About 4.30pm (Saturday 21 January 2012), a 35-year-old Korean National was swimming with three friends in the Richmond River at an area known as ‘The Spit’, near the Missingham Bridge.

Police were told all four swimmers were in up to their waists when all have come into difficulty.

A local surf instructor noticed the men and went into the river to assist, and managed to get three of the swimmers back to shore.

It was then noted that the 35-year-old man was still missing.

Police were called and a search for the man commenced utilising a jet boat rescue vessel and the Westpac Helicopter.

The man was pulled from the water unconscious and was unable to be revived.

Inquiries are continuing.

The five-year-old girl suffered critical head injuries after being thrown from a Holden Barina when it left the Pacific Highway, near Broadwater, and hit a tree shortly before 3pm yesterday (26 December).

She was taken to Lismore Base Hospital where she died early this morning.

The driver of the car, a 49-year-old woman, from Melton in Victoria, escaped injury.

An eight-year-old boy, also from Melton, escaped with minor injuries, grazes and bruising. He has since been released from Lismore Base Hospital.

Both children were travelling in the back seat.

Lanes in both directions of the Pacific Highway were closed to allow the helicopter to land and remained closed for more than two hours while the scene was examined.

Officers attached to Ballina Crash Investigation Unit (CIU) are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Anyone who witnessed the crash, or the events leading up to it, is urged to contact the Ballina Crash Investigation Unit or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

About 11am (Wednesday 22 December), an 80-year-old woman was hit by a blue coloured Toyota Corolla on Links Avenue.

Witnesses have said the woman ran onto the road to assist an animal and collided with the vehicle.

Paramedics treated the woman at the scene but she died in Lismore Base Hospital last night.

The 18-year-old male driver returned a negative breath test at the scene.

He was taken to Ballina Hospital for mandatory blood and urine tests. He will be formally interviewed at a later stage.

The driver was not injured.

Anyone who witnessed the crash should contact Richmond Local Area Command or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The NSW Government’s Roads and Maritime Service decided to reduce the speed limit from 100km/hour to 80km/hour in response to complaints and requests from residents.

John Truman, Civil Services, Group Manager, Ballina Shire Council, said that the NSW Roads and Maritime Service was the only authority designated to change the speed limit on State roads.

“After assessing requests from residents and members of the public, and reviewing the road, traffic volumes, speeds and the history of incidents on The Coast Road, the State Government’s Roads and Maritime Service decided to reduce the speed limit to 80km/hour,” Mr Truman said.

“The Roads and Maritime Service is independent of the Ballina Shire Council and no doubt it believes there was a justified argument for the reduction in the speed limit.”

It is expected the new speed zone will reduce the number of traffic accidents on The Coast Road.

The new 80km/hour speed zone will apply from Tuesday, December 20, 2011.

“The White Paper is a document for the last century, unable to see that the world is investing strongly in renewables and that we will be left behind,” said Tony Gleeson, Ballina Climate Action Network (BCAN) and the 100% Renewable community campaign spokesperson.”

“What Mr Ferguson has released is a gas plan for Australia. Gas is no solution to our long-term energy needs.

“In Australia, gas means coal seam gas. Coal seam gas is a danger to our precious farmland and is no better than coal in terms of emissions.

“Tying ourselves to gas also exposes Australian consumers to high international gas prices at the power point, just the way we are now at the petrol pump.

“A massive investment in renewable energy is essential for Australia.

“If Australia wants low-cost, zero-carbon energy, we need to invest strongly in renewables like solar and wind now to achieve the benefits of technologies that get cheaper the more you build.

“100% Renewable is calling for 2000MW of big solar plants to be built through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation by 2015.

“Big Solar is proven and commercially available in US and ready to build now in Australia, the sunniest continent on earth, but the White Paper is too stuck in the energy sources of the past to see this.

“It’s no surprise that this committee, stacked as it is with fossil fuel interests, would come up with such a narrow document. It’s time we had people deciding our energy future who aren’t there to protect their own interests in coal and gas.

“We call on Australians to tell Mr Ferguson that we expect much better than this.”

About 4.40pm yesterday (Monday 5 December 2011), a 12-year-old boy was walking along Anderson Street when a car pulled up alongside him.

A man allegedly opened the passenger side front door of the car and told the boy to get into the vehicle.

The boy ran away from the vehicle.

The man is described as being approximately 60 years old with grey hair and an average build. He was wearing a light-green coloured mask that covered the lower part of his face.

The man was driving a newer model black Ford Falcon station wagon with Queensland registration plates.

The vehicle was last seen heading north on Links Road, East Ballina.

The man was the only person inside the vehicle.

Police are investigating the incident and are encouraging anyone who may have witnessed the attempted abduction to contact Richmond Local Area Command or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Meanwhile, police are urging parents to reinforce the ‘Safe People, Safe Places’ messages with their children, including the following safety tips:

• Avoid walking on your own and instead walk with other family members, friends or an adult you know;
• Walk near busier roads and streets, or use paths where there are lots of other people;
• Make sure your parents or another adult you know knows where you are at all times;
• Always walk straight home or to the place you are walking to;
• Know where safe places are – a shop, service station, police station, library or school. If you are ever frightened, you should go to one of these places and ask them to call the police;
• Learn about safe adults you can look for and talk to if you need help – police officers, teachers at school, adults you know and trust;
• Don’t talk to people you don’t know and never get into a car with someone you don’t know. If a car stops on the side of the road and you don’t know the person inside, do not stop; and
• If you are scared, call Triple Zero (000) and tell them you are scared.
• If a person who approaches you attempts to physically grab you, yell out ‘go away, I don’t know you’. This tells other people around you have been approached by someone you don’t know.

About 5am (Wednesday 9 November 2011), a 62-year-old man was asleep in his house on Coolgardie Road, Coolgardie, when he was awoken by noises in his rear yard.

When he went to investigate, the man was confronted by two men, one armed with an iron bar.

The man was allegedly assaulted by the two men, before they entered the house and stole the man’s wallet.

While the men were in his house, the 62-year-old man went to a nearby house and contacted police.

Police arrived and spoke to the man who was suffering from abrasions, bruising and soreness to his head and body. The two men left before police arrived.

At 11am (Thursday 10 November 2011), Ballina Detectives from the Richmond Local Area Command interviewed a 20-year-old man, before charging him with aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company.

He was granted conditional bail and will appear in Ballina Local Court on Thursday 1 December 2011.

Police wish to speak to a second man that may be able to assist with their investigation.

He is described as being aged in his mid to late twenties, of Caucasian appearance, with red hair.

Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or has any information about the incident, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Mr Page said that residential parks provide an affordable housing choice for many people, who develop strong, valuable networks of support within their park.

“It is vital that effective laws are in place setting out clear and balanced rights and obligations for residents and park operators,” said Mr Page.

“The discussion paper honours our election commitment to residential park residents to carry out a full review of the Residential Parks Act 1998 and improve the governance of the residential parks industry”.

The paper looks at several ways to help strengthen and grow the residential parks sector, including options for licensing park operators, education for new operators and better ways to resolve disputes about rent increases.

“The NSW Government has listened to concerns at the grassroots level and will make sure the real issues affecting park residents and operators are addressed by this review,” Mr Page said.

The discussion paper is available online at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au or by calling 13 32 20. Comments can be lodged directly online, by returning the submission form at the back of the paper, or by sending a submission to NSW Fair Trading.

The deadline for providing comments on the discussion paper is Wednesday, 29 February 2012.

Originally composed [1716] for the girls in the orphanage where Vivaldi was priest, it remained relatively unknown until 1939.

Since this performance in Siena, it has become a firm favourite with choirs and audiences for its theatrical quality and rich contrasts of texture and expression.

Also on the program will be a selection of settings of Ave Maria, of which many have been written but only four will be performed.

And the celebration? It is 400 years since the death of Tamas Luigi de Victoria, possibly one of Spain’s best composers and a master of intricate choral writing, often with the pipe organ as soloist, from the late Renaissance. His music has great intensity and emotional appeal that belies its era.

TWILIGHT PERFORMANCE:

Wednesday, 30 November, 2011 @ 6.00pm, St Mary’s Anglican Church, Ballina.

EVENING PERFORMANCE:

Thursday, 1 December, 2011 @ 7.30pm, St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore.

Tickets at the door, adult $12, concession $10, enquiries 0429 185 361.

About 4am (Friday 4 November 2011), a 53-year-old man was asleep in his home on Grant Street Ballina, when he was awoken by a light being switched on in his house.

The man went to investigate and found four teenage boys in his home.

One of the boys allegedly threatened the man with a knife, causing the man to retreat to his room and attempt to barricade the door.

It is alleged the boys forced entry to the room and again threatened the man with a knife, demanding money and property.

After taking the man’s wallet and a bag full of clothing, the four boys left the house.

Police were contacted and attended a short time later, however the boys were not found.

They would like to speak to teenagers who may be able to assist with the investigation.

These four people are only described as being 15-16 years of age, three of them being of Caucasian appearance and one being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance.

Anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area at the time is urged to contact local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.