Day: September 2, 2019

Police have arrested a man and a woman following the death of a child in Langwarrin this afternoon. Emergency services were called to an address in Potts Road about 4.10pm after reports that a child was injured. Crews worked on an 18-month-old boy but he could not be revived. Police arrested the pair at the scene and they are currently assisting with inquires. Homicide Squad detectives have been notified and are en route. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

DIVISION TWO ANOTHER huge performance from star forward Marc Holt has put Karingal in the Grand Final with a win over Langwarrin. Somerville Recreation Reserve played host to the clash on Saturday. It was a rematch of the qualifying final from two weeks ago, in which Langwarrin were able to get the win. Karingal came rushing out of the gates with a four goals to zero first term, before the Kangaroos bounced back to close the lead to 12 by half time. The Bulls stretched their lead back out to five goals by three-quarter time, and held on to claim…

DIVISION ONE PINES have gone crashing out of the MPNFL in straight sets after a shock 62 point loss to Bonbeach. The reigning premiers came into finals in patchy form, and weren’t able to correct course. Pines started well and went into the first break with the lead, but looked a completely different side after quarter time. Bonbeach got the upper hand with a seven goals to one second term, and never let it slip from there. The Sharks were able to keep the Pythons at an arm’s length in the third term, and finished the job with a stunning…

SOCCER SOMERVILLE Eagles are the toast of local soccer after clinching the State 5 South championship last Saturday. And the side jointly led by coach Scott Morrison and player-coach Dave Greening did it in style with a gutsy away win against Bunyip District Strikers. Somerville was forced to play most of the contest with 10 men after Matt Swanson reacted to a bad challenge by throwing the ball at his opponent and being sent off in the 22nd minute. The champion elect had taken the lead in the 9th minute when a Luke Hodge flick-on was clinically finished by Greening.…

SOCCER FOOTBALL Victoria dealt local women’s soccer a bodyblow by revoking Southern United’s senior NPLW licence last week. Southern told FV of its plans for 2020 as player-coach Melissa Maizels had been negotiating with a number of players with a view to strengthening the senior squad but FV wouldn’t budge. The findings of a six-month review of the women’s game in Victoria were delivered to the FV board some months ago and many believe that the federation waited till near season’s end before swinging the axe. FV also dumped Geelong Galaxy United and with the two clubs that boast the…

HORSE RACING THE John and Chris Meagher-trained mare, Pippie, landed the biggest win of her six-start career with an emphatic victory in the Group Three Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday 31 August. Under the guidance of jockey Ben Melham, Pippie took up the lead and controlled the race before being asked for her ultimate effort to kick away from her rivals and claim the $160,000 Group Three by one-and-a-half lengths. The victory was Pippie’s third straight win this preparation having previously won at Doomben and Caulfield, and her fourth win in her short career. The Mornington-trained mare has…

MOUNT MARTHA SOCCER CLUB By Alex Levy MOUNT Martha Soccer Club has just completed their 5th season of soccer and are going from strength to strength with over 400 members playing across 35 teams from U6’s to U18’s and an All Abilities side, all of which cater for both boys and girls. As a community club, we are extremely proud of where we sit today, having just moved onto 2 out of 4 of the brand new pitches at Civic Reserve. Our achievements and general culture and values are strong and testament to the fabulous volunteers and members who live…

AT Thursday’s Council meeting a letter was read from the managing director of the Frankston and District Gas and Electric Supply Co., asking for an extension of time in connection with the electric lighting of the street lamps, and proposing a “round table” conference. The proposal met with little sympathy. The feeling was that the Company had received every consideration. Cr Mason was particularly emphatic on the point that something definite must be done to procure an improved service and to keep the Company strictly to its agreement. It was decided to hold a special meeting of the Council on…

FRANKSTON Arts Centre is hosting the first ever Kids Fest in the September school holidays. Featuring live shows and workshops, it promises to be lots of fun. The little ones can take part in the Grand Pawtrait Competition by entering an artwork of your best pet-friend and have it hung at Cube 37 Gallery. Entries close on Saturday 7 September so ensure that you collect the entry pack, which includes the frame, before that. First up is FoRT, a show for cubby creators and den dwellers. If you have ever built a FoRt, you should see this! The show is…

TIM Freedman has been talking about impending new songs for years. Now he is putting it in writing that he will perform some new material in his solo tour this October and November 2019, and that he is prepared to be run out of town if he doesn’t deliver. “Hopefully the new songs aren’t too successful though, otherwise I’ll earn too much to retain my franking credits. Unfortunately, like every one else in the world, I just had to express myself.” Freedman is best known as the front-man and songwriter of Australian band ‘The Whitlams’ – an Australian Recording Industry…

PLASTIC waste slowly decomposing in our oceans is creating perhaps the most devastating environmental problem the world has seen. Without urgent remedial action, the oceans are expected to contain more plastic than fish by 2050. With that sobering statistic in mind, students from 11 Mornington Peninsula schools gathered last Thursday (29 August) at Mornington Park Pavilion, Flinders Drive, to pitch their solutions as to how to best clean up the mess. Pitches included using a large net to collect the plastic, using the plastic to create jewellery, having an ocean plastic deposit scheme, using the waste plastic as filament in…

IN 2000, Caroline Vale was one of 30 Australian volunteers on a Duke of Edinburgh Awards Foundation trip to Nepal to carry out community work, including building schools and doing medical research. Ms Vale had completed her Science Degree at Melbourne University and through her previous association with the Duke of Edinburgh organisation and as a Queen’s Guide volunteered for the 10-week project. The Aussie Action Abroad organisation grew out of the expedition and is now celebrating 20 years of helping the people of Nepal. Once back in Australia, Ms Vale studied winemaking, following in the footsteps of her father…

THE state government has rejected the proposed giant Kaufland supermarket at the entrance to Mornington. Planning minister Richard Wynne last week ruled out the company’s bid to build a 4000 square metre retail mega-hub at the corner of Oakbank Road and Nepean Highway. He said the decision had been made after “community consultation raised concerns about the nature of the development and the site’s proximity to the green wedge”. “We’ve listened to the community and ensured the gateway to Mornington is properly planned. We’re taking action to ensure Victoria remains a great place to live, work and do business,” he…

PENINSULA Uber driver Rob Arrowsmith has taken charge of his fuel expenses by going all-electric in his Hyundai Ioniq. He typically does a fast charge for free at the Peninsula Home centre on Nepean Highway, Mornington, before heading out to collect passengers, or plugs in for an in-depth charge overnight at his Edithvale home for about $8. The dual-port 22kW AURA charger was installed at Peninsula Home in mid-July. It is free and does not need a smart phone app for access. It provides 40-120km of battery-powered driving for every hour of charge, depending on the type of electric vehicle.…

IT would be easy for audiences to miss the nuances that go into the staging of reality shows on TV. Engrossed in the quick repertoire of “contestants” or by their sideways glances at their partners or opponents, the set – or in the case of Channel 9’s The Block, a building under renovation – can go relatively unnoticed. But for Mornington-based artist Maria Radun one decoration added to a master bedroom stood out like a shining light. Sitting atop a chest of drawers on the show’s Sunday 25 August episode was one of Radun’s works, a painting of a nude…

WHEN it comes to moths as works of art, they can also be a metaphor for the benefits of migration. Nocturnal pollinators without borders, moths inspired US artist Hilary Lorenz to design a “Moth Migration Project” that would see thousands of hand-painted moths come flying to her from around the world. Lorenz sees the paper moths crowd-sourced from around the world as a symbol of communication in both the physical and digital world and “a tool for building communities of diverse cultures, ages, and nationalities”. The hand drawn and cut paper moths started arriving after Lorenz published an invited on…

ALL aspects of the mental health system will be the main topic this week at a meeting in Safety Beach. The public meeting is part of the National Mental Health Commission’s nation-wide Connections Project to eventually provide “a new system [that] will essentially respond to a person’s individual needs in their community”. The commission is visiting Safety Beach as part of a 26-city national tour that began in July and ends this month. The mental health commission’s CEO, Christine Morgan, said the commission was committed to ensuring people with “living experience of mental health and suicidality were supported in the…

Mornington Peninsula Shire and Headspace Frankston will show the work of LGBTIQA+ people and their allies at next month’s Proud on the Peninsula Art Exhibition . The exhibition theme LGBTIQA+ Lives in the Frame celebrates the lives of LGBTIQA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual and other terms) people across the peninsula and Frankston. The mayor Cr David Gill said the council was proud to promote equality across the peninsula. “We’re committed to supporting a healthy and vibrant community that celebrates and values diversity,” he said. Applications are being sought from artists wanting to be part of the Proud…

TRAFFIC police taking part in the National Day of Action say it is a direct response to the “horror year which is taking place on Australian roads”. As part of the campaign an alcohol and drug testing site was set up in Marine Parade, Hastings where 321 drivers were breath tested, with one returning a positive result for drugs. Police say they plan to set up testing sites at random locations across the peninsula to conduct mobile and stationary speed checks. Up until Wednesday last week 13 people had lost their lives on Frankston and Mornington Peninsula roads. First published…

TWO men who smashed a plate glass door at the Woolworths supermarket in Baxter stole more than $130,000 in cigarettes and cash about 3.30am, Wednesday 28 August. The men are shown on CCTV footage using an angle grinder to break into the store on Baxter-Tooradin Road and climbing over service counters. Detectives believe the men later attempted to force a roller door at a Coles Liquorland, Ashleigh Avenue, Frankston, but failed. They are shown wearing hoodies, masks and gloves and driving off in a dark coloured SUV. Anyone with information can call Detective Hocking 5978 1300 or Crime Stoppers 1800…

A SOMERVILLE teenager has been charged with criminal damage by fire after an ATM in Eramosa Road East was scorched by a Molotov cocktail, 11.50pm, Tuesday 20 August. Somerville CFA fire crews were able to restrict the fire to the front of the building and no other shops were damaged. Detectives used CCTV footage to identify the 16-year-old who has also been charged over a series of burglaries at Somerville Plaza and an aggravated burglary at a Somerville house, 11.15am, Monday 26 August. Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Jason Hocking, of Somerville CIU, said a startled resident arriving home chased the…

FLINDERS MP Greg Hunt says the left-leaning activist GetUp was “completely and utterly engaged with the Labor Party” in his electorate during the lead-up to the May federal election. “You could see them working with them, talking with them, handing out for each other,” Mr Hunt told his audience at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday 14 August. In Flinders, GetUp distributed three how-to-vote cards, one with former Liberal MP Julia Banks in the number one position, one with Labor’s Joshua Sinclair first and the other headed by The Greens (Vic) Nathan Lesslie. GetUp placed Mr Hunt seventh…

BOATING industry association’s have condemned the “repeated and ongoing attacks on Victorian boating families” by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. This follows the council’s push for residents to back its tough stance against the behaviour of some jet skiers on the bay (“Shire pushing hard line on jet skis The News 27/8/19). The chair of the Personal Watercraft Industry Association and a past president and life member of the Boating Industry Association of Victoria, David Heyes said industry or user groups had “never been consulted in any of the [newspaper] articles fuelled by the [shire] and other minority groups”. He said…

PUBLIC transport users are backing a push by Mornington Peninsula Shire for better bus services across the peninsula. They say about 82 per cent of the peninsula is not serviced by public transport and that the shire has the second lowest public transport service in the greater Melbourne area. Peninsula residents are five times less likely to travel to work by public transport than those in Greater Melbourne, and only 3 per cent take public transport to work compared with 15 per cent across Melbourne. Potential users say they are unhappy with the buses, citing their infrequency, overcrowding, unreliability and…