50 years ago May 1975
A further $125,000 has been allocated under the Regional Employment Development Scheme to the Echuca area.
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The Member for Murray, Mr Lloyd, announced by telegram yesterday that the allocation had been made by the Minister for Labor and Immigration, Mr Cameron.
The money will employ 33 workers for up to 20 weeks.
The RED money goes to the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission and Echuca City Council.
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Echuca police believe they have uncovered a drag racket in the district.
This follows the arrest of a 22-year-old from Echuca. He has been charged with possession and smoking of Indian hemp and will appear in Echuca court at a later date.
The arrest follows investigations by Det Sgt J.P. Barritt, Det Sen Constable J. Widdicombe, Sgt P. Flynn and Constable G.J. Ryan.
Sgt Barritt said information had been received from drug pushers’ parents, wives and friends.
Sgt Barritt said inquiries into the drug racket had been moved to Melbourne and interstate and if anyone can help the Echuca CIB all information would be treated with strictest confidence.
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District dairy farmers should welcome news of the recommendations of the Victorian Dairy Industry Inquiry, the Member for Rodney, Mr Hann, said in a statement today.
The Board of Inquiry has presented their report to the Victorian Parliament and recommended significant changes to the dairy industry in Victoria.
The most significant is that all whole milk producers who comply with the necessary standards should have the right to participate in the supply of milk for direct human consumption.
This will mean the abolition of the milk contract system and all dairy farmers will share in the lucrative liquid milk market.
25 years ago May 2000
Two years after an attempt was made to demolish the former Wesley Church in Percy St, St Mary’s Primary School in now making use of the building.
Two new classrooms, an entrance area, storeroom and teacher’s room have been established in one half of the building with basic maintenance conducted on the other section.
The wood panelling, which was a feature of the church, has been retained where possible.
False ceilings were put into the classrooms and supports were put in to stabilise the structure, which previously had a problem with the walls moving out.
The grounds around the building have also been upgraded. The total cost of the renovation works was about $100,000.
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Lockington Primary School student Simone Pearce was successful at last month’s inaugural Equestrian Federation of Australia Interschool Championships, held in Werribee.
Simone and her pony, Gaze, performed so well at the championships that Simone was named the division five state champion, for kids in grade four and under.
Simone was representing her school at the championship, in which 360 riders from 110 schools around Australia competed.
Simone said she was both happy and surprised to win, as she ‘’didn’t expect it’’.
Simone and her Welsh Cross gelding share a strong bond.
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The United Dairyfarmers of Victoria have implored Bonlac Foods Limited to be ‘’open and frank’’ at its district supplier meetings this week.
Bonlac will hold meetings at Lockington, Stanhope, Numurkah and Kialla to outline its plan to merge with the New Zealand Dairy Board.
UDV president Max Fehring, from Cohuna, said it was extremely important for Bonlac suppliers to attend the meetings.
Timmering dairy farmer Keith Gledhill said he was pessimistic about Bonlac Food Limited’s prospects, even if the planned merger went ahead.
He said he was sceptical of the merger even proceeding and of Bonlac retaining enough milk suppliers to retain market share.
10 years ago May 2015
Senior Sergeant Mick Carroll of Echuca Police said he was pleased to finally see money to construct a new police station in this year’s budget.
The initial allocation of $9.5 million, with a further $2.5 million in the following year, would allow the new station, on Sturt St, to be built by the end of 2016.
For many years, the hierarchy at Echuca police has pleaded for a new station, as staff outgrew the old complex.
The ball started rolling in early 2013, when the state government announced the new site, at the corner of Sturt and Anstruther Sts.
The project was given $14 million in last year’s Victorian budget, which was unused.
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Echuca’s Sam Davies has been training since last year for Australia’s greatest and toughest desert race.
Davies said the Finke Desert Race was an off-road multi-terrain two-day race which sees competitors roar through desert country from Alice Springs to the Aputula (Finke) community via bike, car or buggie.
The district motorcycle enthusiast will travel to the Northern Territory in three weeks in preparation for the event, which is considered one of the most difficult courses in the world.
Davies said competitors would travel a 500km loop over two days, with the quickest rider or driver declared the outright winner in their respective categories.
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Love. It was the word six-year-old Kym Underwood from Echuca used to describe Mother’s Day.
Although she stopped short to explain it was love for everyone and not just her mum, it still put a smile on the three generations of mothers in her family.
Kym is the daughter of Kristie, the granddaughter of Penny McKenner and the great-granddaughter of Shirley MacLean.
The three generations of mothers are from a long line of mothers documented in the family’s bible.
Shirley said it was great to be able to read about the family’s history.
‘‘I couldn’t even guess how many mothers it includes,’’ she said.
RIV Herald