WORRYING trends in Kingston crime statistics released last week show spikes in cyber crime, telephone scams, and thefts of, and from, motor cars. The statistics show thefts are up 17.5 per cent (from 3524 to 4141) in the 12 months to March this year, and deceptions are up 104 per cent (from 545 to 1114) in the same period. Property and Deception offences as a category, taking in arson, property damage, burglaries/break-ins, thefts and deception, rose from 5789 to 7192 – 24 per cent – in the 12 months to March this year, giving police cause for concern. Inspector Bruce…
Author: Stephen Taylor
THE sights and sounds of The Big Apple are a tantalising prospect for singers from Mornington Peninsula Chorale who will perform at Carnegie Hall in January. The 50 choristers will join others from around the world at the Distinguished Concerts Singers International, with Sir Karl Jenkins as composer-in-residence, and artistic director Jonathan Griffith as conductor of the performance. The invitation to sing came about after the chorale performed Sir Karl’s Armed Man at Frankston Arts Centre last year for the Anzac Day centenary celebrations. Senior chorister Judi McKee wrote to Sir Karl who invited the chorale to audition for a…
IT’S tempting to say that the years have flown for Dromana police sergeant Paul Dixon, who recently received his 35-year clasp at an awards ceremony for Mornington Peninsula and Frankston police officers. Joining as a 17-year-old cadet in 1980, Sgt Dixon completed his HSC (now VCE) as part of the educational squad and was named academic cadet of the year. He was off to a good start and being paid the grand amount of $93 a week, minus $15 for board, lodgings and food at the Spencer St complex where he lived-in for 12 months. Sgt Dixon’s first training station…
THE frustrating thing about tragedies is that many could be averted or dangers lessened with a little forethought. The deaths of two scuba divers at Mornington, Friday 10 June, are a case in point (‘Two scuba divers die as waves batter pier’, The Times 13/6/16). They may not have died if vital rescue equipment had been close at hand. That’s the view of the man closest to the drama, restaurateur Robert De Santis, who ran from The Rocks restaurant near the base of the pier after a teenager raised the alarm, and climbed down a ladder into the rough seas.…
TWO winning artists at the Chelsea Art Show, held over the long weekend, are Mentone Girls’ Secondary College student Hayley Thompson and underwater photographer John Joseph Baptista. Hayley, 13, is making winning a habit: she has won her age group in the past three shows. Her latest entry is an acrylic painting of Ræv Skræv, the original name of Foxy Loxy in the Danish tale of Chicken Little. Her dad, Dale, said the work was inspired by Hayley wanting to do another woodland character to go with her Pink Deer painting, titled Pink Patronum. “She plans to do more paintings…