Labor refuses Norco hospital supply reinstatement
The Minns NSW Labor Government slammed the door on Norco being reinstated as a supplier to NSW Health on the North and Mid-North Coast in parliament last week, despite a previous NSW government decision to dump the 100 per cent farmer owned co-operative being reversed. When the issue was raised in parliament last Wednesday night, a public interest debate erupted where a motion was put forward by the NSW Nationals calling on the Minns Government to reverse its decision.
Yagerbomb: First time candidate secures most initial count votes
As counting continues in the 2024 Local Government Elections first time candidate Cristie Yager had a clear lead in the initial count winning 13 of the 28 polling booths across the Clarence Valley ... Cristie Yager told the CV Independent she made an early declaration in February that she would be a candidate as she wanted to take an open approach and make her intentions publicly known as she worked toward polling day ... "Once I decided I would run for council I began to research," she said.
Endangered Coastal Emu chicks hatch
Logging has been stopped by the NSW Forestry Corporation in a Clarence Valley state forest after eggs found in an endangered Coastal Emu nest hatched last week, prompting calls for a wider exclusion zone to protect the species ... The FCNSW spokesperson said SoS program team members have seen the male emu and the chicks in the state forest.
Bluesfest 2024 $235 million economic impact
A report into the economic benefit of Bluesfest to the Northern Rivers region and the state has revealed the music festival, which is in jeopardy of not continuing beyond 2025, contributed $148 million to the region and $235 million to the NSW economy this year. Lawrence Consulting were contracted to prepare a report into the economic impact of Bluesfest which reveals significant economic contributions at a crucial time as the festival prepares for it’s final 2025 event…
Golden Girl Alexa Leary breaks world records, wins 2 gold and 1 silver
When Alexa Leary, who grew up in Yamba, was fighting for life in intensive care after an extremely serious 2021 cycling crash that almost claimed her life, her parents engaged a fortune teller who predicted she would survive and compete at the Paralympics. But the fortune teller didn't predict Alexa would become the golden girl of the 2024 Paris Paralympics by breaking the world record and taking home two gold medals...
Portrait project Uniting Caroona Yamba community
An innovative portrait project at Uniting Caroona Yamba by renowned local artist Harry Westera is uniting residents and staff, fostering a friendly community and preserving precious memories ... When his wife Grace, a Pastoral Carer at Caroona Yamba suggested he volunteer he took up the opportunity, and in 2 years he has hand drawn 91 portraits of residents, 52 of which adorn the walls of Caroona, with more being added regularly.
Yamba paralympian makes 50m final
Yamba’s Alexa Leary broke a Paralympic S9 record in her heat of the 50-metre freestyle in Paris last week with a blistering 27.69 second swim securing her a spot in the highly competitive final. The budding triathlon star’s world was turned upside down in 2021 in a severe cycling crash…
Iluka meeting – Rezoning not needed in housing strategy
After about half of the 873 public submissions Council received objecting to its draft Local Housing Strategy came from Iluka residents, about 200 people packed the Iluka Community Hall last Thursday to hear about the details of the revised strategy currently on exhibition ... "There is a concerning lack of disclosure in the revised housing strategy, and we wanted to let the community know what we had found": Sonya Maley, Iluka Focus Group member.
Call to action against gold and copper mining in Clarence River catchment
Corazon Mining has begun exploratory drilling at the May Queen target on Mount Gilmore for gold and copper in the Clarence River catchment northwest of Grafton and the Clarence Catchment Alliance are calling on locals to get involved to stop a mining licence being granted.
“Kick in the guts” – Norco dumped as NSW health supplier
Local Nationals MPs have joined forces to call out the NSW Heath Department’s decision to scrap Norco supplied milk to hospitals from the Tweed to Port Macquarie, a move that could threaten the livelihoods of Northern Rivers dairy farmers ... "Given our 129-year heritage in the Northern Rivers region, we are naturally disappointed by their decision to no longer support local and 100 per cent Australian-owned," the Norco spokesperson said.

