MORNINGTON’S Mr Movies has drawn the curtains for the last time on his three screens in Main Street. Mornington Cinemas has closed after 39 years. However, it’s more intermission than the end for Ian McCann, who plans to reopen in a smaller, more intimate way just around the corner. The new venue will sit alongside a restaurant, wine bar and cinema. “It will be like going back to the beginning for me,” McCann said last Thursday as he stood amid boxes of movie posters in the cinemas’ foyer off main Street. Other boxes placed just outside the entrance were being…
Day: May 25, 2020
A HERITAGE locomotive number plate (above) was stolen from the Mornington Railway Preservation Society’s depot at Moorooduc in an early morning burglary last week. Doors and fences were damaged in the raid which was captured on CCTV, 4am, Saturday 16 May. “We were lucky that they didn’t steal more items,” society secretary Robert Reed said. “One of our volunteers just happened to be on site and ran in to them and they fled.” Mr Reed said the thieves were preparing to use a wheelie bin to remove valuable engineering equipment and machinery from a storage shed when they were interrupted.…
CAR owners may breathe a little easier with the arrest of a Mount Martha man over a spate of late night tyre slashings last year. The 25-year-old was nabbed by Somerville detectives after they “received some information”, Tuesday 19 May. The man is facing eight counts of criminal damage with more charges expected to follow. The tyres of up to 40 cars parked outside their owners’ homes in Mornington and Mount Martha were allegedly slashed with a box cutter or sharp knife from September to December. More than one tyre was slashed on most cars. Black and white images captured…
PENINSULA Grammar made 13 non-teaching roles redundant in a major staffing shake-up before this week’s resumption of the second term. The school has also abolished the position of deputy principal – wellbeing, held by Peter Ford. The cuts were foreshadowed last week by news that the Mt Eliza private school’s student numbers were being “greatly impacted by the global pandemic” (“Grammar cuts staff as pandemic bites” The News 19/5/20). Principal Stuart Johnston said that he had “made the difficult decision to commence a staff consultation process that will potentially impact” staff numbers. The 13 jobs lost were four in the…
MORNINGTON footwear manufacturer Bata is donating shoes to health care workers fighting COVID-19. The offer is part of the company’s global effort to provide one million pairs of shoes to health care workers, volunteers and their families. “The generosity of local businesses, such as Bata Shoes, in recognition of the role of health care workers has been tremendous,” Peninsula Health’s chief operating officer Helen Cooper said. “Our hardworking team spends a lot of time on its feet, so a new pair of work shoes is invaluable.” Bata managing director Jon Moore said it was important to show appreciation for those…
Clarification (The News 2/6/2020): VETS on the Mornington Peninsula are regulated as to what they can and cannot do with stray animals. The Domestic Animals Act of Victoria stipulates that cats and dogs brought to vets as strays must be handed over to the council if the vet has not signed what is called an 84Y agreement. Vets working outside the agreement can be fined if they are caught checking an animal’s microchip or contacting its owners. Those within the agreement can retain, dispose of, or return cats or dogs to their owners. The veterinary clinic referred to in the…
AUSTRALIANS reportedly lose more money on gambling each year, per person, than residents of any other country. Encouraging them to bet is gambling advertising which is prominent across all media, particularly in sports. Social researchers are questioning whether poker machines should be switched off for good as they are in Victoria now because of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. Mornington Peninsula Shire is one area of government counting the mental health costs and social disruption caused by gambling excesses. It says it is “committed to preventing gambling harm” in a world where smartphones are keeping us connected to betting sites. To…
VULNERABLE members of the community are “working off” unpaid fines rather than spiralling into depression at the mere thought of having to pay them, under a new Fines Victoria scheme. Peninsula Community Legal Centre – whose clients owe an average $12,000 in unpaid fines – provides free legal assistance to vulnerable people. It has branches at Rosebud, Frankston, and Pines. CEO Jackie Galloway said unpaid fines were “becoming an increasing problem in the community” and called for more health practitioners and organisations to take a sponsorship role. “Becoming a sponsor is important given the devastating psychological and financial toll COVID-19…
COPPING an $85 fine for parking in a space reserved for boat trailers has a Safety Beach resident seeing red. The trailers-only carpark at Safety Beach boat ramp is more often than not empty during the week if the bay is rough and no boats are out, whereas parking spaces outside the shops opposite are often full. The nearest side street has limited parking. Warren Renton said he had been a resident for about 10 years but, until last Friday, was “not aware that this area at the Safety Beach boat ramp is off limits for all vehicles not towing…
STUDENTS Molly, Sara, Isla and Grace were jumping for joy when they found out their classmates would soon be joining them at Our Lady of Fatima school, Rosebud. The girls have been attending classes during the COVID-19 pandemic as their parents are essential workers. Visual art teacher Amanda Heggen said they made the “welcome back” rainbow arch to let everyone that school “is a happy and safe place to learn”. Picture: Supplied First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 26 May 2020
THREE Mornington Peninsula “hot spots” for vehicle collisions with wildlife, especially eastern grey kangaroos, are being assessed for a trial of so-called “virtual fencing”. Virtual fencing consists of devices mounted on posts being activated by approaching car headlights. The devices emit sounds and light which alert animals to approaching danger. Animals near or about to cross roads are repelled by the sound and blue and yellow strobe-type LED lights causing them to run away as vehicles approach. The devices placed at 25-metre intervals on both sides of the road run on solar powered batteries. Greens Bush Association is coordinating the…
POINT Nepean Men’s Shed members are cock-a-hoop after receiving shire approval to build a shed for their mobile workshop van and equipment storage at Stringer Reserve, Blairgowrie. The 120 square metre shed of corrugated iron on a concrete slab will be additional to their workshop in the former Southern Peninsula Rescue Squad hangar, Hotham Road, Sorrento. Members have been busy on various community projects, such as building planter boxes, potting tables and garden retaining walls at Sorrento Primary School, bicycle maintenance and restoration at Rye Primary School, building whisper phones for St Joseph’s Primary School, raised planter beds and a…
SOCCER RYAN Paczkowski could be on the verge of a sensational return to Mornington. The move relies on his current club Oakleigh Cannons not playing this season and releasing “Patch” from his contract. NPL1 powerhouse Oakleigh faces two major hurdles standing in the way of competing in 2020. The Greek-backed outfit is closely considering its duty of care to its members and has genuine concerns especially for it older supporters. It also stares into a financial black hole given that its main revenue streams have dried up with little prospect of short-term recovery. There’s no doubt that should “Patch” be…
HORSE RACING MATT Laurie’s talented sprinter Alfa Oro has returned from an injury enforced two-year layoff in fine form with a gutsy victory down the Flemington straight on Saturday 23 May. The four-year-old son of Bachelor Duke resumed with a second placing at Pakenham in April before putting together a hattrick of wins culminating in Saturday’s Benchmark 78 Almandin Handicap (1100m). The speedy gelding has come a long way since suffering a spiral fracture in his front leg during trackwork that required surgery and a 20-month absence from the track. “To come back after a two-year layoff and win like…
COUNCILLORS like to have their little jokes, and when at last council meeting the Seaford Progress Association wrote again, for the third time, urging that sign boards be erected at the boundaries of the riding to indicate to travellers that at last they were on Seaford soil, councillors seemed highly amused. Cr Howell, in moving that the request be complied with, said that the matter was one that interested Seaford ratepayers very largely. Cr. Armstrong: The Progress Association wont give the council any rest till it is done. He seconded the motion. Cr. Griffeth: It ought to be possible to…