Tuesday, 3 September, 2024
Stormwater Management Plan deferred
Yarra Ranges Council dishes out grants
Silvan artist Tania Chanter captures hearts
See Real Estate Liftout Inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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Archery ace By Shamsiya Hussainpoor Yarra Ranges Amanda Jane (AJ) Jennings has arrived in Paris to make her debut as a para archer at the Paralympics. The atmosphere at the venues in the ‘City of Love’ has been electric, with countless incredible athletes celebrating their unique stories at the Paralympic Games and the inspiring Jennings will be proudly representing the Green and Gold. Before becoming a para archer, Ms Jennings competed in the 2014 International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint World Championships in Moscow, Russia, where she won a bronze medal in the women’s lightweight kayak. For over two decades, she was homebound due to her chronic pain, depression, and an addiction to prescription medication before she decided to amputate her right leg through the knee. Following the 2020 Summer Paralympics, she shifted to archery after undergoing two hip replacements, with the sport becoming a crucial part of her rehabilitation. “After my surgery and returning from Tokyo, I still had the athlete’s mentality, but I discovered I couldn’t return to rowing,” she said. “I tried archery and it clicked with me...and I fell in love with it.” To read more, turn to page 35
Archer AJ Jennings getting some practice in before the commencement of her debut appearance at the Paralympics in Paris. (Supplied)
Wild, wild winds By Tanya Steele Victoria continues to experience severe weather as emergency services and volunteers deal with the fallout of a storm that was likened to the strength of a cyclone that moved through the state overnight on Sunday 1 September. Wind, hail and rain lashed the region with intense weather events in the early hours of Monday 2 September causing multiple tree falls, power outages and building damage as residents across the
Dandenongs and Yarra Valley persevered through the restless night. Over 100,000 people across Victoria were without power overnight as SES across the outer east reported multiple road closures and tree falls. By the morning of 2 September SES Emerald Controller Ben Owen said the unit had over 100 requests for assistance. SES Lilydale controller Shaun Caulfield said by 10.30 am they’d had 48 requests for assistance in
the last eight hours. “There are multiple reports of trees over roads and power lines and several reports of damage to structures in Montrose and Kalorama,” he said. Victoria State SES reported via social media that statewide there had been more than 2,800 requests for assistance, with over 1,300 jobs still active since 7pm the previous evening. “This includes over 2,100 trees down, and 650 calls for building damage,” the post read.
Premier Jacinta Allan joined Emergency Services minister Jaclyn Symes, Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent, Victoria State Emergency Service chief operations officer Tim Wiebusch and Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Kevin Parkyn on Monday morning for a live press conference broadcast by Vic Emergency to prepare for more weather expected on the evening of Monday 2 September. Continued page 3
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