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Naracoorte’s meth “doctor”

More than 50 dealers of methamphetamine are currently active in the Naracoorte area, with one allegedly moving $14,000 worth per week, it has been claimed. In recent weeks, The News has been approached by several concerned residents claiming consumption of the illicit drug is growing in the local area. One such source, who spoke to The News on the condition of anonymity, claimed more than 50 active methamphetamine dealers were operating in Naracoorte, with peddlers also selling the product in Lucindale, Bordertown, Keith, and Mount Gambier.

151 Denmark people won’t be home for Christmas

A total of 151 Denmark people, aged one year to 87, are homeless or live in caravans, sheds, vehicles, tents, in overcrowded housing, sleep rough or couch surf. The number is expected to swell by 22 per cent by the end of the year due to people living in insecure housing ... more than 30 people were applying for each rental vacancy in Denmark, rents were ‘sky-high’, families were leaving Denmark and businesses were closing or reducing operating hours because of the staff shortage.

Arts markets forty years young

Serena Kirby. This December marks 40 years since the first Denmark Arts Market was held at Berridge Park. What started with just a handful of stallholders and a few locals casually playing music on the grass has grown into a regional drawcard that brings thousands of people to town on market days.

Retirement calls Buddhist leader at 89

The Mahakaruna Buddhist Society celebrated 21 years since it was established in Denmark on December 12 and marked the retirement of The Venerable Lozang Chodzin ... In 2003, Lozang Chodzin was ordained as a Buddhist nun and eventually took over the role of teacher.

Landcare champions in our own backyard

The Strongs were early adopters in sustainable farming after the droughts of the early 80’s and 90’s, it was after this when the family started to notice a change in farming profitability ... By 1997 the Strongs had implemented the method of direct seeding ... In 2006 they started marketing ‘Arcadia Saltbush Lamb’ and built up a self-replacing Soft Rolling Skin (SRS) dual purpose merino flock with high fertility to match that of cross breeds.

First harvest of biomass crops

Around one thousand trees will be harvested at Yanco this week in the next phase of a critical biomass crops for bioenergy trial. NSW DPI Senior Research Scientist, Dr Fabiano Ximenes, said the harvest operation would provide important insights into expected productivity of the trees and their potential benefits in terms of carbon sequestration and soil nutrient impacts.

Pollack Wetlands Indigenous food & fibre day

As part of the UN’s Decade on Nutrition, Western Murray Land Improvement Group (WMLIG) with Forestry Corporation, hosted a field trip to the Pollack Wetlands, food and fibre displays and a barbecue for 40 community members. The visit to the Pollack Swamp Wetlands allowed the community to see first-hand the amazing transformation and rehabilitation of the area from recent watering events, whilst learning about its natural resources.

FPH regulation tabled

Just two days after the NSW Upper House enquiry into floodplain harvesting, NSW Water Minister, Melinda Pavey, tabled another attempt in parliament to pass floodplain harvesting regulation. The bold move by the NSW National Party was taken despite the ink being barely dry on the consultation that sought to address the end of system flow target for the Darling Baaka, licensing to the legislated legal limit, and to maintain volumes and entitlements within existing SDLs.

Victorian Ombudsman finds border exemption scheme “unjust”

The border closure imposed by Victorian and New South Wales State Governments in response to COVID-19 not only had huge financial impacts but a great human cost.   The Victorian Ombudsman has found the narrow exercise of discretion under the border exemption scheme resulted in unjust outcomes, and recommended the Government publicly acknowledge the distress caused to affected people.

Whiporie General Store reopens with new owners

The Whiporie shop closed three months ago and left the community having to travel to Casino or Grafton for supplies. On Monday it reopens with new owners. Dianne and her husband Shaun Ashen live in West Bungawalbin. They lost their home in the 2019 bushfires and have since rebuilt. They were looking for an investment property when they saw the shop at Whiporie.

Barkers Vale couple arrested on cocaine charges

A Barkers Vale man and woman have been arrested and charged with importation of cocaine. NSW Police arrested the 33 year old man and 31 year old woman following investigations into an organised crime syndicate operating between NSW and Queensland.

Fire station’s newest recruit already helping Santa

New recruit Geoffrey Steven will work out of the Coraki Fire Station. He is among 214 accomplished men and women who have graduated as officers at the FRNSW Emergency Services Academy in Sydney. South Grafton Fire Station has Ryan Raymond as their new recruit.

Christmas and community spirit soars in Ulmarra

Emma Pritchard. The streets of Ulmarra were filled with seasonal festivities, joviality and plenty of community spirit over the weekend when the riverside village hosted a special Christmas evening ... President of the Ulmarra Village Inc Steve Pickering, who also owns the Coldstream Gallery in Ulmarra, said local business owners were thrilled to be involved with the event and he estimated upwards of 500 people attended throughout the evening.

Government mitigates shark attack risk

Geoff Helisma. The NSW Government is adding drumlines into its mix of  anti-shark measures  along the state’s coastline. Last week at Yamba, Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis met with Paul Butcher, principal research scientist with NSW Department of Primary Industries, to mark the installation of 15 SMART (Shark Management Alert in Real Time) drumlines, which will be deployed daily between Iluka Bluff and Angourie Back Beach.

Book launch – The Long Way Home

The Clarence Valley’s own eagerly awaited annual fiction collection has been launched in time for Christmas. ‘Stories from the Clarence Valley 2021 – Look Up,’ a collection of stories by 60 local writers, has been nearly a year in the making, according to Long Way Home co-founder Claire Aman.

Hang on, what about inadequate fuel reduction burning and consequent build up of 3 D fuels? : John O’Donnell

John O'Donnell provides a number of points in response to CSIRO findings on fuel loads, prescribed burning, climate change and forest fire activity in Australia over the last three decades.

We’ve learnt nothing from Black Summer

Einstein supposedly said that “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. Australia’s current approach to forest management is insane ... Now the Senate’s Finance and Public Administration Committee has published “Lessons to be learned in relation to the Australian bushfire season 2019-20”. It would be amusing if not for the ongoing dire consequences.

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