Tinge of pink
STORY PAGES 16-18
Teens charged
Four children - including a Pakenham teenager - have been charged by detectives investigating arson attacks linked to an ongoing conflict over illicit tobacco in Victoria.
Two 16-year-old girls from Mulgrave and Pakenham, a 15-year-old boy from Springvale and a 14-year-old boy from Mulgrave were charged after being arrested during raids on three homes on Friday.
Victoria Police said the charges related to arson attacks at a Mill Park restaurant and a Ballarat tobacco shop, in addition to an aggravated burglary inWonga Park. The Pakenham girl was charged with two counts of criminal damage by fire, conduct endangering life and motor vehicle theft. She was remanded in custody while the three other teens were granted bail.
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Logan Lyon, of Pakenham, turned eight this year despite it only being the second time he’s officially celebrated his birth date.
It’s one of the quirks to being born on a leap day, with the young boy celebrating his eighthor second - birthday last Thursday 29 February.
Although it was never supposed to be like that. He was due on 4 March, but he decided to come a few days early.
“I feel it makes him that little bit more special,” Mum Jannick Stephens said.
While 15 ‘Leap Year’ babies also ventured into the world at Casey and Dandenong hospitals.
STORY PAGE 5
Southside gallops
By Garry Howe
The region has a new racing club – and Australia’s newest.
Southside Racing – a merger of the Cranbourne Turf Club and Pakenham Racing Club – was unveiled at a launch event at Bunjil Place on Friday 1 March.
Inaugural chairman Sean Clarkson described it as another significant moment in thoroughbred racing history.
Something big,” he said. “Really big.
“Thoroughbred racing has a rich history and today marks the debut of Australia’s latest edition to this esteemed tradition: our newest thoroughbred racing club.”
Mr Clarkson said the merger ultimately, it came down to opportunity and ambition, that neither could achieve, nor afford on their own independently.
That is effectively metropolitan status.
The seeds were also sown for the possibility of a two-week Southside Carnival taking in both existing cup meetings that would ri-
val those held at Flemington, Caulfield and Moonee Valley.
The two clubs combined house a third of Victoria’s thoroughbred racing population and host 75 per cent of the lucrative night racing market.
COVERAGE PAGE 2
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joy
Leap year
The 10th edition of Pink Ladies Day was a resounding success, with the Pakenham Cricket Club’s (PCC) marquee event raising $27,281 for the McGrath Foundation on Saturday.
Back row Jenny Everitt, Pat Stephens and Lee O’Sullivan
Front row Deb Wells, Leah Watson and Trish LaFranchi. 392161
Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
