2014
A young Kyabram diesel mechanic was hailed a hero after he jumped into an icy cold channel on Monday night to save a woman’s life.
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Dean Lavars, 22, said he would do it again in a heart beat.
Mr Lavars was driving south along McEwen Rd at about 8pm when a vehicle crossed his path and careered through a guard rail and into the main channel on Everard Rd.
“I hit the brakes and got out of the car and heard a woman screaming,” Mr Lavars said.
“I dumped my keys and phone and jumped in.”
“I could touch the bottom. It wasn’t over my heed,” Mr Lavars said.
He said he had no other instinct than to help the woman.
When Clint Rayner, owner of CJR Diesel arrived on site, minutes after Mr Lavars frantically called, the car had virtually submerged.
“He’s a hero and if he hadn’t been there when he was, who knows what the outcome would have been,” Mr Rayner said.
Police said the woman driver, 26, lost control turning right into McEwen Rd into Everard Rd.
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“Getcha” is getting too big and Kyabram Fauna Park is calling for community support to build a new $150,000 crocodile enclosure.
Park general manager Ron Pope said the 2.6m long, more than 50kg croc was starting to get cramped in his enclosure.
“We knew when we got him there would only be a short life cycle for the existing enclosure,” he said.
“Because they live so long, Getcha could end up being almost 700kg and more than five metres long or bigger, so he needs a new home.”
1994
A hilarious night was had by all who attended the Merrigum Primary School’s reverse ‘Mock Deb Ball’ on Friday, June 17.
A large receptive crowd watched as the stunning debs and their partners showed off their dancing prowess with the Pride of Erin and the Chicken Dance.
The night began with the welcoming of the official party resplendent in their attire.
They entered the hall as the rest of the debs would by climbing the stairs behind the stage curtains and gracefully descending the slide, landing on the large cushion below the stage.
The gravity of the evening seemed to take its toll on some of the debs, but what class they showed as they struggled to their feet.
Letitia Lilford (Lawerence Lilford) wore a sassy blue and black mini dress, bombay bloomers, knee-high stockings, cream shoes and short white gloves.
Charlotte Pini (Harry Pini) looked wonderful in a three-quarter length black taffeta backless dress.
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In an emotional speech, long-serving Deakin Shire representative Cr Ted Flanagan let his disgust be known at the incorrect spelling of McEwen Rd signposts in the shire at Monday’s council meeting.
McEwen Rd was named after John McEwen, a former Prime Minister who owned property by the road which runs from the Murray Valley Hwy, south to the Tatura-Rushworth Rd.
Unfortunately, some of the road signs have his name misspelled as McEwan, not McEwen.
“For God’s sake, McEwen is spelt with an E!,” Cr Flanagan exclaimed.
“This man was one of the greatest politicians to serve this country, and we can’t even spell his name correctly.”
Cr Flanagan said it was an absolute disgrace to see such a fine man’s reputation be blotted by such a mistake.
1974
Worn out and nearly exhausted, with blistered sand bruised feel, students from St Augustine’s Secondary School completed the “Mediwalk ‘74” on Thursday to raise money for the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
For 152 students and staff of St Augustine’s Secondary School, only one walker dropped out on the 10-mile journey to Tongala.
Over three quarters of the walkers started the trip back to Kyabram, and a half of the original number completed the round trip.
The medi walk was an exercise on civic education and provided opportunities for students to win valuable prizes, assist in fundraising efforts for the Royal Melbourne Hospital as well as the school, and for students who raised large amounts of money, there were special bonuses.
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Members of the Food Preservers Union took part in a 24-hour work stoppage on Thursday, and agreed at the meeting to accept wage rises offered earlier in the week after a private conference chaired by Justice Gaurdron.
General secretary of the Food Preservers Union Tom Ryan said on Friday he was waiting for reports from other centres, but there were clear indications members would accept wage offers.
Mr Ryan and the Victorian organiser of the union, Peter Van Veen, attended the Kyabram meeting.
He said some concern had been expressed over the possible loss of backdating the initial $7.10 rise if there was a stoppage before July 1.
However, he said this had not been lost because of the strike.
Cadet Journalist