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Latest News
Appeal to locate missing man – Tweed Heads
Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from Tweed Heads West.
Other News
Byron’s Sydney-centric policies
Very interesting comments slipped out of the mouth of Premier Chris Minns during the recent Sydney/regional floods: ‘There shall...
Coffs Harbour man charged for alleged online grooming of young girl
Sex Crimes Squad detectives have charged a Coffs Harbour man for alleged online grooming offences under Strike Force Trawler.
Heavy music with a bang!
Heavy music is back at The Northern this week, with a bang! Regular Backroom legends Dead Crow and Mudwagon are joined by Dipodium and Northern Rivers locals Liminal and Puff – the plan is to raise the roof on Thursday at The Northern. This is definitely a night, and a mosh, not to miss. Entry is free!
Keeping watch on Tyalgum Road
Residents keen to stay up to date on the status of the temporary track at Tyalgum Road – particularly during significant rain events – are urged to sign up to a new SMS alert system launched by Tweed Shire Council.
REDinc’s new Performing Arts Centre is go!
It’s been a long wait, but two years on from the 2022 flood REDinc in Lismore have announced the official opening of a new Performing Arts Centre.
Rebuilding communities from Lennox and Evans Head to Coraki and Woodburn
In February and March 2022, our region was subject to a series of weather events that causeed one of the nation’s worst recorded flood disasters. The economic impact of a natural disaster can be felt far beyond the damage to housing and infrastructure.
Stories about "pill testing":
Success for Queensland’s first drug testing at Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival
The sun was peeking through the clouds as festival-goers arrived at the Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival in Queensland over the Easter weekend.
Frogs, fertility, toads and drugs
My mother inculcated me with a love of science, which somehow survived a run of sadistic chemistry teachers who staggeringly discouraged creative experiments in the lab. Like making LSD, and smallish explosive devices.
Queensland begins pill testing for illicit drugs
The Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, The Honourable Yvette D'Ath, announced on Saturday that pill testing for illicit drugs has the green light.
Amnesty bins to be used at music festivals
Deputy Coroner’s recommendations following the inquest into the deaths of six patrons at NSW music festivals included actions such as safe pill testing and a permanent drug checking facility – Premier Gladys Berejiklian has rejected most of them.
Naked and told to squat in a corner: a 16-yr-old’s Splendour experience
Sixteen years old, lining up to get into a music festival, separated from friends, taken into a tent and forced to strip.
Editorial: MDMA, festivals, and you
With many of you coming to the area to enjoy Splendour in the Grass this week, let’s talk about something perhaps your parents, teachers, and preachers have not broached – drugs!
Acting mayor ‘happy’ to push for pill testing
Acting Byron Shire mayor Michael Lyon says if anyone wants the council to call on the NSW government for pill-testing at festivals, all they need do is ask.
Call for candidates to take a stand on pill testing
Local candidates for the next state election must be willing to break from party lines on the issue of pill testing in the interests of saving the lives of local young people, local youth workers say.
Labor to consider pill testing at music festivals: Pugh
Labor Ballina candidate Asren Pugh says he will push to ensure the option of pill testing at music festivals is included in a ‘drug summit’ to be held if Labor wins the NSW election. But he has stopped short of stating pill testing is – or will become – Labor Party policy.
Call for pill testing after party death
The recent death of Jake Monahan from Nimbin and the treatment and hospitalisation of two other men at the recent rave in Mount Lindesay has sparked debate on the use of pill testing for illegal drugs.
Local News
Police out in force over the ANZAC Day weekend with double demerit points
Anzac Day memorials and events are being held around the country and many people have decided to couple this with a long weekend.
Local News
Child protection workers walk off the job in Lismore
Lismore and Ballina child protection caseworkers stopped work to protest outside the defunct Community Services Centre in Lismore yesterday after two years of working without an office. They have been joined by Ballina child protection caseworkers who had their office shut in January.
Political Comment
Youth crime is increasing – what to do?
There is something strange going on with youth crime in rural and regional Australia. Normally, I treat hysterical rising delinquency claims with a pinch of salt – explicable by an increase in police numbers, or a headline-chasing tabloid, or a right-wing politician.
Local News
Coffs Harbour man charged for alleged online grooming of young girl
Sex Crimes Squad detectives have charged a Coffs Harbour man for alleged online grooming offences under Strike Force Trawler.
