Friday, February 10, 2012
A Star News Group publication
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Ready, set, go: Independent’s Superkidz on their marks THE REGION’S super kids are preparing to compete alongside some of Australia’s best triathletes as part of a three-day Geelong Multi Sport Festival beginning this Friday. The Geelong Independent Superkidz Triathlon will send children aged seven to 13 over safe swim, run and cycle legs with distances tailored to their ages. The Superkidz event begins 9am Saturday, with each competitor to receive an event singlet, a finisher’s medallion, a bag of other goodies and chances to win random draw prizes. Entries are still available at geelongmultisport.com.au or at Eastern Beach from 7.30am to 8.30am Saturday. Torquay Surf Life Saving Club members Olivia, Jaron and Matilda Hobbs, of Highton, will be among the Superkidz competitors. Mum Angela said they were looking forward to competing. “They’re all excited,” she said. “They really want to go out there and have a bit of fun. They like trying anything.” The festival includes a range of other events over achievable distances for competitors of various standards. Competition becomes serious on Sunday, with Australia’s top triathletes competing for prize money of $12,500 in an URBAN 2.80.20 long-course race. Spectators can enjoy a range of on-shore activity and entertainment throughout the event. The Independent’s managing editor, Tony Galpin, said the multi sport festival was a hallmark event for Geelong. “Come on down to Eastern Beach to support this exciting community event.”
COAST COPS ON THE ROAD PAGE 2
Good sports: Hobbs siblings Olivia, 10, Jaron, 8, and Matilda, 7, prepare for the Superkidz triathlon. Picture: John Conway
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Lab bust leads to call for more cops BY MICHELLE HERBISON ST LEONARDS residents will push for more police in the region following a clandestine drug lab bust this week, according to a community representative. St Leonards Progress Association secretary Paul Sproule said he already planned to beg Police Minister Peter Ryan for more resources before the discovery of the $15 million drug lab on Manifold Rd. “We will get on the bandwagon and try to help get some more
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“As an ex-copper, I know it’s the people that take the time to pass on information that builds a case. We can’t expect the police to be everywhere.” Police arrested four men after recovering 15kg of amphetamines from the St Leonards lab, which was likened to facilities previously run under crime figures Tony Mokbel and Carl Williams. Progress association president Bob Hynes said he had noticed a “big increase” of crime in St
policemen,” Mr Sproule said. “The drug lab makes it something a bit more substantial now because it’s alarming for people. If there were more police available in the region we’d see more of a presence in St Leonards.” Mr Sproule said recent Neighbourhood Watch figures revealed an “alarming” increase in burglaries around the area. He urged St Leonards residents at a meeting this week to call Crime Stoppers if they noticed suspicious activity.
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Leonards. “It’s just crazy here over the summer season,” Mr Hynes said. “We’re really under-resourced in a lot of ways.” Labor Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney urged the Police Minister in parliament this week to put more police in Geelong. “The people of Geelong, along with the police officers who tirelessly serve the Geelong community, have a right to feel safe on the streets and in their homes.”
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Ms Tierney said the region’s police shortage was “constantly” threatening temporary closures of stations at Ocean Grove, Drysdale, Portarlington, Queenscliff and Lara. Mr Ryan said Geelong would have a share in 850 additional police across Victoria by June 30. “While the allocation of police resources is an operational decision for police command, I have relayed Geelong police resources to the Chief Commissioner.”
OUR GRAPES EXPECTATION PAGE 7
AND FINALLY IT’S FRIDAY PAGE 31
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