Men arrested
Two men face court on 20-plus charges including alleged arson, drug trafficking, handling stolen goods and 14 recent thefts from vehicles in central Geelong, according to police.
Investigators made the “significant arrests” of the men, now imprisoned on remand, after locating them inside a vehicle “in suspicious circumstances” on Wednesday, police said.
Straighter skis
Jet-skiers will have to ride in straight lines through zones shared with swimmers on the Bellarine Peninsula’s bayfront under proposed changes to rules for personal watercraft on Port Phillip Bay.
The new rules would prohibit “irregular riding” in shared areas in response to safety concerns involving jet skis after a 56 per cent in their registrations over the past six years, Marine Safety Victoria said.
Lions boost
A $905,000 facilities upgrade is set to boost the membership and “sustainability” of Belmont Lions Sports Club, according to Victorian Senator David Van.
Mr Van this week welcomed the completed project’s addition of facilities to cater for both genders, linking the upgrade with rising participation in women’s sport “right across the country”.
Rain lift
Geelong’s water storage levels have continued climbing with ongoing rain in the last month of winter, according to official measurements.
Barwon Water recorded an overall capacity of 52.5 per cent this week after 9mm of rain in the seven days to Wednesday, with further falls forecast today and over the weekend.
Pets online
City Hall has launched online registrations for greater Geelong’s 45,000 registered dogs and cats.
The service was now available on council’s website as part of a commitment to “make processes easier for our customers”, said City Hall planning and development director Gareth Smith.
Turbines approved
One of the largest wind farms in the Southern Hemisphere is on the way to farmland west of Geelong after winning federal approval this week, Golden Plains Shire has announced.
WestWind Energy’s 228 turbines around Rokewood would be “transformative” for the shire’s economy as construction of the project created hundreds of jobs, said Mayor Owen Sharkey.
Whittington ‘connects’
Whittington residents will be able to “connect” with councillors when they hold a free barbecue before their monthly meeting in the suburb next week, City Hall has announced.
Wordern Crt’s Bellarine Living and Learning Centre would host both events from 6pm on Tuesday as part of series of Community Focus meetings around the municipality, City Hall said.
Killer games
Board games with goals of building killer viruses and saving endangered animals will turn families onto science in Geelong next week, according to Deakin University.
Deakin said “educators” and students would run the free family games nights from Monday to Wednesday as part of National Science Week.
Compost delivered
Greater Geelong households have delivered their first batch of compost from a new $3.5 million processing facility between Lovely Banks and Anakie, City Hall has announced.
The composing centre sent its first “mature windrows” to a neighbouring farm this week as part of the facility’s plan to process 35,000 tonnes of collected green waste a year, City Hall said.
Woman wanted
Security cameras have snapped a woman wanted for allegedly stealing “assorted electrical products” from Office Works Waurn Ponds, according to police.
Investigators this week released images of a woman wanted for questioning over the $230 haul of stolen goods on 24 June, saying she left the store’s shopping centre in a silver Holden Statesman.
