One of George Town’s most beloved buildings will have new, community driven purpose after being formally purchased by the council. The purchase coincides with $1 million in state government funds directed towards George Town initiatives. Theses initiatives are geared at reactivating the town’s community in key areas and redeveloping key infrastructure to better serve locals. George Town Future Impact Group leadership chairperson Anne Cameron said COVID-19 had emphasised a gap in digital literacy in George Town, resulting in the creation of ‘digital warriors’ to help fill that gap. The RSL will help lay the groundwork for this re-invigoration, serving as a hub for FIG, digital warriors as well as hospitality training services and a meeting place for future mountain bikers to utilise...

The hard work and support of Tasmanian pharmacists was recognised on Friday for World Pharmacists Day. The day was made all the more special for one pharmacist in particular: Ravenswood Pharmacy owner Dianne Brown who received a lifetime achievement award for her commitment to the profession. Ms Brown has been a pharmacist for 45 years with 35 of those years being dedicated to the Ravenswood community. She said there had been many changes during her tenure, including the shift to a more electronic-based pharmacy system. “There has been a lot more administrative work but also a lot more things we can do as far as services are concerned … vaccinations being one of the main ones,” Ms Brown said...

The Examiner’s reporter Isobel Cootes went on the hunt for the best beef burger in Launceston. She has rated the city’s burgers for their taste, value for money and sauciness, as she can not stand a dry burger. She shied away from fast food burgers on offer across Australia and honed in on localised produce. The only rule was the business could not know why she was there, to ensure the quality was not upped for the review. The challenge to find the Launceston’s best fried chicken burger was decided by my palette in January. Fast forward through a global pandemic and I thought what better way to pass the time than once again indulging in some food...

A 27-year-old man has been charged with allegedly using the social media platform Kik to share child abuse imagery. The Australian Federal Police anti-child abuse taskforce JACET executed a search warrant at Goodwood in the state’s south on Friday morning. The man was arrested at the home and AFP officers seized a number of electronic devices including a tablet and a mobile phone. He was charged with child abuse material offences and police will allege in court the man uploaded and shared child exploitation material via Kik. Investigators became aware of the alleged crimes through an intelligence rerport received by the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, which is an AFP led body...

Since the foundation of the Global Shapers Hub in Launceston and the discussions we have during our meetings and gatherings, one issue keeps coming up time and time again. No matter what topic or issue we are focused on, it is either something that is raised regularly or an issue bubbling below the surface. Launceston has a challenge when it comes to relevant voices and leadership that reflects the community. While across Tasmania, people aged between 18 and 34 make up 19.6 per cent of the total population, in Launceston it is 23.2 per cent...

A West Launceston man who stole items from a house while the owner was in the shower had six months’ jail added to a recent Supreme Court sentence when he appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court. Nathan Luke Deckers, 28, pleaded guilty to seven complaints including aggravated burglary and stealing, evade police, two counts of drive while disqualified, motor vehicle stealing and trespass and possess a dangerous article. Deckers was recently sentenced in the Launceston Supreme Court to three years’ jail for armed robbery and attempted armed robbery in Devonport in July. IN OTHER NEWS: Magistrate Jackie Hartnett said that Deckers had been on a two month stretch of offending which only ceased when he was taken into custody after the armed robbery...

The George Town community has put their artistic talent to the test in a pride bumper sticker design competition, with winners announced Thursday. The seven themes of the competition, which included Beach Lover, Wine Lover, and Love Fishing, were decided on by the community from the elements they were most proud of in George Town. Future Impact Group chairwoman Anne Cameron said the creativity of the community shone through, with the bumper stickers a tangible expression of how proud the people were of their home. IN OTHER NEWS: “The entries to the competition are wonderful windows into what’s special, what we love,” she said...

Learning a language sounds like a daunting task, but it can be as easy as 1, 2, 3 for early learners. A study commissioned by the University of Tasmania in conjunction with the Australian National University has released its findings from a pilot second language program. The program was run in Northern Tasmania and exposed about 35 children at a childcare centre with a Vietnamese teacher, to see if they could pick up the language. IN OTHER NEWS: Lead researcher Vinh To said the study was a first for Tasmania and it was the first time for Australia that Vietnamese was the language and culture involved. She said exposure to a second language at an early education level was crucial for expanding young minds to other cultures...

Ahead of school holidays starting Friday afternoon, Tasmania Police is urging motorists to put an increased focus on road safety during any holiday travel, after a spate of serious crashes in recent weeks. Northern District Support Services acting Inspector Nathan Johnston said police would strengthen their presence on roads across the North and North-East during the break. “On highways, rural and urban roads, in a range of vehicles – high visibility as well as unmarked cars and motorcycles. We could be anywhere, anytime,” said acting Inspector Johnston. IN OTHER NEWS: Motorists are being reminded to drive to the conditions, and limit distractions while driving, including mobile phone use and other passengers. “If it’s wet, dark or icy, slow down...

A 72-year-old Invermay man with prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes was placed in a wheelchair in a Launceston General Hospital waiting room on Wednesday, while staff scrambled for nine hours to find a bed for him. It’s left Philip Scott’s family feeling dismayed at the state of the hospital. His daughter Angela Viven, 39, of Mowbray, said her father arrived at the LGH in an ambulance about 8am. But she said it wasn’t until 5.15pm that he got a bed. IN OTHER NEWS: Mr Scott’s experience comes a week after 22 emergency registrars at the LGH wrote a letter to the Tasmanian Health Service, lamenting the apparently unsafe nature of their workplace, which they said was resulting in “unnecessary” deaths...