Author: Neil Walker

SHAKESPEARE shaken and stirred is heading to the Frankston Arts Centre and it is a homecoming of sorts for cast member Jacob Warner who was born in Frankston. His parents’ family still live around Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula despite the actor leaving town at the age of three. The young actor, fresh off his feature film debut in the Mel Gibson directed Hacksaw Ridge, is playing the clown Launcelot Gobbo in a Bell Shakespeare company production of The Merchant of Venice featuring money lender Shylock demanding an infamous “pound of flesh” in return for a late debt. Bell Shakespeare…

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LANGWARRIN’S Robert Bolch was recognised for service to the community of the Mornington Peninsula in this month’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The 80-year-old justice of the peace can now add OAM after the letters JP to his name as reward for his tireless voluntary work officially witnessing and counter-signing legal documents at Frankston police station and beyond. Mr Bolch estimates he has witnessed “more than 5000” documents in his time at the front counter of Frankston police station since 2005 despite past predictions by experts that everyone would be living in “a paperless society”. The Langwarrin resident helped set up…

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PASSING on ballet skills to the next generations of dancers has earned Sandra McKay an Order of Australia for services to the performing arts, especially ballet, in this month’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The 74-year-old Frankston South resident, who teaches at several dance schools in Frankston and across the Mornington Peninsula, said she “had no idea” she had been nominated for an OAM and said it is an honour to be recognised for her work. Ms McKay teaches youngsters ballet and also mentors ten teachers who give ballet lessons. “I consider myself very lucky that I’m still wanted by people,”…

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A MEDICAL specialist who helps people with potentially life-threatening sleep conditions has been named as an OAM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List this month. Associate professor David Langton received the honour for service to thoracic and sleep medicine. He said he regarded the Medal of the Order to be recognition of a team effort at Frankston Hospital to improve treatment for patients. The 59-year-old said he had seen many changes that have improved medical services since he first arrived at the hospital 30 years ago. “I have been very lucky to see an enormous transition”, he said. “For me,…

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A GROUP that had its bid to build a place of worship on green wedge land in Carrum Downs rejected by VCAT has won a Supreme Court of Victoria appeal to construct buildings on 26.3 hectares of land. The Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB) group, headquartered in India, successfully argued a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal decision ruling RSSB is not a religion should be overruled by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided on 8 June that VCAT applied “the wrong indicia” in February when the planning appeals tribunal ruled plans to build a place of worship for RSSB…

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