Last night a packed Suffolk Park Hotel exploded with cheers at around 8pm when the ABC broadcast computer popped up a Green result for Ballina and the return of Tamara Smith to the seat she has held for the last eight years.

Janelle Saffin is in the lead for the seat of Lismore after yesterday's state election. Although preroll and postal votes are yet to be counted, it’s hard to imagine Saffin’s position changing.

Live Traffic reports that the M1 Pacific Motorway at Gulgan Road off-ramp at Brunswick Heads has been blocked since 6.10am this morning by a crash involving a B-Double where there has been a person trapped.

A 23-year-old man was homeless at the time police allegedly found him carrying $10,000 in cash together with cannabis, steroids and benzodiazepines at Skennars Head earlier this year.

Kingscliff property developer Gales Holgins is seeking to increase truck movements by bringing in fill from the M1 road works rather than using fill from the development site. But Kingscliff Ratepayers and Progress Association say that the impact on residents and business is too high a cost to pay.

It was a fatal error – driving half a kilometre into Mullumbimby to pick up a carton of milk. My partner drove while I conducted reconnaissance for that elusive parking spot. 

Byron Mayor, Simon Richardson (Greens), is again remaining mute over questions around Council’s court loss, this time over a fencing dispute in Suffolk Park.

When local musician Lisa Hunt arrived for a meeting with police last Thursday she was hoping for a somewhat friendlier reception than she had received on the last occasion.