Cash injection for winter ills
Sunshine Hospital is among public hospitals across the state to share in
$60 million of state government funding to help them cater for a surge in cases of winter illness. State Health Minister David Davis said the funding would enable hospitals to have additional capacity where required and treat more patients. He said a combination of factors, including outbreaks of viral gastroenteritis and increases in the incidence of influenza, contributed to the spike in winter demand – both hospital admissions and extra presentations at the emergency department. He said Ambulance Victoria had a surge in call-outs in winter. Last August, AV experienced its highest-ever number of monthly cases in the metropolitan area – 32,974 of them, equal to 1064 cases a day.
Finn adamant about crossing
Western Metropolitan MP Bernie Finn wants to assure Brimbank residents that the removal of the St Albans level crossing will go ahead. Speaking in Parliament last week, he said a number of residents had voiced scepticism as to whether the project would go ahead. “This is actually happening. Work will begin this year to remove the Main Road St Albans crossing,” Mr Finn said. The state government announced $200 million to remove the level crossing as part of its 2014-15 budget.
Townhouse fire contained
A Sunshine mother and daughter escaped a fire at their Donald Street home after hearing a loud explosion from a circuit breaker on Wednesday night. They went to a neighbour’s house to raise the alarm about 8pm. The fire caused significant damage to the top floor of the two-storey townhouse. The rest of the house was severely damaged by smoke and water. MFB firefighters were able to bring the fire under control in 25 minutes.
Women’s abductor jailed
An ‘ice’ addict who abducted two women at knifepoint from a Keilor East car wash and threatened them with “what happened to Jill Meagher” has been jailed for at least three years. Aaron Schrempf, 24, donned a hooded top and bandanna and got in the back seat of the women’s car at a Keilor East car wash on the night of May 28 last year. The women were 19 and 22 at the time. After demanding that they drive to an ATM to withdraw money, Schrempf told them “if there is any funny business you know what happened to Jill Meagher”. The County Court heard one of the women was permitted to go to an ATM to withdraw cash while the abductor stayed with the other victim and issued more threats. Later, when both women were in the car, he indecently assaulted one of them. Schrempf robbed the women of $550 cash, their purses, iPhones and an iPod.
Neighbourhood dance
Brimbank City Council is hosting a Neighbourhood House Week Dance Party on Friday at Cairnlea Community Hub, Carmody Street, Cairnlea. The free event is from 3-4.30pm.
