Day: February 27, 2018

DINERS were evacuated on Sunday when fire swept through a shed near the restaurant at the Ten Minutes by Tractor winery in Mornington-Flinders Road, Main Ridge. Sheds and a storage area at the winery were extensively damaged in the blaze which broke out at 3.30pm. Vintage wines, a 1928 Fordson Tractor, and a 1938 Allis Chalmers Tractor were lost in the fire. The restaurant and cellar door at Ten Minutes by Tractor will be closed until further notice. Sergeant Dennis Ramsay, of Mornington Police, said that the fire was “non-suspicious” and was suspected to have been caused by an electrical…

A SHOP in Hastings High Street was badly damaged after a car drove through its front door on Friday afternoon (23 February). A woman driver, understood to be aged in her late 70s, accidentally mounted her car onto the footpath and drove into the front of the Brilliant Nails shop during the day. Fortunately, no workers inside the shop or pedestrians were injured. Brilliant Nails owner Mattieu Tran said the damage was extensive. “All of the front of the shop will need fixing. When the lady came through the front door all of the glass was broken. Luckily everybody involved…

DETECTIVES were able to return a portable speaker after it was stolen from one of two youths walking home from Mt Erin College, 9pm, Wednesday 21 February. Detective Senior Constable Shaun Rampal, of Frankston CIU, said the 15-year-olds were walking home after basketball along Franciscan Avenue when a group of youths from a nearby party approached. Two of the youths allegedly “stood over” the boys and demanded to be able to go through their backpacks, stealing the speaker and other items valued at $200. Detectives later attended the party and spoke to the hosts who put out a message on…

SMALL hives and “bee hotels” could lead to backyards blooming with indigenous plants as well as helping save the threatened flying insects. Housing for native bees may be offered as a sweetener if Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors follow the lead of Moonee Valley City Council which has embarked on a program to raise awareness of the plight of native bees. A group from the peninsula was given an insight into Moonee Valley’s program, which is likely to see that city’s mayor Cr John Sipek being invited to explain the benefits of bee keeping to his peninsula counterparts. The Mornington Peninsula…

ROSIE Batty will speak as part of International Women’s Day at the Southern Women’s Action Network, 9.30am, Sunday 4 March. Her talk – expected to be one of her final public engagements as CEO of the Luke Batty Foundation – will cover domestic violence, including current initiatives and future proposals. The meeting will be at the Mornington Peninsula Shire’s offices, corner of Queen and Vancouver streets, Mornington. Donation: $8 includes refreshments. Ms Batty, Australian of the Year in 2015, has worked to raise national awareness of domestic violence since her 11-year-old son Luke was killed at Tyabb in February 2014…

HASTINGS Liberal MP Neale Burgess has not given up on his efforts to have Somerville police station open its doors to the public. With a state election in November, Mr Burgess last week returned to the police station accompanied by shadow police spokesman Edward O’Donohue and eight “concerned local residents” to emphasise how hard it is to speak with police. Mr Burgess says the $16.3 million station – “funded and built” by the previous Liberal Nationals coalition government – was originally to be open to the public. “Victoria Police and its then chief commissioner, Ken Lay, confirmed in writing, shortly…

BALNARRING residents appear to have won their “battle” to keep their village’s medical practice after fears they would lose doctors unwilling to move into new premises on the same site. Balnarring Medical Centre has operated in the village for more than 30 years, and from the building at the corner of Frankston-Flinders Road and Russell Street since 1998. This building will be demolished to make way for the new development – possibly including a larger medical clinic – when the doctors’ lease expires in early 2019. Doctors say they and the developer were at loggerheads over lease terms, proposed longer…