Getting 59 new bus services in Lismore has taken lots of consultation with the State Government, but now we’ve got them, Social Futures chief executive Tony Davies says we need to use them.Mr Davies joined MLC Ben Franklin and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole in Lismore last week to officially announce the new bus services, which extend Buslines' bus hours of operations, including new bus trips on Sundays.Read more news: What should we do with Lismore's laneways? Public and business feedback wanted on Lismore Laneways concept designMLC Ben Franklin and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole at Lismore Transit Centre.Mr Davies said Social Futures had been working with State Government for the past 20 years to get more transport options available in our regional area.“Our region sees a lot of economic and educational disadvantage, and not everyone has access to a car,” he said.“We run homelessness and youth services and we know and transport is a key issue for many people in the region - so we are delighted to see the extended times of Buslines services now. This will help people get to the hospital later in the day or on the weekend.”MLC Ben Franklin and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole in Lismore last week.Hail the bus driver and get on the busWhile Mr Franklin announced the new services will “be here forever”, Mr Davies said it was just a first step toward making transport better, and that if people wanted to see more local services over time, “you need to get out there and use them”.“Keeping these bus services is something we will be holding government to,” Mr Davies said. “If people use the transport, there will be more coming - so get out there, find out about them and use the services.”Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said in big cities, a lot of people had public transport routes that went past their front door.“In regional areas it’s a different story,” he said. “So, it’s great news that now there’s services connecting town and Lismore residents to the university and TAFE.“The new services also provide safe transport for young people at night to get in and out of town.”Buslines chief executive Peter Ferris talks with Mr Toole.More work for bus staffBuslines chief executive Peter Ferris said one of the other great benefits of the additional bus services was that it had given more working hours and work for his staff “so they all benefit”.“People rely on us and the government to provide the services,” he said. “So it’s great services are now extended on Saturday – people used to have to be home by 1pm on a Saturday afternoon, but now you can go out until 6pm.”Mr Toole said the 59 additional weekly bus services would deliver better connections to community centres such as Lismore Base Hospital, TAFE, Southern Cross University and industrial areas of North and South Lismore. New changes include additional Saturday trips in the early evening on the 688 “Late Nighter” service travelling from Goonellabah to Lismore.  There are also new Sunday trips to and from the Lismore CBD, Southern Cross University, Goonellabah shops, Lismore Hospital, Lismore Heights and East Lismore.Read more about the new servicesThe new services are: Route 682: Lismore to Goonellabah via Southern Cross University ∙ Better connections with the services to North and South Lismore on weekdays ∙ Additional trip on weekday evenings ∙ Additional trip on Saturday midday ∙ Additional trips on Saturday afternoons until 5.30pm ∙ New trips on Sundays from 8.30am to 5pm Route 683: Lismore to Lismore Heights via Southern Cross University ∙ Additional trip on weekday early mornings with connection to North and South Lismore ∙ Additional trip on Saturday mornings ∙ Additional trips on Saturday afternoons until 5pm ∙ New trips on Sundays from 9am to 4pm Route 684: Lismore to South Lismore via East Lismore ∙ Extension of early morning trip to commence from Lismore Hospital ∙ Additional trips to the industrial area in north and south Lismore on weekday afternoons ∙ Additional trips on Saturdays until 5pm Route 685: Lismore to Goonellabah via Lismore Base Hospital & Lismore Heights ∙ Better connections with the services to North and South Lismore on weekdays ∙ Additional trip on weekday evenings ∙ Additional trip on Saturday midday ∙ Additional trips on Saturday afternoons until 4pm Route 688 (Late-Nighter) ∙ New trips on Saturdays early in the evening, travelling from Goonellabah to Lismore.Updated information is available to plan your trip at https://transportnsw.info/.Information about the new bus timetable across Lismore, school services and fares is available on the operator’s webpage. For more information about the 16 Regional Cities Services Improvement Program visit www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/programs/16-regional-cities program.

WATER Northern Rivers is calling on Rous County Council to immediately release the full results of the community consultation regarding Future Water 2060, following the discovery that Rous has lobbied behind the scenes to get the Dunoon Dam on the NSW Government agenda. WATER Northern Rivers spokesperson and former Lismore and Rous County Councillor, Simon Clough said "this occurred before the consultation process had finished and the results made public".   “Buried in the draft Far North Coast Future Water Strategy, we see that Rous County Council and Lismore City Council had written to the Minister for Water to get the Dunoon Dam on the state government agenda," Mr Clough said. “The release of the draft regional strategy now reveals that Rous was directly lobbying the minister for a dam at the same time as asking the community for feedback. "We are also aware that Rous staff have been actively promoting the Dunoon dam to member councils Lismore, Ballina, Richmond Valley, and Byron Bay. "The community does not like to be involved with consultation processes that don’t appear to be genuine."Another spokesperson for WATER Northern Rivers.Annie Kia, said "the Draft Far North Coast Regional Water Strategy makes it very clear that sections of Rous have continued to push the out-dated, destructive and highly contentious Dunoon dam proposal to the Minister for Water”. “It’s disappointing that Rous has had a very narrow focus on the dam, while other experts call for an all options on the table approach," she said."There is widespread opposition to the Dunoon dam because it would obliterate rare rainforest and Aboriginal heritage, and we now know that there are better ways to achieve a resilient water system.” “In July, Rous County Council called for public submissions on its Future Water 2060. Submissions closed on 9th September. Two months is more than enough time for a consultant to report on the results.”In the interests of transparency, the group says the community consultation report must be made public well in advance of Rous Council’s meeting of 18th November. "It is essential that councillors, the community, the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment , and the Minister, are fully informed," Ms Kia said.

Local community individuals and groups should seize the opportunity to have their say on the Draft Regional Water Strategy for the Far North Coast region, according to NSW Nationals MPs Chris Gulaptis, Geoff Provest and Ben Franklin. The regional politicians invite people to take part in a webinar today, or one of the face to face sessions later this month. Member of the NSW Legislative Council representing our region, Ben Franklin said the regional water strategy is an important chance for residents, farmers, businesses and councils to have their say on how water infrastructure is designed and managed in the future. "The Far North Coast is one of the most biodiverse areas in Australia and new climate modelling suggests droughts may be more severe in the future,” Mr Franklin said. “Over a third of water extraction in the Far North Coast region is used for town water supplies so we need to make decisions now about how, where and when to direct new investment to give the region adequate water security into the future. "The NSW Government has committed over $4 million in the past three years to co-fund eligible water and sewerage projects across the Far North Coast region to deliver improvements to public health and water security. “The draft strategy for the Far North Coast region is the culmination of extensive consultation and close partnerships with councils and local water utilities." He also noted that we had just experienced one of the worst droughts on record and we must prepare our regions and make them more drought resilient. The draft Far North Coast Strategy will be on display until December 13 and stakeholders and the wider community will have the opportunity to attend a webinar or face to face consultation sessions and provide their feedback.Webinar dates: The webinar will take place at 2pm – 4pm on Monday 9 November. The face to face consultation sessions will take place at 9:30am – 12pm on Thursday 12 November 2020 in Lismore. Local aboriginal engagement sessions will take place at 1:30pm – 4pm Thursday 12 November in Lismore.

Driving a car is one of those skills we take for granted. Once you get your L's, drive your 120 hours for at least twelve months, sit a test, pass and get your P's you or your children can legally drive a car on any road in Australia and in most cases over seas.Why do we teach our children to drive a car but not teach them the best ways to be safe in a car and survive in what will be their most dangerous activity in their life?David Russell is born and bred local Lismore man who, for more than 20 years, has been at the forefront of professional motor racing, driver training and events in Australia and overseas. David has driven V8 Supercars, in fact competed at this years 2020 Bathurst 1000 as well as the Porsche Carrera Cup series.David's company The Drive Team has started a new business that he is passionate about, Defensive Driving Courses at LADS Driver Education Facility in Monaltrie."Driving has been my life since I was very young," David said, "I started driving karts at the Lismore Kart Club from the age of 10 to 15 then began getting my racing licenses and racing cars""To be involved in a driving business which is multi layered with driver education and driver training is definitely something that I am passionate about. There is a huge void for this area nationally but for me this is where I live, I know a lot of people in this area.""It's heartbreaking when you see stories come up about car accidents because you know their parents or you know someone that has known those individuals and I'm not just talking about young individuals."When the LADS Education Driving Centre opened in Lismore it meant people in the Northern Rivers didn't have to travel to Brisbane, which was the closest driver education centre."We are lucky to have something like this on our doorstep," David said.David's company The Drive Team run various one day Defensive Driving Courses at LADS. David and his team put Learner Driving Instructors, Year 11 and 12 students and older people who want to become better, safer drivers through their paces teaching them how to be safe in the car at all times and what to do if you get in some sort of trouble while in traffic.David's philosophy is to leave the Learn To Drive Courses to the professionals in that area. "It is a tough and rewarding job starting kids driving.""It is the next phase that I want to impact, where young drivers get their P's and have no one in the car with them.""Research has shown that one in three will have some sort of accident from a ding in the car park to something more serious in the first 12 months of driving."Part of the our course is theory based, which focuses on what people are doing while in the car. According to David, this is the most dangerous activity they will do in their life time."I will present statistics and the reasons for road accidents and the deaths on our roads. People will get enough information and develop some life skills to be able to set themselves up to be safe on the roads for life."One of the theory elements of the course is 'Proactive Driving Techniques'."Everyone needs to understand what you need to do to be proactive in your driving. This involves a level of attention and vision skills, no distractions. It also marries up with your brain processing and scanning what those hidden dangers can be.""You ware looking for hazards so asking yourself what is that car doing moving out of the driveway, have they seen me? So you are asking the what if's about driving rather than driving with a level of complacency.""When you are stressed in life when you are older or not stressed when you are young, you can have that level of inattention. You don't ask the 'what if' questions."We talk about drugs and alcohol as well as distractions, like mobile phones and how to manage fatigue and deciding when you are fit to drive."People need to drive like everyone is out to get you."On the practical side of the course, David and his team will teach emergency techniques like how to stop the car in the quickest amount of time in all conditions."At the training centre we have the ability to wet everything down, make it slippery while working on their vision and avoidance skills where they're maneuvering the car into another lane, giving them a choice.""People learn what could go wrong , what could they do better and how they could not put themselves in poor position to start with.David's philosophy is simple."We want to set our kids up for life using different skills. We correct them on their manners, we show them how to be an adult, we encourage them listen to their teacher and do their homework and we are giving that advice all the time.""Driving is one of the most dangerous activities they will do in their life so why don't we give them more advanced skills?""Why do we just teach them to drive and leave them to it on the roads at a young age?""I wonder why this isn't a compulsory exercise for every young driver when you think about it.""Every parent I speak to says "I don't know why the schools don't make it compulsory" but then the onus is on the parents to make sure their kids do the course and gain the necessary skills."My goal is that schools in our local area will make the Defensive Driving Courses compulsory in the near future."The Lismore App is giving away a one day Defensive Driving Course with David at the LADS Driver Education Facility in Monaltrie.To enter simply go to the WIN! button on the front page, fill in your details and push submit.The competition is open now and closes next Sunday November 15 at 5pm.

The Nimbin Pool will open to the community in November thanks to the generosity of local community members, who have volunteered to help keep pool visitors COVID-safe.The COVID-19 Public Health Orders put in place by the NSW Government meant Lismore City Council needed to have people on site to monitor COVID-19 safety measures - and ensure valid contact tracing records are kept.Because the pool is a free community facility, these requirements made it cost prohibitive for Council to open – but the Nimbin community has stepped in and committed to providing volunteer support.Council is now working with the Nimbin Neighbourhood and Information Centre and the Friends of the Nimbin Pool to establish a roster of volunteers so the pool can open as soon as possible.Council’s Assets Manager Scott Turner said "we are really thankful that the Nimbin Neighbourhood and Information Centre, Friends of the Nimbin Pool and local community members have come on board"."Now we can ensure this facility can open over the summer months. "Without their generous support, the pool could not open – it’s an extraordinary community effort. “We are aiming to open the pool in late November. When we have a volunteer roster in place, we will announce opening days and times to the broader community.”More volunteers are needed to help with the pool opening over summer. Anyone interested in signing up should email the Nimbin Neighbourhood and Information Centre at [email protected] volunteers will need a valid Working with Children Check. This can be completed at http://www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au

The illegal dumping of items is so bad, it is costing the Anglican Op Shop in Goonellabah $500 a week in tip fees.Stephen Hall the Anglican Parish of Lismore is making a desperate plea for residents to not dump their items out the front or to the side of their building on Rous Road."$500 a month is $6000 a year in council fees to remove the unwanted items," Stephen said, "That is $6000 that we cannot contribute to local charities such as the Winsome Soup Kitchen and emergency food aide."While costing the Op Shop money, the actions of some are potentially harming the volunteers."Our shop is staffed by volunteers who have to sort through what is sometimes dirty and dangerous material."While most people try and do the right thing there are some in the community that are treating the Op Shop like a dumping ground. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggest that "most people know that illegal dumping is wrong and they know it is socially unacceptable, however most people don't think they will get caught.""It is so disappointing that people can do this under the guise of a donation", Stephen added.What are the guidelines around donating items to a charity?They can differ slightly from organisation to organisation, however the Salvation Army website states "Things that you would be happy to keep yourself but don't need anymore." Items like;Clothing and accessoriesToys, books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl recordsHomewaresFurnitureElectrical goodsWhat charities don't want is anything that is broken, damaged, ripped, stained or in any way faulty. As a simple rule, if there's something wrong with it then charities can't sell it.They also cannot accept:Computer monitors, printers, scanners and other hardwareBuilding materialsCar partsWeapons – including replicas and martial arts weaponsTaxidermy animalsThen there are large donations like furniture, mattresses and white goods. There are certain government rules and regulations around accepting some of these items plus it depends on the size of the charities store so the best approach is to ring and ask or visit during trading hours.This is the main message from all charities. If you do have something to donate to any charity, you are asked to do so during operating hours when staff can assess what you have to donate.For the Anglican Op Shop in Goonellabah this is Monday to Friday 8:30am to 3pm and Saturday's 8:30am to 1pm.

Lismore-based artist Antoinette O'Brien was named on Friday 6 November as the winner of the 2020 Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize with their portrait of a Helen Deravenchecko. The winning work, titled, Lacuna, was selected by Sydney-based visual artist Abdul Abdullah, and announced in an online event. When considering his selection, Abdullah said: ‘As I walked around the show, I kept coming back to this work. The combination of the ceramic bust and the reef it sits on drew me into a story about memory, and how moments attach themselves to our experience. Beyond likeness the carefully sculpted head of Antoinette’s sitter Helen Deravenchecko expressed to me so much about her character. The two objects that make the work synergised for me into an idea that was even greater the sum of its already excellent parts.'The artist, Antoinette O'Brien says of this work: ‘This is a portrait imbued with my love and appreciation for Helen Deravencheko. I am indebted to Helen in many ways. My mother was unwell and incapacitated all my life and Helen helped by washing clothes, ironing and cleaning, but more importantly for me, she sat and drank tea with Mum and me. Drinking tea and chatting with them both was nurturing and formative. Helen was quietly present, but remains loud and vibrant in my memory. In this work Helen sits upon the Blue Hole, a support which references a connection between geological deep time and mined memory. The Blue Hole is a seascape in which my brother and I swam 40 metres below the surface, drifting around an ancient stalagmite. Love, Helen, and the infinite depths of the Blue Hole are linked in my memory and find their expression in this portrait.' Lismore Regional Gallery Director, Brett Adlington, thanked Abdul Abdullah for his selection, and for the considered approach he took in reaching his conclusion, stating:‘As this award continues to grow, it is exciting to see artists of the Northern Rivers region share the walls with artists from across the country. While this prize is very much about the experience of viewing all the finalists, it is vitally important that we also consider the way in which the prize supports the development of the permanent collection. What is so exciting this year, is that for the first time this award has gone to sculptural work, which indicates how important it has been to broaden the parameters around this award.’Abdullah also gave a Highly Commended award to Bangalow-based artist Michelle Dawson for her work, Vera. On this work, Abdul stated: The subject Vera Wasowski is a holocaust survivor who passed away in 2019. The composition felt very natural, the brushwork felt causal but very precise, and it told me so much about who this person was. Brett Adlington also thanked the sponsors of the award, Hurford Hardwood, saying: 'Their ongoing commitment to the cultural life of the Northern Rivers is to be congratulated, and I thank them for supporting this prize, and the development of our permanent collection'. Members of the public will have their chance to vote their winner through the People’s Choice Award, with the winning artist receiving $1,000 from the Friends of Lismore Regional Gallery. The next Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize will be held towards the end of 2022.

After a stormy weekend last week we look to be pretty settled this Saturday and Sunday with only the 20% chance of rain tomorrow which increases to 40% on Sunday but looks like falls of only 2mm at best Weather.As you may have read today, music lovers have some more live events coming up for the month of November through the Great Southern Nights campaign. Five artists including The Whitlams Tim Freedman will be appearing at Lismore City Hall throughout the month. Tim is the first of the artists to entertain us this Thursday November 12. More details through the Gig Guide Gig Guide.While on the arts, the 2020 Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize opens to the public tomorrow at 10am at the Lismore Regional Gallery. There is a suggested $5 donation for entry to see the 68 finalists illustrate the diverse ways in which the human form can be captured.This weekends market scene is led by the Channon Craft Markets on Sunday between 9am and 3pm. Christmas is only 6 weeks away so some early shopping could be on the agenda among the 250+ stallholders as well as live music, kids rides and food stalls.The Farmers Markets are on at the Lismore Showgrounds from 8 tomorrow morning with local fresh farm grown fruit and veg as well as flowers, mulch, seedlings and importantly coffee and breakfast.As it is the first Saturday of the month the Blue Knob Community Markets will see the return of the ceramics studio stall (more Christmas gift ideas) as well as the fresh produce.The cheap petrol this week is 112.9 at the United on Ballina Road for unleaded E10 while U98 is lowest at the Liberty on Wyrallah Road, East Lismore and the independent on the corner of Terania and Tweed Street, North Lismore for 123.9. Diesel owners have a lot of choice but you shouldn't pay more than 117.9 wherever you go.Neil Marks' Blog tomorrow is all about funding and the improvements it is making to our city. The Sunday Profile will a great Lismore history read as it features Brian The Train Driver at Heritage Park which is open and operational with new engines.Look out for the Lismore App WIN! button on Sunday, we are giving you the chance to win a one day Defensive Driving Course with local legend David Russell. You can read about the course in our news story on Sunday as well as enter the competition, it maybe for you or your child or grandchild.If you have an event or know of an event on any weekends, don't hesitate to let me know via email [email protected]. Here is some Friday jokes to kickstart the weekend, some involving the U.S. Elections (of course):

Friends of the Koala (acting) president Susannah Keogh says it’s now or never if we want to save the koalas from extinction.A new piece of NSW legislation set to be voted on in NSW parliament next week will open up land for clearing and will “unravel the many hard-won gains made for koalas and protecting their habitat over the past 25 years”,” she said.The proposed new Local Land Services Amendment (Miscellaneous) Bill 2020 will be voted on in the Upper House on November 11. Susannah urges anyone who wants to see a certain future for koalas, to tell politicians not to pass the Bill.“Friends of the Koala strongly disagree with this Bill and we are urging people to email members of the Legislative Council in the Upper House to voice their concern,” Susannah said.“The recent Parliamentary Inquiry into koala populations and habitat found that without effective intervention koalas will become extinct by 2050 in NSW. “While Ben Franklin MLC commended our work for koalas during the public hearing for this Inquiry, he is supporting this Bill – a Bill that could condemn koalas to extinction.”Read Susannah's story of Makawee the koala who is in care at FoK after being rescued from the fires last year in Blogs/Letters - Susannah Keogh: Koalas, one year on from the firesWhat does the Bill propose?Susannah said if the Bill passes it will give free rein to Private Native Forestry (PNF) and double the duration of PNF operations from 15 to 30 years. If the bill becomes law, even if a forest is identified as core koala habitat it will remain unprotected from clearing for agriculture or logging.Freeze koala habitat“The Bill will also freeze the amount of koala habitat that can be protected in Comprehensive Koala Plans of Management, meaning that over 99% of koala habitat on private land in NSW will never have protection.More clearing“It will also allow more clearing to take place in environmental zones – undermining the protections offered by E-zones. No Development Applications“It will remove the requirement for Development Applications to be made for land clearing activities.Dunoon to BungabeeIn the Lismore Local Government Area, Susannah said areas that could be affected by the new Bill would include “patches all over the area – from Dunoon to Clunes and Bentley’s Bungabee forest”.“It will mean farmers and landholders will be able to clear what they wouldn’t have been able to before,” she said. “A lot of the land that will be affected will be peri-urban areas and farms with remnant rainforest or boundary trees, which are vital to the connectivity between areas of habitat for wildlife.Iconic animals“Koalas are our country’s most iconic animals and if we can’t save the koalas, we can’t save anything. What chance then does any other species of flora or fauna have? “It’s devastating and frustrating, especially after the bushfires and all the work we did – the world is watching the wat we treat the koala.”Plight of koalas“These changes are clearly inappropriate given the plight of koalas after the devasting drought and 2019/2020 bushfire season.“Loss, modification and fragmentation of their habitat is considered the key threat to koalas’ survival. “This Bill is designed to benefit developers and agri business, without any consideration for the value of our forests and the incredible biodiversity they support.”We absolutely cannot allow this Bill to pass, we must act now to protect koalas and their habitat before we lose them forever.”Susannah said the following draft version of a submission to politicians can be used and personalised as needed:Dear Member of the Legislative Council,I am writing to ask you to vote against the Local Land Services Amendment (Miscellaneous) Bill because it puts the future of our koala populations in jeopardy.The government has stated it wants to save koalas from extinction, even double their numbers over the next 30 years, but this bill pushes them closer to the brink.In 2017, the Office of Environment and Heritage advised the Environment Minister that less than 1% of koala habitat on private land was protected, and recommended the government “exclude additional core koala habitat” from clearing.The LLS Amendment Bill before parliament would freeze protected koala habitat. Meaning that over 99% of koala habitat on private land in NSW will never have protection.Under current rules, if councils identify core koala habitat, after a process of consultation and approval, this land can be protected from clearing and logging. This bill undermines that process.Tens of thousands of koalas perished in the Black Summer bushfires. Now is not the time to take a step backwards on the protection of koala habitat.Please reject this bill and ensure koalas continue to have a home in our state.You can email the above draft letter to all the Upper House Legislative Council Members listed below:[email protected]@parliament.nsw.gov.aulou.amato@parliament.nsw.gov.autaylor.martin@parliament.nsw.gov.aumark.banasiak@parliament.nsw.gov.aumatthew.mason-cox@parliament.nsw.gov.aurobert.borsak@parliament.nsw.gov.audaniel.mookhey@parliament.nsw.gov.auabigail.boyd@parliament.nsw.gov.autara.moriarty@parliament.nsw.gov.auoffice.buttigieg@parliament.nsw.gov.aumoselmane.office@parliament.nsw.gov.aucatherine.cusack@parliament.nsw.gov.auF.Nile@parliament.nsw.gov.auAnthony.DAdam.MLC@parliament.nsw.gov.aumark.pearson@parliament.nsw.gov.augreg.donnelly@parliament.nsw.gov.aupeter.primrose@parliament.nsw.gov.auCate.Faehrmann@[email protected]@parliament.nsw.gov.auadam.searle@parliament.nsw.gov.auscott.farlow@parliament.nsw.gov.auwalt.secord@parliament.nsw.gov.ausam.farraway@parliament.nsw.gov.aupenny.sharpe@parliament.nsw.gov.aujustin.field@parliament.nsw.gov.audavid.shoebridge@parliament.nsw.gov.auben.franklin@parliament.nsw.gov.aumick.veitch@parliament.nsw.gov.aujohn.graham@parliament.nsw.gov.aunatalie.ward@parliament.nsw.gov.aucourtney.houssos@[email protected]@parliament.nsw.gov.aumark.latham@parliament.nsw.gov.aucontactRose@parliament.nsw.gov.aunatasha.maclaren-jones@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Replacing 45 year old shelves and installing a machine to automate the sorting of returned books were some of the changes made at Lismore Library, as part of a $198,000 refurbishment.The Library has seen a few changes over the past few months, including new carpet and seating – as unveiled today in the library’s official reopening.Lismore librarian Lucy Kinsley shows off the new automated returns machine.Lismore Librarian Lucy Kinsley said the refurbishments began during the Covid period - and she was happy to see the library become more modernised.Other new library features include: a castle where young children can sit and enjoy browsing and reading books; two new service desks, featuring photographs of local scenes by local photographers, Mark Seiffert, Narelle Jarvis and Hugh Nicholson; and freshly repainted internal walls and internal signage.The Library re-opened in July following the refurbishment, but the official opening was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions.Lismore librarian Lucy Kinsley said in addition to new shelving, some shelving is now on wheels allowing library staff to make space for events, as well as adjustable shelving to display items."Hydraulic desks have also been installed to allow staff to adjust heights to better serve children and those in a wheelchair," Lucy said. "To improve efficiency, an automated returns chute with three bins was installed to get returned books back on the shelves and available."Cr Neil Marks, Lucy Kinsley and MP Janelle Saffin enjoy the library.Covid - click and collectLucy said when the library closed during the Covid period and the click and collect for books was introduced, she had up to 15 tables at any one time stacked with books waiting to go out to happy readers.“Loans never really dropped off,” Lucy said. “At first, people wanted electronic resources rather than touching paper books, but because we quarantine all the books before we put them back out into circulation, people kept wanting to borrow them.”"I love the feel of a book"Lucy said while the library has now ordered more electronic resources than it had before due to demand, she gets “a lot of comments that electronic books are great when we are travelling, but I love the feel of a book”.State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said she loves the library and has always advocated for seeing it improved.The refurbishment works were carried out with funding from the NSW Government, the State Library of NSW and Lismore City Council.More than books“Libraries are more than places go to get books and read,” Ms Saffin said. “It’s a place where people come to belong and I want to acknowledge the important work of librarians. “Lismore Library needs a lot more love and more dollars – and that needs to come from the NSW government. I intend to keep advocating for that valuable resource in our community.”Lucy said while the refurbishments were great, the building used to be a school and so was not ideal for being a library.“I would love to see a brand new purpose built library,” Lucy said.Teaching technologyOne of the things Lucy loves doing is helping people with technology and teaching them how to use devices like smart phones.Lismore City Council Deputy Mayor Neil Marks said the refurbishments have also meant elderly and mobility impaired members in our community can now more easily make the most of their library. “Access is not an issue now and I would like encourage everyone – young and old - to come along and check out what their new modern library offers,” he said.“The staff provide a wonderful community service, in person and online, and they are bridging the digital divide which is think is very important.”

It’s been one year since pharmacist Steven Defrenne opened Discount Drug Stores on Rous Road in Goonellabah. For Steven – and the rest of Lismore – it’s been a turbulent year.With cupcakes and balloons to celebrate, Steven said he is feeling the community’s love and support after making it through the bushfires and the tough Covid period, which claimed jobs and businesses all over the country.“It was interesting to start a new business as all that came about,” he said. “It’s been a crazy ride but now we are celebrating being here.”Steven said throughout the Covid closedown period, his pharmacy was deemed and essential service and was still there to help out the community – providing much needed prescriptions to those who regularly needed them.“It was a different experience though,” he said. “We had to take precautions, install barriers and sanitise regularly.“We changed the business to offer free deliveries to help the community - which we still do now because doctors can fax a script through.“Often we were the one point of communication for some people with chronic health conditions who were getting isolated. We helped out with a friendly phone call and dropping off medication.”It wasn’t all rosy though. Stevens said he struggled to keep up with the constant demand for toilet paper, as well as hand sanitiser.“I didn’t really experience people trying to hoard medications,” he said. “They were sensible and took trust in system. There was a short period of a week or two when asthma inhalers ran out though because everyone wanted one and it put a big strain on the supply chain.”One year later, the pharmacy is still going strong. Steven said once locals got to know the pharmacy was there, right next door to the GP clinic and pathology centre, they had good support and have been growing well as a business.“I love it here, it’s a beautiful part of the world,” Steven said, “All the different characters in this community and the people I see on a regular basis - everybody says g’day and has a chat.”Discount Drug Stores is open 7 days a week but not public holidays. Operating hours are Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday, 9.30am to 3pm.Read more about the pharmacy: New pharmacy brings a fresh face to Lismore

Lismore has long been known as a city of roundabouts. So it probably comes as no surprise to hear that we have another new roundabout.Lismore City Council has just completed works on the new roundabout at the corner of Diadem and Orion streets in Lismore.The newest of roundabouts has been constructed a single-lane mountable roundabout, with concrete medians and new pedestrian facilities including 'Type 1' pedestrian protection fences.Council stated that "this will improve safety by slowing traffic and creating a smoother vehicle interchange"."The installation of relocated pedestrian crossings, refuges and associated pedestrian fencing also makes it safer for pedestrians," the statement said.The works were funded under the Government's Blackspot Program.Traffic lights, history and the futureOnce, Lismore did have a set of traffic lights installed near Lismore Shopping Square, on the corner of Ballina Road and Diadem Street - but our default way of navigating intersections seems to be the good old roundabout.Interestingly, in 2011, the Road Traffic Authority (RTA) recommended that two major roundabouts in Lismore be ripped up and replaced with traffic lights.At the time, the roundabouts on the corner of Ballina Road, Dawson and Molesworth Streets were identified as unsafe for pedestrian access during a safety audit by the RTA.The RTA consulted with Lismore Council at the time, and online feedback mainly supported retaining the roundabouts.Some comments at the time focused on the lack of view caused by foliage and other installations on the roundabouts; the lack of driver awareness of how to negotiate them correctly; and the fact the Ballina Road roundabouts were too tight for two-lane roundabouts.There are are 40 or so roundabouts still here to this day - if anyone wants to count them.Traffic light and roundabouts - what do you think?What do you think? Do we need to keep our roundabouts or change to traffic lights?Read more road news: Georgica gets a new, more flood-resilient bridge

The future of Lismore’s Italo-Australian Club is looking rosy now that a hoped-for amalgamation with Club Marconi is set to go ahead.After months of uncertainty, Italo-Australian Club president Americo Melchoir said that it was “all good” with Club Marconi and that the only hoop left to jump through was a transfer of the local club’s licence to its Sydney-based partner club.In an official statement issued by the Italo-Australian Club, the club’s board said it was pleased to announce the amalgamation of the two clubs was declared approved. “The decision by the members of Club Marconi on November 1 to approve the amalgamation has provided an opportunity for our local club to continue operating,” the statement said.Americo said that Club Marconi will now make an application to the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority to transfer the license from the Italo Club to Club Marconi.“I am excited and pleased with the outcome for the members - in particular to amalgamate with a club that shares the same culture and tradition,” he said.“The board has worked tirelessly over the past five years and the club will be in good hands.”The Italo-Australian Club in North Lismore is currently open and operating Wednesday to Friday, from 4-10pm.Americo said the club and will extend the opening hours during summer and people who come to the club can expect great drinks and food.“We are offering a half Italian and half Australian menu,” he said. “It’s set up as a buffet style, but customers will be served their food. The set price on the buffet is $20 and we also have an ala carte menu and have different beers on tap.”As far as plans for the future goes, Americo said Club Marconi will be coming and going and having a look at what needs to be done first.The beleaguered club has been in financial trouble for most of this year, in particular since Covid-19 forced the club to close for a number of months.Read more news about the history of the club: Lismore's Italo Club could be saved from closureLocal Italo Club's future hangs on tonight's meetingLismore's Italo club finally reopens

Last week provided a glimpse of what we can expect from La Nina this spring and summer. Large hailstones were seen in Nimbin and Tuntable Falls while smaller hail was recorded in most regions of Lismore throughout the turbulent week.NSW SES are warning us to get used to this pattern as it is the new norm over the next four months.The Lismore App reported the Bureau of Meteorology prediction of a La Nina event back in mid August, it does appear they were spot on.If you missed those stories, the cooling of surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean and the increase in Pacific Trade Winds mean lower temperatures and more rain. This also leads to a greater number of tropical lows and cyclones affecting the east coast of Australia. While the Northern Rivers is no stranger to storms, it is important to remind local residents and businesses to check their properties are prepared for severe weather. NSW SES Deputy Zone Commander Mark Somers said, “With the unpredictable nature of a La Nina event, these stormy conditions will be the new norm over the next few months.” “It’s important to prepare your homes and businesses for storms, floods and severe weather. Make sure you clear your gutters, check your roof is in good condition, trim back overhanging trees and branches and put together a home emergency kit in case of power outages.” “It is also important to check your Insurance is up to date and information handy in case you need to make a claim” Mr Somers added. For further information related to preparing for floods and storms, please go to www.ses.nsw.gov.au.To check the weather forecast on the Lismore App simply push the 'Weather & Travel' button on the main page. There you will find the BOM Weather (Weather) page link and the Weather Radar (Weather Radar) link.Fortunately, this week is looking a lot more settled at this early stage with small amounts of rain expected from Thursday.

As a community we have had limited opportunities to see live music since the coronavirus pandemic arrived on our doorstep in March.Before then we had a vibrant music scene with bands at the Dusty Attic (closing its doors in January, 2020), the Gollan, Mary G's, NORPA and the Lismore City Hall.Now restrictions are starting to ease, the Lismore App wants to tell you about a night of free music that features some very gifted musicians studying at Southern Cross University.The Showcase features Maya Holstegge, Mykaela Baillie, Joe Conroy and Georgia Cummins this Thursday November 5 at the Studio, Lismore City Hall.(Joe Conroy. Just one of the artists performing on Thursday night at the Studio, City Hall)Joe Conroy is one of the performers on the night and is also studying the Bachelor of Contemporary Music at SCU, "Playing regular gigs forms an essential part of studying the Bachelor of Contemporary Music at Southern Cross University," Joe said, "However, this year due to COVID, this hasn't been possible which has been a shock to the system.""Being able to play with other musicians in preparation for this Showcase has been a thrill I'm sure I won't take for granted again for a while. We're all really excited to be involved and are grateful to SCU and NORPA for the opportunity to return to live music." Kristy Jones, the Business & Development Manager of NORPA said "It's been a tough year for NORPA and Lismore City Hall so it's exciting to have live performance back on stage. NORPA's partnership with Southern Cross University spans more than 20 years and we're delighted to be working together to showcase the incredible musical talent from our region.""The Studio at City Hall was upgraded with top class sound and lighting equipment in 2019. It's a great space for intimate live music, cabaret or comedy shows. It's a great, intimate space that will take you back to the days of the speak-easy or basement style gigs."Although tickets are free, registration is essential due to crowd restrictions. Push here to register https://norpa.org.au/events/scu-student-showcase/.

Trinity Catholic College have challenged their students to bring in ordinary plastic lids from home to help a Canberra based charity called Lids4Kids.Vicki Evans, the head of Darcy House at Trinity, said "Pauline Leeson, our Career Advisor left a notice in the staff room which led to a broader discussion to involve the students".The result was an inter-house competition where students could earn points for their respective house (there are 10 different houses at Trinity) which goes towards the year ending Delaney Cup. This has been running since the start of term and ends at the end of week 9.The concept is very simple and one that Vicki hopes will encourage more families to get involved.Simply collect all your lids from milk, juice and water bottles and throw them into a plastic container and take them to Trinity. They must be screw top lids, the harder pop-up style lids are not accepted.If you would like to contribute to this amazing charity and your children go to a different school or if you don't have children, collect the lids at home and drop them off to Lucey Kingsley on the second floor of the Lismore Library at 110 Magellan Street.Lucey told the Lismore App the collection point only started up again last week following its closure due to COVID in March.Lids4Kids has been so successful since founder Tim Miller started the charity in mid 2019 with a little green bin outside the street library near his home. Following media attention the charity exploded so much so there are over 7,000 collection points across Australia.Envision Hands initially took the plastic lids to make children mobility products, however they hit a problem with quality control so now the millions of lids collected are looking for different recycled plastic lid projects to help the community like school buddy benches, seats and tables and equipment for schools and kindergartens.In the meantime, Lids4Kids is looking for a new home to store tonnes of plastic lids because Tim Millers double garage is full.Another way to help the environment and another charity is the collection of plastic bread clips. Once you have collected a container full drop them off Lucey and the team at the Lismore Library. These go towards the Aussie Bread tags For Wheelchairs charity where the tags are recycled locally, raising money to supply wheelchairs to disadvantaged people in South Africa.So, from this point on, don't throw out your screw top plastic lids or bread clips. Place them in a container and take them to Lucey at the Lismore Library or if you have a student at Trinity get them to take them into school.

When Humans of Lismore creator Denise Alison snapped a secret moment of Michael Gates transforming into local icon and drag queen star Maude Boate, it was to become the photograph that made her one of the finalists in the 2020 Hurford Portrait Prize.It’s the first time she’s entered the portrait prize, but Denise been a photographer for a long time.Denise Alison at home.Micheal Gates aka Maude BoateDenise said Micheal Gates aka Maude Boate is a long time friend of hers and her photo was taken earlier this year, during the Covid closedown period.“Maude and I spent a lot of time together through the Covid isolation period, when everyone was bored,” Denise said. “I would go and take photos of Maude dressing up and taking out the bin for the Bin Outing Facebook site.“We had so much fun. Maude would dress up in different outfits and drag that bin out, to music and I had sore ribs from laughing.“One day, I went over to do that and she was just getting dressed and I just captured that rawness - she had the dressing gown on and the boots and was sitting in a chair in front of an old fashioned mirror with lights.Unguarded moment“It was an unguarded moment. Normally with Maude, everything is colourful with big wigs, bling, outfits, heels and jewels - and this was a quiet moment.“I loved that image. It captured the spirit of the person. I’ve taken much better technical images, but I loved it captured her spirit - and someone else did too, because it got through to the finals.”Denise said what you can’t see in the photo is that Maude is sitting in her sewing room, surrounded by costumes and she had old school musicals playing on the stereo.“Maude has great history of costume design and was involved in creating costumes for the Pricilla Queen of the Desert movie,” Denise said.OverjoyedDenise said she found out she was a finalist in the local portrait art prize when she received an email saying congratulations.“I’d forgotten I had entered,” Denise said. “I was shocked and overjoyed I got into the finals. To win would be incredible but I don’t expect to see it happen.“I am just really excited to have my work on the walls of the Regional Gallery.”Sunday Profile introduces more about DeniseRead the Sunday Profile on the Lismore App or website https://lismoreapp.com.au/news-sport/sunday-profile/sunday-profile-denise-alison-creator-of-humans-of-lismore?id=5f926185190d080a668de708 to find out more about Denise and why she started up the popular Humans of Lismore Facebook page, as well as meet some of the interesting local characters she photographs and writes about.2020 Hurford Hardwood Prize winner announcementThe winner of the 2020 Hurford Hardwood Prize will be announced by this year's judge artist Abdul Abdullah online at 5.30pm Friday, November 6, via Facebook live stream at https://www.facebook.com/events/1108645872901620/The exhibition will be open to the public for viewing at Lismore Regional Gallery from 10am Saturday, November 7, as will the online catalogue.Finalists for the 2020 Hurford Hardwood Prize are:Denise Alison, Louise Allerton, Ann Arora, Marjan Bakhtiarikish, Konrad Bock, Renè Bolten, Karen Jane Borger, Jacob Boylan, Amanda Bromfield, Filippa Buttitta, Foong-Yue Cheah, Molly Darvall, Michelle Dawson, Janine Dello, Peter Derrett OAM, Dawn Duncan-Smith, Facing Australia (Raimond De Weerdt and Karen Donnelly), Kathryn Fenton, Rikki Fisher, Miriam Fraser, Todd Fuller, Shirley Gibson, Anna Glynn, Amala Groom, Michèle Heibel, Hilary Herrmann, Martyn Hodge, Nicole Kelly, Sadami Konchi, Elena Larkin, Susan Ma, Ali Marshall, Samuel Massey, Shannon McCulloch, Genevieve Memory, Zilpha Menghetti, Libby Moore, Anh Nguyen, Antoinette O’Brien, Arion Ocean, Jessica O’Connor, Miriam O’Grady, Travis Paterson, Ana Pollak, Jamie Preisz, Marian Quigley, Caitlin Reilly, Gwen Robson, Matthew Sansom, Lynn Savery, Loribelle Spirovski, Fleur Stevenson, Lisa Stonham, Robyn Sweaney, Joe Swepson, Fiona Taylor, Lenny Thurgate, Seabastion Toast, Datsun Tran, Edward Trost, Melanie Valentine, Asher Veling, Jacklyn Wagner, Rudiger Wasser, Harry Westera, Edwin Wilson, Caroline Zilinsky and Michelle Zuccolo.The 2020 Hurford Hardwood Portrait Prize is kindly supported by Hurford Hardwood.

The Bureau of Meteorology were spot on with their forecast of stormy weather this week, especially how isolated the impact was. The CBD had a bit of hail, Goonellabah more and McKees Hill was hit hard.Saturday will be more of the same with afternoon showers and thunderstorm predicted. Rainfall should be between 6 and 10mm. Sunday looks to be a perfect spring day with tops of 30 while the start to the working week looks a lot more settled than this week. Check out the storm on the weather radar on the Lismore App Weather Radar.The storms tomorrow afternoon/evening will throw a spanner in the works for those that are into Halloween celebrations. The NSW Government is encouraging people to keep it outdoors in the the front yard as well as provide closed packaging for treats and the usual hand sanitiser. For a rundown of the regulations read our earlier story Is Halloween cancelled this year? Find out what you can do.Another event that may be affected by weather is the second round of the Lismore Speedway at the Showgrounds. With the rain expected around 2pm, the question is when conditions will clear? Making matters worse is the fact that spectators are allowed inside the speedway grounds for the first time this year after the October 17 meeting was for race teams and support crew only. Plus, it is the blue ribbon Lord Mayors Cup for the V8 Dirt Modifieds with Isaac Smith presenting the cup to the winner.“Despite only being around for just over a decade, it can now rightly take its place in the history of Lismore Speedway as one of the legitimate blue ribbon events and hopefully it will continue for years to come," said current Promoter David Lander.Wingless Sprintcars, AMCA Nationals, Production Sedans, Street Stocks, Junior Sedans and National Four Cylinder Sedans are also programmed. Gates open at 4:30 with a maximum of 500 allowed through the turnstiles.Other sport includes the LJ Hooker Cup one day competition tomorrow with Marist Brothers at home to Alstonville while Workers have a drive to Pottsville.The Golden oldies will be dusting off their rugby boots for a gala day at Lismore Rugby tomorrow from 2pm. I am sure there are people hoping for a large bench as they hit the paddock for the first time in quite a while.Then on Sunday the North Coast Shield is being played at the Lismore Basketball Centre in Keen Street with the U18 girls hitting the court for their first round while the U16 boys will contest their finals and are favourites in division 2.The Showground is the destination for so much activity during COVID with the Farmers Markets on tomorrow morning from 8am. As well as your fresh farm grown fruit and veg you can buy a last minute Halloween Lantern Kit for $15 and help keep Jyllie Jackson and her team operating in difficult times.The Showground will be back in action again on Sunday morning from 7:30 when the Car Boot markets get under way. The weather looks kind for Sunday so you can head to the showground until 3pm when the gates close.The Blue Knob Community Markets are on from 8:30 until 12pm.Lismore has another grand opening of a business tomorrow. Kate Cairnduff has taken the plunge and opened Fitness Manouvers at 139 Dawson Street. The store officially opens between 12pm to 3pm so get down and say hi and wish Kate luck. Kate's story is an interesting one if you haven't read it in News as yet Kate's new fitness business manouvers into Dawson Street.Neil Marks talks about the NBN coming to many Lismore businesses in his Blog tomorrow while the Sunday Profile features the person behind Humans of Lismore Denise Alison.Here are some funnies for your Friday:

While residents of Lismore have been allowed to travel over the Queensland border for a number of weeks now, from November 3, Queensland will open its border to most of the rest of New South Wales.Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk made the announcement today, saying that residents of the 32 Local Government Areas declared hotspots in the Greater Sydney area would still be excluded from entering Queensland – as well as all Victorians.People who have been in a hotspot in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter Queensland.Ms Palaszczuk said the decision — which has been made on the eve of the state election — was based on the advice of the Chief Health Officer, who is concerned about community transmission of the virus."It's clearly political" says Page MP Kevin HoganFederal Member for Page Kevin Hogan responded to the announcement saying the latest expansion of the Queensland Border Bubble is welcome news, but was clearly political.“Whilst I welcome the inclusion of our entire region, a lot of damage was done for no reason, except as a political stunt by the QLD Labor Government. This is not a coincidence on the day before an election,” Mr Hogan said.“This harsh border closure has caused real heartache across our community – people have missed funerals, weddings, medical appointments and many other important events.”“Businesses and our supply chains have also been severely impacted commercially.“I have criticised this border closure since the beginning, as it was never recommended by the Chief Health Officer.”LGAs declared hotspots in Greater Sydney are as follows:BAYSIDEBLACKTOWNBURWOODCAMDENCAMPBELLTOWNCANADA BAYCANTERBURY-BANKSTOWNCUMBERLANDFAIRFIELDGEORGES RIVERHORNSBYHUNTERS HILLINNER WESTKU-RING-GAILANE COVELIVERPOOLMOSMANNORTH SYDNEYNORTHERN BEACHESPARRAMATTAPENRITHRANDWICKRYDESTRATHFIELDSUTHERLAND SHIRESYDNEYTHE HILLS SHIREWAVERLEYWILLOUGHBYWOLLONDILLYWOOLLAHRAUNINCORPORATED (this is Syd Harbour)