in three to four months’ time regarding this longer term bridge proposal and a review of the interim one way measure will also be conducted later in the year,” the council notice said.“Council has also resolved to consult more broadly with the Nimbin community regarding Pedestrian Management options in Nimbin, as part of its consultation for the development of a new Community Strategic Plan (CSP) – further details will follow.”Despite resident concerns that Cecil St is a thoroughfare for pedestrians who are forced to walk on the road due to the lack of a footpath, the council says there are no plans or budget to build a footpath the length of the street.“The pedestrian bridge will have some length of footpath installed either side to connect to existing facilities but the detailed design has not been completed as yet,” the council said.Nimbin grandmother Tonia Jansen, 62, was killed and her partner Kobya Panguana, 63, seriously injured when they were allegedly struck by a Subaru Forester while walking along Cecil St on April 15.A 31-year-old Nimbin man has since been arrested and charged in relation to the incident.The council said the changes in Cecil St were in response to concerns raised by residents about safety both before and after the fatal alleged hit-and-run.

The EPA has ordered Lismore City Council to investigate possible further toxic contamination around where a landslip occurred in Beardow St, Lismore Heights, in 2017.The council is currently remediating the road after removing an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 cubic metres of contaminated material which ended up on a neighbouring property during the landslip.An EPA spokesperson said in a statement that the Preliminary Investigation Order issued on Monday required the council to carry out contamination investigations on the Beardow Street road reserve.“The EPA wants to determine if waste material extends beyond the area of the landslip to other areas of the road reserve,” the spokesperson said in a statement.“Council will have 90 days to provide a contamination report to the EPA to help understand the extent of the contamination and what next steps may be required.“There are no known health issues for residents near the road reserve.”Based on the hazardous materials found in the landslip, the EPA suspects the road reserve may also be contaminated with unsafe levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, asbestos and total petroleum hydrocarbons.The landslip initially occurred in the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie in 2017, which caused major flooding in Lismore.According to the EPA’s Preliminary Investigation Order - which was provided to the Lismore App by the council - the council’s excavation works at the landslip site uncovered the historical industrial waste materials.“Council were not previously aware of the presence of contamination at the specified land,” the EPA’s document says.“The materials encountered have been described as fill materials containing a high percentage of anthropogenic inclusions such as wire, plastic, glass, industrial waste materials (coke/slag), bitumen and bonded ACM [asbestos containing materials] (in selected places).”The order says the EPA was notified about the contaminated material in October last year and while the land subject to the landslip had been investigated, there remained areas of the road reserve that had not.“The presence and extent of historical industrial waste materials to the specified land is therefore unknown,” it says.The order requires the council to engage a qualified contaminated land consultant to report on:The nature and extent of the contamination in soil at the specified land;The origins of the waste materials at the specified land; andIdentify any human or environmental health risks from the presence of contamination at the specified land.The consultant’s report must be submitted back to the EPA by November 4.The owner of the neighbouring land, Ken Allport, has previously said he planned to sell it for residential development.However, the according to the NSW Department of Planning website it is considered “Landslide Risk Land”."Any future landslides could therefore expose any further historical industrial waste materials that may be present within the specified land," the order says.A statement from the council said the matter would be investigated in accordance with the EPA’s order.“Council cannot comment further at this stage until the contamination report is completed,” the council said.

Southern Cross University has invited 25 high profile arts graduates to exhibit location-specific pieces across its Lismore and Gold Coast campuses in celebration of the university’s 25th anniversary.The public exhibition entitled ‘25 Artists, 25 Years’ begins today and runs until September 1.Among the artists is Annique Goldenberg who is bringing the magic and mystery of the Arctic to the halls of Southern Cross University Lismore campus.Ms Goldenberg’s powerful multimedia installation ‘LIVING WATER: Venetian Arctic integration’ is on display in the Lismore Campus Visual Arts Building, where she undertook her own studies and exploration.Goldenberg graduated in 2012, with what is now known as the Bachelor of Art and Design, and went on to complete her honours in 2016 awarded the University’s prestigious John and Sheilagh Kaske Memorial Fellowship.“The fellowship gave me an amazing opportunity to undertake a residency in the High Arctic, north of Norway, on a tall ship with 29 other creative and environmentally-focused people including artists, photographers and historians,” Goldenberg said.“This piece is a photo of golden sunlight reflecting on the landscape of a glacier, with digital images that have been overlayed and manipulated. One of the mediums I like to use is melted ice, so while on tour in Italy, UK and Israel I collected water samples, froze them with added ink and melted them on glass to visualise the memory of each place. The orange colour represents melted Venetian water.“The other element I have translated into a pattern is a microscopic image of a pathogen, a virus released from permafrost melting in the Arctic, layered into the story.”Southern Cross University has been a hub for artistic development and creativity since it began 25 years ago, supporting the development of artistic culture regionally, nationally and internationally including the individual art practices of 700 students and 50 staff.Other featured artists in the exhibition at the Lismore campus include Karlee Rawkins, Chico Monks and Frances Belle Parker, while Gold Coast campus includes 3D works by Daniel Clemmett and Mic Eales, the iconic permanent 10-storey mural by Guido van Helten and Library exhibition including works from Valentina Palonen and Leah Thiessen.Senior Art and Design lecturer Dr Stephen Garrett said the curatorial team looked for artists who had sustained their art practice over time and who are continuing to achieve a high level of competency through single or diverse mediums and contexts.“The depth of the selected artists’ practices was considered not only for technical competence but also in terms of innovation and originality,” said Dr Garrett.“The exhibition aims to showcase a variety of artistic expression including painting, sculpture, installation, video and mixed media, with a range of gender and age represented.”Southern Cross University will host public Artist in Conversation sessions from 11am-12.30pm on Saturday 17 August at Lismore Campus Learning Centre with Melissa Harvey, Susan Gourley and Fiona Fell, facilitated by Peter Wood, CEO of Arts Northern Rivers.The 25 Years 25 Artists exhibition is open to the public until 1 September with details at scu.edu.au/25years

The supposedly sleepy koala is more active than previously thought, according to new research led by Lismore Southern Cross University senior research fellow Dr Janette Norman.The research shows almost a quarter of the koalas in Northern NSW travel up to 16.6km in search of new habitats ­- a surprising result with long-distance movements previously thought to be uncommon.The research, published this month in Conservation Genetics shows that larger areas of habitat need to be managed to ensure the survival of the species. Long-distance dispersal may also facilitate range shifts in response to climate change and enable natural colonisation of new or rehabilitated sites for koalas.The research team, including Southern Cross University co-authors Caroline Blackmore, associate professor Ross Goldingay and Professor Les Christidis, and Biolink Ecological Consultants’ Stephen Phillips, used the koalas’ unique DNA profiles to identify parent-offspring pairs and map their locations within the landscape.“From this we were able to determine if young koalas had settled in areas close to where they were born, or dispersed into other habitats,” Ms Norman said.“We found long-distance dispersal of up to 16.6 km in around 20 per cent of the population, and also found the average dispersal distance, at 5.6 km, was much longer than the 3 km previously estimated for this population using mark-recapture techniques.“Koalas are generally considered to be sedentary animals but our research shows that long-distance movements are common and are essential in maintaining connectivity in fragmented landscapes, which have been impacted through human development.”Dr Norman said current management plans for the koala are based on limited knowledge of dispersal and how it varies across populations and landscapes. Using scaling relationships, they estimated that koalas in inland areas are likely to undertake long-distance movements in excess of 40km.“Conservation planning and management need to be done at larger spatial scales to be effective, as failure to do so may miss opportunities to maintain, or restore, connectivity,” Dr Norman said.“This will require co-ordination between Local Government Areas who have responsibility for implementing Koala Management Plans – koalas don’t recognise political boundaries and are moving between management areas.”The research team said the next step would be to gain a better understanding of the factors responsible for initiating these long-distance movements.Similar research would benefit the conservation and management of other endangered species and populations in Australia.

The Lismore Lions Club are expected to have a new custom BBQ trailer in the next couple of months thanks to the Lismore Workers Club and State Government.Lismore Lions Club president Doug Fraser (pictured left) said the club was successful in obtaining funding under the Lismore Workers Club's Club Grants Scheme.“We received part funding from the Lismore Workers Club's Club Grant Scheme and part funding from a NSW Government Grant,” Mr Fraser told the Lismore App.“Total monies received has allowed us to have a new BBQ trailer built which hopefully will be completed within the next six to eight weeks.“Funds will also be utilized to purchase equipment for the Trailer.“Lismore Lions is the foundation Club of Lions in Australia and the new trailer will help us service the needs of the people of Lismore.“A big thank you to the Lismore Workers Club.”

After 26 years running Lismore Trophies, Brian and Lyn Pool have put the South Lismore business up for sale.The couple have been providing perpetuals, trophies, plaques and shields to local sporting clubs and other organisations - plus an assortment of engraving and printing services - since the early 1990s.However, they're now looking to retire.Lyn’s background is in nursing while Brian was previously an accountant and they got into the business “by accident” after deciding to leave Sydney.“The business was available and we thought it would work well for us as it didn’t require any previous experience,” Lyn said.“It was a five-year plan to start with... and it’s been 26 years now.“A few times we've thought of doing other things but this has been really financially stable - we put three kids through uni and bought a lovely home - so we stayed with it.”Brian said the business had evolved over the years and now involved more engraving than trophy sales.“We do a lot of signage - building signs, directional signs - a lot of specialized engraving on all sorts of different things from timber to glassware - just about anything that people want us to engrave on,” he said.“We've also got a printing system called sublimation, which is full color print, that we use as a value add to what we do.”The strangest commission Brian can remember receiving was engraving mystical symbols on an assortment of test tubes.“They wanted symbols like moons and stars and all that sort of thing,” Brian said.“We found out later it was a Byron ‘alternative’ site and they were selling magic elixirs.“They had coloured water in these test tubes they we had put the symbols on and they sold them as manna from heaven.“The head honcho ended up in jail for fraud and scams.”He said they had also done some unusual engravings for sporting clubs including bones mounted on plaques and “pisspots” for club awards.While the business is doing well and they have enjoyed running it - especially the connection to the local community - Lyn said it was now time to hand over the engraving machines to someone else.“We live at Lennox and we find the drive here is getting tiresome,” she said.“We just want to retire and walk the beach with our dog Banjo and just have our holidays and do stuff and not have to work anymore.”She said it had been a “really good little business”.“It's really kept us going and allowed us to do a lot of things.“Hopefully someone will find us that's going to continue it and maybe have more energy that we have to do more. There's a lot more you could do with it.“I do a lot of graphic work for weddings and baby showers and those sort of personalized things and if someone with some energy was keen to market that online it would be really good.“Hopefully someone with some great ideas will come along.”Anyone interested in buying the business can call Lyn and Brian direct on 66218 912 or 0432371240.

Women in Social Enterprise (WISE) have received a $25,000 grant to run confidence, financial literacy and business skills programs for disadvantaged and marginalised Lismore and Northern Rivers women.The first WISE initiative will be a networking event at the Lismore Regional Gallery on August 29 called Social Impact! Lismore.It will bring together businesses, organisations, service providers, professionals and community members committed to supporting lasting positive change.WISE coordinator Susanna Carpi said the goal of Social Impact! Lismore was to start a bigger conversation.“[It’s] about how Lismore can grow stronger together, work on the big issues in a cohesive way, and openly share ideas, opportunities and resources for sustained social impact,” Ms Carpi said.“At WISE, our focus is on the wellbeing of women, and we acknowledge that the interconnectedness and community spirit in Lismore is our strength and greatest opportunity for a robust caring community for everyone.”In early September, WISE will launch the Women in Self Employment program for women who are thinking of or are in the early stages of starting a business.WISE is a project of Northern Rivers Women and Children’s Services (NORWACS), a grass roots Lismore organisation with a history of supporting women for over 25 years. General manager Mary Willis said NORWACS was one of only 16 organisations to be funded through the Investing in Women Funding Program out of nearly 200 applications.For more information check out the WISE Women in Social Enterprise Facebook page or contact Susanna Carpi at Susanna.Carpi@norwacs.org.au or 0401 956 710.

Skyhe Hoyt is an ambassador for Lismore City Council and loves inspiring young women who want to embark on a career in traditionally male roles.The Lismore City Council Ranger Skyhe Hoyt, who was named the 2019 Lismore Business Awards Outstanding Young Employee of the Year at the annual awards night on July 20, is currently studying a Certificate IV in Government Investigations and is now a permanent Law Enforcement Officer with Council.Skyhe, 28, joined Council in 2016 as a Trainee Law Enforcement Officer and completed a Certificate IV in Regulatory Services. In 2018, Skyhe won the North Coast and Mid North Coast Regional Trainee of the Year award sponsored by the NSW Training Awards.She is an exceptional ambassador for Lismore City Council and loves inspiring young women who want to embark on a career in traditionally male roles.“I have loved my experience at Council and encourage more women to follow their passion in whatever industry that may be,” Skyhe said.“I have been actively involved in local career expos representing Lismore City Council and I believe I have sparked a real interest with some young women just by talking to them about my experience.”Skyhe undertakes a variety of roles from parking enforcement to dealing with abandoned vehicles and dog attacks, but said it’s her work at the Lismore Pound that is most rewarding.“Within the first week of starting my traineeship, I knew it was the right career path for me,” she said.“The work is practical and often involves assisting people in my community. As an animal lover, helping people to find their lost animals, educating them on how to be a responsible pet owner, and rehoming animals from our Pound is the best part of the job. Not every person can go home at the end of their shift and say they made a difference in someone’s life; I am proud to say that I can.”Council’s Senior Law Enforcement Officer Jody Hinds said he was thrilled to see Skyhe recognised for her hard work and tenacity.“Skyhe was enthusiastic and committed from day dot – we knew as soon as we met her in the interview that this was a special young woman with passion and a great sense of humour,” Jody said.“Not only is she 100% committed to her job and helping the Lismore community but she is just a really considerate, compassionate and thoughtful human being. It has been a pleasure to be her mentor and watch her career go from strength to strength. She is so deserving of this award and I couldn’t be more proud.”Skyhe is now in the running for the Northern Rivers Business Awards being announced in October.

A Lismore dad said he was excited to take his kids on a shopping spree after scoring one of the top prizes on an Instant Scratch-Its ticket - $100,000. The top prize winning $5 Crosswords Instant Scratch-Its ticket was purchased at Lismore Central Newspro, Shops T10 Lismore Central Shopping Centre, Lismore. Sharing his joy with a NSW Lotteries official yesterday morning, the hardworking man explained how he scratched the winning ticket while he was having a break at work. “I was having a busy day at work and so I decided to have a quick break and have a cup of tea and scratch the ticket I’d bought earlier,” he explained. “I was just scratching away when I saw I won $100,000. I didn’t believe it!“When I went home I had my family check it and they told me it was true. “It is great! You don’t often have one hundred thousand dollars just come along, so this is amazing. “I am definitely going to celebrate with my family when the money is in my account.” When asked how he planned to enjoy his prize, the family man said he would put it to good use. “I don’t want to waste it. I will put it in the bank and use it when we need it,” he shared. “We are a work, work, work family so this will just help us relax a bit. “It will take some stress away. “I will take my kids on a shopping spree though, and let them pick out some things they want! “I might buy a few little toys for myself as well.” Lismore Central Newspro newsagency assistant Allison Harris said she was thrilled to have sold a major prize winning Instant Scratch-Its ticket. “It’s excellent and it’s great it’s gone to a regular customer,” she said. “He is such a deserving winner and we are thrilled for him. “We have sold a few major prizes in the past and are so excited we have sold another and can add this to our list. “We can’t wait to sell more in the future.” In 2018, 155 Instant Scratch-Its top prize winners collectively took home more than $14.26 million. During this same time, 25,716,051 winners pocketed more than $205.8 million across all Instant Scratch-Its prize tiers. 

Lismore City Council won two awards this week for the redevelopment of Oakes Oval and the annual Eat the Street festival.The council and contractor/builder Bennett Constructions won an award for ‘best sporting facility between $2-5 million’ at the Northern Regions Building Awards on Saturday for the $2.8 million Oakes Oval redevelopment.Eat the Street won gold in the events category at the North Coast Tourism Awards last night. The council’s tourism and events manager Mitch Lowe said Eat the Street had grown every year and now attracted around 25,000 people.“People love food and they have loved this event from the first year we launched,” Mr Lowe said.“We continue to grow and develop Eat the Street each year with things like progressive dinners, mixology classes, and food and foraging tours. We are already planning next year’s event and have some really exciting new culinary surprises in store.“I am so proud of the team that organises Eat the Street. It has become a signature event for Lismore and that is testament to the hard work of our events team.”The Oakes Oval upgrade included the expansion of the ground to accommodate AFL games as well as new grandstands, upgraded change-rooms, and a new electronic scoreboard.Lipman Group chief executive Rob McKee, Lismore Mayor Isaac Smith, Bennett Constructions Commercial Manager Tim Cohen and Lipman Group CFO Peter Thomas at the Northern Regions Building Awards on Saturday in Ballina. PHOTO: Supplied.It was funded with $1.4 million from the federal government, with AFL Queensland, Lismore Swans AFL, Lismore City Council and NSW Cricket matching the funds in cash or in-kind.“This was the first stage of our greater Oakes Oval and Crozier Field redevelopment and I’m thrilled that the hard work of our Council team and Bennett Constructions has been recognised. The work that has taken place so far is fantastic and has improved the facility significantly,” Mayor Isaac Smith said.“We are now undertaking stage two of the redevelopment which includes a refurbishment of the Gordon Pavilion, a new grandstand, new amenities blocks for Oakes and Crozier Field, new landscaping and a covered terrace connecting the two sports fields. “Once this is complete our major sportsground will be the envy of everyone in regional NSW and we will be able to attract major national sporting tournaments and entertainment shows. “I would like to thank everyone involved in this significant redevelopment so far – the Oakes and Crozier precinct will soon be the jewel in the crown of Lismore’s sporting infrastructure.”

Lismore police are investigating after a Wyrallah Road Public School student was approached by a man in East Lismore on Wednesday morning.The school issued a warning in a Facebook post to be “aware and alert”.“A Year 5 child was approached by an unknown Caucasian male with short brown hair and a short brown beard on Neilson Street between Walker and Elizabeth Sts in East Lismore,” the school said in the post. “He was wearing a grey shirt and asked her to ‘come here’.”“She came directly to school. “This has been reported to the police and school incident report line.”A Department of Education spokesperson said the school did not wish not make any further comment.Anyone who may have footage or information about the incident should contact the Lismore Police Station on 6626 0599 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Another runaway car careened down Bexhill and crashed this week after a customer at the general store forgot to put their handbrake on.Eve Forman, who lives a few houses down the hill from the store, said it was the second time it’s happened in as many weeks, and the fourth time in two years.About 5.50pm on Wednesday evening, the Toyota SUV that had been parked across the road from the store rolled down Bangalow Rd/Coleman St before hitting a tree outside Eve’s house and ending up on its side.“It stopped on the pathway and didn’t hit my house luckily,” she said.“It’s very lucky it did not hit any other car or people at busy hours after school.“Last weekend a car almost hit my neighbour Glen’s house.“We all want someone to do something to help stop this kind of dangerous thing from happening.”The Toyota SUV that rolled down Bexhill on Wednesday evening. PHOTO: Supplied.The area where people park on the western side of Bangalow Rd opposite the shop is on enough of an incline for for cars without handbrakes applied to roll.Another Bexhill resident, Cheryl Hollands, said a red ute rolled down the hill from the Bexhill shop in February last year.The red ute that rolled down Bexhill in February last year. PHOTO: Supplied."It went through the front yards of two houses entering the backyard of my neighbour," Cheryl said. "A tree stump in her backyard stopped it from smashing into a shed in my backyard. "The driver of this car had also left the handbrake off. "Sooner or later someone is going to get seriously hurt."It’s understood that because no other cars have been damaged or people injured, the police have not been called to the incidents.The issue is only one of a Bexhill’s concerns about the road.On Eve’s post in the Bexhill NSW Community Group on Facebook, people also complained of cars driving at high speed through the village with calls for a speed camera to be installed.Eve said she wasn’t sure what could actually be done about the runaway cars, other than their owners remembering to put on their handbrake.“Maybe they could put a guardrail on the roadside or something in the middle of the road try to stop the car rolling away?” she said.Bangalow Rd is under RMS jurisdiction so Lismore City Council says it’s up to them to deal with it.“Council has passed on the request to the RMS for further investigation/remediation if required,” said assets manager Scott Turner.An RMS spokesperson responded to the Lismore App's inquiries by pointing to laws requiring driver's to apply their handbrake when parking.The penalty for failing to do so is 20 "penalty units"."Drivers in NSW are required to apply the parking brake effectively before leaving the vehicle," the spokesperson said in a statement.The Bexhill general store declined to comment on the record to the Lismore App.Article updated at 1:14pm on August 2, 2019: Added response from RMS.Article updated at 2:29pm on August 2, 2019: Added additional photo and comment from Cheryl Hollands.

The local police are bringing in a new telephone answering service to ensure that all calls are answered during busy periods.“The Richmond Police District is committed to providing our community with the highest level of customer service at all times, but unfortunately there have been times when we receive such a high volume of calls and jobs that you might not have been able to get through when you have rung us,” a post on the Richmond PD Facebook page said.“We’ve listened to your concerns about this and on the 27th August the Richmond Police District will introduce a new telephone system that will improve our service to you and ensure that when you ring your call will be answered.“What does this mean for you when you need the police? First and foremost, if your call is an emergency then you should call Triple Zero (000) immediately so we can help you as soon as possible.“For all other instances, nothing will change how we respond when you ring your local police station as your call is always important to us. “Police are available 24 hours a day, we are a part of your communities and we are here to help you at any time of the day or night.”Calls will be answered by an automated “Interactive Voice Response” service which will give calls the opportunity to make a general inquiry or report a crime, provide information to help police solve a crime or speak to an officer.“The system is designed to be simple and easy to use,” the Facebook post said.“The introduction of this phone system will ensure that calls within the district are attended to in a timely manner, contribute to improving our service to the communities with police and improve our ability to respond to crime in your area.“It is important to understand that this does not replace Triple Zero (000) in the case of an emergency situation you always ring 000.”

The Northern NSW Local Health District is warning people at risk to get vaccinated and take other steps to guard against Q fever, as drought and dusty conditions may increase the chances of the disease spreading.The Assistant director of the North Coast Public Health Unit, Greg Bell, said so far this year there had been 16 confirmed cases of Q fever in the Northern NSW area. In 2018 there were 28 confirmed cases of the disease in the area.Mr Bell said the region typically averages between 25-35 cases each year.“Q fever is a serious bacterial infection caused by inhaling dust particles contaminated by infected animal secretions that does not just affect farmers or people who deal with livestock,” Mr Corben said.“The infection is carried by cattle, goats, sheep and other domesticated and wild animals, so people who work on the land are most at risk.“However, the bacteria can easily be carried on farm tools or work clothes and brought into the family home.”Mr Bell said across Australia there has been an increase in Q fever cases over the past several years and the disease had emerged in groups who do not regularly work on farms or abattoirs, such as Aboriginal people, itinerant workers and contractors.Mr Bell urged residents to be aware of Q fever symptoms, which often appear like severe flu, and which can mean that the infection is under-reported.“People can experience high fevers and chills, sweating, severe headaches, muscle and joint pains and extreme fatigue,” Mr Bell said.“Chronic lethargy can remain for months after treatment.”Mr Bell said a single dose vaccine is recommended for people who work in high risk occupations and anyone over 15 years who has the potential to be exposed to Q fever.“Q fever occasionally affects children, and as the vaccine is not recommended for those aged under 15, it is very important parents know how to protect children from Q fever.”The following steps can protect against Q fever:washing hands and arms thoroughly in soapy water after any contact with animalswearing a properly fitting mask when handling or disposing of animal products or when mowing or gardening in areas with livestock or native animal droppingswearing protective clothing and thick gloves when working with high risk animals or animal productsremoving and washing dirty clothing, coveralls, boots and equipment in outdoor wash areas to prevent exposing other household residentswashing animal urine, faeces, blood and other body fluids from equipment and surfaces and properly disposing of animal tissues including birth by-products. The NSW Government is investing around $1 million to help protect farmers and other people in rural areas who work with animals from Q fever.The NSW Government is working with the NSW Farmers’ Association, the NSW Country Women’s Association, SafeWork NSW, and other primary industry stakeholders to develop and disseminate the Q fever education campaign.In 2018 NSW Health launched an online learning module to help GPs diagnose Q fever and vaccinate susceptible people. In the first 12 months over 400 GPs enrolled in the course.For more information on Q fever, go to the NSW Health website

Lismore City Council is asking the community to provide feedback on a proposal to increase rates above the “rate peg”.The proposal is a 10-year rating strategy that includes a Special Rate Variation to fund roads and economic development that would see the average urban residential rates bill increase by $308 in two years between 2020 and 2222.The community is also being asked to consider “funding options” for open spaces and sporting/recreational facilities in the future.Part one of the consultation asks residents to consider a proposed permanent SRV to raise $4.5 million for roads and $1.6 million for economic development annually above the rate pegging limit. It would be introduced over a two-year period (2020/21 and 2021/22).“The additional $4.5 million for roads would include $4 million for sealed road reconstruction and $500,000 for gravel re-sheeting each year,” council documents say.“The additional $1.6 million for economic development would fund projects and incentives that increase jobs, drive business and industry growth, support our local businesses to thrive and attract new tourism and investment.” A council media release did not specify how much average ratepayers’ rates would rise under the proposal.However, a fact sheet on the council’s Your Say webpage says rates would rise by 17 per cent in 2020-21 and 6.9 per cent in 2021-22. This equates to an annual increase for the average urban residential ratepayer of $209 in the first year and $99 in the second. Over four years, that same rate payer would pay $258 more under the SRV than they would if rates were only increased at the rate peg. Part two of the consultation looks at future rating options. Residents will be asked questions about our open spaces and sporting/recreational facilities including what services are most important to them and if people are willing to consider funding these through a special rate variation in the future.The length of the community consultation period is two months.For more detailed information on the proposal, see the community consultation page on the council’s website: https://yoursay.lismore.nsw.gov.au/rates-consultationMayor Isaac Smith in the media release said the council was facing the challenge of balancing community expectations for services with levels of funding.“Like many NSW councils, we deliver a broad range of services from roads to rubbish collection, parks and playgrounds, cultural activities and events, libraries and swimming pools, environmental protection, and much more,” Cr Smith said.“The reality council faces is that it cannot continue to provide these current services without more revenue.“At present, Council’s revenue is regulated by the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). IPART sets a ‘rate peg’ that limits the amount by which councils can increase rates from one year to the next.“For many years, the rate peg has not kept pace with the increasing cost to maintain our assets and provide services to the community. We are now consulting about a rating strategy that includes a proposed application to IPART to raise rates above the rate pegging limit.”“We need our community to carefully consider the SRV and longer-term rating options, and give us feedback on how they wish Council to proceed,” Mayor Smith said.“We encourage all residents and ratepayers to get involved in the community consultation and have their say about the services we provide.”Residents can complete an online survey, register for a community workshop and/or visit information kiosks and talk face-to-face with staff. There will also be a random telephone survey of residents conducted by an independent research company in late August.Feedback is due by 30 September with the results due to come back to the council on November 5. The council will vote on whether to apply for the SRV on November 12 with the application due by February next year.For further information, to complete the online survey or to register for a community workshop head to: www.yoursay.lismore.nsw.gov.au.Hard copy information and community surveys are also available at the council’s Corporate Centre, 43 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah, or at the Lismore and Goonellabah Libraries.