Author: Stephen Taylor

THREE businesses have been issued Environment Protection Authority pollution abatement notices because their actions have the potential to contaminate Mordialloc creek. Staff from the EPA, Kingston Council and South East Water inspected 30 businesses last month after identifying they “had the potential to impact local stormwater systems through their use of heavy metals or hydrocarbons”. The blitz aimed to identify the source of pollution already found in the waterway. “It is important to note that these notices were not issued for causing pollution; they were issued as there was the potential for pollution of waterways identified at these sites,” the…

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LIFE Saving Victoria on Wednesday recognised the efforts of two young men who dived into rough waters off Frankston pier to rescue two teenagers from drowning (‘Rescuers save couple in surging seas’, The Times 12/10/15). The men – Alby Ward, 19, of Seaford, and Jarrah Brown, 23, of Glen Waverley – received Everyday Lifesaver Awards in recognition of their bravery. Seas were surging and temperatures plummeting after a cool change when the pair noticed a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man struggling in the water, 2.45pm, Tuesday 6 October. Mr Brown said they immediately dived into the water and swam…

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A WORLD of collectible items that were once part of our everyday past is on display at the Old Bakery Museum, Mentone. The ‘Where have all the houses gone?’ exhibition also includes a series of photographs of aesthetically pleasing houses that have long since been knocked down and replaced with townhouses or apartments. The collectibles are from a time pre-and-post war when things were made strongly to last – there was no such term as “planned obsolescence”. Nothing was expected to be just thrown away and everything was expected to be repaired at least once in its lifetime. Shoe soles…

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EVERY carer has a story. Those caring for a loved one with a mental illness – and coping with the changes to their own lives – can be unsure how, or where, to get help. Peninsula Health’s carer consultant Judy Anderson knows well the challenges, as she has 15 years’ experience caring for a family member with a debilitating mental health condition. She often finds herself saying to other carers: “I know what you are going through,” she told The Times last week. “It also helps the carer to know that they are not alone in their journey and that…

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COLOURFUL plantings of grevillea, crackerjack and correa are making Mentone station and surrounds even more attractive for commuters. Friends of Mentone Station & Gardens last week established four gardens beds – two directly outside the down-side entrance and two either side of the new MYKI readers which have been installed to ease congestion at peak times. The Friends were able to spend $2000 on bed preparation and plants – thanks to the generosity of St Augustine’s Southern Opportunity Shop, Florence St, Mentone. “The plantings are on VicTrack land which we are looking after,” chair Dorothy Booth said. “We hope to…

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