This week the Star takes a look back at last year’s headlines, covering stories from July to September
THE State Government and Greater Dandenong Council were pumping a combined $600,000 into a new hybrid synthetic surface at Mills Reserve.
The surface was set to be drought-proof as it required no watering, while catering for the needs of the Dandenong Hockey Club and multiple community-based soccer clubs. Sports Minister James Merlino announced that the State Government would match dollar-for-dollar the City of Greater Dandenong’s $300,000 contribution.
DISCOUNT supermarket Aldi was planning to open a store in Springvale South, in a move local traders said would revitalise their struggling businesses.
Springvale Plaza trader David Butten told the Star that Aldi had approached the body corporate and now it was only a matter of having all members give the green light. Mr Butten said Springvale Plaza needed a large anchor tenant like Aldi to ensure the long-term viability of the shopping centre.
A BUNCH of talented Dandenong hip-hoppers made the finals of a national competition. Students in the St John’s Regional College Senior Hip-Hop team competed and placed second in the Victorian final of the Federation of International Sports Aerobic and Fitness competition.
It was the first time the school had entered a team in the event and the college said students trained hard for the competition. The second place result qualified St John’s Regional College to compete at the National Championships in Tweed Heads.
AN UNDER-NINES football match was called off after a fight broke out on the field. Police were also called as the violence threatened to spill off the field.
The incident erupted during the Dandenong and District Junior Football League (DDJFL) under-nines match between Cranbourne and the Dandenong Saints.
A PRIMARY school student wrote her way to winning the Noble Park Rotary Club Writing Competition. Keysborough Park Primary School student Fariha received an award for writing an essay about her love of history and her ambition to become an archeologist.
Fariha was presented with a framed copy of her submitted essay and also won prize money.
DANDENONG was mourning the sudden death of a respected resident described as the ‘epitome’ of the community. Jean Marriner, 85, died suddenly from an aneurysm on Wednesday 30 July just two days after she attended a Greater Dandenong Council meeting with husband Stuart and appeared to be in fine health. Mrs Marriner, a qualified nurse, was best known for helping and speaking out on behalf of disadvantaged people.
THE Dandenong Stingrays recorded their fourth win in a row with a hard-fought, come from behind seven-point victory over the Oakleigh Chargers at Warrawee Park, Oakleigh, in their Round 15 TAC Cup clash.
ONLY the concrete of the former Village Dandenong site was left when Reading Cinemas undertook to rebuild it.
Reading Entertainment transformed the neglected patch into a world-class cinemaplex and was set to open the doors to the public. Digital sound, digital projection offering 3D movies, plush stadium-style seating, large screens and a shiny new candy bar awaited cinemagoers who were left in the cold when Village withdrew from Dandenong and Waverley Gardens.
APPRENTICES at a Dandenong bus manufacturer were set to be the best paid in Australia as part of a ground-breaking initiative by the company to avoid a skills shortage.
Apprentices at Volgren Australia in their fourth year became able to earn as much as $691 a week, after tax, under the new scheme. Previously, a fourth-year apprentice could only earn as much as $488 a week after tax, forcing many to work second jobs to meet increasing living costs.
KEYSBOROUGH streets, parks and waterways were saved from being stained with 25,000 litres of hazardous dye, thanks to the amazing efforts of local firefighters.
A fire at a chemical factory in Fiveways Boulevard required 40 firefighters from both the Country Fire Authority and Metropolitan Fire Brigade to combat it, due largely to the complexity of dealing with chemicals.
CFA Westernport Area operations manager Trevor Owen said the factory housed multiple 25,000 litre containers of black dye that if struck by fire, and extinguished with water, would have severely stained streets, parks, and caused an environmental disaster in local waterways.
KEYSBOROUGH Football Club overcame a six-goal final-term deficit to knock out flag-favourite Pakenham and earn itself a place in the Casey-Cardinia league grand final.
The Burra went into Sunday’s preliminary final as rank outsiders against a Pakenham side that had gone through the home-and-away season undefeated, but they turned the league on its head by ousting the Lions from the premiership race.
GREATER Dandenong parking officers were under attack from angry motorists. The council urged motorists to respect the work of parking officers, after one was savagely beaten while handing out a ticket in central Dandenong.
Greater Dandenong CEO John Bennie said parking officers had a tough job to do – but it was simply their work and nothing personal.
AN ENDEAVOUR Hills woman will have a story to tell her baby son.
Karen Zini, 39, went into labour and was unable to contact her husband to drive her to hospital. She called her close friend Jenny Andersson, 22, from Noble Park, who was also pregnant. But by the time she arrived at the Endeavour Hills’ home, Ms Andersson had also gone into labour.
With both women breathing through the contractions, they jumped into the car and set off for Monash Medical Centre in Clayton. To add to the situation, the car overheated and the women were stranded at one of Melbourne’s busiest intersections. Both women later gave birth to sons.
