Man, woman charged over alleged aggravated indecent assault
February 1, 2010
A man and woman will appear in court charged after an alleged indecent assault on a Casino woman last weekend.
On the afternoon of Saturday (30 January) a 23-year-old Casino woman met a 44-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, both from South Grafton, at a licensed premises in Casino.
Police will allege that the three people went to a caravan park in South Grafton before the man and woman offered to drive the 23-year-old back to her home in Casino later in the evening.
As the trio drove towards Casino the 44-year-old man allegedly pulled the car into a camping ground at Lillydale and threatened the Casino woman.
Saffin turns first sod in $19.7 million Grafton Base redevelopment
January 28, 2010
Grafton Base Hospital early next year will boast three new operating theatres and an Emergency Department ‘equal to the best in Australia’ after Federal Page MP Janelle Saffin turned the first sod for the $19.7 million project today.
Ms Saffin said: “I am delighted to be able to turn the first sod for the long-awaited Grafton Base Hospital redevelopment work. It is an election promise to our Clarence Valley community and today’s sod turning with the immediate start of works that can be seen by the community makes it a seeing is believing reality.
“This is an election commitment made by me, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Minister for Health Nicola Roxon that gives me the greatest of pleasure. The people of Grafton fought hard for this and I am delivering.
Page electorates gets respite funding
January 22, 2010
Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot, and Page MP Janelle Saffin have announced more than $127,000 in one-off funding grants for eight services that provide respite for carers across the Page electorate.
The funding is part of the Rudd Government’s commitment to carers through the National Respite for Carers Program (NRCP) which this year will provide more than $200 million for respite services and programs in Australia.
Ms Saffin said local respite services provide valuable time-out for people who care for family members or friends with a disability, chronic condition or who are frail aged.
“This funding will help important local services continue to meet the needs of carers in our community,” she said.
Petition to be launched for 24-hour policing at Yamba
January 21, 2010
Local people power is needed to help deliver a 24-hour police presence in Yamba.
That was the plea from Clarence Nationals MP Steve Cansdell, who is planning to launch a petition this Friday asking the NSW Government to allocate enough extra officers to the Coffs/Clarence Local Area Command to enable 24/7 policing in Yamba without reducing services in other parts of the Clarence.
“Yamba is not only one of the fastest-growing communities in the State, but its population also doubles during the tourism season,” Mr Cansdell said.
“Our local cops do a great job. This is about giving them the manpower they need to make our communities even safer.”
Lennox Head-Alstonville makes great start to Country surf titles
January 16, 2010
The 2010 Stramit NSW Country Surf Life Saving Championships kicked off yesterday under blue skies and smooth seas at South West Rocks.
With almost 2000 competitors expected to take part in the three-day event, the juniors took to the beach and water to contest a range of individual and teams events.
Competitors as young as seven battled it out, with championship title holder Warilla-Barrack Point SLSC ending the day on top in the overall pointscore.
Northern club Lennox Head-Alstonville finished up second after great performances from a particularly strong junior contingent.
Planners attend Aboriginal sites awareness training
January 14, 2010
Environmental planners and land managers have attended a series of workshops designed to enhance the awareness of Aboriginal sites and cultural places.
Southern Cross University School of Environmental Science and Management lecturers Bill Boyd and David Lloyd, along with Bundjalung Elder Bill Walker and project officer Kristin Den Exter, have recently run the Aboriginal Site Awareness Training Workshops on behalf of the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (NRCMA).
More than 50 local planners and other land managers attended sessions in Ballina and Yamba and interest was received from as far away as the Illawarra.
“Cultural heritage is an important part of our environment,” Professor Boyd said.
Man in custody after abducted baby found in South Grafton
January 14, 2010
A man will face court later this morning after the abduction and subsequent recovery of an eight-week-old baby boy in Grafton overnight.
The child was reported missing by his mother about 8pm yesterday.
Enacting child abduction protocols, investigations by Coffs Clarence Local Area Command Police began immediately. These investigations included a search of the South Grafton area.
Acting on information received from a member of the public who rang police, officers went to a residence at Bimble Avenue at South Grafton just after 2am today.
There they found the child and they also saw a man running from the house.
The 34-year-old South Grafton man was arrested on site and taken to Grafton Police Station
The boy has been reunited with his mother after undergoing medical examination at the local hospital. The child showed no signs of injury or distress.
The 34-year-old was charged with take child with intent to remove from parental control, breach AVO (x3), intimidation (x2), assault occasioning actual bodily harm, malicious damage, assault and child abuse.
He was refused bail and will appear in Grafton Local Court later today.
Committee looks at setting up Community Bank in Yamba
January 11, 2010
A steering committee has been formed to investigate the establishment of a Community Bank Branch of Bendigo Bank in Yamba.
The committee, chaired by Bob Thompson of Clarence Coast Law, hopes to raise $200,000 in pledges by the end of the first quarter of 2010.
Pledges of Support of between $500 and $10,000 are being sought from Yamba residents and businesses that would like become shareholders in Clarence Valley Community Financial Services Limited.
This company was established to set up the South Grafton Community Bank Branch over 10 years ago, and now wants to share its success with the Yamba community and its own branch.
Father and son die in crash near Grafton
January 11, 2010
A father and son died in a head-on crash north of Grafton last night.
About 9.10pm, a Holden Commodore and a Toyota station wagon collided head-on along the Summerland Way, approximately 40 kilometres from Grafton.
The 23-year-old driver of the Commodore died at the scene, while his 48-year-old father died after being airlifted to Lismore Base Hospital.
Both men were from Grafton.
The driver of the Toyota and sole occupant, a 35-year-old man, was airlifted to Lismore Base Hospital with significant injuries.
Man assaulted during attempted armed robbery at Yamba
January 4, 2010
Police are appealing for public assistance following an alleged assault and attempted armed robbery at Yamba.
About 1.05am today (Monday 4 January 2010), four males broke into licensed premises at River Street, via a rear door.
Two employees have managed to escape from the premises, however, a third worker, a 41-year-old man, was allegedly detained and assaulted by the four men.
The group, who were wearing hooded jumpers, long pants and gloves, stole a number of the man’s personal items before leaving the premises.
