The Mullumbimby Chamber of Commerce and Community with First National Real Estate have stepped up and provided $1,000 of equipment for the new 20-bed Care Awaiting Placement (CAP) ward at Byron Central Hospital that opened in June.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin today welcomed 22 new probationary constables deployed to regional police districts, including two in the Northern Rivers.

With the absence of all four of its progressive councillors for various reasons, Ballina Council pushed ahead with its agenda at yesterday's monthly meeting, including a decision which is likely to close Ross Lane for months while the road is upgraded.

With International Overdose Awareness Day approaching on 31 August, NSW now has the evidence, the tools and record overdose deaths but lacks the will on permanent, community based pill testing.

Urgent questions are being raised about Byron Bay’s future as the NSW government increasingly uses fast-tracked planning pathways that can allow major developments to bypass or vary local planning controls, including height limits, raising concerns about how Byron’s unique character, built environment, and community expectations will be protected.