A LOCAL volunteer group is building a training cafe to help people with special needs find work. Local 2 Community is undertaking the project. The cafe will be volunteer run and be targeted towards people with special needs and from disadvantaged backgrounds. The group received a $5000 grant through the Dunkley Volunteer Grants Program for the project. Dunkley MP Peta Murphy said “this funding will enable Local 2 Community to construct a community café in the heart of Frankston North which will greatly benefit the local community.” “I’m thrilled to be able to support a program that not only encourages…
Author: Bayside News
THE mayor’s annual reading challenge kicks off for keen Frankston readers this week. The challenge is for preschool aged kids. Frankston mayor Sandra Mayer said “Australian research has found that children who are read to six or seven times a week have a literacy level almost a year ahead of children who are not read to at home and are likely to learn more when they start school.” “The Mayor’s Reading Challenge is a great opportunity to read to kids and collect some pretty cool prizes along the way,” she said. “Everyone who completes the challenge of reading 60 books…
A FRANKSTON primary school and early learning centre had to shut last week after they were linked to positive COVID-19 cases. Overport Primary School was shut on 20 July after a COVID-19 case was identified within the school. The Hope Early Learning Centre in Frankston Heights shut earlier that week after an educator tested positive for coronavirus. A statement on the Hope ELC Facebook page read “we would like to inform you that our Hope Frankston Heights, Robinia Street Centre has been temporarily closed from Thursday 16th of July due to an educator testing positive to coronavirus.” “The educator was…
By Stuart McCullough THESE are testing times. By ‘testing times’, I don’t mean in a ‘Naplan’ kind of way. Or even in a ‘pub test’ way, given they’re all currently closed. I mean that these are difficult times for everyone and there’s little choice but to suck it up and soldier on. Right now we’re living in a Leonard Cohen song. Not one of the pretty, romantic ones but the scary, apocalypse-before-breakfast type of songs. But despite the gloom it’s also an opportunity. An opportunity to do things a little differently and to acquire new skills that – once upon…
THE Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is building on its significant efforts zeroing in on fraud and schemes designed to take advantage of the government’s COVID-19 stimulus package. This includes JobKeeper, early release of superannuation, and boosting cash flow for employers. ATO Deputy Commissioner Will Day said that with so many Australians impacted by COVID-19, the ATO’s priority is to ensure payments get to those who need them. “We know the overwhelming majority of Australians are honest, and we’ve worked hard to help those people who are impacted by COVID-19 as quickly as possible.” “We also have an important role to…