Local news updates - Over the fence - August 2006

Shepparton East Football Club go for broke

29.Aug.06: Former Shepparton Football Club Coach and current Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, will assist Shepparton East Football Club Gerard Doyle with training this Thursday night.

Shepparton East who lost last weeks final after being seven goals up at three quarter time have called on Sykes to inject the will to win into the team.

Sykes, after 54 games with Fitzroy, coached Shepparton Football Club to two premierships in 1972 and 1973 with teams of modest ability but with a fierce desire to win.

Training commences at 6pm at Shepparton East Football Ground, Central Avenue, Shepparton East.

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Anti fluoride group tries again

26.Aug.06: WANGARATTA’S Anti-fluoride Group has ramped up its attack on fluoridation plans for the city early next year. Group chairman Noel Ryan said it had launched a public campaign calling on people to stop buying fluoride toothpaste and for an investigation of chemicals in North East rivers.

“We’re doing freedom of information requests on the details of all tests on water quality of the Murray, King and Ovens rivers for the past five years,” Mr Ryan said.

“I think we’ll be surprised by what chemicals are already in there. “We’ve already got fluoride in our food, in toothpaste and it occurs naturally in water anyway — how much fluoride do we need?”

Part of the nation-wide body Quality Water, the Anti-fluoride Group this week reaffirmed its commitment to stop construction of the city’s fluoridation plant due to begin at the end of next month. Tenders for the Wangaratta and Wodonga plants closed on Tuesday. ... Border Mail article here

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Wangaratta CFA members off to US fires

22.Aug.06: A team of local CFA members are headed for the United States for a 35 day deployment. Led by Stewart Krellszheim seconded as a Divisional Commander, the team of 4 fire fighters leave on August 25th and are due back towards the end of October.

We wish them a safe deployment and expect to hear some interesting stories on how the US fire fighters operate in their bushfires ... as well as their off duty exploits. ... Border Mail article here

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Boost to King Valley Infrastructure

19.Aug.06: The constant power dropouts experienced in the King Valley may have been addressed with SP AusNet installing new equipment around Wangaratta so that less people will be affected by blackouts.

Together with the announcement that a public transport bus service to Wangaratta three days a week, the valley may be coming out of the backwoods and into the '20th century'.

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Paranoia

16.Aug.06: Did you see this article in the border mail? “He seemed to get the phone out when ladies or girls walked past,” the witness said. He wasn’t getting the phone out of his pocket when men walked by." It is a sad world when the population of a rural area react in this way to an everyday occurrence.

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Spring is here and the weeds are waking up

13.Aug.06: Now is the perfect time of year for rural landholders to inspect their roadside for weeds. Council, together with Landcare groups, provides coordinated control of weeds on rural roadsides. If you would like to include your roadside as part of this program, please contact your local Landcare group. Landcare groups are listed on Council's website in the Community Directory or contact the North East Regional Landcare Coordinator on (02) 6043 7600. For further information about Council's weed control program, please contact Council's Sustainability Program Coordinator on (03) 5722 0888.

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RCoW Night Inspections of the Road Network

13.Aug.06: The Rural City of Wangaratta advises residents that night inspections of its road network will commence on Monday 14 August, 2006. The purpose of the inspections is to identify road signage that is illegible at night. The inspection process will mean that a number of signs will be photographed. The inspection vehicle will be clearly identified with twin flashing warning lights. Motorists are requested to exercise extreme care when in proximity of this vehicle. Further information can be obtained by contacting Brett Direen - Manager Works & Operations on 0419 870 146.

Let us hope they notice the absence of the red and white reflectors that have disappeared over recent years.

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Thieves preparing early for King River Cod season

09.Aug.06: Sometime on Sunday night, possibly Monday morning, thieves cut their way through a fence at Turner Fishing and Metal Recyclers, forced entry to the business and proceeded to steal specialist cod fishing equipment. If they go cod fishing out of season, they will be breaking the law.

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Olny srmat poelpe can raed tihs. (a brain teaser for you)

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn\'t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs psas it on.

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Ratepayers want their councillors to have a voice.

04.Aug.06: A week-long web poll run by the Chronicle saw more than 100 residents vote in favor of rural city councillors being able to speak at any time on council-related issues. They make up an overwhelming majority of the constituents, with only seven voting against the suggestion and seven being undecided.

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New V/Line timetable begins in September

04.Aug.06: V/Line has announced its new 2006 Timetable, which will take effect from early September. Download and print your copy here. (pdf file - 225K)

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