After four months of being closed, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service op shop in Lismore has finally re-opened. Read more news: Tropical Fruits club cancels Lismore's new year festivalThe Service’s regional marketing manager Zeke Huish said when pandemic hit and the shop was forced to close in mid-March, they were just about to have a summer clearance and change the stock to winter clothesSo, the good news is that for a limited time as a reopening special, all summer clothing in the op shop has been reduced to $1 and all winter clothing is $2 per item.Zeke said it took so long to reopen the shop because it was a big task reviewing each of the service’s op shop locations to make them covid-safe, then training volunteers to work in a covid-safe environment.“We’ve been focussing on making it safe for our volunteers – many of whom are in the vulnerable category,” he said.“We have had to change the way we operate in order to make sure only one team of volunteers is in the shop each day.“When they sign on, they get a temperature check and use hand sanitiser and have personal protective equipment available to them. “We want to make sure they are all comfortable working there. It means that some of the volunteers have also decided to wait a bit longer before volunteering again. This means that some days we may not have enough volunteers and we may not be able to open. “It’s a fluid situation and we are working with it.Zeke said the shop also has limited hours of operation and customer numbers in the shop are restricted. “We have reduced volunteer number too because the back area they work in is quite small,” he said. “We are also not accepting any donation items from the public at the moment until we are back on our feet and volunteers are able to sort them.The Magellan Street op shop will be open from 10am until 2pm, Monday to Friday, with hopes they can extend the opening hours over time. To find out more about the helicopter op shops or how you can become a volunteer, visit http://www.helirescue.com.auFundraiser rescheduledThe Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service has also rescheduled its Byron Coast Charity Walk fundraising event which was cancelled earlier this year.Zeke said the date is now set at November 7, and hopefully Covid restrictions will allow for the event to happen later this year.“It’s a changing situation guided by government restrictions and we will monitor it to make sure we can run the event safely,” he said. “All registered participants will be automatically transferred to the new date of Saturday 7 November 2020.“If participants cannot attend, they will be able to donate their registration fee to the Rescue Helicopter or receive a refund.”All registered participants can check their email for more details.New registrations for this event are open and will remain open until the week prior to the event at http://www.coastalcharitywalk.com.au/byroncoast“If you wish to receive a refund and then re-enter closer to the date you can,” Zeke said.

After two years at 91 Magellan Street, Shoes on Magellan owner Melinda Turner is moving across the road - a hop, skip and jump away - to number 92.While she said she’s been happy at that location, right now, her store room is “chock-a-block with stock.”“Soon it’s going to be hot and I’ll need somewhere to put all my summer shoes,” Melinda said. “I’ve got nowhere to put them, so I’m moving across the street to another bigger shop with a storeroom."Read more news: COVID claims another Lismore business“I’m sad to be leaving here, but I’m hoping someone else takes it on. It has an awesome view out the window and people come visiting."Melinda hopes the current shop’s easy no-lease agreement will entice a new tenant quickly.“It’s a week to week rent payment here, with no commitment and no bond,” she said. “There must be other entrepreneurs in town – like market stall people who just want to set up shop.“You’ve got a key and everything is how you left it for the next morning. It’s good for people who might want to transition from markets to a shop.“Anyone interested can contact real estate agent Andrew Gordon.”Melinda’s new shop is already being painted, builders are contracted – and family is helping her move in this weekend. She plans to open the shop on Monday.“But I intent to close again on Tuesday for two weeks,” she said. “I have my new shoe collection coming in and have to sell it all over Australia.Read more news: New Indian restaurant's head chef cooks for the rich and famous“I have sensitive feet and so do lots of other lots of people,” she said. “I go for soft leathers and shoes with technology that make them comfortable and stylish.“I’ll officially open the shop again on August 17.”If you want to check out Melinda’s shoes and boots, visit her website and order them online, http://www.byronbayshoecompany.comRead more news: Tropical Fruits club cancels Lismore's new year festival

COVID-19 has claimed another business victim with the Staunch Outdoor Adventure Centre closing its doors at 5pm today.Owner Jeff Davey said stock availability from their supplier Kings has made it impossible to keep the business on Ballina Road open.Jeff and his brother Russell only moved to the new premises on Ballina Road in October from their South Lismore location.It wasn't the restrictions that were placed upon us by the NSW Government but lack of stock supply which ultimately came from China. No stock meant no cashflow as people wanted camping items now not in a few months."Everything was looking good after we moved here, the business was on the up then COVID hit and we asked ourselves what's going to happen and that's when the stock dried up", Jeff said. "I was standing here for up to five hours a day constantly saying to people "no sorry we can't get it or don't know when it is coming"."Things went ballistic when the restrictions eased on July 1", Jeff said. "But I still couldn't get Big Daddy swags, I still couldn't get Rooftop Tents, I still couldn't get gazebos, in fact I still can't get gazebos and these are my quickest movers"."When the stock did finally arrive it was gone as soon as it hit the floor".While the doors will be closed Jeff will be in the building tidying up the rest of the floor stock with some going back to the supplier and the rest being sold to the public."Whatever is in stock I'll sell", Jeff mentioned - so get on the phone quickly (02) 6622 2561.Read more news: New Indian restaurant's head chef cooks for the rich and famousSo, what next for Jeff and Russell?They are lucky enough to run two other businesses in South Lismore, Staunch Window Tinting and Blackline Discount Tyres.You can find them at 5/9 Kraus Avenue, South Lismore.

It’s been three years in the coming, but finally the Wilson River Cycleway is repaired and ready for walkers, skaters and bicyclists to enjoy the stunning scenery as they travel along the side of the river. The cycleway was destroyed in the 2017 flood, and Lismore City Council has been waiting for funding to come through under the NSW Government’s Natural Disaster Relief Assistance Program to repair the cycleway.  Mayor Isaac Smith cuts the ribbon to officially re-open the Wilson River Cycleway which marks a milestone in the city's flood recovery. Looking on are Councillors Neil Marks and Elly Bird and Council staff members.Today, Lismore Mayor Isaac Smith unveiled the new track and cut a celebratory ribbon.“Three years is a long time for the community to wait to have vital infrastructure repaired but thanks to State and Federal Governments delivering the funding we now have the project completed,” Mr Smith said.So why did it take so long to get fixed? Mayor Smith said the only delay was the State and Federal Government bureaucracy in getting things repaired after a disaster. “That’s something we’d like the government to look at in the future – how they support any community after a drought, fire, flood or pandemic,” he said.The repair work included the installation of new timber piles and a concrete cycleway on the section of track located below the Kirklands carpark along the riverbank at the western end of Magellan Street. The track also links Fawcetts Bridge (Lower Hensley Carpark) and the Rowing Club Carpark.What happened in the 2017 flood?Mayor Smith said during 2017, the “massive” flood event was one of the biggest in Lismore’s history.“Here we have the confluence of two rivers and Leycester Creek pumps into the bank here on the Wilson,” he said. “Unfortunately it scours out anything on that side of the bank. “But these new pylons here - more than 50 of them - will protect it in future and it won’t be scoured by a flood again.”Mayor Smith said the previous infrastructure consisted of wooden walkways and gravel paths that were laid about 15 years ago and “sadly in a bad position and not fit for purpose”.Lismore cycleway planMayor Smith said the new track is a part of Lismore’s future cycleway plan. “The path connects up to the road cycleways that go down Woodlark Street and at the other end down Ballina Road,” he said.“This will connect up in future to other cycleways across to South Lismore to make up a loop track around Lismore Base for walking, cycling and passive recreation.“It circumnavigates the river which is beautiful. It’s a stunning spot so people need to come and have a look.”

With 20,000 covid-19 tests under his belt, Lismore laboratory microbiology manager Glenn Hawkins has hit a milestone.As the team manager at NSW Health Pathology’s only dedicated virus testing lab in Lismore, he has seen his team go from conducting 300 to 400 diagnostic Covid-19 tests per day.With the Queensland/NSW border reopening, the team are preparing for an increase in the number of test requests across the Northern NSW region. The patient samples are collected at NSW public hospitals and mobile clinics from Grafton, up to Tweed Heads and across to the coast.Glenn said having the testing done locally means samples do not need to be transported elsewhere for testing and means greater testing capacity and faster turnaround times for our community.“Our laboratories diagnose Covid-19 cases using the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, which is the main type of test used around the world to detect Covid-19,” Glenn said. “It works by detecting the genetic material of the virus in a patient’s sample.How does the test work?Glenn said the testing process begins with a sample arriving in the lab and it is given a number to track the process through to completion. When it comes to safety, Glenn said the samples are only opened in a safety cabinet and all staff wear gloves and gowns.“We take portion of liquid in the swab into cartridge to extract and purify the DNA," he said. "It takes about an hour. Then it goes into another instrument where we amplify the DNA before taking it through a third process where we pick out certain genes to detect the virus.”“This has become the standard test for detecting the virus - we used to try and grow them and it took one or two weeks.“Now, we can do a quick test called a rapid test which is ready in a couple of hours - but we can only do them one at a time.Ballina Jetstar flight Covid-19 test“In the recent case of the girl who arrived on the Ballina Jetstar flight – she went through the standard test first then when it came up positive, we did a rapid test to confirm it.“The great thing about testing locally is that we can test lots of locals quickly and contain an outbreak if one happens.”Glenn said the lab became a dedicated testing lab in 2007 when there was an influenza outbreak, so the capability to move into dedicated testing for Covid-19 was already here in the local area.Lismore is part of NSW Health Pathology’s network of 12 specialist laboratories across the state conducting COVID-19 diagnostic testing; around half of which are in regional areas. “Over the whole network pathology network in NSW, we have done over one million tests,” he said.Why is this a great thing?The availability of local Covid-19 testing in regional laboratories deliver greater testing capacity and faster turnaround times. This enables early diagnosis and management of cases, which is vital to curb the spread of the virus. NSW Health Pathology’s Lismore laboratory is also set up for rapid PCR testing, to be used for high-risk, high-priority cases where an urgent diagnosis is needed. These include the elderly, acutely unwell patients or those with pre-existing or chronic health conditions. Rapid testing is now available at 37 NSW Health Pathology labs across the state. NSW Health Pathology reviews its statewide testing network daily to ensure reliable, timely testing is available where it is needed. Highest testing ratesNSW has one of the highest COVID-19 testing rates in the world. A total of 1,218,155 tests have been done since testing began, including 15,903 over the past 24 hours. NSW Health Pathology has been working hard since the outset of the pandemic, conducting almost 60% of these tests and averaging 7,500 a day. NSW Health Pathology has also now received more than 350,000 registrations for their pioneering SMS Results Service that has halved the average waiting time for negative results. Get tested“As restrictions ease gradually, it is crucial to come forward for testing, even if you only have minor symptoms, to ensure we keep community transmission at bay,” Mr Hawkins said. “Anyone with flu-like symptoms, no matter how mild, should get tested. Common symptoms include cough, sore or scratch throat, shortness of breath or fever.” Coronavirus

When Tarsem Singh ate out at Lismore’s Indian restaurants, he was always disappointed with the food he would taste on the menus. So, when he decided to open his own Indian restaurant, he wanted to make sure the food would stand out from the rest.When Tarsem opened Brown Boyz Indian restaurant on Magellan Street last Saturday, he brought with him a very experienced head chef who has cooked for the Indian Prime Minister and at the famous Taj Restaurant in India – as well restaurants in Australia’s major cities.“Gutty my head chef has 29 years of experience and comes from South India,” Tarsem said, “I’m from North India and the styles of cooking are very different.“So now, we have a good mix of great dishes on our menu, the way they should taste – and more like what I’m used to eating in the big restaurants in Sydney."Tarsem said his favourite dish is the north Indian style green chicken curry.So, what is the difference between north and south Indian food?Tarsem said in the north, gravy is a popular part of a dish – but in the south, using coconut is more popular.“Every week, my chef will put up one or two new special dishes on the menu to keep it interesting,” he said.Tarsem came to Australia in 2007 and studied hospitality, so even though this is his first restaurant, he understands business.He’s already opened two car washes - one in Sydney and then another one in Lismore.When he decided to open a restaurant in Lismore, he spent months looking for a good location. When the Peppertree Kitchen moved from its Magellan Street location to Carrington Street, Tarsem took the opportunity to take over the premises.“When I was looking for a shop, I met Helen, the owner of Peppertree Kitchen who said the shop was too big for her and she wasn’t doing cooking classes there anymore,” he said.“She really helped me set up and get the restaurant approval through Lismore Council.”While there are already quite a few Indian restaurants in Lismore, Tarsem thinks his chefs and menu will keep people coming through the door.He also said the restaurant name Brown Boyz was a memorable one and easy to pronounce - and hopes to see everyone dropping by to check out the menu.The restaurant is already fully booked out tonight - and he hasn't even started advertising yet. It seems the people who've tried the food are already recommending it to their friends.Brown Boyz Indian restaurant is located on Magellan Street, Lismore and is open Monday to Sunday, 10 to 3pm for lunch, then 4.30pm to 10pm for dinner.You can visit http://www.brownboyz.com.au phone 66214 124 and order takeaway.

Playing alone for her ensemble music exams was a strange experience for Southern Cross University (SCU) student Sophie Ozard.The third year Contemporary Music student didn’t have ready-access to an on-campus student ensemble band for her music performance exams last month, and she had to get creative to deliver her live set, virtually.Sophie laid down her own backing vocal tracks and piano loops for a 40-minute set.“I played guitar to accompany myself for about half of the performance,” she said.“The situation pushed me to do more in terms of production. Piano is not an instrument I usually play so that was hard but it was a good challenge.“It’s always weird watching yourself on video, up close. It was different to most other exams I’ve done yet I’m happy with the final result.”Sophie has been a regular on the Northern Rivers gig scene for the past couple of years. She plans to return to Melbourne to pursue music therapy when she graduates.“I found doing music online in Session 1 hard actually,” Sophie said.“Music creation is about coming together for collaboration, jamming, arranging and playing to an audience. The student ensemble is a big part of it and the part that everyone likes doing.”Senior music lecturer Dr Leigh Carriage acknowledged the challenges students faced because of the University’s COVID-19 lockdown.“It was so uplifting to witness so many students surrounded by so much uncertainly and under less than favourable circumstances, yet rising to the occasion playing and singing with so such passion and commitment,” Dr Carriage said.Dr Carriage also said the additional skills and experience the music students gained was invaluable.“The situation meant developing technical skills like creating backing tracks or learning to set-up for a video shoot. Self-sufficiency is essential within the portfolio of musicians. Students now know how to create good quality footage to add to their own social accounts.”Dr Carriage also credited the enormous effort of all involved.“For practice-based creatives the changes brought about by COVID-19 lockdown restrictions required music staff and students alike to dig deep and respond immediately with creative innovations and flexible online delivery.“Our Contemporary Music course co-ordinator Dr Matt Hill and lecturer Dave Sanders were keystones of much innovation and problem-solving, and offered incredible stewardship during this time.”Enjoy a selection of the Contemporary Music exam performances, including Sophie's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-erLSIp1rj4

Pasta, prosecco, coffee and cake are on the menu for Lismore’s Friendship Festival – which, despite being postponed this year, is getting ready for June 2021 in Spinks Park.The festival with a strong Italian flavour is set to be better than ever after receiving a big cheque for $3,210 from Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan this week.Festival president Ros Derrett said the money will go towards providing a “waste” experience, as well as first aid training qualifications and a dedicated marquee for festival volunteers.This year would have been the fifth year for the Friendship Festival, which celebrates Italian culture in the community and brings approximately 5000 people into the CBD each year.Ros said getting volunteers on board was going to be made even easier with the grant money.“We are all volunteers,” Ros said. “We are excited to engage more young people as volunteers for next year and be able to upskill them and provide them with training.”“Aliison Kelly, our festival manager is also looking at how we can recycle, reuse and educate people about being in public spaces and not leave a lot of waste.“When you are serving food in a public space, waste is a big problem a big problem – and we are engaging partners in the local community to help us with the community education.”With Covid still looming into the future, Ros said the festival will still likely be looking at social distancing, but encouraging people to bring their own receptacles and have water available.Italo ClubThe Australian-Italo Club and its volunteers have played an important role in the running of the festival over the years, and despite the club’s recent financial worries and potential closure, Ros said the club will remain a part of the Friendship Festival.“The Italo Club was instrumental in auspicing us in our first year and uses the festival as a fundraiser,” she said.“We are participating as members of the Italo Club and look forward to seeing them go forward if the Club Marconi amalgamation opportunity comes through.“It’s a good relationship because this festival has a strong Italian feel and celebrates the relationship between Lismore, its Italian settlers and two sister cities in Italy.“We need more people on board with a commitment to Italian relationships and look forward to working with the Italo Club and the wider community to make sure the festival works.“We have a relationship with a city in Italy known to be the centre of prosecco making in Europe so will certainly acknowledge that.”The festival is hoped to he held in June 2021, but Ros said they will just have to wait and see what happens. Regardless of when it is held next, it will offer lots of Italian food, a kids’ stage and workshops for children, as well as an Italian film festival. 

After 30 years of working with veterans, the Veterans Motorcycle Club Rock Valley Chapter is ready to upgrade.Thanks to a volunteer grant from the Federal Government, the club can now upgrade their food preparation capabilities, storage space and laundry facilities. Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan, today announced a $4,860 grant would be given to the club to support its new projects. “The work they do supporting our veterans is incredibly important,” Mr Hogan said. “The group have been working in our community for decades, this funding will ensure they can continue to support our returned servicemen for years to come.” “One of the great aspects of the club is the different people it brings together.There are Army, Navy and Airforce veterans that are all being brought together at the club. It’s a great support network for people who may not have had the opportunity if the club weren’t here.” “Volunteers are central to so many local organisations and provide important services in our community. “It is important to support the efforts of these organisations and the individuals that allow them to function.”

The Federal Government's extension of the JobKeeper Payment and the Coronavirus Supplement for businesses and households comes at a time of uncertainty for many people in our community.Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said today that the extension was the next phase in helping to support for Australians who are without work.“This unprecedented economic support will bolster our economic recovery,” Mr Hogan said."For businesses and their workers in our community, it will help them to not only get through this pandemic crisis, but recover on the other side."Under the Government’s next phase of support, the JobKeeper Payment will continue at its current level until September 27, after which it will be extended for a further six months to March 28, 2021. A two-tiered payment will also be introduced so as to better reflect the pre-COVID-19 income of payment recipients.Specifically, from 28 September until 3 January next year, the two payments will be $1,200 and $750 per fortnight, with the lower payment for employees who worked less than 20 hours a week in the month of February pre-COVID-19.From 4 January to 28 March next year, the two payments will be $1,000 and $650.The temporary Coronavirus Supplement for those on income support will also be extended until 31 December 2020. The $550 per fortnight Supplement will continue until 24 September. From 25 September until 31 December, the Supplement will be $250 per fortnight, reducing by the same amount as the JobKeeper payment."The Government’s focus remains on reopening the economy where it is safe to do so, but the extension of these measures recognises that some parts of the economy will continue to be affected and need continued support," Mr Hogan said.

When Lismore DJ Big Furr (Rodrigo Aguilar) cancelled an upcoming event at the Civic Hotel because he was told by the venue manager he wasn’t allowed to play music anymore, it meant the end of a new way of living in a covid world.So, The Lismore App decided to get to the bottom of this new world with no music or dancing and see what was happening in local pubs and what it meant for locals.Read Weather news: Weather: rain is on the way with more than 30mm's expectedNo singing, dancing, mingling - but karaoke is okWhile restrictions relaxed in NSW for a while to allow small groups of 20 to book a venue, last Friday’s decree from the NSW Government changed the rules to venues having a maximum of 10 in a booking.While the NSW Premier said dancing and singing were frowned upon, they were not actually prohibited. However, the changes to group booking numbers meant an end to potential gigs for many local musicians and DJs – including the Tropical Fruits event Fruity Fridays at the Civic.“When my gig was cancelled, I through ‘oh no, not again’,” DJ Big Furr said. “This is what I do for a living. The government is clamping down and now, I’ve got to push back my gigs till something changes.”“I’ve been a DJ for 20 years and before coronavirus, I had gigs every week - it’s meant a loss of a lot of income for me and I had to go onto Centrelink to pay the rent."Read more news: 'We’ve got to stop the mingling': new restrictions for cafes, restaurants, gatheringsPolicing the singing rulesNSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the Government was working with the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) to create a safe environment for pubs and venues in NSW.AHA director of liquor and policing John Green said singing and dancing are not actually prohibited, but there are additional planning rules around having karaoke and wind instruments.“The rules state a singer must be three metres away from the audience [to minimise transmission of airborne saliva particles] and AHA has distributed this information to member organisations,” John said.“A pub also needs to have a covid safety plan, have customers seated while consuming alcohol and comply with public health regulations.”Is karaoke music?Rodrigoz said over the past few weeks, he would play music that “wasn’t too high energy”.“People could only sit down at tables, and I didn’t want the organisation to get stung by authorities if people danced.”While the Civic Hotel has decided to can the music and potential dancing, the Northern Rivers Hotel in North Lismore still intends to hold regular karaoke nights. Some may argue that karaoke isn’t exactly music, but for others, a good singing session is considered good medicine.Civic Hotel Civic Hotel manager Dan Jenkins said stopping the live music was about not attracting attention to the pub.“We can’t afford to get a 72 hour shut down and risk the owner’s licence as well – it’s just not worth it,” Dan said.“And we can’t afford to pay to put a band on for ten people.“So, we thought it’s safer to keep it as simple as possible so we can open up, serve meals and have few people dining.“If the police do the rounds and someone pissy starts dancing, our business is on the line. It’s already hard enough to monitor and keep the pub sitting down and not mingling.“The regulatory police are hammering the pubs right now, I don’t understand why they not going for shopping centres.“All our glasses are cleaned and sanitised and we can monitor our cleaning ten times better than Woolies.What about Woolies?“People in a pub drinking don’t let go of that glass until they leave – how many people at Woolies have touched a packet of rice?"Dan said he has been the manager at the Civic for 14 years and knows the pub generally pulls in an older crowd and not travellers. He said pubs like Mary Gs will have a harder time regulating social distancing as they pull a much younger crowd who wanted to party.Travelling crowd“I was in Surfers Paradise with my family recently and there were thousands of people on Cavil Avenue and we couldn’t move,” he said.“Everything was open and people were shoulder to shoulder. I felt weird.”Read more: Letters To The Editor: flight seat allocations to make you pay more“So, here, we are doing what we can to keep the doors open and make sure it’s safe for everybody.”So, if not having a DJ or live music puts people off coming to the pub and potentially dancing, that’s what the Civic Hotel intends keep on doing.

The brilliant winter sunshine in the last week is about to come to an end tomorrow with more than 30 millimetres forecast over the next five days, the wettest of which will be the weekend.The Bureau of Meteorology said is an onshore flow will bring a little rain tomorrow then increasing on Thursday and Friday with between 3-8mm's expected.That onshore flow will combine with an upper level weather system on Saturday to produce more than 10mm's with the same expected for Sunday.We will return to those idyllic winter days on Monday once again.Sport has only just returned following the COVID pandemic with rugby league already postponed from last weekend and soccer due to resume. Hopefully the forecast rain will not affect our local sporting fields.Stay up to date through the Weather link in the Lismore App Weather.

The Buttery is offering a free four-week online program to help people with alcohol and other drug issues, without needing to join a residential program.This time around, the program is especially focused on helping people in Nimbin, Kyogle, Casino and the surrounding areas.In response to COVID-19, The Buttery has adapted its popular Community Rehab Program (CORE) to become an online program that can be done from home.CORE will be delivered from August 3 for four weeks, Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 1pm. It will include group and individual therapy. The program will also provide meditation and online peer support for participants. People taking part can access case management, advocacy and referrals to other agencies for issues such as education or accommodation. The program will be followed by aftercare to help prevent relapse.Program manager Tanya Magnay said the program concept is more cost-effective than residential rehab.“It is also flexible enough to help people during the pandemic who would never have been able to put their family commitments on hold to seek intensive rehab,” she said.CORE will address lifestyle issues such as nutrition, exercise, stress management, mental health, and budgeting.To find out more about the program go to The Buttery website or call The Buttery Intake line during office hours on (02) 6687 1111.CORE is funded by Healthy North Coast through the North Coast PHN program.

Free online workshops from Byron Writers Festival are being made available to teachers and children at local primary and secondary schools this year.The annual Schools Programs are going online this August due to Covid restrictions cancelling the annual gathering. But that doesn’t stop Australia’s writers and thinkers being streamed on-demand into classrooms. Interested teachers need to register at byronwritersfestival.com/primary-schools or byronwritersfestival.com/secondary-schools to access the free programs.Byron Writers Festival director Edwina Johnson said she was pleased to present the online programs free of charge thanks to the support of both Southern Cross University (SCU) and The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.SCU School of Education Dean Professor Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles said for the first time, teachers will be given resources to support student learning during these sessions.“This includes a selection of teacher’s notes, videos, podcasts and classroom activities curated by academics from SCU,” she said.The Secondary Schools program invites students to explore their unique writing style and voice with Christos Tsiolkas (The Slap, Damascus), discover the stories behind the songs with musician and writer Clare Bowditch (Your Own Kind of Girl) and be inspired by former Socceroos captain Craig Foster (Fighting for Hakeem) who is now an Ambassador for Human Rights and Refugees with Amnesty Australia. The Secondary Schools program also includes engaging sessions with former Triple J presenter, comedian and writer Matt Okine (Being Black ‘N Chicken, & Chips), teen novelist Vivian Pham (The Coconut Children), award-winning writer and poet Ellen van Neerven (Comfort Food, Throat) and LGBTIQ rights activist, writer and Executive Director at change.org, Sally Rugg (How Powerful We Are). These topical, enthralling conversations are exclusive to Byron Writers Festival and facilitated by authors Sunil Badami, Zacharey Jane, Benjamin Law, Maeve Marsden and Story Factory executive director Cath Keenan.Primary School students will be inspired and entertained by best-selling author of funny books for kids Tristan Bancks (Nit Boy, Tom Weekly series), beloved children’s author Felice Arena (The Boy and the Spy, Fearless Fredric, A Great Escape), celebrated climate-change trilogy author Deborah Abela (Grimsdon, New City and Final Storm), award-winning children's author, poet and NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year Kirli Saunders (The Incredible Freedom Machines, Kindred) and author and illustrator Dub Leffler (Once There was a Boy and Sorry Day with Coral Vass). Registration and more info at: (Primary Schools) www.byronwritersfestival.com/primary-schools/ (Secondary Schools) www.byronwritersfestival.com/secondary-schools/

There are two jobs that spring to mind that make most people growl. One is a parking officer and the other is being the Public Health Officer for the Lismore City Council (we can nearly throw Councillor into that list too!).Cameron Smith is the person handed the job of making Lismore businesses compliant from a Health and Safety perspective in normal circumstances but his job has become much more difficult with the ever changing face of the COVID-19 restrictions.The Lismore App wanted to know how compliant our local businesses were and are during the COVID-19 pandemic.How have Lismore businesses responded to the COVID-19 restrictions and regulations imposed by the NSW State Govt? How has Council assisted these businesses?"When COVID-19 first hit forcing local businesses to go into hibernation, Council organised a successful advertising campaign with the assistance of local media, like the Lismore APP and NBN, to encourage people to support our local businesses and protect local jobs"."The campaign, which ran for a couple of months and featured many local businesses, urged the community to think and shop local whether it was by ordering takeaways or ordering items from a local business online"."Importantly, Council was also in constant communication with businesses, by phone and on-the-ground visits to premises, to assist them to get the maximum use out their business during the lockdown"."Council focused on how to help businesses find ways that they could remain productive, employ their staff and use their time wisely, whether it be from using the shutdown as a good time to clean, repaint and freshen the premises, to helping them get their kitchens ready and encourage them to do takeaways while still achieving social distancing and ensuring that we have all people looked after in terms of public health".How did the situation evolve?"The major issue facing businesses was the constant changing of the Public Health Orders and information. The information changed at such a rapid rate of knots that we had to work out a way for businesses to make sure they knew what the changes were and how they could meet State Government requirements"."Once again, the key was constant communication through pre-arranged meetings at the premises so that we could ensure social distancing and phone calls"."For example, when the lockdown came into effect a lot of businesses went straight into hibernation mode. Initially that was correct, but once NSW Health said you could open the kitchen, we went out to these businesses and helped them open and advised them to use social media and put signs on their doors that they are open for takeaway and some even offered delivery"."It was really talking to businesses and telling them ‘Here is a new business model for you. You may have never done this before, but it doesn’t mean you can’t do it now’"."This is because some of the planning instruments that had been in place previously stopping businesses from doing certain things were changed overnight, such as all of sudden restaurants could sell takeaway alcohol with takeaway meals"."It has made some businesses much more viable because of them changing their business models"."We also set up a special COVID-19 webpage as a ‘One Stop Shop’ for updated Public Health Orders and other useful information to make it easier for our businesses to keep up to date with the rapidly changing rules".What percentage of businesses are complying with these regulations?"The latest figure I have seen is that across the state the rate of compliance is 68%"."I think we are actually above the state average because Council has done a lot of work from March, being out there from Day One"."The majority are doing a good job and trying to do the best they can under a very difficult situation. The initial days of opening up with limited numbers was disastrous for some and took a bit of foot pounding by Council to help people understand how social distancing works and how to work around it, such as having two shifts and letting customers know if they had to book in, or they may have to leave after a set amount of time"."We were lucky in the fact that we didn’t have a major virus problem compared to the metro areas where all those councils literally shut down their services overnight and all inspectors were called back into the office"."We stayed in the field working with businesses firstly by phone so Council staff could ensure social distancing when they were physically onsite. That meant we could work with businesses providing on the ground advice from March, rather than coming out of hibernation after three months and having no idea what has been happening".What advice does Cameron give to those that are not fully complying with the regulations and restrictions?"The best advice I can give to businesses is if you are unsure about something, pick up the phone and ask. Don’t wait to be told. Council is here to advise on how to comply".Some people have a love/hate relationship with the Lismore City Council but regardless of your view it is difficult to criticise Cameron's role since the coronavirus arrived on our doorstep in March. Some restaurants and cafes were on the brink of closing their doors and losing everything but with the help of the LCC and in particular Cameron, new business models were explored allowing many to open doors and start trading once again to pay the day to day bills like rent and electricity as well as staff for those that could keep them on their books.Perhaps now people won't duck back inside their businesses saying "Cameron's coming" although the compliance job does not have an attractive profile.

A new Boutique Brewery is planned to launch by December in the historic rail yard building in South Lismore.Two Mates Brewing is the brainchild of former Kookaburra, Olympian and Casino local Grant Smith and his business partner and best mate Andrew Newton.It is hard to picture the finished product yet as the work is only just beginning on the historic rail yard shed on Engine Street, South Lismore. Presently, it is a bit of an eye sore but if you can imagine a community hub that produces local beer during the week then provides a space for people to come and enjoy a beer as well as lunch or dinner from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening with recreation equipment for children as well as live music, local art and local produce, you start to get a feel for what Grant and Andrew want to create for Lismore."We wanted to create a Community hub based on where you can take your family on a weekend" Grant told the Lismore App, "My wife and I have 7 daughters from 18 to 3 and we continually ask ourselves what are going to do this weekend?""Sure, you can go to some of the regions recreation areas but the novelty wears off because it doesn't engage parents and children".The inspiration for Two Mates Brewing comes from a visit to the wineries in the Margaret River region of Western Australia and in Tasmania."There is nothing like it NSW", Andrew said."We want this to be a space that the community can come together and enjoy, it is not just a brewery"."We need to get the model right. The evolution can be driven by the community.""A local artist across the road stopped by and asked if he could showcase his metal art in the area then we thought about car clubs that could display their cars in fact we are open to any suggestion from the community. "Everything is determined by where people want to take it" added Grant."Local art, local music, local clubs can help us define the public space we end up providing". The primary operation of Two Mates Brewing is to produce a local beer that the locals love, embrace and support. A local beer that Grant and Andrew hope will end up a national success which then presents opportunities to market the Northern Rivers region to the rest of the country or world.For concerned local residents the brewery and truck movements will be kept to a minimum so there will be no 3am deliveries waking people in nearby homes.As for the public days and times, the proposed opening hours STCA are;Friday 12pm to 8pmSaturday 10am to 8pmSunday 10am to 6pm The site in Engine Street has great historical value to Lismore as the shed was the rail yard building that would service the lead trains following the first official journey on May 15, 1894. This means the 126 year old building does have some heritage listing components and is something that Grant and Andrew want to keep and highlight."We want to tell a story about this place. We want people to able to come in and look and learn about the history of the building, the site and its importance to the region". "There are some old photographs from the early days as well which will be framed and displayed"."The owners of the land have done some fantastic work on the building, even getting the old Gantry crane operational again", Andrew said."We want to maintain the look and feel of this historical site. We will not touch the original window frames or the original rail yard office"Even the family area at the rear of the building will be keeping with the historic rail yard look and feel by integrating features like planter boxes, 44 gallon drums and old water tanks for slippery dips, flying fox, swings using old kegs and more. "We don't want to put modern with old, it negates the feeling of the building itself", Andrew said.Two Mates Brewing sounds like it fits Council's Strategic Growth Plan like a glove. May this be the first of many new businesses to hit Lismore. We need more entrepreneurs like Grant Smith and Andrew Walker.As they put it "we are not a multi-national company, we are two young families having a crack in line with what Lismore is asking for and trying to create a legacy for this region".On that note, if you want to pass on suggestions to Grant or Andrew on what you would like to see in the public space, contact them via email at grant@twomatesbrewing.com.au.Two Mate Brewing is planning to open its doors in December 2020.

WANTED: Ashleigh DEAHMPolice are seeking community assistance in locating 22 year old Ashleigh Deahm who is currently wanted on 2 x conviction warrants. Ashleigh is known to frequent the Goonellabah area.Anyone with information regarding Ashleigh's current whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Lismore Police Station on 02 6626 0599.

NSW Health is warning people not to buy prescription medications on overseas websites or off the street after the discovery of counterfeit versions of anti-anxiety drugs. NSW Poisons Information Centre clinical director Professor Andrew Dawson said a number of products have tested positive for etizolam instead of the expected alprazolam, and other drugs have also been detected in the counterfeit products. These can be extremely harmful. “We have seen a doubling in calls about alprazolam to the NSW Poisons Information Centre just in the past two months,” Professor Dawson said. The counterfeit products are labelled with the brand names “Xanax” or “Mylan” which are not sold through pharmacies in Australia. There are also reports of counterfeit versions of the Australian brand, “Kalma” 2mg. “The packaging and tablets are cleverly copied to look like prescription pharmaceutical brands so we are urging people to only buy from registered Australian pharmacies.” “If you have taken a tablet purchased online or from the street and are experiencing side effects, call Triple Zero immediately or seek urgent medical attention.” Anyone who has concerns about these tablets or adverse effects from benzodiazepines should contact the NSW Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for confidential advice. Signs of overdose include difficulty or slowed breathing, lack of consciousness and seizures. NSW Health has notified the Therapeutic Goods Administration of these counterfeit medications, who have issued their own safety advisory: www.tga.gov.au/alert/counterfeit-alprazolam-2mg-and-kalma-2-tablets For support and information about alcohol and other drugs, please contact the Alcohol and Drug Information Service – 1800 250 015 – a 24/7 service offering confidential and anonymous telephone counselling and information. NUAA also provides a range of harm minimisation resources and advice and can be reached on 1800 644 413. Associated public drug warnings can be found here:    www.health.nsw.gov.au/aod/public-drug-alerts/Pages/default.aspx In 2020/21 the Government will invest more than $231 million delivering alcohol and other drug prevention, education, treatment and ongoing care programs state-wide.

Lismore Real Estate is flying along, even in winter following a quiet few weeks in March when COVID forced our short lockdown phase.In fact, the word from Real Estate Agents is "we need more houses on the market!"Sharon Dowling from The Professionals Lismore told the Lismore App that buyers are lining up to purchase properties at the moment but there is a shortage of properties for sale. "There is a lot of confidence in the Lismore area", Sharon said, "but finance is taking longer to be approved".For Sharon and her team the strength is across the board with properties in the $250,000 to $300,000 range being bought by investors and home buyers looking to buy in the $500,000 to $600,000 range.This was supported by Robert Horder from PRD Real Estate, "we are seeing the majority of buyers in the $400,000 to $550,000 price range", Robert said. "Prices have been moving up slightly because of the shortage of supply. If people were thinking of selling, now is the perfect time"Andrew Gordon from R Gordon & Son Real Estate explained that the East Lismore/Girards Hill location is sought after and showing strong price growth. "To buy a block of land and build can still cost people $600,000 or $700,000. This is why the second hand property market is so strong", Andrew said. An indication of the growth in the Lismore property market is an owner purchasing an East Lismore property in 2013 for $290,000 while selling it for late $400,000's today.The final word from Andrew Gordon, who said "The great Aussie dream is still within reach in Lismore and surrounding areas"