Seniors and eligible households are invited ease their electricity costs by $200 a year by applying for the energy bill support program.  Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said the Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) Scheme provides vouchers to households struggling to pay their energy bills because of a short-term financial crisis or emergency, including reduced income due to Covid-19. “The EAPA assessment threshold has been temporarily increased so households can receive up to $400 per assessment twice per year, compared to the normal amount of $300,” Ms Saffin said.“The NSW Government must do everything it can to help ease cost-of-living pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic.“I encourage people that need support to pay their energy bills to register for an energy voucher assessment via Service NSW.”Ms Saffin also encourages Commonwealth Seniors Health card holders across the Lismore Electorate to apply for the Senior Energy Rebate. “I know that COVID-19 is keeping seniors, who are among the most at-risk in our community, at home and as a result they are likely using more electricity,” Ms Saffin said. “I was informed that the vast majority of seniors who are eligible are yet to apply. I encourage seniors to look at this offer and apply for this annual rebate, as it will help them ease electricity costs by $200 a year.” How to apply?Households can apply for the EAPA scheme online through Service NSW website (www.service.nsw.gov.au) or by contacting Service NSW on 13 77 88 or by calling an approved EAPA provider.Eligible seniors can apply for the Senior Energy Rebate online through Service NSW website or by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88.

“At Nimbin’s MardiGrass this year, you can smoke joints in the comfort of your lounge room, there are no police, no road blocks, no saliva tests, no dogs and no rain” – Michael Balderstone.According to Nimbin Hemp Embassy president Michael Balderstone, coronavirus won’t stop this year’s annual cannabis law reform protest from going ahead on May 1-3 – it’s just going online, in a new globe spanning, virtual format that’s never been seen before.There might not be a big joint paraded through the streets of Nimbin and the Kombi convoy is canned - but the bong throwing, HEMP Olympix and joint rolling will still be happening."Let's turn the Corona lockdown lemon into lemonade,” Michael said.Michael invites people to send in their entries for the events as movies, with potential for a live, three paper joint rolling competition with all participants online at the same time.The Pot Poetry, Pot Art, HEMP Fashion Parade, Weed Laughs and the MardiGrass Music Awards will all be online too.“People are already online in chatrooms (visit https://discord.gg/2xS4urV) and we are waiting for entries,” Michael said.Mardi Grass 2018 photo by Wolfgang Jalog.“People can join in throughout this weekend to lots of different events and talks.“There will be a Discord chat room and multiple Zoom rooms, as well as links to Youtube and Facebook live feeds.”To take part, you need to go to virtualmardigrass.com, and register on the online platform Discord, which allows potentially thousands of participants to be in the discussion at any time."We always have a lot of international visitors at MardiGrass, but online it will be truly global this year and we hope entries will come in from all over,” Michael said.“Some lucky people in more enlightened areas of the planet can even send in legal entries to the Cannabis Cup.“You can also send in cannabis questions of any kind, legal or illegal, medicinal or industrial, and next weekend various doctors, healers, growers and makers will be available to answer and chat.Mardi Grass 2018 photo by Wolfgang Jalog.“Dr Andrew Katelaris and Dr John Teh will each be in a zoom room to answer questions, along with Martin Ernegg and other weed experts.”Events“The HEMP Olympix torch bearer is determined to be in it as usual and jogging is allowed so that's all good,” Michael said.“The HEMP Olympix plans to start at midday Saturday as tradition has it and anyone around the entire planet is invited to send in a film of their Growers Iron Person or Joint Rolling expertise.“It’s either the Creative Roll with as many papers as you like in ten minutes, or the famous three papers and a filter old school Speed Roll. Pot Poetry with Australia's twice champion poet David Hallett is on as usual on Sunday morning.“There will be other surprises and you are welcome to sign up and join in and make suggestions.“Remember it's a protest asking for the prohibition of Cannabis to end and we're trying to have some fun while we're at it because it's taking a very long time for them to see the error of their ways.”Virtual MardiGrass will take place from May 1-3 here: https://virtualmardigrass.com/

Facilities at both Lismore and Nimbin showgrounds will get an upgrade from Lismore City Council’s $1.3 million Federal Government Bushfire recovery grant. Each showground will be given $445,000 to upgrade their facilities.At a press conference at the Lismore showgrounds today Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said the projects were great news for the Lismore and Nimbin communities.“As we saw in the recent bushfires both showgrounds played an important role in providing accommodation to those who were forced to flee their homes. I would like to thank both the Lismore and Nimbin Showground committees for opening up these facilities during the emergency,” he said.North Coast National and the Nimbin A&I Society were thanked by Deputy Mayor Darlene Cook for their work during last years bushfires. "The amount of work that both society's did at that time was unprecedented", Councillor Cook said. "Within a matter of days they had complete a complete evacuation centre running like power for tents, services and meals being provided", she added.Cnr Cook also thanked local businesses in Lismore and Nimbin that helped the many people and families and in need at that time.John Gibson, President of the Lismore Showground praised the efforts of the volunteers and staff of the Lismore Show Society.  “Our Secretary was quick off the mark to open the gatesand put the call out to the local community that we were open and ready to assist not only people but also importantly animals in escaping the devastating fires.”These comments were supported by Phil Williams, President of the Nimbin Showground.  “Showgrounds are always where the community comes together and nowhere was this more evident than the Nimbin Showground in November when hundreds and locals andtheir pets and animals sought refuge” Mr Williams added.So, where will the $445,000 be spent at each venue?Among other things, the $445,000 upgrade of the Lismore Showground includes:Repairs to ventilation and insulation in top 2 pavilions.Fit-out of Flood Free Kitchen adjacent to top pavilionsProvision of movable and demountable fencing for animals including off load ramps and gatesUpgrade of 1905 beef/dairy sheds and 1930’s horse stables (the sheds in line for an upgrade at the Lismore Showgrounds)This is the first grant received by the Nimbin A&I society in 20 years.The $445,000 upgrade of the Nimbin Showground includes:New awning and concrete slab adjoining main pavilionEnclose existing large shelter and install roller doorsNew awning and concrete slab to existing storage shedsRebuild holding yards and shelter for cattle/horsesNew kitchen in the main pavilionNew floor coverings to area in main pavilionA further $240,000 of the grant funding will be invested in constructing turning circles for emergency vehicles on strategic roads in Nimbin, $160,000 to increase water supply capacity during bushfires by placing tanks in strategic locations and $10,000 to improve technology at the Rural Fire Service’s headquarters. The details of these Nimbin-based projects will be finalised following consultation with the Rural Fire Service and the Nimbin community.          When asked if the grant funds are available now, Kevin Hogan replied "yes". Councillor Cook said that the Lismore City Council has already approved the distribution of the money, "it is just a matter of signing off on which projects are agreed to between council, public works and the A&I societies" she said.There is no timeline in place but the words were "as soon as possible".     

With the Covid-19 global pandemic disrupting almost every part of our regular lives, mental health experts are encouraging Australians to process the emotional toll.Southern Cross University mental health expert Professor John Hurley said building resilience was particularly important during prolonged stressful events.“When we talk about resilience it’s about being able handle multiple adverse events, which is what is happening for people now balancing layers of economy, housing, relational and virus stress,” Prof Hurley said.“Someone’s resilience is their ability to bounce back from that adversity, even though we all have to go through difficult experiences.“Emotional responses to the current pandemic and prolonged social isolation may include people feeling highly anxious, depressed, fearful, worried, and that is a fairly normal human response, but then the trick is to be able to move on from there into the resilient space where you feel strong and can lend that emotional strength to others.”Professor Hurley is a specialised mental health nurse, specialising in youth and emotional intelligence, and clinically works at a local headspace centre to support young people through difficult times. He said the best tip for moving into a resilient mindset is about drawing on available resources.“That resource may be internal such as personal courage, commitment, determination, being able to regulate emotion so we don’t allow ourselves to get carried away with fear,” Prof Hurley said.“There are also external resources such as reaching out to services, health professionals, connecting virtually with family and friends, helpful books and websites and anything else that brings positivity into our worlds.“In times like these when there is a tsunami of stressors for some people, it can be very easy to put all our focus on those. While it’s important not to deny what’s happening, there are strategies people can use so their current situation doesn’t become all-consuming.”He said people should look back at times when they’ve overcome adversity and make note of previous victories, wins and successes to remember the strengths they have.“Australians in particularly tend to be self-deprecating and aren’t particularly boastful, but in times like these we need to look at ourselves honestly and see the strengths and capabilities we bring into these challenging times,” he said.“That might be a sense of humour, integrity, intelligence, compassion to others and ourselves, friendship and connection, lateral thinking, determination, courage and any specialist knowledge or skills.”Read more tips on coping in isolation: Get your daily dose of Vitamin Green during Covid-19 isolation

The Return and Earn bulk collection centre at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre in Wyrallah Road has reopened today, April 29, with new COVID-19 safety measures in place.The facility is open for anyone who wishes to recycle more than 100 eligible containers. Operating hours are now Wednesday to Saturday from 8am to 3pm.Bookings are not required to use the facility but the following COVID-19 safety procedures are now place:People will be given a number on arrival and must stay in their car until their number is called.People will be required to place their items in specially marked bins before using the sorting table.Staff will no longer be able to help lift heavy bins, bags etc onto the sorting table. People must be able to lift and move items themselves.Reimbursement will be in the form of cash provided in clear plastic bags. “This is good news for local residents and we want to thank people for their patience as we progressively work to reopen services at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre,” Lismore City Council’s Infrastructure Services Director Peter Jeuken said.“The COVID-19 pandemic has caused some big safety challenges but we are working through these as fast as possible so we can return as many services as possible to normal. We will continue to advise the community as more services become available.”Containers that are eligible for a refund at the Return and Earn bulk collection centre include:GlassPlasticAluminiumSteelLiquid paperboard (cartons)Containers should be empty, uncrushed, unbroken and have the original label attached. Wine, spirits, cordial and plain milk containers are not eligible.For more information on the Return and Earn scheme or what containers can be recycled, visit returnandearn.org.au.The Return and Earn Reverse Vending Machines operated by TOMRA at Brewster Street in Lismore and Oliver Avenue in Goonellabah remain operational

The good news for the Northern Rivers is that again, we have no new cases of coronavirus in our local health district and elective surgeries will be resumed gradually.Copvid-19 case numbers remain at 56 today, with one patient being cared for in hospital, and none in ICU. Of these 56 cases, 45 are recovered.By source of infection, 53 cases were acquired overseas or interstate acquired, 2 were from contact of a confirmed case or in a known cluster and 1 was not identified Testing numbers on the riseIn the last week, the number of tests conducted in Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) has jumped from 4247 to 5268, an increase of 1021, or more than 20%NNSWLHD chief executive Wayne Jones thanked everyone who came forward recently to get tested.“I’m glad to see people taking responsibility for their health and for the health of those around them, by not leaving anything to chance,” he said.Mr Jones said that while the number of cases is moving in the right direction, it’s not yet time to pull back in being vigilant about reducing community transmission.“We continue to see reports of people being issued with infringement notices for disregarding social distancing rules, which undermines the combined hard work of the rest of our community.“I encourage people to apply their common sense and to continue being cautious as we start to see some of the restrictions being eased.”Gradual resumption of some Elective Surgery Mr Jones said NNSWLHD there will be a gradual resumption of some elective surgery, following national and state guidance.“We’ll be first attending to those more pressing category 2 (semi-urgent) cases, with the view to provide some selected category 3 (non-urgent) surgery and procedures over the coming month,” he said.“We’ll be closely monitoring any risk to patients and staff, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies over this period. Continuing review of elective surgery will occur to ensure there is capacity across hospitals to manage any changes in COVID-19 demand.”

Yesterday, I published a story on our petrol prices and the continuing downward trend towards the $1 a litre mark.What a milestone that would be, considering Lismore has a tradition of higher petrol prices than our surrounding neighbours. While that still is the case in some town centres we are very close to that milestone.The cheapest petrol in town goes to the United petrol station on Ballina Road yet again. Today, they have lowered the price of unleaded E10 to 101.9.The screen shot from Petrol Spy shows that other stations fall well short of this mark.Let's hope I can give you some more good news this week when prices go below $1 a litre.By the way, Casino has an 89.9, Broadwater 97.9 and Newrybar 99.9. Ballina's cheapest is 103.9 at Metro Petroleum while most others are 125.9.

With everyone cooking at home more through these days of coronavirus isolation, The Lismore App's new recipe section could hold a few recipes that could entice you to move beyond cooking with pre-made cake mixes (especially if the supermarket has run out).The Lismore App invites readers to send in their recipes and we'll publish them in our Coronavirus > Recipes section.Simply send us your recipe, including ingredients, cooking method and (if you want to) a short spiel about why you like to cook it to: editor@lismoreapp.com.auIf you have a photo of your food, send us that too - and others can enjoy making your recipe.Sweet and soy chilli sauceLismore resident Tessalie Parker kicks off The Lismore App's recipe section with her recipe for sweet and soy chilli sauce."I originally got this recipe from friends of mine, but I changed it to have more of a Thai flavour," Tess said."It’s like a Thai hot sweet chilli sauce with fish sauce – if you wanted a vegetarian option, add coconut amino fish sauce, or use double the amount of soy sauce or tamari instead.“It’s great to eat with anything - I like to eat it with dumplings or Thai fish cakes or chicken stew. I like a dollop on steamed vegetables.“I like to cook and use what’s in my garden when I have an over-abundance. Then I find recipes to go with the excess from the garden.“In my garden now, I just finished an overabundance of cucumbers, so I made dill pickles.“I’ve also got kale, silverbeet, mizuna and sorrel growing. I’m waiting to find some broccoli seedlings to plant – but everyone keeps buying them. It’s probably best to wait a while to plant them because the cabbage moths are eating broccoli seedlings at the moment.”Read the recipe here: Recipes

Despite the cooler autumn season having arrived, mosquitoes carrying Barmah Forest virus and Ross River virus have been recently detected in the local area.And with that comes a gentle reminder from the North Coast Public Health Unit to protect yourself against mosquitoes.The virus-carrying mosquitoes were detected by the NSW Arbovirus Surveillance and Mosquito Monitoring Program.Senior Environmental Health Officer, Paul Williamson said mosquitoes have persisted in large numbers due to the late season warm weather."Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses are common on the north coast and are transmitted by infected mosquitoes,” Mr Williamson said.So far this year, 32 north coast residents have been diagnosed with Barmah Forest virus infection and 153 with Ross River virus infections, which is two and three times the number of infections, respectively, for the same period last year.One hundred and nineteen of these infections have been reported in the last four weeks, which is six times the number reported in the same period last year.“These infections can cause symptoms including tiredness, rash, fever, and sore and swollen joints. The symptoms usually resolve after several days, but some people may experience these symptoms for weeks or even months,” Mr Williamson said.Avoiding mosquito bites will be especially important until cooler weather brings an end to the mosquito-breeding season.  Whilst most people are at home due to current movement restrictions, many people are heading outdoors early or late in the day to get some exercise. “Mosquitoes are very active at these times so protect yourself from being bitten by mosquitoes when out-and-about.” Simple steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes include:•    Cover up as much as possible when outside with light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing and covered footwear.•    Use an effective insect repellent on exposed skin. Re-apply repellent within a few hours, as protection wears off with perspiration. The best mosquito repellents contain Diethyl Toluamide (DEET) or Picaridin. Botanical based products (e.g. eucalyptus, citronella etc.) provide only limited periods of protection. •    Use physical barriers such as netting on prams, cots and play areas for babies. Repellents should not be used on the skin of children under the age of three months.•    Check the product label of repellents for recommended age of use. Most skin repellents are safe to use for children over the age of 3 months or older. Some formulations are only suitable for children over 12 months. •    Use insecticide sprays, vapour dispensing units (indoors) and mosquito coils (outdoors) to clear rooms or repel mosquitoes from an area.•    Cover all windows, doors, vents and other entrances with insect screens.•    Remove and prevent mosquito breeding sites around the home, such as emptying containers that hold water.“Preventing infection with these viruses depends on avoiding mosquito bites, especially as the mosquitoes have become active after recent rain, warm days and high tides,” Mr Williamson said. Fact sheets are available from the NSW Health website: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/mosquito.aspx Weekly reports are available during the arbovirus season from the New South Wales Arbovirus Surveillance and Mosquito Monitoring Program: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/pests/vector/Pages/nswasp-weekly-report-2019-20.aspx

The stay at home restrictions that have been in place in NSW since March 31 are slowly being eased.Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced today that from this Friday May 1, 2 adults may visit another household for a social visit. If you have children, this includes the children too.You are still encouraged to practice social distancing upon the visit, the Premier saying "we do want people to feel less restricted, we want better mental health". She did go on to say that people need to still act responsibly and respect those people that are over 70 years of age.The other bit of good news surrounds motorbike riders.Motorbike riding is now seen as a form of exercise so going for a ride, which has been deemed an infringement until now, is allowed.A reminder that school's will be starting face to face teaching from Monday May 11 with full details to be revealed to parents by the respective principals. It is believed to be on a rotational basis at first with those restrictions slowly easing throughout Term 2.

A motorcyclist has died following a crash near Lismore yesterday.About 3.50pm yesterday, Monday April 27, emergency services were called to the Bruxner Highway, Alphadale, following reports a Triumph motorcycle and a Nissan Pulsar collided.Police and paramedics treated the 61-year-old male motorcyclist at the scene, before he was taken to Lismore Base Hospital where he died this morning.Richmond Police District Inspector David Vandergriend said "at this stage, local police are continuing investigations in relation to the cause of the accident"."But it is believed the rider was at fault,” he said.Inspector Vandergriend said there was some light rainfall and some wet roads at the time of the accident.“It is a timely reminder for drivers to take care on roads that haven’t been wet for a while and to drive to conditions,” he said.The driver of the Nissan, a 17-year-old teenage girl, was uninjured and taken to Lismore Base Hospital for mandatory testing.A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Retired Nationals Party politician Ian Causley has died. The former Page MP died on Monday evening, April 27, aged 79.Mr Causley represented the Federal Division of Page from 1996 to 2007 and held a long career in both state and federal politics for over 20 years – also serving as the Member of Clarence from 1984 to 1996.He was a fourth-generation canegrower who was born in Maclean and was a company director before entering politics. Mr Causley served as a minister in the Greiner and Fahey state governments and federally as Deputy Speaker for the House of Representatives from 2002 to 2007, the final five years of the Howard government.On his 66th birthday, Mr Causley announced he would quit politics after 23 years, and his words of advice for those wishing to fill his shoes were that they “had to put in the hard yards”.“People will have to get to know the new candidate so they will have to get out there and work hard because it’s a fairly big electorate with a large coastal population,” he said.Mr Causley said he would like to be remembered as “someone who stood up for what he believed and who stood up strongly for the local area”.“I’ve had some arguments along the way,” he said. “Everyone’s different but people look for someone prepared to stand up strongly and expect you to represent their area... sometimes you make decisions you know are unpopular but in the best interests of the country.”Current Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan expressed his sadness over the death of Mr Causley.“My sincere thoughts are with his children Craig, Marcelle, Derek, Shane and their families,” Mr Hogan said.“Ian would always say to me in my role as an MP, ‘Don’t worry if people don’t always agree with you, as long as they respect you’.“He was a passionate advocate for our region. May in Rest in Peace.”

There's only a week to go before applications open for the NSW Government’s 2020 Community Building Partnership Program, worth $300,000. Local sporting clubs, charities, schools and museums are just some of the groups that can benefit from this program.Lismore MP Janelle Saffin urges local councils and not-for-profit groups to mark Monday, May 4, 2020 on their calendars, read the program guidelines to check eligibility and then submit an application before June 12.“This is how you can deliver projects with worthwhile social, environmental and recreational outcomes," she said. “If your organisation or club needs extra funding for infrastructure, such as playgrounds, accessible features, equipment or refurbishment, then I’d strongly encourage you to apply. “This program means that you can support your community group to improve the places where you meet, train or play.” Ms Saffin said the 2020 Community Building Partnership Program this year will unlock a total of $27.9 million for community infrastructure projects across New South Wales.Ms Saffin said she consistently reminds the Government that her electorate's share should be more generous - at between $600,000 and $1million."But the $300,000 allocation still gets a lot of good work done in local communities," she said. Since its inception in 2009, the CBPP has awarded more than $330 million in funding to 15,000 community projects. Applications will be assessed from June until November this year with successful projects announced by Ms Saffin in late November this year. For more information about the NSW Government’s 2020 Community Building Partnership Program, visit www.nsw.gov.au/cbp 

A crash involving a motorbike and a car on the Bruxner Highway this afternoon brought emergency services to the scene.Live Traffic NSW reported the crash happened at 4.20pm on the highway at Alphadale Rd, east of Lismore. The highway is closed in both directions and light vehicles are using Cowlong Rd and Mcleans Ridges Rd instead. Heavy vehicles are being parked.Drivers are being urged to avoid the area and allow for extra travel time while emergency crews respond on the scene.It is believed the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter transported a motorbike rider to hospital after the incident. 

The new coronavirus app, COVIDSafe has been released by the Federal Government.The app has been promoted as a way to help slow the spread of coronavirus and its download and use is voluntary.Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said the app was released on Sunday at 6pm and by 10.30pm, 1 million Australians had downloaded it.Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said he has already downloaded the app, and said “it is going to “help us lift restrictions and get businesses open sooner”.The Federal Government has previously said 40% of Australians — or 10 million people — need to take up the contact-tracing app for it to be a success.How it works“To be effective, users should have the app running in the background when they are coming into contact with others,” Mr Hogan said.Your phone does not need to be unlocked for the app to work. It then securely makes a “digital handshake”, which notes the date and time, distance and duration of the contact. All information collected by the app is securely encrypted and stored in the app on the user’s phone. No-one, not even the user, can access it.Unless and until a person is diagnosed with COVID-19, no contact information collected in the app is disclosed or able to be accessed. Then once the person agrees and uploads the data, only the relevant public health officials will have access to information.“The only information they are allowed to access is that of close contacts – when a person has come within approximately 1.5 metres of another app user for 15 minutes or more.”Health Minister Greg Hunt said the app cannot be used to enforce quarantine restrictions or any other laws, and the app can be deleted at any time.He also said you can use a fake name when registering and any contact data stored on your phone will be deleted after 22 days; and any data sent to the government will be stored on an Australian server and only State and Territory authorities can access the encrypted data.ConcernsLismore MP Janelle Saffin has also downloaded the app, after listening to President of the Australian Law Council, Pauline Wright talking about privacy issues and worries for people using the app. “I listened to her concerns, but often when making these decisions, you are balancing one thing against another for the sake of our health,” Ms Saffin said.“She said privacy concerns had been addressed - and I would prefer all regulatory frameworks were in place before we download the app.”Mr Hogan said “by downloading this app, you will save lives and you will save livelihoods”."Once the coronavirus pandemic is over and Australia no longer needs the app, the app and the information on it will be deleted permanently,” he said.“It’s important Australians know we are winning this battle, but it’s not over yet,” Mr Hogan.“Downloading the app will get us one step closer to normality resuming.“The more people who download this app, the safer our community will be and the sooner restrictions can be safely lifted.“This uses technology to automate and improve what health officials already do manually.”The App can be downloaded from the App stores.Find out moreTo find out more about the COVIDSafe app,The Lismore App has created a link to it under the Coronavirus button: COVIDSafe App

In a surprise move for Anzac Day, a large speaker system played The Last Post at dawn over the Lismore valley from Claude Riley Memorial Lookout on Saturday.Joel Spoor and Cameron McPherson surprised Lismore with sound on Anzac Day.For those who heard it, the haunting sounds seemed like they were coming from somewhere close - but the lookout location was carefully selected by Northern Rivers Sound owner Joel Spoor as the launching pad for the amplified sounds.Joel said he’d been told the sound was heard as far as 20 kilometres away, to Caniaba and Bexhill. “I know how sound works and know the area,” Joel said. “I went to the lookout and knew from there it would fill the valley with a consistent sound, not just a hotspot in one area.”Joel said the idea was sparked when a friend, Cameron McPherson, approached him with an idea to hire some speakers to help commemorate Anzac Day in his local park.“I wanted to make it bigger, so we joined forces and I covered some of the costs,” Joel said. “I supplied the speakers and Cameron hired a generator and a truck and some roadies to lift them.“I run a production company and I’ve been booked to do plenty of Anzac day events in the past, but this coronavirus business has made my bookings turn to zero with every event cancelled.“I had all this gear sitting round, so I thought I’d put it to good use.“Lots pf people care about Anzac Day and it’s very dear to some and it bothers them they can’t commemorate it - I wanted to make it special for them.“I played The Last Post first – event though it is traditionally played to mark the end of the day - then had a minute’s silence, then played The Rouse, then The Reveille.”CaniabaChristine Butcher and her daughter and husband commemorated Anzac Day from the heights of their Caniaba home – overlooking the foggy landscape below. (See the picture at the top of the story.)“Normally we go to town to march, but this year put up a flag, a candle and made a wreath and watched from up high, rather than go to the end of our driveway,” she said.“We had a view of Lismore airport to the east and Nimbin Valley to the west.“My grandfather was a military man and we always like to make it special.“A lot of people made a big effort this year – more than normal because they couldn’t go to the march.“Even as we remember those who went off to war, coronavirus is bringing everyone together – and we celebrate our health professionals who are fighting for us too.”Read more stories: ANZAC Day

With self isolation still in full swing it is difficult to know when school stops and starts. There were quite a few comments about the ANZAC Day public holiday being today plus others along the lines of "I don't even know what day it is, they are starting to blend".This morning between 8am to 9:30am and kicking off at 2pm this afternoon until 4pm, school zone 40 km per hour restrictions are back in place Monday to Friday.Yes, school is back on for Term 2 with mostly on-line learning.Schools will be using the first week to work out what the face to face teaching plan will look like from week 3 which is Monday May 11. At this stage it is believed to be on a rotational basis so students will start one day a week face to face with teachers.This will be clarified by most schools this week.

The NSW State Government announced a $395 million stimulus package for Local Councils yesterday.This comprises a $250 million increase in low cost loans to kick start infrastructure projects, $32.8 million to help with the increase in the Emergency Services Levy in 2020/21 and what looks to be the most important aspect of the stimulus package, $112.5 million to support a Council Job Retention allowance of $1500 per fortnight to limit job losses in the NSW Local Government sector. A Local Council JobKeeper payment if you like.Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock said this comprehensive package safeguards valuable council jobs and ensures staff with a wide range of skills and experience can continue to serve their communities. “This funding injection enables councils to redirect funds to critical core services and deliver much-needed financial support for local communities,” Mrs Hancock said.“Importantly, this package builds on the NSW Government’s $82 million to support 260 council-run childcare centres and $25 million for local councils to rebuild and refurbish local showgrounds, bringing our total support for the local government sector to over half a billion dollars.” More on the Showground funding on Wednesday.On April 22, the Lismore App wrote a story about the Lismore City Council running out of money by July/August this year putting quite a few jobs at risk (Lismore City Council to run out of money, tough decisions ahead). Yesterday's announcement will safeguard these jobs for at least three months, which is the terms of the package outlined in the release.General Manager of Lismore City Council, Shelley Oldham said "the LCC did a good job of lobbying the State Government as did Local Government NSW to get this stimulus package through. We don't know what it exactly means yet because there are no details released, it is just a heading at this stage, but we hope it means we can keep our staff employed."Lismore MP Janelle Saffin also claimed this was good for Local Councils in NSW. "I started lobbying the State Government in early April when I saw that Local Councils would need financial support after being left out by the Federal Governments stimulus packages", Ms Saffin said, "I don't see how the low cost loan component will help the smaller councils in NSW", she added."The smaller councils are pretty cash strapped anyway so adding to that debt, even low cost will not help them but I am pleased with the announcement, anything will help".Now, we wait for the detail to be released and the Lismore City Council budget process for 2020/21 which begins this week.

Another check on petrol prices over the weekend revealed that one Lismore station has dropped its price to 105.9. Certainly a far cry from the 139.9 we were paying at the bowser only a few weeks ago.Only one petrol station has this price and this is United on Ballina Road. The nearest to those prices are are 114.9, nine cents a litre more expensive for unleaded E10. The question is will we see petrol prices fall to below $1 a litre for the first time in about 20 years?The answer should be yes but lets wait and see when.Currently Casino has one station at 91.9, Broadwater 97.9 and Newrybar at 99.9.As soon as this milestone happens, we will let you know and where you can find it.