A MAN will be without his car and is more than $1000 out of pocket after having his car impounded at Rosebud, Wednesday 3 July. Rosebud police nabbed the Ford Falcon, displaying red P-plates, travelling at 100kph in a 50kph zone on Pt Nepean Road, 6.15am. The 22-year-old Somerville man told police he was running late for work. Things only got worse when the man was unable to produce his licence and a roadworthy check of the car found no tread on the front tyres. The man’s car was impounded at a cost of $1075. He is expected to be…
Year: 2019
A MAN wanted in relation to a fatal stabbing at Chelsea Heights last month was arrested at a property at Toora, Gippsland, last week. Homicide Squad detectives assisted by Special Operations Group members charged the 27-year-old Frankston man with one count of murder, Thursday 4 July. He appeared at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court the same day and was further remanded to November. Detectives allege the man became involved in an argument with 44-year-old Bonbeach man Ricky Thompson in the car park of a Seaford licensed premises on 18 June. (“Help find suspect” The News 2/7/2019). Thompson was stabbed in the incident…
By Barry Morris IN the wake of the sexual abuse crisis engulfing the Catholic Church in Australia, 24 Melbourne parishes have drawn up a statement listing changes they believe must be adopted urgently. An accompanying letter and introduction says the church leadership has failed ordinary Catholics. In these dark times for the Catholic Church, especially in Australia, “we experience a profound feeling of shame and demand change”. The strongly-worded statement was written following a meeting of 62 parish representatives, including Mt Eliza, on 6 March. Mornington published the statement in its bulletin. However, it is not all doom and gloom.…
SOPHIE Perez’s depiction of the land as it falls away to Bass Strait on the southern edge of the Mornington Peninsula has won the top prize in this year’s Green Wedge Paint Out Exhibition art competition. Artist Jennifer Riddle and Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery’s senior curator Danny Lacy, who judged the competition, described I Can Hear You Calling as “a bold painting that captures the evocative landscape”. “Overlooking Bass Strait, the landscape is filled with texture and depth, dirt roads dissecting the lush plant life landscape reveals itself as you drive around that corner, the thrill of the steep descent…
THE introduction to Chicago does nothing to hide what’s to follow, except the lights and colourful, onstage action. “Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to see a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery, and treachery – all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts.” The bold and sinister promise is delivered by Rosebud Secondary College students with wit, danger, style and a great deal of humour. “Many people may have in mind the 1996 Broadway version or 2003 film – featuring Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones – when they think of Chicago,” drama teacher Anthea…
Emergency crews have rescued three young men trapped on cliffs near The Pillars, off the Esplanade, Mt Martha. A fence limiting access to the internationally-renowned cliff jumping spot was recently removed and Mornington Peninsula Shire is awaiting a report before deciding if it will be erected again next summer. About seven rescue vehicles and their crews responded to a call for help at the cliff just after 4pm today (Friday).
IMPROVING the well-being of some of the most vulnerable people in the community is a cause worth pursuing. So, a project to relieve the boredom and cognitive decline of people living with dementia and other disabilities deserves special attention. Advance Community College project supervisor Sam Knowles and her team are producing stimulation materials for elderly residents designed to be both soothing and help them retain their motor skills. The items include sensory blankets, pillows and other “fiddle” items, with a variety of stimulatory elements, such as different colours and textures, and tactile elements, such as beads, ribbons, zips and buttons.…
A CAR snapped off a boom gate arm at the railway crossing on Baxter-Tooraddin Road, Baxter, Monday 1 July. The incident about 11.40am was said to have caused “significant damage” to the operation of the crossing gates near Hawkins Road. Somerville Highway Patrol members manned the crossing until a railway repair crew arrived. Metro Trains media advisor James Ireland said the boom arm was replaced and tested at 12.48pm and the crossing was “back to normal” soon after. It is unclear whether the motorist stopped or how the incident was reported. First published in the Western Port Times – 3…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire’s requirement that Peninsula Aero Club conform to planning rules could jeopardise the staging of next year’s air show at Tyabb airfield. Club president Jack Vevers sees the shire’s insistence that the club seek a planning permit – as normally required for big events – as “blackmail”. The mayor, Cr David Gill, says the club and businesses associated with the airfield should conform to planning regulations. Mr Vevers on Sunday issued a news release claiming the shire had told the club it “will not be supporting a permit application to run the air show in 2020”. Not so,…
AN announcement that AGL is delaying its plans to import gas through Crib Point by one year has renewed calls for the power companies and governments to work towards “a real renewable energy future”. “The delay comes amid nationwide fury that Australians are paying some of the highest gas prices in the world while Australia remains the number one gas exporter,” Save Westernport president Louise Page said. While the community group and Environment Victoria want the planned floating gas import terminal “scrapped altogether”, Ms Page said the delay was “an opportunity to do better”. “We call on the Premier Daniel…
SOCCER SOUTHERN United just beat last week’s transfer deadline to register two clutch signings in US attacking midfielder Jennifer Lum and teenage holding midfielder Niamh McLure. The transfer window closed at 10am on Thursday and Southern player-coach Melissa Maizels was racing the clock for the club to register her two signings while waiting on news from another two targets. “I spoke to around eight players and was hoping to bring in four but I’m happy with the business we’ve done,” Maizels said. “This is a statement of intent from Southern and it lets people know that this club has big…
DIVISION TWO HASTINGS have battled hard, but failed to defeat Red Hill at Thomas Barclay Oval on Saturday. The Hillmen have been near impossible to beat in 2019, but Hastings signalled their intent with a good first half. The Blues led at both quarter time and half time, but only by a goal. The Hillmen, who have been by far the best defensive side in the competition, held Hastings scoreless in the third quarter to get back into the contest. Hastings could only put one goal on the board in the final term, and eventually succumbed to defat. The final…
DIVISION ONE MORNINGTON have secured their second win for the year in a shock result against Frankston YCW. The Bulldogs got off on the right foot with an excellent first term. They went into the first break with a 17 point lead. Frankston YCW struggled badly all afternoon, and were not able to claw their way back into the contest. They scored 0.6 across the second and third quarters of the match. A three goals to zero final quarter saw the gap between the two sides close, but the Stonecats were too far behind to catch up. The final score…
WHEN this case was called on at the Frankston Court on Monday counsel immediately intimated that a settlement had been effected. Mr. Knight, P.M., and Messrs C. G. V. Williams, Jas. Grice, C. Grant and W. J. Oated, J’s.P., occupied the Bench. Mr McFarlane appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Utber and Mr Maxwell represented defendant. Mr McFarlane addressing the Bench said the parties had talked over the position and a settlement had been arranged to withdraw complaint subject to the approval of the Court. It was alleged that defendant had made a number of accusations against Olsen and his…
BEACH Patrol Safety Beach/Dromana members had fine weather for their recent clean up, Sunday 16 June. About 24 volunteers turned out to pick micro plastics from the seaweed and the usual cigarette butts and general plastics off the foreshore. In all, they collected 2401 pieces of plastic plus 38kg of general rubbish. Big hitters were 790 cigarette butts and 750 wrappers and packages. Other items included 12 plastic bottles, 16 plastic cups, 16 glass bottles, 24 cans, 76 pieces of broken glass, 16 coffee cups, 45 plastic bottle caps, 30 metal bottle caps, 93 small hard plastics, 36 large hard…
“DRIVING too fast on a wet road – what could possibly go wrong?” asked Somerville Highway Patrol’s Greg Wolfe. Well, you could run off the road, crash into a tree and roll your car, like the driver of this HSV Maloo ute did in Watt Road, Mornington, 7.30pm, Thursday 20 June. “The mid-30s Langwarrin man had just overtaken a mate before the collision,” Senior Constable Wolfe said. “He was extremely fortunate to climb out of the vehicle with just a blood nose. “Alcohol and drug tests were both negative. However, the driver is facing a range of other road policing…
THREATS to a scout hall caused by waves at Canadian Bay, Mt Eliza have been overcome with a beach protection barrier designed by engineer, John Scholes. The building, previously occupied by sea scouts and since taken over by the Baden Powell Park Scout Group, was in danger of being undermined when waves eroded the sand dune in was sitting on. Mr Scholes, “a civil engineer, not a hydraulics man”, saw the danger erosion was causing to the hall in 2009. His solution was to design a sand-filled wooden beach protection barrier that is being credited with stabilising the beach and…
WHILE repairs are being made to the sandbag seawall at Portsea front beach investigations continue into preventing erosion at the beach. The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) says it has “partnered” with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council “to investigate potential long-term options to reduce wave energy and erosion”. The latest studies will “complement previous investigations into coastal management options at Portsea front beach” and are expected to be finished in about two months. The sandbag seawall was installed in 2010 and is credited with helping protect the foreshore against storm surge, waves and tides. The repairs could take…
FLINDERS MP Greg Hunt was back at The Bays Hospital, Mornington last week signing off on the federal government’s $10 million promise for a “comprehensive cancer centre”. The money, announced by Mr Hunt in the lead up to the May federal election, will go towards “a new multi-storey centre on the current hospital footprint in Mornington to provide the local community with world class comprehensive cancer care and support”. The hospital must now raise $10m to match the government’s contribution. “Every day, doctors and nurses here at The Bays are striving to improve community health on the Peninsula,” Mr Hunt,…
DINNER table conversations might understandably lean towards table tennis at the Hollow family home. Charlie Hollow, 10, and his sister Georgia, 8, are gearing up for the Australian junior championships at Wollongong next week before Charlie heads to New Zealand to play for Australia in late September. The children, who live in Mt Martha and attend Mt Martha Primary, train at the Mornington Table Tennis Club in Dunns Road, Mornington. Dad Scott Hollow said table tennis had played a big role in the family’s past. “The children’s grandfather, Robert, played for Victoria 70 years ago and I played at Coburg…
DETECTIVES are calling for public assistance as they hunt for New Zealand national Alex Manuel following a fatal stabbing at Chelsea Heights, Monday 17 June. Homicide Squad detectives say the 27-year-old Frankston man, pictured right, is probably being harboured by an associate. He is wanted following the death of 44-year-old Bonbeach man Ricky Thompson after the pair was involved in an argument in the car park of a hotel on Springvale Road, 3.35am. Thompson was stabbed in the incident and died in hospital next day. It’s believed the men knew each other. Manuel is known to frequent the Frankston area,…
NEW research shows the postcode you’re born in can radically impact your whole future. That’s the finding of research conducted by Teach For Australia which shows that, even before starting school, children from low socioeconomic backgrounds are much more likely to be developmentally unready compared to their higher socioeconomic peers. The not-for-profit organisation says it seeks to improve the educational outcomes for all children by “rigorously recruiting Australia’s top talent and training them to be exceptional teachers and leaders in schools and communities with the highest need”. The results of the research show a mix of good and bad outcomes…
A $2.36 million grant to Dromana Secondary College will go towards knocking down and rebuilding outdated classrooms. Money for the works was allocated in the recent state budget. It forms part of a $5.5 million package to schools in the Nepean electorate which MP Chris Brayne says “represents the biggest investment in schools in Nepean in the seat’s history”. “These numbers seem to just roll off the tongue and, in politics, numbers seem to be thrown around all the time,” Mr Brayne said. “But this is genuine, good quality funding to a school that needs it.” Mr Brayne said Dromana…
A SELL-OUT lunch at Sorrento last week raised $16,300 for the fight against motor neurone disease. International MND Awareness Day was recognised in Sorrento, Friday 21 June, with the launch of the Mornington Peninsula MND Association started by Torie Schwarze in memory of her late father Marty Mackinnon. Ms Schwarze and Rob Tucker organised the three-hour lunch at Mr Morce restaurant, with all money raised going to support those living with, or caring for, a motor neurone sufferer. Ms Schwarze and GP Adrian Murrie gave presentations on their experiences of caring for an MND sufferer. Sponsors included Mercedes Benz Mornington,…
THE number of homeless people on the Mornington Peninsula is increasing and waiting lists for emergency housing are getting longer. That sad truth, made plain by Office of Housing statistics, is a stark daily reality to SalvoCare Eastern Rosebud coordinator Judy Cooper. She spoke to The News last week while out shopping for food supplies to help feed those desperate for help. “More people are presenting; there are always more people seeking help,” she said. Her comments come in the lead up to Homelessness Week: 4-10 August, with its theme “Housing Ends Homelessness’’. The plight of the homeless on the…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is opposing state government moves to relax planning rules for quarries. The shire’s opposition to extending the time within which an extractive industry must start operating and how long a quarry can remain idle comes at the same time that the government is considering the opening of another quarry in Boundary Road, Dromana. With the planning decision taken out of its hands, the shire has already voiced its opposition to Hillview Quarries’ plan for the 38 hectare, 190-metre deep quarry, but the government will make the final decision. The government says it is committed to changing planning…
Police are investigating a fatal two car collision in Flinders this afternoon. It is believed the vehicles collided on Boneo Road near Mornington-Flinders Road just before 4.30pm. The male driver and only occupant of one vehicle has died at the scene. The male and female in the other vehicle are being treated for minor injuries. The exact cause of the collision is being investigated. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Victoria Police News – Wednesday, 26 June 2019
Stephen Taylor and Keith Platt AN uneasy truce has been declared over the issues of planning and operating permits for businesses within the Tyabb Airfield precinct. Talks last week between Mornington Peninsula Shire and Peninsula Aero Club resulted in both sides agreeing to co-operate on “a reasonable set of working arrangements to be included in the airfield master plan by the end of September”. The shire will contact businesses outlining how they obtain the necessary operating permits. Details about the lack of permits are contained in a report compiled by a Queen’s Counsel appointed by the shire in May. The…
THE Bridge Bosses of Balnarring Primary School were judged the best model bridge builders in a competition at BlueScope Western Port’s Hastings plant. Their bridge took the weight of 60 tins of tuna weighing 7.5kg. About 60 students in 16 teams took part in the Rotary Club of Somerville Tyabb Inter Schools Activity Challenge, Wednesday 19 June. Their task was to build a weight-bearing bridge spanning 720mm using only a pack of playing cards, icy pole sticks, twine, thumbtacks, and sticky tape. The time limit was one hour. Teams were evaluated on their bridges’ ability to sustain increasingly heavy loads…
SOCCER SKYE United hammered Whitehorse United 5-0 away from home last weekend and leapfrogged its opponent into second spot in State 3 South-East. Skye midfielder Mark O’Connor was suspended and recent recruit Alex Rojas made his first start for the club. Skye’s bench was boosted by the returns of Jack Gallagher from overseas and Maxim Avram from injury. The visitors controlled the opening exchanges but chances went begging for Mitch Blake and Daniel Attard. This nearly proved costly but Skye had Jonathan Crook to thank as he kept the hosts at bay for the remainder of the half and on…