Friday, July 27, 2012
A Star News Group publication
Phone: 5249 6700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
INSIDE: NDIS HOPES DASHED - P5 >> AVALON FUNDING BLOW - P7 Our Tweet-heart a ‘superstar’ of beauty pageants BY CHERIE DONNELLAN A TIARA, a teddy and a trip to Texas – they’re the prizes little Emilia Ramos will compete for at a beauty pageant in Geelong next week. The North Geelong five-year-old has entered the Follow Your Dreams “semi-glitz� pageant. Emilia’s father, Ben Ramos, said she would compete in formal and casual wear categories, undertake an interview and put on a “1970sthemed performance�. Emilia was a “pageant superstar� earning high places at every competition she entered. Mr Ramos said. “She won Ultimate Grand Supreme, the highest title you can get, at Wangaratta this year. If you win that place you get entry into the pageant in Texas.� Mr Ramos was “excited� about taking her to November’s Texas Universal Royalty pageant, which featured on controversial television show Toddlers and Tiaras. Mr Ramos said he and wife Kacey “supported� Emilia without pushing her into competing. “Milli’s always enjoyed dressing up and wearing her mum’s clothes and makeup. She even sneaks lipstick into kinder.� Mr Ramos said Emilia had a Facebook fan page, a Twitter account, a YouTube channel and would soon have a website for “a bit more exposure�. “Not everybody wins as much as she does and she really likes connecting with fans and other pageant families.� Family First Victoria state director Ashley Fenn warned parents to be “very cautious� about entering children in pageants, which could harm young girls’ self-esteem and present other health-related issues. Mr Fenn said “objectification and sexualisation of children� was an increasing problem in Australia, with pageant participation often “advancing� any problems.
Masters site spat
You beauty: Emilia Ramos with some spoils of victory. Picture: Tommy Ritchie
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BY JOHN VAN KLAVEREN GEELONG is set for its first Masters hardware store, council documents have revealed. But its proposed location on the Bellarine Hwy at Leopold has attracted 162 submissions, including from mayoral candidate Keith Fagg. Mr Fagg and brother Barry operate Mitre 10 stores at Belmont and Wallington, the latter five kilometres from the proposed Masters site. Council this week decided to ask Planning Minister Matthew Guy to appoint an independent panel to consider submissions on council’s structure and urban design plans for Leopold, including the Masters store. A council officers’ report preferred Gateway Plaza shopping centre to expand along Melaluka Rd. But Masters parent company Woolworths wanted frontage along Bellarine Hwy for the hardware store, outside the structure plan boundary. The report said Gateway Plaza manager Lascorp supported Woolworths’ submission seeking expansion to a 35,000sqm sub-regional shopping centre east of Clifton Ave. Woolworths believed its proposal provided “critical exposure and avoidance of increased traffic along Melaluka Rd�, the report said.
Siting of the Masters store was the main point of contention. “Council officers maintain that a suitable site is the north-west corner of the activity centre inside the town boundary of Clifton Ave,� the report said. The preferred site will have good access from a new signalised intersection at Clifton Ave as well as visibility from the highway only 200 metres away. Expansion along Melaluka Rd avoided urban development in Moolap’s green wedge, the report said. Fagg Bros Pty Ltd’s submission said any expansion should be staged to “minimise impact on the Geelong CBD�. The Faggs also expressed concern at the impact on Ocean Grove traders, the report said. The submission said existing demand was inadequate for a further 10,000sqm of home-maker and bulky goods retail. Another 17,600sqm of non-retail and trade floor area should be included in the bulky goods space because it was also a retail activity, the Faggs said. Council planning portfolio holder Rod Macdonald said the independent panel would be asked to consider the westerly expansion of the hardware store.
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Harvey NormanÂŽ stores are operated by independent franchisees. Ends 14/05/12. Harvey NormanÂŽ stores are operated by independent franchisees. *Limited stock available - excludes Apple. Terms and conditions apply. See in store for details.
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5240 6200
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