Rodney Stevens, Clarence Valley Independent

A $26.2 million initiative to tackle regional crime launched last week by the NSW Government that aims to address the increased rate of offending and community safety doesn’t go far enough claims Clarence MP Richie Williamson, who has called for locals to share experiences of crime on a new website.

News of an escalation in youth crime in the Clarence Valley has gone right to the top of the Coffs Clarence Police District, with the Commander, Superintendent Joanne Schultz involved in implementing prevention and intervention strategies to prevent re-offending. Superintendent Schultz told the CV Independent the police district has deployed resources locally to tackle the problem of youth crime.

Winnebago owners from four states converged on the Anchorage Holiday Park at Iluka last week, united by social media the group collectively travelled tens of thousands of kilometres to enjoy their motorhomes in the town the models were named after – Iluka ... last year’s inaugural Winnebago Iluka pilgrimage saw 21 motorhome owners from around Australia visit Iluka for an annual event that continues to grow.

The grandson of Albert "Ernie" Carr, whose family formerly owned five farms around the Carrs Drive area at West Yamba, has expressed concern that areas he knew as swampland when growing up are being overdeveloped.

Clarence Valley Council will call on the Minns NSW Government to implement regulatory reform and budgetary funding provisions to address $1.36 billion of cost-shifting the state government expected councils to fund in the 2021-2022 financial year, a figure that is increasing yearly ... Based on the 2021 Census population figures for the Clarence Valley Local Government Area LGA of 54,115, this equates to $24,929,157.05 cost-shifted onto Clarence Valley Council CVC ratepayers in the 2021-2022 financial year.

The battle to prevent Varroa Mite has entered a new phase with the National Management Group approving the Transition to Management plan to manage the invasive pest, a move one of the region’s largest beekeepers says is a step in the right direction ... “There’s been a lot more going on in the industry than just Varroa,” Steve Fuller said.

Yamba has earned the unenviable reputation as the state’s hotspot for sharks after the NSW Department of Primary Industries shark tagging program recorded 17,501 detections of Great White, Tiger, and Bull Sharks off local beaches last year.

The Grafton Ngerrie Local Aboriginal Land Council is set to take over about half of the historic Grafton Gaol site after a landmark agreement with the NSW Government ... “This site will be used to serve the wider community and provide much-needed job and training opportunities for local Aboriginal people and the broader Clarence Valley community”: Grafton Ngerrie LALC Chairperson Roslyn Kennedy.

As community concerns grow after a nest of imported Red Fire Ants were detected at Wardell on January 19, there are fears one of the world’s most destructive and invasive pest may have been spread to NSW from Queensland during recovery efforts from the devastating 2022 floods.