In 2015, paramedic Bill Rathbone jumped into fast flowing flood water in a rescue that saved the lives of trapped people.So, when he received an email from the Australian Government in 2021 that he was to be awarded a national Bravery Medal - six years on - it came as a bit of a surprise.The rescue happened when Bill lived in Stroud and the award recognised his considerable bravery when undertaking multiple rescues of people trapped in floodwaters on April 21, 2015.When recounting the rescues, Bill said it was different to any other situation he has been in in his job - and he luckily hasn’t had to do it since. Ironically, it’s an echo of the floods currently happening again on the mid North Coast now.“As paramedics, we put ourselves into precarious situations and save people’s lives every day, but I’d never seen that before in Stroud,” he said. On that day, Stroud experienced extreme weather conditions, with rain falling quickly, causing flash flooding and wind gusts reached in excess of 100kmph.Bill, along with other members of the public, saw that a vehicle had been washed from the road and was stranded in the rising flood water. The driver had managed to climb onto the roof of the vehicle.The group of men were able to throw a rope to the stranded man, anchoring it to a light pole. Bill and the other three men then waded into waist deep water, placing a ladder on the roof of the stranded car, and allowing the trapped man to climb to safety.Meanwhile, a couple were swept away from their caravan and were clinging onto a brick amenities building, near the showground's grandstand.Bill being reunited with a lady he rescued in the 2015 Stroud flood.A police officer sourced a boat and Mr Rathbone and another police officer climbed aboard. They were joined by two other men in a second boat and together made their way to the distressed couple. Bill jumped into the fast flowing water and reached the couple and he assisted in keeping the woman's head above water. He was then joined by other rescuers and they worked together to get the woman to one of the boats.Bill and two others took the woman for medical treatment while the elderly man was assisted to safety.“In the past, I received a bravery citation from the ambulance sector for that job,” Bob said. “But the unsung hero in my story was the elderly gentlemen who I helped. “He saved his wife’s life and stopped her from being swept away. He had managed to climb to the top of a toilet block, but couldn’t get his wife up there, so he tied her by her cardigan to the building because he wasn’t able to hold her.”Pictures taken at the time of the event showed Bill with a torn trouser leg and scrapes and bruises from being in the flood water. His advice now to people is to stay away flood waters.“The bloke in the vehicle we rescued was in the SES and the vehicle was an SES vehicle – so it’s a good lesson in not driving in flood waters.”Bill has been a paramedic for 22 years and said recues like that are not something paramedics do every day, “but that’s what we are there for”.“I joined the Ambulance brigade to help people,” Bill said. “I came from the private sector and didn’t even have a first aid certificate at the time. I was inspired to join by my brother in law who was a paramedic – and I learned on the job. Bill and his wife moved to Goonellabah five years ago and he now works for the NSW Ambulance Service, stationed at Evans Head.Bill recieving his citation in 2014.This is also not the first event that Bill has been awarded a citation for. In 2014, he received a citation of courage after he and nine other paramedics went to the aid of two injured people in a truck accident north of Gloucester.At the time, two semi-trailers went over the edge of the Thunderbolts Way, resulting in the death of one of the drivers. The truck driver in front slowed down to help the truckdriver behind, who had radioed to say he had lost his brakes.Bill was the first paramedic on the scene, and was then assisted by police, firies and the SES.As ever Bill, remained humble, saying in an interview with the Dungog Chronicle at the time that “it was nothing special”.“It’s what we do, it’s our job,” he said. 

The rumours can be now be laid to rest – Lismore’s Repco store is definitely moving from its current location on Carrington Street. Lismore Repco store manager Bob Brown has been working for Repco for 45 years and knows pretty much everything about what the shop sells - automotive parts, accessories and solutions. But, Bob was surprised when he heard that members of the public had announced on social media that the shop was moving – particularly when he himself hadn’t been told so by his manager.Bob said after a phone call with his area manager late yesterday afternoon, he finally received confirmation that the shop move was actually going to happen.Repco will be moving to a new location on the Bruxner Highway, next to Bunnings.“The contract on the new building has been signed, sealed and delivered,” Bob said.“It’s on the old Masters Home Improvement site. As you drive into the car park, you will see it on the left hand side.“People can already see that the building is all painted, but it’s not finished and still needs to be fitted out.“So, we don’t yet have an opening date and we have no solid timeline about when it’s going to open.”Bob said he will let the Lismore App know when he gets more details about when the shop will be moving and opening in the new location.Bob also said this is a good lesson in people being careful about what they say and read on social media - especially without confirmation from the people involved.

As the Covid vaccine rollout began at Lismore Base Hospital vaccination clinic, Intensive Care Registered Nurse, Rachel Benson was the first to receive the vaccine yesterday."It is important for everyone able to be vaccinated to protect each other from COVID-19,” Ms Benson said.“It’s another layer of protection for myself and my family, and my community, so I’m very excited to be receiving the vaccine today."She is one of many local healthcare workers who rolled up their sleeves yesterday to receive the first jabs of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at the Lismore Base Hospital vaccination clinic.Staff will receive two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, given approximately 12 weeks apart.  Dr David Stephenson receives vaccination from Janelle Wilson.Infectious Diseases trainee, Dr David Stephenson, who has worked with patients who have had COVID-19, also received the vaccine today and encouraged others to do the same when it’s made available to the broader community. “By getting the vaccine, I’ll have more confidence in treating any future COVID-19 patients we may have,” Dr Stephenson said. “When it comes to the community’s turn, I would say ‘roll up your sleeve!’” Northern NSW Local Health District Chief Executive Wayne Jones said the clinic opening was a fantastic development in the pandemic response. Rachel Benson ICU Nurse and Roger Revill, Nurse Immuniser.“It’s a great milestone today that we’re providing our first COVID-19 vaccines just 366 days after our very first case of COVID-19 in Northern NSW,” Mr Jones said. “We are more than excited to be at this point.” “Every staff member and clinician who works in Northern NSW Local Health District will be offered a vaccination.” Mr Jones reiterated the strong evidence around the efficacy of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to protect against severe illness and death, which is great news for our communities and for staff working in our health facilities. “Every box that needs to be ticked in the development of the vaccine has been ticked,” Mr Jones said. “I’ll be stepping up and getting the jab when my number comes up.”NSW is working closely with the Australian Government to implement a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination program.  For more information about COVID-19 vaccination in NSW, visit the NSW Health website. AstraZeneca vaccine.

UPDATE: 3.07pm:The rain brought with it a series of unfortunate events on the road today, with multiple incidents creating havoc on the Bruxner Highway and surrounding suburb roads in Goonellabah.Read more about incidents today: Oil spill causes Goonellabah shops carpark to closeBefore 9am this morning, a large fuel spill from a bus caused major traffic delays on the Bruxner Highway - as the fuel spread over a large road surface area and traffic slowed to a crawl.Richmond Police District Superintendent Scott Tanner said the cause of the fuel spill was a ruptured fuel line on a bus."The area of road affected by the fuel spill was from Rotary Drive to Pineapple Road," Supt Tanner said."Lismore Council and Fire and Rescue NSW are cleaning up the spill and the road is now completely open."The bus was located and is back in the depot getting fixed."Unrelated accidentSupt Tanner said a car accident further up the Bruxner Highway, closer to the speed camera at Wollongbar was not related to the fuel spill."But it's certainly a reminder to motorists to drive to conditions in wet weather to avoid accidents," he said.Car spin out eye witnessThe Lismore App was contacted by a member of the public earlier today to report the major spill, which stretched from Goonellabah shops roundabout to the bottom of Cynthia Wilson Drive.The person reported seeing a car with a trailer spin out and a motorbike rider go down, between Rous Road and Kirkwood turn off, on a stretch of road with no hazard or warning signs.Council clean upA Council spokesperson said Council was working with Fire and Rescue NSW to clean up and wash down down the roads, with both sides of the road affected by the fuel spill.EARLIER UPDATE 10.25am:A large diesel fuel spill in Goonellabah has already resulted in a number of car accidents and police are asking motorists to avoid a number of local roads.The roads are:• Rotary Drive roundabout along Ballina Rd to Pineapple Rd• From Pineapple Road to Oliver Ave• Rous Road and Oliver Ave roundabout to Ballina Road• Cynthia Wilson Drive• Clifford Street• Holland Street• Invercauld RoadMembers of the public have also reported on social media that near council chambers and the health clinic all the way along to Rous Road has a lot of spill. Also avoid the crossroads at Oliver Ave and Holland St, outside Parkview funeral home.ORIGINAL STORY:Traffic on the Bruxner Highway in Goonellabah has slowed to a one lane crawl after what appears to be a car accident near the Rous Road roundabout. Goonellabah resident Luke Kane contacted the Lismore App to report that about a kilometre of fuel has been spilled on the highway north of the roundabout up toward Deegan Drive – turning a journey that would normally take less than a minute into more than ten minutes of waiting. “We came out of Deegan Drive about 8.55am and saw the traffic piled up on the way toward Lombardos.” Luke said. Car crash“We saw a 4WD vehicle in a garden there and another car with front end damage. It looked like it might have crashed near the roundabout and its fuel had leaked on the road.“It’s very slippery because of the fuel spill on the road. I saw a couple pf police drive past and I think they will need to get a hazmat onto the road to soak up the petrol."The Lismore App contacted Lismore Police and was told that local police do not yet have any cars on scene, but that police have received numerous calls from the public about it.We will update you as more information comes to hand.Read more news: Government waives dumping levy on storm and flood wasteRead more news: Hospital reports elective surgeries back to pre-pandemic levels

The car parking area at Goonellabah Shopping Centre has been closed to the public today after a car accident in the car park this morning.Richmond Police District Superintendent Scott Tanner said that at 9am this morning, a motorist tried to park in a space near Coles in the shopping centre car park and accidentally lunged into a gutter.Read more news: Local bus leaks fuel and causes traffic chaos in Goonellabah"The driver collided with a pole and as a result the engine was damaged, causing a large oil spill in the car park," he said."It was in part due to the persistent rain that oil went onto the surrounding surface area."Fire and rescue NSW and Lismore City Council were called and Council closed the car park due to safety concerns."

The doors to Silly Solly’s on Keen Street are still closed, but inside, the staff are unpacking crates and boxes and frantically trying to get over 10,000 lines of stock on the shelves.If you’ve been watching the exterior transformation of the old blue Blockbuster video shop building into a new red Silly Solly’s discount store and wondering when it’s going to open, the answer is within the next two weeks.The shop’s owner Adrian Serafin said it’s a big job getting the huge space decked out with shelving and he’s still waiting for more than 10 pallets of stock to arrive. “That’s what is holding us up now,” he said. “It’s possible we can open in 10 to 15 days, but it’s not definite yet. The stock hasn’t left the wholesaler’s warehouse in Sydney yet.“We will definitely be open by the end of the month - we were aiming for March 18, but it may be the following week.“We’re also waiting for some of the shop fittings to arrive, then we have to put it all together.“When you open a new business, there’s always some delays – you don’t go into it expecting it all to be smooth.“I’ll be happy to get it all set up and open and begin trading.”Adrian said he has employed ten local staff to keep the shop trading seven days a week – selling goods that are all priced at $5 or under.“We are opening stuff every day and I’m surprised at what there is for the price of it,” he said “I post them online on the Silly Solly’s Lismore Facebook page so people can see the products.“There’s a lot of different variety lines – everything from rock t-shirts to 100% cotton work shirts and socks, to the usual variety lines, food and cleaning stuff.“We might even have a TV advertising campaign to give people notice of the opening day.”Read more about the new shop opening.

Many local Lismore businesses owe their survival through Covid shutdown thanks to the business-mind of 27 year old Sally Flannery.Sally started her own online fashion business when she was 16 years old and it was so successful she opened her first physical shop by the time she was 19.Luckily for Lismore, she moved here six years ago and brought her business acumen to help out the local community.Sally was recognised for her contribution to the Lismore economic sector this week when she received an award at the International Women's Day luncheon. Read more about the awards: Ros Irwin, Sally Flannery and Jex Lopez shine at IWD awards ceremonyThe award recognised the incredible support she gave to local business when she started the Support Lismore Small Business Facebook page a year ago during Covid shutdown.“It was the beginning of other initiatives that I also started – like a hospital fundraiser and a Lismore business web directory,” Sally said.Hand sanitiser in Covid“When Covid restrictions started, I helped provide mandatory hand sanitiser when it was in short supply and we weren’t sure when it was going to become available again.“I saw that other councils like Lane Cove Council in Sydney were offering hand sanitiser for free.“So, I spoke to a distillery about bulk buying it, with intention for Lismore Council to get behind it - but they weren’t in a position to. So, I bought 80 litres of it and designed labels for containers and printed them myself at Officeworks, then set up a market stall at Lismore produce market. I sold them for cost price and we sold out within a couple of hours.“A lot of market stall business owners came and got some and I saw it on their stalls.”Facebook and web directoryWhile the web directory is now defunct, Sally said the Support Lismore Small Business Facebook page has replaced it in terms of function.“The Facebook page had 3000 followers in the first week and one year on there’s about 6,500 followers,” Sally said.“At Covid shutdown time, one of the most important things was for business to have a platform to communicate. People wanted to support local business but weren’t sure how to reach them all.“Now, the landscape has changed, but it’s still a positive and uplifting support for the community.Social proofing“I still go to local businesses I have supported and post pictures and info and show other people they can do that too. Others also do it – it’s called social proofing.“I work in the Lion and Lamb design agency and I know if you show something being used, it’s more effective than an ad.”Sally said the agency asked her to manage the business in June last year. With her entrepreneurial background in business, she has awareness of what businesses need.“So, when Covid started, I knew what business owners were going through – it’s emotionally very involving – and I decided to do something to help,” she said.“When the bushfires and floods happened in Lismore, I felt helpless, but Covid brought my skill set into play.Now, she’s taking her unique skill set and drive into the future and intends to run for local Council elections in September this year.Let’s see where she takes Lismore next.

Lights. Camera. Action! Lismore local Magnus Dean (also known as DJ Magnus) took his iPhone down to Spinks Park yesterday to see if he could catch a glimpse of his favourite Hollywood star Melissa McCarthy who was filming Netflix comedy 'God’s Favourite Idiot' on location in Lismore.When Magnus got to the Lismore Transit Centre about 11am, he was told by a yellow coated security guard that he couldn’t walk through the park.So, Magnus took a walk along Molesworth Street to behind the fire station and discretely pointed his iPhone through slits in the fence at the collection of crew, cranes, cameras and filming equipment in the park. Magnus came back to the location again at about 4pm and found the Lismore City Bowling Club had been opened and there he took more shots, while some of the film crew smiled at him while they made coffee in a van.Read more about the shoot: Lismore's roads and park close as Netflix comedy filming begins tomorrowPhoto by Magnus Dean.His shots were the closest he could get, but they were pretty good – and Magnus was stoked he got so close to his beloved Hollywood star.“I’m a huge fan of Melissa McCarthy,” Magnus said. “I first became a fan and fell in love with her in 'The Heat', where she starred with Sandra Bullock, I think she’s hilarious and was born to be comedic.“When I knew she was coming to town I was so excited. I knew there would be security, but I wanted to see if I could get in there to take photos and share my experience with the community.“I’ve worked on TV shows as an extra before and I saw all the crew were being Covid safe and wearing masks and sweating.”Melissa McCarthy in a blond wig and brown coat. (Picture courtesy of Media Mode Photo Agency)Photo by Magnus Dean.Magnus said he is well known for taking good photos and said it’s because of his eye for photography, as well as his awesome new iPhone.“I think the fact they are filming here is a great injection into our small town’s economy, bringing tourism and dollars,” he said. “I’ve heard a few negative comment made though - like ‘we can’t house homeless or fix potholes, but we can bring in film crews.“It’s not all negative and I love being able to share this buzz with Lismore through my photos. You don’t have to be a great fan to appreciate that the filming employs 300 people to be here, working on the project.“Today, they were filming at the Sherwood Hotel on Molesworth Street. At 10am this morning, the windows were all blacked out and there was police and security out the front.“I think it’s brilliant marketing for the new hotel, which doesn’t even open until Saturday."The new Netflix series stars US actors Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone and will be filmed in the Northern Rivers this year, over the next few months, with assistance from a $10 million grant from the Federal Government's $540 million Location Incentive program.(Picture courtesy of Media Mode Photo Agency)PaparazziLismore resident SJ McKay who owns Media Mode, an entertainment photo agency, has also sent some great paparazzi photos to the Lismore App of the location shoot yesterday, featuringMelissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone.Angel in the sky?Interestingly, The Lismore App journalist Liina Flynn took her Samsung phone to the site and got some far shots. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to capture what she saw on camera before security asked her to move on.Liina witnessed a person wearing a harness being lifted high into the sky, like he was flying. Perhaps an angel character in the new series?We will have to wait to find out when 'God’s Favourite Idiot' is finally released.(Picture courtesy of Media Mode Photo Agency)(Picture courtesy of Media Mode Photo Agency)(Picture courtesy of Media Mode Photo Agency)(Picture courtesy of Media Mode Photo Agency)(Picture courtesy of Media Mode Photo Agency)Photo by Liina Flynn.Photo by Liina Flynn.

A man has died after being hit by a car in Wollongbar.Shortly after 1pm today (Wednesday March 10), emergency services were called to a home on Callicoma Court, Wollongbar, after reports a man was trapped underneath a vehicle in a driveway.The man – believed to be aged in his 60s – died at the scene.Officers from Richmond Police District attended and have commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident.A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

Sally Flannery, Ros Irwin and Jex Lopez were just some of the amazing women of Lismore who received awards for their contributions to our city at an International Women’s Day awards ceremony on Monday. Other award winners were hockey player Gloria McPherson and midwife Andrea Brooks.Lismore Mayor Vanessa Ekins said the winners of the five award categories were voted on by Lismore City Council’s female-identifying councillors – and there were quite a few entries to choose between. Read on to find out more about the category winners…“We announced the winners at a women’s luncheon on Monday at Lismore City Hall,” Mayor Ekins said. “The event was the culmination of the fifth Lismore Women’s Festival and it was a great weekend.“We had a great day of inspiring speeches and women gathered in a positive and inclusive way. There was a session on trans women and a feminist’s panel. I even went to a laughter yoga workshop.”Jex Lopez on stage at the awards with Mayor Vanessa Ekins.While our society talks about creating equality for men and women, why is it still so important to acknowledge and celebrate the women in our communities with events and award like this?“Because women are still fighting for equal rights in workplaces, equal pay and being represented in decision making roles,” Mayor Ekins said. “Childbirth in hospitals can make women afraid and we need to advocate for midwives and choice to birth at home.“There are so many areas we need to still advocate in for women so they can walk safely down the streets and be in a workplace free of sexual harassment.“The luncheon keynote speaker Karley Banks talked about being left handed, having and Aboriginal mother and dealing with being at school. She played cricket and was great at it, but in primary school she wasn’t allowed to because she was a girl. Later she was able to play and did it well and finally took on a career as an elite football coach, being a world class trainer in a man’s world.”THE AWARD WINNERSArts Sector Contribution Award - Jex LopezJex Lopez has been captivating audiences with her art noir style, intersectionalist and feminist messaging. She articulates social justice issues to uplift and empowers audiences for positive change. Find out more about Jex Lopez at the following site https://www.facebook.com/jexlopezmusic/ and https://etsy.me/3ozBgirJex Lopez with her Hanging Rock flowers awarded to her at the ceremony.Community Sector Contribution Award – Ros IrwinRos Irwin has been involved with Friends of the Koala for many years and has taken the organisation from its humble beginnings in koala rescue, rehabilitation and release to becoming a multi-functional, all-inclusive facility with paid staff and functioning treatment rooms. Read more about Ros Irwin.Ros Irwin with Mayor Vanessa Ekins.Economic Sector Contribution Award -  Sally FlannerySally Flannery set up the Support Lismore small Business Facebook during the Covid-19 lockdown and had almost 5000 followers overnight. She also created a web directory and many businesses say they survived because of it. Sally also set up the Netflix and chew events and the spend $50$ in Lismore campaign. Now, other councils have contacted her to do the same for them.Health Sector Contribution Award -  Andrea BrooksAndrea Brooks has given 30 years of service to the midwife profession - both hospital based and home birth. She has been working to help hundreds of mothers and families through their journey, as well as family planning and sexual reproductive health.Gloria McPherson with Lismore Councillors.Sports Sector Contribution Award – Gloria McPhersonGloria McPherson has been committed to playing hockey since 1969. She’s been a player, coach, mother and grandmother. She was the first woman to play for Far North Coast Hockey, NSW amd Australia. She is over 70 years old and is still playing representative hockey and assisting with all aspects of the game.

Last night’s big storm brought black clouds, lightning and winds - and caused damage to houses and caused power blackouts. It also kept the local State Emergency Service (SES) busy, with 31 calls for assistance reported across the Lismore area. Lismore City SES acting unit commander Lacy Loloa said the winds were so strong, people reported seeing horizontal rain in the Goonellabah area. “We had three SES crews out past midnight removing fallen trees from houses and roads, with the majority of the damage in the Clunes and Richmond Hill area,” Ms Loloa said.Read more news: Sally Flannery, Jex Lopez and Ros Irwin shine at IWD awards ceremony“We had 13 jobs in Clunes and several in Goonellabah. There are still more jobs coming in and crews are out there again today, removing trees from houses and clearing access to properties.“There’s a few residents with roof damage and we had to remove the trees from houses first so we can get on the roof and chop the bits up.”Trees were reported down over Bangalow Road and Corndale Road, and the electricity supply was cut in Tregeagle and the Richmond Hill area.“We had the Alphadale SES crew assisting, as well as Lismore City Council and Essential Energy to clear trees and get the power back on,” Ms Loloa said.So, is this kind of storm normal for early March?“It’s the normal summer storm in general ,” Ms Loloa said. “Even though we are in a La Nina weather pattern – La Nina is more about is rainfall increasing.“We have a saturated catchment at the moment so any large downpours of rain will see flash flooding in our region when the water runs off.“We are always monitoring the weather and we have heard reports there will be storms over the next few days, so we advise people to monitor the Bureau of Meteorology websites as well as Lismore City SES and Northers Rivers Weather Facebook pages.“We just need to wait and see what’s going to happen because you don’t know where the storm is going to hit.”

If you didn't get the washing out today or mow the lawn then you may have missed your window for a few days as storms return tomorrow.There were some thoughts of showers later this afternoon but Helen Kirkup from the Bureau of Meteorology says our neck of the woods in the south east corner should be ok, but keep an eye out.Throughout tomorrow a trough makes its way over central NSW into our backyard bringing thunderstorm activity with it. The bad news is that this will last until early next week when a cold front moves through bringing drier, cooler air with it and hopefully sunny conditions. We are talking a forecast six to seven days away so take that with a grain of salt.As for rainfall with tomorrow's storms, we will see a large variance due to the nature of thunderstorm activity so one side of the road could get 2mm while the other gets 20mm.Wednesday's range is 6 to 15mm, Thursday 10-20mm and Friday 6 to 15mm while the weekend is less with Saturday forecast to bring 0 to 4mm and Sunday maybe 1-2mm.The summary: get outside now.

Australia’s economy is one of the strongest in the world, and breaking 60 year records, according to Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan.“You wouldn’t want to be in any other country in the world,” Mr Hogan said.With the latest National Accounts just released last week, Mr Hogan said our performance on both the health and the economic fronts shows “our recovery plan is working” as Australia leads the world in fighting COVID-19.“Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased in the December quarter by 3.1%. This was above market expectations of 2.5%,” Mr Hogan said.“For the first time since records began over sixty years ago, GDP growth is above 3% for two consecutive quarters.”“In 2020, the United Kingdom’s economy contracted by 9.9%. Italy’s economy contracted by 8.9%, France by 8.2%, Canada by 5%, Japan by 4.8%, and the United States by 3.3%.“By contrast, Australia was only down 2.5%.“There are still sectors and regions that are doing it tough, but our economic support will continue.“As our emergency support is tapering off, the private sector is stepping up. “In the December quarter, direct economic support from the Federal Government halved. Yet at the same time, the economy grew by 3.1%, added 320,000 new jobs and 2.1 million Australian workers graduated off JobKeeper.“This was driven by measures in our economic plan, including HomeBuilder and the expanded Instant Asset Write-Off.“The Australian economy begins 2021 in a strong position. We have maintained our AAA credit rating.“The job is not done and there are many challenges ahead.”

Spinks Park will be barricaded from 3pm today, as film production crews prepare for tomorrow’s filming of Netflix comedy series, God's Favorite Idiot.Conway Street will also be closed tomorrow from 7am to 7pm, from roundabout to roundabout, including the TAFE. Little Dawson Street will be closed too.The new series features Hollywood film stars Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy, so if you are in town tomorrow, Wednesday, March 10, you may get a glimpse of them.The barriers at Spinks Park will be erected at 165 Molesworth Street alongsidethe park, Lismore Municipal Building and the car park behind the building. Film crew support vehicles will be parked on site tomorrow between 5am and 7pm while filming is underway.NF Ocean Productions, who are in charge of the film shoot have reported that pedestrian, traffic movement and bus services on Molesworth Street will not be impacted during the shoot. “The production has the full support of the NSW Government, Northern Rivers Screenworks, the NSW Police and the local councils,” they also reported.Produced by Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy, God's Favorite Idiot is a workplace comedy about a mid-level tech support employee Clark Thompson (Falcone) who finds love with co-worker Amily Luck (McCarthy) at exactly the same time he becomes the unwitting messenger of God.The series is being filmed in various locations across New South Wales over the next few months, with a $10 million grant from the Federal Government’s Location Incentive program and Screen NSW’s Made in NSW Fund. The production is expected to employ more than 300 Australian cast and crew.Producer and actress Melissa McCarthy said “to have the opportunity to safely film our show in a beautiful country like Australia is a dream come true”.“We love this country, and the talented people who live and work here. A special thank you to Chris, Luke, and Liam Hemsworth for volunteering to carry us to and from work with their wonderful powerful arms.”If there is wet weather tomorrow, the filming day will be rescheduled to Thursday, March 11 or Monday, March 22.

Richmond District Police are appealing for the public’s help as they investigate cattle stolen from a property on Skyline Road.On Tuesday 19 January 2021, police were contacted by a property owner stating two Red Angus stud heifers were unable to be located. It’s believed the two cattle were stolen between late December 2020 and early January 2021.Additional inquiries revealed that a further six heifers were believed to have been stolen from the property on Skyline Road sometime between Wednesday 30 September and Thursday 8 October 2020.Officers attached to the Rural Crime Prevention Team have commenced an investigation into the incident.The cattle were not tagged, branded or earmarked.Anyone with information which may assist investigators is urged to contact Lismore Police or Crime Stoppers.Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

After 11 years, Brett Adlington is leaving his job as director of Lismore Regional Gallery. At the end of this month, Brett will be taking on a new role as chief executive officer of Museums & Galleries of NSW.While the position is Sydney based, Brett will be working between the two locations and keeping a strong focus on regional NSW.With 25 years of gallery sector experience already under his belt, Brett said his new role is a bit different – and he is looking forward to challenges, particularly getting involved with new creative programs, new visions, voices and thoughts.“The position supports the running and development of galleries and museums, as well as staff,” he said. “The museums side of it is interesting and challenging as it involves the volunteer sector and the museums are responsible for housing important collections.”Getting the top job at a major institution is no mean feat. It gives credit to the work Brett has done locally in establishing the Lismore Regional Gallery in its current location in 2015. The old gallery location on Molesworth Street was small and unsuited to its purpose.New location“Where the gallery is now was going to be the location we built the Margaret Olley Arts Centre in 2010, but the funding fell through,” Brett said.“So, I spent a few years looking at what could be done to allow us to function as a public gallery and looked at so many buildings and kept coming back the old Lismore High School site.“We adapted the building to purpose and the result has really worked for our community in many positive ways.”The old gallery.The new gallery.AchievementsBrett said one of his achievements he was proud of in his time as director was the access program for the deaf community.“It’s become an important part of who we are as an organisation and I am lucky to have had such incredible staff supporting our work,” he said. “The team of people we have at the gallery really stick together.”Hannah CabinetAnother huge achievement for the local gallery was raising enough money to keep the Hannah cabinet in the local gallery.“When we first proposed to fundraise for that, there weren’t many precedents in regional Australia to acquire something like that,” Brett said.“The Hurfords and Brian Henry drove that campaign so expertly. It now makes Lismore a good place to visit. One woman in Perth saw the Hannah cabinet on TV and flew here especially to see it."Geoff Hannah with Brett opening open of the secret drawers to the Hannah Cabinet.Funding challengesDespite the challenges of finding funding for the arts, Brett sees the local gallery well placed for the future.“The gallery has three years of State Government funding secured and the Quad has one year,” he said. “The whole arts sector is looking at what it does and we are now looking at the space and how we as a community can make it work.”Favourite artworksBrett said his favourite stand out artworks in the Lismore Regional Gallery collection were the Tim Hixson photographs, commissioned in 2014.“We commissioned a photographer to document hand made houses from the 1970s that had been built in the region for the Not Quite Square exhibition,” he said.It was an important show at the time and shows how galleries can tell local stories and social history through contemporary work.“It crosses over into the galleries sector and really shows how galleries play an important role in the social fabric of a regional area.”The futureBrett said he’s always loved the community connection in Lismore and sees it strengthened by the gallery and its exhibitions and openings.“I was reflecting on what a diverse community we have here compared to other places I’ve worked,” he said. “We have a different Lismore audience – we have young, old and children.“It’s kept me connected to the place so long. last year with Covid, we missed having the bigger exhibition openings that brought a bigger range of people to the gallery where we could all meet.“I want to give a huge thanks to everyone involved for their support over the years – from coming to openings, volunteering and support to build our gallery.”

Today is World Cancer Awareness Day - and with public health researchers predicting the global demand for cancer surgery will rise by 52% within the next 20 years, what does this mean for our medical workforce and population health? These alarming statistics were published in The Lancet Oncology by researchers from the University of NSW. Their modelling study analysed cancer surgery demand in 183 countries and estimated surgical and anaesthesia workforce requirements between 2018 and 2040. They predicted that cancer surgery numbers will rise from 9.1 million to 13.8 million from 2018 to 2040 – an increase of 52% or - 4.7 million cases. Their research also shows the greatest relative increase will occur in low-income countries, where the number of cases requiring surgery is expected to more than double by 2040.With cancer being a leading cause of death and disability globally, the study’s lead author Dr Sathira Perera said the findings pointed to the need to substantially increase numbers of surgeons and anaesthetists globally.Closer to homeIn the Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD), Lismore is home to the North Coast Cancer Institute, which provides a high quality service to many patients with cancer – without them having to travel to bigger cities for treatment. So, how are we doing locally as far as cancer surgeries - and will we see a growth in need for cancer treatments?A NNSWLHD spokesperson said in NSW, cancer surgery activity has increased at a steady rate of about 2.5% each year over the last decade. “Surgical activity for cancer has remained stable in Northern NSW LHD over the past decade,” she said.“There are many factors which influence how these rates will change in the future, including our aging population, increasing incidence of cancer, earlier detection of cancers and the development of new treatments.”With the need for cancer surgeries growing, what are we doing about increasing medical staff numbers?“Between mid-2012 and mid-2020, the Northern NSW Local Health District increased its workforce by an additional 1008 full time equivalent staff – an increase of 26.7% - including 171 more doctors, 367 more nurses and midwives, and 121 more allied health staff,” the spokesperson said."The 2019-20 budget for Northern NSW Local Health District was $875 million. This is an increase of $37 million on the previous financial year’s annualised budget.”Shortage of medical staff globallyUNSW researcher Dr Perera said globally, there was a current shortage of 199,000 surgeons and 87,000 anaesthetists.“This is based on the current workforce of 766,000 surgeons and 372,000 anaesthetists, compared with 965,000 and 459,000 needed for an optimal workforce, respectively, in our modelling study,” he said.“The gap is estimated to be greatest in low-income countries“We need better planning and there needs to be an increased focus on the application of cost-effective models of care, along with government endorsement of scientific evidence to mobilise resources for expanding services,” Dr Perera said.“In addition, access to post-operative care is strongly linked to lower mortality – so, improving care systems globally must be a priority in order to reduce the disproportionate number of deaths following complications.”About the studyThe modelling study was an international collaboration between researchers from UNSW Sydney, University of Toronto, Kings College London, and the World Health Organization.The researchers used best-practice guidelines, patient characteristics and cancer stage data to calculate the proportion of newly diagnosed cancer cases requiring surgery in 183 countries.To deliver cancer surgery services optimally now and in future, the researchers also predicted requirements for surgical and anaesthesia workforces. To evaluate current staffing gaps, they compared the optimal estimated workforce (the median workforce of 44 high-income countries) with the number of surgeons and anaesthetists in each country.The researchers acknowledged that estimates in their study relied on several assumptions.“We based predictions of future cancer rates on 2018 estimates, but country-level changes – such as economic developments or altered capacity to screen for early diagnosis – could impact cancer incidence and therefore surgical demand and workforce requirements,” Dr Perera said.

The flavour of Tokyo will be coming to Lismore’s Carrington Street soon when new shop Japanese Kitchen Little Tokyo opens.The new food outlet will bring a fresh lease on life to the former Little Dehli Indian food shop, near Dragonfly Café, which closed late last year. Read more about the closureJapanese Kitchen Little Tokyo is run by Lismore couple Hatomi Watanabe and her chef husband Kenji.Hatomi Watanabe.The couple had previously run a sushi shop on Molesworth Street, opposite the Bank Café, but Hatomi said they can now expand their menu and bring their love of Japanese cooking into a new CBD location.Kenji has been a chef for 15 years, having spent five years as a chef in Tokyo and then ten years making Japanese food in Australia.Hatomi said her favourite food is sashimi (thinly sliced raw fish), which will be on the menu in the new shop – along with sushi, tempura, noodles and donburi.Donburi is a Japanese dish where cooked or uncooked ingredients are served over a bed of rice. It can include anything from seafood to meat and vegetables - as long as it is served over rice.Hatomi and Kenji are now painting their new shop in preparation for opening in two weeks’ time.Japanese Kitchen Little Tokyo on Carrington Street will be open Monday to Friday for lunch, from 11am to 3pm.

Local Northern Rivers artist and recent Trinity Catholic College graduate Molly Darvall has been named the winner of the Lismore Regional Gallery Friends of the Gallery People’s Choice Award in the 2020 Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize.Friends of the Gallery president Ron Dowell said seeing the award prize of $1000 go to a local young artist was a wonderful acknowledgement of the Friends’ charter which was to promote emerging artists.The winning artwork depicts a woman with sparrows. The portrait subject was Molly’s sister and was created as part of her High School Certificate Visual Arts subject in 2020. The painting was selected for ARTEXPRESS, an exhibition of highlights from HSC art students across the state, but Molly instead chose to have the work included in the Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize.Next week, Molly is leaving Lismore to move to Melbourne, where she will study visual arts at Melbourne University. Molly said “capturing the essence of my little sister in fluttered emotions extends our needs to confide and disguise our emotions in youth culture".“She is freed and enlightened, however, protected by the realities of perception which are hindered by teenage insecurities,” Molly said. Ron said lots of votes were cast in the people's choice and Molly was a popular winner.“People didn’t know the age of the artists when they voted and Molly had just finished high school and her painting was a stand out," Ron said.“Audiences fell in love with not only the exquisite detail, but the love and care that exudes from the work.“She did well to attract so many people to her painting and thousands attended the exhibition over the months the exhibition was on."The Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize is held every two years, with the major prize being $10,000 and the people’s choice being sponsored by the Friends of the Gallery.The Lismore App will feature a Sunday Profile with Molly in two weeks' time.