NSW

Emma Pritchard. Since the early 1900’s it has stood on the hill, welcoming parishioners and offering them a safe and sacred place of worship. But now, the 106-year-old Church of the Holy Apostles in Copmanhurst is being permanently closed and sold as part of a wider restructuring plan for Anglican mission and ministry on the North Coast ... There have been no services at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Copmanhurst since March 2020, due to restrictions enforced by the Covid-19 pandemic ... "prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, an average of three or four people were attending Sunday services there."

The first IRB (Inflatable Rescue Boat) racing event in two years kicked off in perfect conditions at Terrigal over the weekend. Over 300 surf lifesavers from 17 clubs travelled to the Central Coast location for the first round of the 2021 Sharkskin NSW IRB Premiership Series.

Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock said the Local Government Amendment Act 2021 implements the Government’s response to IPART’s review of the rating system and a range of other changes. “These sensible and well-reasoned reforms will ensure that NSW’s local government rating system continues to be fair and equitable, and responsive to changing community needs,” Mrs Hancock said. “The changes provide greater flexibility to make rates fairer in local communities, and help councils cater for population growth and infrastructure costs while protecting ratepayers from unfair rate rises."

Promising recent efforts by Black Jacamar have provided every indication the filly is ready to handle her most serious test to date in the Class 2 Handicap at Port Macquarie on Tuesday.

Narrandera Lizards stamped their dominance on the ProTen Community Cup 2021 season by steamrolling Ivanhoe Roosters in the pre-season knockout on Saturday. The Lizards were the host club for the knockout carnival at the Narrandera Sportsground, retained the 2019 premiership field won over Barellan.

Almost 140 hospitality, clubs, pubs and entertainment centres in the Murrumbidgee region have registered for the NSW Government’s Dine and Discover NSW vouchers, designed to kick start a post-COVID economy. The value of the consumer spend totals $124,098 in the Narrandera, Coolamon, Lockhart, Murrumbidgee and Leeton Shires up until May 11.

Last week Deniliquin hosted a Federal Senate Committee on The Multi-Jurisdictional Management And Execution Of The Murray-Darling Basin Plan. In layman’s terms, the Australian Federal Government is considering taking over all things water, essentially excluding the states from decision making.

Kirstin Nicholson. “I have a special interest in the work that’s gone on in Victorian health, particularly around the ‘Safer Care Victoria’, and I think that’s moving all of us in a much better and safer direction. Also, I like that the governing bodies are really local. They know their patients, they know their people and they know the community needs. And then they hold us to account to deliver it," Bernadette Loughnane, the new CEO of Cohuna District Hospital.

Kirstin Nicholson. A sketch of the Koondrook township has been gifted to the Barham Koondrook Historical Society (BKHS). The sketch, a pen line drawing by renowned Australian artist, Kenneth Jack, was presented to the society by Ken Guskich on Wednesday, May 5 ... The artist, Kenneth Jack, was born in 1924 and spent his life painting, drawing and exhibiting across Australia and around the world.

Brown and Hurley are putting Kyogle on the map. The team at Kyogle have won the PACCAR Customer Excellence award ... Kevin Hogan acknowledged the Brown and Hurley group in Federal Parliament. “This once small country garage now employs over 460 staff across 13 locations.

The skies above Evans Head will be busier this week because of Royal Australian Air Force training. The planned F-35A Lightning II training activities will be seen and heard over Evans Head air weapons range on May 10–21.

Pollies visited timber operations in Kyogle and surrounds to see how environmental factors could work with the industry’s economics to strengthen sustainability. The focus for the visit was state parliament’s inquiry into the sustainability of the timber and forest industry.

Geoff Helisma. Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Catherine Cusack will table the Clarence Catchment Alliance’s (CCA) anti-mining petition in the NSW Upper House ... Ms Cusack said she was “actually feeling like I’m participating, today, in the community consultation process that the Clarence Valley has been denied”.

Emma Pritchard. It’s not a feat for the faint hearted, but it’s also one which many aspire to compete in, and win. A 228km journey of sweat, power and determination make the annual Grafton to Inverell Cycle Classic one of the most iconic sporting events in Northern NSW.

Penny Bird. It is wonderful to be back on deck in 2021 with our spectacular Autumn Show at the Maclean Bowls Club. There were 21 exhibitors and a variety of 214 beautiful exhibits.

“The smell is horrific. You can pick up all the mice you see but there is always more. I did 38 loads of washing in three days. My house is pretty much packed up in boxes,” Lisa Minogue, Farmer, Barmedman.