A digital marketing bootcamp and a webinar on how to create your own SEO strategy are just two of the free webinars for small business now available for you to take advantage of – especially if you are at home with time on your hands. Other webinars include 'Where to focus your marketing efforts in 2020'; and 'List and Sell your Creation with ETSY Online'.NORTEC Small Business Solutions is offering the free webinars under the NSW Business Connect Program. For information about the webinars, or to register, visit https://www.nortecsmallbiz.org/online-webinars.html

Lismore City Council has joined forces with Australia’s grant search engine, Grant Guru, to deliver a free one-stop-shop website for business and community grants.You can use the search engine to find available grants and filter grants by specifying location, industry and type of project. The website also assists with advice and top tips for finding and applying for grants to maximise your chances of receiving the funds you need.Lismore City Council General Manager Shelley Oldham said Council wants to help local businesses and groups to find and apply for grants."There are a lot of great funding opportunities out there, but the process of finding and applying for grants can be daunting and time consuming, and many people don’t know where to start looking," she said."Lismore Grant Hub will take the guess work out of searching for grants and help groups and businesses navigate the process."Businesses and community groups can register with the Lismore Grant Hub to receive email alerts about available grants at http://www.lismore grantguru.com.auFor further information or assistance with registering, please contact us on 1300 87 83 87.

On March 19, arguably the biggest Lismore event of the year, the Lantern Parade, was postponed to November 14. Yet another in a long line of events that has either been postponed or cancelled completely for 2020.In my conversations with CEO and Creative Director Jyllie Jackson, it was always in the back of her mind to work on an alternative event to celebrate the Winter Solstice, something that will lift people's hope during these pandemic times albeit on a smaller scale.Today, we can reveal that takes the form of the Virtual Lismore Lantern Parade.This is where you and your family can purchase simple pre-made pyramid lanterns with specially prepared decorating kits.These kits will be available from the Lismore Lantern Parade website at the end of next week (https://www.lismorelanternparade.com.au/), but there will be some early bird kits available at the Lismore Farmers Markets tomorrow morning between 8am and 11:30am.Each kit contains....pre-cut shapes, PVA glue, sponge, an LED candle and full instructions.The Lantern kits are $15 each - please bring the correct change if you can!!Jyllie says that decorating the lanterns is a wonderful activity for everyone - especially the kids at home"We will then ask you to take a photo of you and your lantern and send it to the Lantern Parade so we can create a virtual lantern parade on line!!", she said."This is a really special night this year because of COVID19", Jyllie added, "Selling these lanterns will keep us alive as a business which means we can keep doing Lantern Parades into the future. This year we have had absolutely no income."So, come on Lismore and our surrounding communities, get to the Farmers Markets tomorrow and buy a kit for only $15 or get on-line at the of next week and order from the website. If you believe in the Lismore Lantern Parade and what it does for our community, make an effort. Jyllie and the team need us now.LET'S LIGHT UP THE WORLD!

WANTED: Andrew BOLTPolice are seeking community assistance in locating 29 year old Andrew Bolt, wanted on warrant. Bolt is known to frequent the Goonellabah and Lismore areas.Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre will open this Sunday to cater for weekend waste disposal as the centre will be closed on Saturday, 25 April for ANZAC Day.The facility will be open to the public on Sunday, 26 April from 9am to 4pm.All residents and business operators can currently dispose of general waste and green waste, but bookings are essential.People can book online at http://www.northernriverswaste.com.au – a vehicle registration number and email address is required. Anyone without internet access can phone 1300 87 83 87 during business hours to book.Residents are asked to be aware of the following changed operating procedures at the facility due to COVID-19:• Waste must be securely contained, wrapped or bagged so the contents cannot spill. • All waste accepted at the facility (including household recycling and household items) will be treated as COVID-19 contaminated and charged at the general waste rate. • Customers are urged to store recycling and large household items until operations return to normal. Customers that choose to bring these items to the facility will be charged at the general waste rate of $298 per tonne. Council must treat all items as COVID-19 contaminated and send them to landfill, which is why the general waste rate must be charged. • Green waste is being accepted as normal but bookings are now required. Please note if there is anything other than organic matter found in green waste, the full load will be charged at the general waste rate. • All visitors must pay using electronic payment – cash is no longer accepted. Please use tap and go wherever possible. • Existing waste vouchers will be honoured. No new vouchers will be issued until further notice. • No hazardous materials will be accepted until further notice. The Lismore Revolve Shop, the Container Deposit Scheme bulk collection centre, the Brewster Street Drop-off Centre and the Lismore Rainforest Botanic Gardens are all closed until further notice.For bookings visit http://www.northernriverswaste.com.au or phone 1300 87 83 87.

Employment has become an even bigger issue since coronavirus has impacted on the local market. So as far as the future of employment in our region goes, what do we need to do?A new project looking at how we solve regional employment issues is calling for submissions to help inform the North Coast Employment Strategy 2020-2025.The project is a collaboration between Regional Development Australia Northern Rivers (RDANR) and Regional Development Australia Mid North Coast (RDAMNC).The two organisations hope their new joint discussion paper, survey and call for submissions can be a catalyst for change.RDANR director Tim Williamson said the impact of bushfires and Covid-19 during 2019/20 have highlighted the need to work together at a regional level to address the challenges impacting both businesses and jobseekers.“RDA Northern Rivers has recently modelled the impact of Covid-19 on the local economy,” he said.“The results indicate that thousands of Northern Rivers workers could be unemployed due to the coronavirus shutdown, and the crisis will have an impact on businesses and the economy for years to come.“Opening discussions around how employment programmes and initiatives are approached can be a tool to better drive initiatives.”Mr Williamson said the Grattan Institute also researched the impact that the current crisis will have on young people, women and those on lower incomes.“They are likely to work in occupations and industries most affected by the shutdowns and spatial distancing measures imposed to slow the spread of the virus,” he said. “Key organisations, jobseekers, long-term unemployed, carers need to be at the centre of any proposed solutions. Currently initiatives are too often replicated and repeated over time, as funding expires for one focus group and ultimately replaced to be directed towards another.The new project will gather feedback from stakeholders to help laying the foundations for programs that align with the recommendations of the final North Coast Employment Strategy.The Regional Australia Institute has also partnered with the program and will contribute to the final document and advocacy.Submissions close on May 12 and the release of the North Coast Employment Strategy is scheduled for June 23.To contribute, you can complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/northcoastemploymentYou can download the discussion paper from http://rdamnc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/North-Coast-Employment-Strategy-DISCUSSION-PAPER.pdfYou can email feedback to either Tim Williamson director@rdanorthernrivers.org.au, or Kerry Grace ceo@rdamnc.org.au

Lismore’s under-utilised airport will soon be revitalised by the establishment of a new international aviation academy to train commercial pilots. While world air travel is mostly on pause due to coronavirus restrictions, the new training academy will place Lismore on the map, poised to take advantage of the future predicted growth in the need for skilled aviation staff. Lismore Mayor Isaac Smith today announced the new partnership with international aviation company Airways Aviation.“This is very exciting news for our city and will give our local economy a significant boost and bring an opportunity for domestic and international students to come here,” he said.Mayor Smith said once coronavirus restrictions were ended, the idea was to begin with 20 students, and increase the potential to hundreds of students later. “It’s the beginning of what could be a big thing for Lismore,” he said. “This is a project that council staff have been working on to maximise the economic benefits from the airport. This includes securing a Federal Government grant at the last election to invest $4.5 million in a Instrument Landing System so that we could attract pilot training schools.”The new academy will work in partnership with Southern Cross University, which already runs aviation training out of its Gold Coast campus. “Now we can deliver the same training in Lismore and make it equally as successful," Mayor Smith said.“We can offer commercial career driven opportunities for students.”Airways Aviation will lease part of the Lismore Airport Terminal for commercial pilot training while its students study a Bachelor of Business Aviation Management at Southern Cross University.Airways Aviation, which already has training academies on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, will join the Northern Rivers Aero Club, Fast Aviation and TAFE NSW which offer aviation training at the airport.Airways Aviation founder Romy Hawatt said his company had the largest training fleet of diamond aircraft in the world, with a large Airways Aviation Academy (ESMA) already set up in France. “We have 50 aircraft in our fleet and we offer training in multi disciplines, from pilot training to engineering and cabin crew,” he said.“We see a unique opportunity in Lismore. It’s a rural location, with no burden of controlled airspace and it’s a large training area. “It’s hard to find places like that to train pilots in the world.”Council and Aviation Australia are now working on the design and build of the new academy at Lismore airport. Mr Hawatt said it could be on the cards for the company to bring some of their flight simulators to the new facility as part of the strategic planning of the new design.Considering that Virgin Australia are currently in receivership, Mr Hawatt also saw an “accelerated and unprecedented demand in the need for aviation industry professionals.”“Virgin airlines will not be allowed to fail,” Mr Hawatt said.“Qantas can’t be the only airline - we need competition and a number of airlines are lined up to bid for the assets of Virgin and I believe that airline will spring back stronger than ever before.“The world’s population is rushing toward 10 billion people and the upwardly mobile percentage is growing too, and they will be looking to travel by air.“All goods, services and deliverables rely on airports –and they are essential for keeping the economy running.“Aviation is a key industry and the largest feeder industry in the world, from tourism to cargo.“Major courier companies like FedX own the largest fleets of airlines in the world – cargo is a massive part of aviation and a growing part of it that delivers goods in real time.“We provide the disciplines, skills and career opportunities to feed into that industry.R”esearch by Boeing has found that over the next 20 years that an additional 804,000 new civil aviation pilots will be needed, 769,000 new maintenance technicians and 914,000 new cabin crew.”Mr Hawatt said there would mostly be Cessna 172 and 182 aircraft flying in the Lismore fleet.“We have small, light category aircraft – there are no big heavy aircraft operating here,” he said. The Airways Aviation Group currently offer a range of certified Australian CASA, European EASA, ICAO and IATA courses designed to meet the rapidly increasing demand for Commercial Pilots, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Avionics, Ground Handlers and Cabin Crew.

Normally, Wilson McLellan would leave rosemary at the Lismore cenotaph on Anzac Day. But this year, under social distancing regulations, everything will change.Wilson has been the secretary of the Returned Servicemen’s League (RSL) Lismore City sub-branch for 21 years and said despite not being able to gather for the usual dawn service at the cenotaph, he encourages people to still pay their respects to those who have fallen in wartimes. The cenotaph at Lismore Memorial Baths.“We can’t do much at all this year, but people can have their own driveway service," he said.“It’s easy, at dawn go to your driveway, have a moment's silence, or have your own service. “You can say a few words to acknowledge the fact that many paid the supreme sacrifice all those years ago, as well as the ongoing conflicts still happening in the world.”Wilson said it was important that we continue to remember Anzac Day because “in the long run, it might give people more thought about what’s to come”.“There’s a lot of young blokes left Australia shores and never came home,” Wilson said. “We remember them at dawn especially, because that’s when they landed at Gallipoli and the whole ANZAC movement began,” he said.“It’s time of refection for all war, including World Wars 1 and 2, the Korean and Vietnam wars and all armed conflicts.“Some soldiers came home with internal baggage and we take time to remember.“We don’t want more war - it’s said after every war and we are still learning.“My two great uncles’ names from WW1 are engraved on the on inside entrance to the memorial baths - they never came home.”How You Can Commemorate ANZAC Day 2020Click on The Lismore App ANZAC Day button to hear the Last Post and see historic Anzac Day photos Light up the dawnAt 6am on ANZAC Day, go to the end of your driveway or stand on your balcony and listen to a brief commemorative service. Together – even while apart – we’ll remember those who served and sacrificed. You can sign the pledge to light up the dawn at http://www.rslanzacspirit.com.au Tune into live services and virtual commemorative servicesThe ABC will be broadcasting a 5.30am service from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. There will also be a 10am service from the Anzac Memorial in Sydney that will be broadcast on ABC and streamed live.Reach out to a mate who might be aloneMany people are alone during this time of isolation. It’s an opportunity to invoke the ANZAC value of mateship and check to see how a mate is doing. Donate to the ANZAC Appeal online at http://www.anzacappeal.com.auDonations support Australian veterans and their families in need. Donations in New South Wales support services provided by RSL DefenceCare and Veteran Sport Australia.

"Cautiously optimistic while remaining vigilant" are the words from Wayne Jones, Chief Executive Northern NSW Local Health District today after another "0" in today's column of new confirmed COVID19 cases. Lismore remains at 5 for yet another day bringing the total of coronavirus free days to 23, with the last increase on March 31.While there have been no new recorded cases of COVID-19 in residents of the Northern NSW Local Health District for 6 days now, Mr Jones is reminding the community that it is not yet time to relax or celebrate.The Local Health District is encouraging everyone in the community to continue practicing social distancing, staying at home, and keeping high standards of hygiene.Mr Jones said the lack of any new cases should be considered a positive sign that the majority of people are doing the right thing, but there is still a chance we could see more spread of the disease if we are not careful and united in our behaviour.“Although many of us may feel cautiously optimistic, our organisation is remaining vigilant, and I urge community members to do so as well,” Mr Jones said.“As an additional safety measure, we are now screening all staff on arrival to work at public hospitals and health services. This has already been implemented for hospital visitors for almost two weeks.“We are pleased to see the number of new cases of COVID-19 stabilise across NSW and are encouraged by the community’s willingness to come forward for testing.Anyone who is feeling unwell with a fever, cough or other symptoms of COVID-19 should call their GP for assessment or attend their nearest COVID clinic to be assessed for testing.“We’re also encouraging anyone who works with vulnerable populations, such as in aged care or disability settings, or in close contact with others to present for testing if they have any symptoms, however mild. The absence of a temperature is no guarantee of being COVID-19 negative.”NNSWLHD can now confirm that at least 32 people infected with COVID-19 have recovered, out of the total 56 cases in the District. That figure is correct as at 8pm Tuesday 21 April 2020.To find out how long it takes people infected with COVID-19 to recover, NSW Health staff have begun contacting all cases at three weeks after their illness to ask them about their COVID-19 symptoms. 

A man has been charged over an alleged shooting in the state’s north at the weekend.About 6.30am on Sunday (19 April 2020), a man found a 19-year-old woman on a Nimbin property with a severe injury to her left hand.She was taken to Nimbin Hospital before being flown to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane for further treatment.Police will allege the woman was in a Subaru Impreza earlier that morning with a 22-year-old man, travelling around the Lillian Rock area, about 11km north-west of Nimbin, when she was shot in the hand. She got out of the vehicle and ran to find help.Officers from Richmond Police District commenced an investigation and conducted extensive inquiries to locate the 22-year-old man.About 10.45am yesterday (Tuesday 21 April 2020), police attached to Tweed/Byron Traffic and Highway Patrol were travelling south along Dulguigan Road, Murwillumbah, when they noticed an allegedly stolen white Hyundai Accent travelling north.Police activated all warning lights and initiated a pursuit, with the vehicle allegedly travelling 140km/hr in a signposted 80km/hr zone.The pursuit was terminated a short time later before police located the vehicle at Terranora Road, Terranora, and initiated a second pursuit.The Hyundai lost control and travelled down an embankment before police arrested the alleged driver – a 22-year-old man.He was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station before being transferred to Tweed Heads Hospital under police guard, for treatment to existing injuries.He has since been charged with the following offences and an outstanding revocation of parole warrant was also executed:Discharge firearm etc with intent to cause grievous bodily harmDrive motor vehicle during disqualification period (x2)Police pursuit - not stop - drive at speed (x2)Drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerousPossess prohibited drugUse class A vehicle with unauthorised number plate affixedGoods in personal custody suspected being stolen (not motor vehicle)Use unregistered registrable Class A motor vehicle on roadUse uninsured motor vehicleThe man has been refused bail to appear at Lismore Local Court today (Wednesday 22 April 2020).Investigations are continuing.

The Special Rates Variation is finally and officially dead after iPart processed and displayed the letter submitted by Lismore City Council General manager Shelley Oldham late yesterday.Lismore City Council had submitted an application for the SRV on February 12 for a 24% cumulative increase over four years to raise much needed funds for infrastructure projects such as roads.There has been a great deal of speculation as to why the application was not processed sooner following the Council vote against the submission on March 10. Shelley Oldham has been adamant when questioned by the media and councillors that the document had been sent to iPart and the withdrawal of the SRV was with their department.This is the letter that was posted on the iPart website.With the SRV out of the conversation, the big question is "what services the Lismore City Council will have to cut to stay solvent for the rest of 2020"? (Lismore City Council to run out of money, tough decisions ahead).NEWS: CBD business rates to drop; homeowners' rates to rise

If you interested in exhibiting at Lismore Regional Gallery, you are invited to submit your proposal now.Artist submissions should include images, a CV/ Artists Bio (including contact details), web links (if available) and an exhibition statement.Artists will be paid an Artist’s Fee of $500 and the submission deadline is April 27. Gallery director Brett Addlington said the plan was to have the first floor of the gallery showcase curated exhibitions, touring exhibitions, as well as a dedicated gallery for the permanent collection."We will balance our program in these spaces across the year so that it reflects the diverse interests and voices of people from our region and beyond," he said."The prominently located downstairs gallery will prioritise local early career artists in a program of about eight exhibitions per year."The gallery has gallery lighting and hanging tracks."Artists will receive a fee of $500 per show, and be expected to help with installation/de-installation."With a large floor to ceiling window, the gallery space will be highly visible to people passing by and those engaging in activities in the Lismore Quadrangle."Exhibition proposals can be submitted anytime throughout the year and selected by a panel. A selection panel will assess all proposals following our deadline (27 April 2020). Exhibitions assessed in the April 2020 round will be programmed from April 2021, primarily in the downstairs Jenny Dowell Gallery.To apply, email your applications to: art.gallery@lismore.nsw.gov.au  For more information, visit https://lismoregallery.org/cp_themes/default/page.asp?p=DOC-WVH-06-81-52#.Xp5uqshLhPa

ANZAC Day 2020 will be like no other in our living memory. Gone are the crowds, the street parades and the sense of a community coming together to commemorate a special day in our annual calendars.To keep this tradition alive, the Lismore App wants everyone to still rise early and take their mobile phones down to the end of their driveways or on their patios or verandahs. You are encouraged to light a candle or turn on your mobile phone torch on as you would at a dawn service. Then at 6am play the Ode and Last Post link on your ANZAC Day button and have the one minute silence to remember those that have given so much for our community and country.To motivate you and your family to continue the ANZAC tradition, I would like you to read a story about another ANZAC legend. Norman Alex Melville.The name Norman Melville may sound familiar to some of you. Think Melville Silk Shoppe and now the iconic Melville House on Ballina Road.Norman was born in Lake Cargelligo, NSW in 1892 and was the eldest boy of five children.Norman and his best mate Roy decided to join Australia's war effort together in 1915 at the age of 23. They were in the 20th battalion AIF.Not many soldiers wrote in a diary during their time at war but Norman did. What follows are excerpts from his dairy. While not full of detail they piece together a picture of Norman's experience at Gallipoli.(Norman's diary, medals, dog tags and emblems)1915 June 26 "left for Egypt from Sydney on the steamer Berrima."July 26 "disembarked the boat and took the train to Cairo. The sand is awful".August 3 "I am transferring from the infantry to machine gun section."August 15 "boarded a ship for the Dardanelles."August 23 landed at Gallipoli, "bullets and shrapnel flying everywhere"September 10 "watched beachy Bill (Turkish artillery gun that fired down on Australian troops).September 18 "nearly got hit by a sniper, too damn close to be healthy"October 10 "15 weeks away from Australia, doesn't seem that long."October 22 "cold and raining a treat. Bomb (hand grenade) landed 15 metres away."October 31 "new bomb issued" (diagram in diary)November 27 "snowing and muddy"December 5 "expecting Turkish attacks at any time"December 6 "rumours about being relieved. Hope so because we are nearly finished."December "evacuated from Gallipoli"Norman suffered shrapnel wounds in December 1915 (date unclear).1916 January 3 "on a ship home to Sydney"January 8 "being chased by two submarines"Norman arrived at Sydney heads at 5am on Wednesday May 16, 1916. Sailing into the harbour at 7:40am.For soldiers like Norman who risked so much, remember them this Saturday at 6am (ANZAC Day).Lest we forget.

Living with others can be stressful, but with the added pressure of the coronavirus outbreak, now is the time for housemates to practise good communication … and hygiene.Southern Cross University mental health expert Professor John Hurley says dealing with a housemate who isn’t adhering to strict social distancing measures can be tricky.“The best advice I can give to people who want to inform a housemate about the importance of social distancing, is being able to let them know your position, but doing so without any heavy emotion,” Prof Hurley said.“No matter what your situation is, you can’t actually make other people do what you want them to do. They have to make a personal choice regarding their own personal responsibility.“The best you can do is have a direct honest conversation.”Prof Hurley says the key is communicating without becoming angry or overly emotional – an important skill during times of stress.“If your emotions are heightened, chances are your housemate won’t hear the message or your sound reasoning, but only the anger or emotion within the message.”Before talking with your housemate, Professor Hurley said there are three steps to work through:1. You need to work out what outcome you want2. Regulate your own emotion3. Do everything and say everything in a way that will help get the outcome you want“It’s appropriate to let the person know their decision not to isolate could impact vulnerable people, and ask them if that is the kind of person they’d like to be. That way they are required to reflect on their own behaviour without you judging their behaviour,” Prof Hurley said.“Where possible it is beneficial to foster positive housemate relationships and feelings of ‘being in this together’ and being on the same team, as these are the people you may be spending a fair bit of time with under the same roof.“As a household you can visit health department websites that give up to date information and show how to maintain hand hygiene so that you are all ‘armed’ with the same information.”Professor John Hurley specialises in youth and mental health and emotional intelligence.

The NSW Government is considering whether to phase out several plastics and wants your help to decide what the plan of action should be. A short five minute survey has been developed to gather your feedback about the 'Cleaning Up Our Act: Redirecting the Future of Plastic in NSW' discussion paper.The discussion paper provides details of the proposed comprehensive action plan to reduce plastic use and manage plastic waste and pollution in NSW.Your views on the targets and priority directions proposed in the discussion paper will inform the development of the NSW Plastics Plan.Some of the questions proposed include: What issues will we need to address when we begin to implement and enforce the phase outs? Do you support the target to reduce plastic litter items by 25% by 2025? Do you support a requirement for all new plastic packaging to contain at least 30% recycled plastic by 2025?Do you support making producers of plastic items more responsible for collecting and recycling in NSW?To take part in the survey, click here.

The skies of Goonellabah and the walls of the Rochdale Theatre were lit up by laser lights last week when Lismore Theatre Company joined in solidarity with other arts organisations around the country.The local theatre company took part in Light Unite on April 15 to raise awareness of the impacts of the global pandemic on the entertainment and arts industries. The lights showed messages thanking medical professionals for the work they are during during the coronavirus pandemic.Lismore Theatre Company’s technician Luke Kane said traditionally theatres are not dark for long and having every theatre in Australia shut down is unprecedented. “All theatres whether professional or community based are feeling the financial and emotional effects,” Luke said. “It was a great way to bring a little colour to keep our spirits up during this period as almost everybody in the entertainment industry is currently unemployed.“All of the theatre’s productions are currently on hold, but the volunteers will be back stronger than ever and we will be keen to welcome more people to be part of our theatre.”While in this forced period of closure, the company is posting photos of past shows on its Facebook page and providing links to the many free on-line productions streaming from theatre companies around the world. 

Today’s announcement by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian that students will return to school from May 11 (week three of term two), has been received with mixed feelings by local parents.Lismore parent Binnie O’Dwyer is still unsure if she will send her two children – in Years 6 and 9 - back to school, under the Premier’s piecemeal approach. The Premier has said initially, students will return will one day a week and then, progressively, two days a week. “And then we hope by the end of term two we'll be in a position to have students going back to school in a full-time capacity, by term three," Ms Berejiklian said.Parents will also be asked to stagger drop-off and pick-up times, and recess and lunch breaks will be staggered within schools.Binnie is a single mother, working full-time and said the premier’s suggested return guidelines sounds complicated.“I would prefer an all or nothing approach,” Binnie said.“Keeping track of which day is their school day or what time is the lunch break is will be hard to manage for me. It might be easy for some parents, but I work full time too.“It’s already a bit overwhelming with the amount of email communication I need to keep on top of from the school."They are sending one email per subject per day for the online education delivery.“It’s tricky knowing what to do. Learning online is hard for one of my kids and we have one computer for three people in our house. “I know the kids would both be willing to go back to school if they knew all their friends were there, but they might not all be there at the same time,” Binnie said.“I’m happy to comply with the rules, but initially I thought we’ll just wait until term three – then I know they are safe and engaged at school each day.“If they miss six months of school, they won’t die – they are relaxed and happy.”Extra safety measuresPremier Berejiklian also announced extra measures to ensure safety would be set up at schools, including extra cleaning, sanitiser and health provisions - including forehead thermometers and health equipment in sick bays."We've made sure we have used this time not just to build up our online capacity, in case children - or a proportion of them - need to continue learning from home, but we've also made sure we have enough hand sanitiser, soap, and all those things which make a school community feel safe, not just be safe," she said."Schools will also have capacity for temperature checks where they think it's appropriate. There will also be extra cleaning of playground equipment and other things during the day."This is really to ensure that not only are our school communities safe, but everybody feels safe within them, whether you're a parent, student and of course our teachers."Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said individual schools would have "flexibility and discretion" while managing the gradual return of students."We want them to make sure they are having about a quarter of students on campus each day, but how they break that group up will be a matter for them," Ms Mitchell said."But we are asking them to certainly consider family groupings, keeping siblings together, so that will make it a lot easier for parents as we transition back to normal schooling."Ms Mitchell also said casual teachers would be guaranteed work in term two, if they had already done 10 days of teaching in term one.

According to Northern Rivers snake catcher Jack Hogan, red belly black snakes prefer to hang out near creeks, and the area near Lismore’s Trinity Catholic College has a good population of them.Despite the cooling weather, the autumn days are still sunny and snakes are about, soaking up the warmth.Jack is one of the few people in the area catching snakes (apart from local wildlife rescue groups) and is getting calls from concerned locals who have unwanted snakes they want relocated. “Snakes don’t go into hibernation in winter,” Jack said.“They have a period of slow metabolism called brumation, so they become sluggish and rely on the sun’s energy to get warm. That’s why in the cooler weather, you see them on roads or in warmer spots near houses.”Jack has been a professional snake catcher for three years, but grew up on a farm and has been catching snakes all his life.This week, it took five attempts and over two hours for to catch a red belly black snake hiding under a car.“I tried to get a hold of him in a way that wouldn’t hurt him, and so he couldn’t turn around and bite me,” Jack said. “Snakes have delicate rib cages and scales made of keratin that don’t like to be rubbed the wrong way - I didn’t want to yank him out. “I don’t use tongs like some snake catchers – they can cause damage."Yellow-faced whip snake.Are eastern brown snakes the bin turkeys of Lismore?The snake was one of many that Jack gets called to catch and relocate – like the eastern brown snake he removed from the front steps of Lismore’s Centrelink recently. “He was a young, quick and not happy,” Jack said. “To get him, I had to squeeze into the high walls in front of Centrelink, hoping he wasn’t near my ankle - and then release him in grass by the river.Jack gets a lot of calls from people in the Channon, Dunoon and Rosebank areas. He says the snakes found in those areas are more interesting, more endangered - and often older and bigger. “I was called to remove a large death adder at the Channon a couple of weeks ago,” Jack said. “There’s not as many of them around anymore – I found a newspaper article from 1978 that said there were large ones in the dunes near Byron, but now they are more in the hinterlands like the Channon.”Jack said that as housing development encroaches on animal habitat, it’s pushing snakes further into suburban areas.“Eastern browns won’t just flee to the bush, and they get a bad reputation because they are poisonous,” Jack said.“But they are very adaptable and thrive on our waste products, so that’s why we encounter them more.”GoonellabahIn Goonellabah, one of the most common snakes he is called to relocate are common tree snakes. “There’s lots of elderly people in Goonellabah with nice citrus trees and frog ponds, so common tree snakes hang out there. Then they enter people’s houses and garages. “Snakes love the higher parts of Lismore where there’s grassy, rocky terrain and horses and agriculture.Jack’s mission is to educate people to live harmoniously with snakes and understand them better.“It’s our fault we have so many snakes,” he said. “They don’t choose to terrorise people – they move from a to b and we encounter them.“The only reason a snake will bite is if it fears for its life. Common sense is to leave the snake alone and call someone to help relocate it. “Only a small percentage of people actually step on a venomous snake if they are walking – and if you stay calm and go to the hospital, there’s a 98% survival rate.”Jack said snakes are often mis-identified, and the mildly venomous yellow faced whip snake is often mistaken for the eastern brown snake.If you’ve seen a snake in your yard, be aware that juvenile snakes vary in colour and patterning. Jack has seen eastern brown snakes with stripes on their backs, or spots on their heads with orange down their backs .His advice is “leave snakes alone”. “Call a snake catcher, stay at a safe distance put pets and children away from the snake,” Jack said.“Stay calm and watch from a distance and if possible send a picture of it to the snake catcher. “If we can put fear and ignorance aside and gain a healthier understand of these animals, it will he good for the snakes and us.”Don’t worry, when Jack relocates a snake, he releases it in a place according to official guidelines within a set radius of where the snake was found - often near bush or creek lines, but well enough away from roads and houses. To contact Jack, you can phone him on 0411 039 373, or find him on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/snakecatchernorthernrivers/

After weeks of looking at cheaper petrol prices all around Lismore like Casino, Newrybar and Evans Head, it looks like we can finally save some money at the petrol bowser.The United petrol station on Ballina Road has unleaded E10 for 114.9. The lowest we have seen prices in a long time.As we look around on Petrol Spy unfortunately the rest of the petrol stations are still charging 129.9.In these COVID19 times when a tank of petrol lasts a month, when it used to last one week, it does pay to shop around. United on Ballina Road is your cheapest option to fill the tank today.Casino has 106.9 pricing, Coraki 112.9 but the winner is still Newrybar which has dropped to 99.9!Lismore should have more lower prices ahead.