News blog, May 23: Magical flavoured beans, election wash-up, Neville Jetta stars for Tat
Check back during the day for all the headlines across the Goulburn Valley
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Gday Shepparton,
It’s Max Stainkamph back with you following a full-on weekend of Federal election chat to give you the wash-up, and some other news, from around the grounds.
My mates at the Bureau of Meteorology are telling me we’re racing to a top of 19 degrees with hardly a cloud in the sky after a chilly start.
Let’s get stuck in.
UPDATE, 4.00pm: Bravery of civilians and soldiers in Battle of Crete honoured
Alright, this is cool and something I never knew — people from Shepparton fought in the battle of Crete.
On Friday, May 20 at the Shepparton cenotaph, 81 years to the day after the start of one of the key conflicts of World War II, members of Australia’s Greek community, along with visitors from the Mediterranean island of Crete, gathered to show the sacrifices of the Australian, New Zealand and British soldiers, and the people of Greece, had not been forgotten.
Battle of Crete Commemorative Council of Victoria chairman Jim Papadimitriou said it was important to hold the ceremony in Shepparton because of the city’s strong Greek population.
Murray Silby has a ton more info here, I recommend giving it a read.
I’m also clocking off the blog for the arvo after a long couple of days — there’s another election yarn on the way which you should keep an eye out for.
UPDATE, 2.30pm: BEANS! The magical fruit!
As the ancient proverb goes, “beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat, the more you toot” and I am TOOTING about this story alri... hold on, I’m being passed a note. Okay, I don’t think I’m using ‘tooting’ in the same way that ancient proverb is. Hm. Okay.
Anyway! (Can you tell I’m still very tired from the election?) SPC has announced a new type of beans — Vegemite beans.
Yep, Vegemite beans. Read about them here.
UPDATE, 1.30pm: Volunteers needed with one criteria point: pride
Goulburn Valley Pride and Out In The Open are looking for additional volunteers to join their ranks.
A volunteer-led, not-for-profit organisation, GV Pride is a well-established organisation and charity that promotes diversity and inclusion across the community, and also runs Out in the Open.
GV Pride volunteer co-ordinator Colin Armstrong said the organisation was “very keen” to re-establish a larger group of volunteers after COVID-19 disruptions.
Check out the full Caitlyn Grant story here for more information.
UPDATE, 12pm: Sport, sport, sport, sport!
The clash between Rob, Sam and Steve wasn’t the only one on the weekend - there were dozens of contests across the electorate on sporting fields and courts and ovals and everything else.
As I said before, Nev Jetta lined up for Tatura in Aydin Payne’s jumper — check out that match report here.
Seymour shocked the competition in the netball, and got back on the winners’ list in the footy, while Rochy pummelled the Bears.
The intrepid Aydin Payne wandered down to Avenel at the weekend to watch the Swannies hold off Lancaster to mark their claim on the top of the KDL ladder — read that yarn and check out the gallery here, while in the netball Avenel claimed its second win of the season.
Fill ya boots on sport.
UPDATE, 11.15am: Mall is taking shape
Behind the hoardings the redevelopment of the Maude St Mall is starting to take shape.
Most of the early works were underground, with the installation of new services, but the construction is now in full swing above ground with the formation of the new road and pedestrian areas, including central plantations.
Over the past week, work has also been done on access at the Fryers St end of the mall where slow-moving traffic will eventually be able to enter the precinct.
Check out the full story here.
UPDATE, 10.15am: One for the politics nerds
Darren Linton, who’s been happy as larry in his element this weekend, has put together a look at who voted which way in booths across the region.
While Rob Priestly did better than expected at smaller ballot boxes, his failed to carry the larger towns in the region.
Daz has the full wrap-up here, it’s a fascinating read if you’re a politics nerd like me.
UPDATE, 9.30am: The wash-up from the Federal election, Neville Jetta stars for Tat
Starting off the day — we officially have a new Prime Minister.
Anthony Albanese has been sworn in as the nation’s 31st Prime Minister following his election win over the weekend, and he will pretty much immediately hand the reins over to Richard Marles as he heads to the Quad meeting (our alliance with India, Japan and the US).
Locally — we’re locked in. Sam Birrell will be the next member for Nicholls. Read his reaction to the win here, while Rob Priestly is proud his run has changed the landscape in Nicholls regardless of the result.
Over in the football on the weekend (and I’ll have more on this later), former Narrm (which Melbourne has rebranded to for Sir Doug Nicholls round) star Neville Jetta was running around in Aydin Payne’s number 39 for Tatura at the weekend.