THE Pantry House, at Benton’s Square shopping centre, has been overwhelmed with support for its pay-it-forward board for emergency services and frontline emergency staff which is “getting huge every day”. “We would love more of those people to come and collect the free coffees the community have paid forward,” proprietor Emily Cook, said. “We always have over 50 coffees paid forward and if you check out our Instagram and Facebook I have posted photos of some of the front-liners that got the coffees.” First published in the Mornington News – 28 April 2020
Day: April 27, 2020
IAN Higgins has borrowed an idea in an effort to liven up social isolation. He’s built a small street library outside his house in Mornington from which neighbours can borrow a book and either read and return it or, perhaps, swap it for a book of their own for others to read. Street libraries or small book exchanges are not new, but they make sense right now as public libraries are closed and residents stay close to home. “I saw something written about them and thought, ‘that sounds like a good idea’,” Mr Higgins said from his house in Strachans…
THE number of animals being adopted from Mornington Peninsula Shire’s pound in Watt Road, Mornington has remained steady so far during COVID-19 pandemic. “They are about the same as they were prior to social distancing,” the shire’s environment protection manager John Rankine said. The number of animals being impounded was decreasing. The compatibility of pets and prospective owners is of primary concern to staff at the pound, who list animal profiles online with descriptions of their personalities and photographs. Interested applicants inquire online and staff send out an adoption form. Mr Rankine said the shelter team judged an applicant’s suitability…
VOLUNTEER members of Sorrento State Emergency Service unit are on standby to help during the COVID-19 crisis, but are unable to visit schools, kindergartens, clubs and attend events. “With the winter weather here and people spending time at home we would like the community to think about their home maintenance to reduce the event of injury to themselves and damage to their property,” deputy controller – community education/events Margaret Davis said. Preparing for winter included clearing gutters and downpipes; making sure roofs and fences were in good repair; and securing such outdoor items as trampolines. Ms Davis said it was…
IN a year typically made up of happy memories, lasting friendships and, yes, study, the struggle towards the VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) is far from normal in the time of COVID-19. Rosebud Secondary College year 12 student Zoe Dellaportas, 17 this week, is coping like as best she can. “The hardest part is staying motivated,” she said of her studies at home. “It’s a matter of maintaining structure.” Luckily, her older sister Alex has been able to help. “She’s set alarms on my phone for the start and end of periods which has been a big help.” Years 11…
FLOWERS and condolence messages delivered to police stations across the Mornington Peninsula illustrate the widespread sense of sadness over the deaths of four officers in Kew, Wednesday 22 April. Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Glen Humphris and Constable Josh Prestney died when they were struck by a truck in the emergency lane of the Eastern Freeway, 4.30pm. Truck driver Mohinder Singh Bajwa, 47, of Cranbourne, was due to face court yesterday (Monday 27 April) charged with four counts of culpable driving over the crash. The driver of the car the police were booking, Richard Pusey, 41,…
FINANCIAL savings on lost productivity for travel times alone justify the retention of the shire’s $80,000-a-year central Melbourne office, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council was told last week. Business support team leader Sally Milne, in a report to council’s 21 April meeting, said the office would “continue to benefit our ratepayers with improved customer service”. “It has already provided council with a significant competitive edge in attracting and retaining high quality staff that find it easier and more accessible to work out of a CBD office for part of the week,” Ms Milne said. Her report, authorised by planning and building…
GRATITUDE for the dedication of frontline medical staff has prompted a Mornington Peninsula group to spring into action. Hearing that nurses at Rosebud Hospital needed more scrubs, volunteers from Mt Martha’s Boomerang Bags group decided to do something about it. So far, they have made 30 set of scrubs in an array of colourful patterns. News spread and the group was recently asked to make scrubs for Frankston Hospital nurses as well. Coordinator Robyn Ruhl said the job was a challenge for the group’s 10 members. “We normally make fabric shopping bags to reduce people’s use of plastic bags and…
MOST of Victoria’s 79 councils want to cancel the elections scheduled to be held in October. Mornington Peninsula Shire, while not having a specific point of view, says “primary considerations” should be the community’s health and safety as well as “upholding the core principles of local democracy”. The Municipal Association of Victoria has told the state government that the council’s favour deferring the elections until next year. The government is expected to decide in the next few weeks to go ahead or abandon the council elections because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “A delay should be considered if over the coming…
THE mental health support organisation headspace has opened a satellite service in Rosebud. While offering three of the four core headspace streams the Rosebud service will also provide outreach support to young people and their families on the Mornington Peninsula. “Right now, Australians are facing a once in a century challenge,” federal Health Minister and Flinders MP Greg Hunt said. “It is not only important during the coronavirus to focus on our physical wellbeing, but also our mental wellbeing”. Financed by the federal government through the South Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (SEMPHN), the new service will be delivered by…
ROSEBUD Aquatic Centre construction work costing $11.2 million is the single biggest item in Mornington Peninsula Shire’s proposed 2020-21 budget. Other big expenses are $4 million for road resealing and rehabilitation works, $1.5 million for construction works at Somerville Active Recreation Hub and $1.9 million for the Merricks Station grounds master plan. The proposed budget is on display and is open for public comment until 21 May. This comes as the council takes advantage of a time extension offered by the state government due to changed circumstances under COVID-19 (“Extra time to strike balance with budget” The News 14/4/20). The…
SORRENTO-Portsea RSL president John Prentice knew it would be an Anzac Day like no other. In line with other RSLs around the country, the sub-branch had to cancel its traditional commemorations, such as the dawn service, Gunfire breakfast, street march, midday service, afternoon barbecue and live music. “Regulations required our sub-branch to be closed on this important day. Sad, but there it is,” Mr Prentice said. “Normally we would have 400 for the breakfast, the march and the guest speakers, the laying of the wreaths and the flag-raising.” But not this year. At 5.45am, Saturday 25 April, Mr Prentice and…
AN unknown number of the 1300 colourful beach boxes regarded as attractions on Mornington Peninsula beaches and foreshores could be death traps. Potentially deadly amounts of asbestos has been found in about 120 of the beach boxes on beaches controlled by Mornington Peninsula Shire and Dromana foreshore committee, but details of another 500 boxes is un-known. The owners of the Dromana beach boxes have been asked to remove asbestos from their buildings but no such request has been issued by the shire. The mayor Cr Sam Hearn said none of the asbestos in 89 of the 824 beach boxes on…
THE estimated cost of installing solar panels on the yet to be named Rosebud aquatic centre, above, has more than doubled. The original design called for a 231kW system of solar panels for the centre now being built in Boneo Road, but council last year called for “the maximum number of solar panels possible … whilst maintaining safe roof access and symmetry for aesthetic purposes”. A 375kW system has now been incorporated into the design, adding $321,450 to the $303,000 cost of solar panels. A quotation of $624,400 has now been accepted for the expansion of the rooftop solar panels…
AT the Court of General Sessions on Monday, before Judge Dethridge, a young man named Walter Edward Leach, 18 years of age, pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault upon girls. There were four counts relating to Hampton, Black Rock, Middle Brighton, and Frankston on different dates between October, 1919, and March, 1920. Accused also admitted a prior conviction at the Children’s Court at Brighton on July 4, 1918, for an aggravated assault upon a female child, when he was released upon probation for a year. Mr E. C. Kelly, on behalf of Leach, said that the case presented some…