Susanna Freymark, indyNR.com

450 POSTS

Investors snap up cheaper flood-hit homes in Woodburn

Houses in Woodburn are selling for 30% less since the floods. Flood damaged homes are on the market but most listings don’t show the asking price ... It is a sensitive time with some residents deciding to sell and leave the area. Some simply can’t face another flood.

Home of my own: Eight people move in to new affordable housing units

There were 120 applicants for the eight new affordable housing units in Casino. Eight people now have a home to call their own. Momentum Collective with support from the State Government opened the $2 million affordable housing building in South Casino on May 6.

Election: Pick your own preferences. Here’s the candidates’ telling selections

When you head to the voting booth, you will be listing the Page candidates 1 to 10. One is your first choice, 2 is your second and so on. Number 10 is for your least favourite candidate. Your preferences matter.

‘There is no business as usual. This is still a crisis’: Stories and solutions at inquiry from those who survived the floods

Four minutes. That was the time people had to tell their story at the flood inquiry in Lismore on May 3. It was clear from the emotion in people’s voices that telling their story wasn’t easy ... For two hours, people used their four minutes on the microphone to tell the auditorium audience and the convenors who sat on stage what the flood meant to them.

Three reasons to go to Kyogle Writers Festival – and it isn’t only to sniff books

Reason 1: The books. Whenever I go to a writer’s festival, I choose one book to buy. This is a budgetary decision, not a choice. I’d happily buy every book from every author at the festival. Before I even get to the Kyogle Writers Festival I have my eye on a few after perusing the program.

Hornet highlight: Video and photos of the fast jet in the sky

Richard Malawkin managed to take some stunning photos of the F/A-18F Super Hornet flying over Kyogle on April 25. The jet was fast yet Richard captured an image. Here’s how he did it ...

Norco to increase purchase price of milk to help farmers with flood recovery

Norco dairy farmers are to receive an immediate price increase of five cents a litre to support them in farm production after the floods. Norco Co-operative’s 281 members will receive the extra five cents a litre paid as a co-operative premium above the normal milk prices, taking the average price to 84c a litre.

Delivered: 25 out of 2000 housing pods for people made homeless by floods

Twenty-five of these homes, also called pods, were delivered to Wollongbar Sports Fields in Ballina Shire this weekend. Many more homes are expected to be delivered to Richmond Valley, Tweed, Byron and Lismore LGAs. Suitable sites in these areas are being discussed.

Locals patrol their own community to deter looters as town rebuilds after floods

When Woodburn resident Melanie Connell heard that looters were taking what little people had left, she decided to do something about it ... Melanie wanted residents to know that if they see torches shining into  empty backyards, it is the community group looking out for them.

Liesl has a dream to sing on The Voice. Her first single brings her closer to that dream.

Kyogle’s Liesl Pederson spends her day at the front of the classroom teaching students at Casino Public School. But she has a dream that goes way beyond the classroom — she wants to sing.