Sanitiser boom
North Geelong’s Caron Laboratories sold nearly 7500 bottles of hand sanitiser in March, 1000 more than the company sold during all of 2019.
Several local distilleries and wineries have also begun producing hand sanitiser amid massive increases in demand during the coronavirus pandemic.
Journalism funding
Federal government this week announced a new $50 million program to support public interest journalism in regional Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Media organisations across the country and indeed those in regional Victoria are facing significant challenges due to the impacts of COVID-19,” Geelong-based senator Sarah Henderson said.
The funding would help regional newspapers, such as the Independent, continue to provide timely, accurate and vital information to their communities, Ms Henderson said.
Overnight arrest
Tactical police arrested a 36-year-old Drysdale man and 39-year-old Geelong West woman after they barricaded themselves in a Hamlyn Heights motel room on Wednesday night.
Police located a stolen motorcycle at the Lily Street property and called in the Critical Incident Response team amid concerns the pair were armed. They were arrested peacefully following negotiations.
Having a hoot
Geelong council has enlisted a tawny frogmouth as its new mascot in a bid to protect native vegetation, with only five per cent of the region’s original flora remaining.
Geelong’s youth council chose Kim Hayes’ suggestion of ‘Owlfred’ as the name for the native bird, often mistaken for an owl, following a city-wide naming competition.
Demolition progresses
Belcher’s Corner is set to come down by the end of June after excessive structural decay forced workers to install extra bracing, delaying the project by two months.
Meanwhile, demolition is progressing steadily at Fyansford’s former Geelong Cement Silos, previously the site of three large murals.
