50 years ago December 1974
The Rochester Shire will donate $50 towards the installation and operating costs of coloured lights in Gillies St, Rochester, over the Christmas period.
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Cr R.D. Murphy told council that he had been approached by representatives of the Advance Rochester Association seeking assistance with the installation and running costs of the lights especially for the traders’ night.
The Advance Rochester Association had estimated that the gala evening would attract approximately 2000 people to Gillies St, Cr Murphy said.
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Two residents of Gunbower, who came to Australia about 20 years ago from southern Italy, were naturalised in the council chamber of the Rochester Shire.
Mr Carmelo (Charley) Todaro and his wide Domenica took oath of allegiance from the shire president, Cr A.D.J. Fraser.
Mr and Mrs Todaro were welcomed as citizens by Cr Michael Adam, Cr Jim Hare and Cr Fraser.
Mr Todaro, a tobacco farmer, was recently injured and had to shake hands with the shire president with his left hand.
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Mr Michael Clarke, MLC, for Northern Province said last week that there are some signs of a potential recovery in the market for beef, as he expected that the present world glut in beef would be a short-term phenomenon.
Mr Clarke said that the crisis in Australia had been largely caused by a rapid growth in cattle numbers from 20 million to 30 million head over the past four years.
The same trend has appeared in the US, where cattle numbers have soared from 110 million head in 1969 to 128 million head today, and in Britain, where the numbers have increased by two million.
25 years ago December 1999
Residents can look over the draft plans for the proposed drainage scheme for Diggora Rd at a public meeting.
Design engineers Fisher Stewart have prepared the plans, which include the provision for a two-megalitre dam to be built adjacent an existing dam on the south-west end of the Rochester Recreation Racecourse Reserve.
The area had been significantly developed in the past 25 years and the new scheme would improve drainage, while ensuring the Campaspe River was not polluted by such works, Western Ward councillor Greg Toll said.
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A woman gave birth in the hospital driveway and a patient locked himself in a toilet cubicle as a fire raged in the health service kitchen.
Sirens sounded and emergency services rushed to the Rochester campus of Rochester and Elmore District Health Service.
The scene was set for the mock evacuation at the hospital on Monday.
Staff were aware a mock exercise was planned for some time through the week but, to ensure the exercise retained an air of urgency, nobody knew exactly when the alarms would ring.
Health service spokesperson Shaun Eldridge said the mock exercise was of benefit to all involved.
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As the tale of Malinkundang unfolded, prep students at Rochester Primary School dressed in traditional Indonesian costumes to play out the characters of the story.
Assisted by the director of the Indonesian Cultural and Educational Institute Abe L. Kelabora, the children learnt the age-old Indonesian fable of how Malinkundang left his home to sail across the sea, became captain of his ship, married and returned home only to deny his mother, who put a curse upon him.
While the preps enjoyed donning their ‘dress-ups’, the senior students were learning Indonesian dancing from another member of the Institute.
10 years ago December 2014
A Christmas lights extravaganza is on display at 99 Baynes St, Rochester, where more than 51,000 bulbs bring Ken Hocking’s home to life.
For the home’s ninth Christmas lights show, there is a dancing Santa and farmyard and native animals next to reindeer waiting for Santa to board their sleigh.
There is a wishing well and several elaborately lit Christmas trees are in the front garden, while 10 trains race along 400m of track inside.
More than 13,000 people visited Mr Hocking’s spectacular display last Christmas, which he said he was continually increasing and he hoped to eclipse that number again this year.
He has wrapped 5000 bags of lollies for children and has made ‘‘senior bags’’ of shortbread and candy canes for parents.
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Children at Rochester Childcare Centre have a new cubby to enjoy thanks to the handy work of three Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning students from Rochester Secondary College.
Under the guidance of teacher Ash French, year 12 students Nick Serafini, Yarran Emery and Liam Robertson approached the centre offering to build a cubby as part of their course work.
For their final year assessment, Mr French said his students had to think of a project that used their VCAL skills to give back to the community.
‘‘The boys asked if they could also incorporate their VET construction skills and build the cubby for the childcare centre and I said absolutely,’’ Mr French said.
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Drugged drivers have overtaken drink drivers for the first time on Victorian roads.
More people are killed on the state’s roads while driving under the influence of illicit drugs, such as ice, than from alcohol, police statistics show.
Last year, 39 drivers with illicit drugs in their system were killed on Victorian roads — 15 more than those with alcohol.
Victoria Police statistics reveal one in 15 drivers tested positive for drugs between January 1 and August 31 this year, with 78 per cent of those under the influence of methamphetamines, including ice.
Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing Robert Hill said it was a concern to see an increase in the number of drivers using illegal drugs.
He said he had seen a continuing trend this year.
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