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Australia

Lightning strike in South Fremantle causes two-day closure for local bars and cafes

Lightning strike in South Fremantle causes two-day closure for local bars and cafes

Some of South Fremantle’s most popular bars and cafes have been forced to close this weekend after a rogue bolt of lightning destroyed a nearby power pole.

** MUST CREDIT WA INCIDENT ALERTS ** Power line after being struck by lightning on South Terrace, Fremantle. Posted Saturday afternoon WA Incident Alerts
Camera Icon** MUST CREDIT WA INCIDENT ALERTS ** Power line after being struck by lightning on South Terrace, Fremantle. Posted Saturday afternoon WA Incident Alerts Credit: WA Incident Alerts/WA Incident Alerts

At around 1pm on Saturday, during another one of Perth’s latest storms, lightning struck a transmission pole in front of Running With Thieves on South Terrace.

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The bolt split the high voltage pole and spread debris across the road and footpath as well as causing some lines to drop- exposing motorists and pedestrians to dangerous electrical currents.

Western Power has been working to resolve the incident since yesterday afternoon, blocking off the road to oncoming traffic, but the location of the pole has caused some issues for the electrical company.

“The pole is right near water and gas pipes so it’s important that they take care not to damage any of those pipes while fixing the pole,” a Western Power spokesperson said.

Many local cafes and bars closed once the power went out, and despite the weather bringing crowds of people out to enjoy the sunshine – they were forced to keep their doors shut.

La Cabana was forced to close due to the power outage.
Camera IconLa Cabana was forced to close due to the power outage. Credit: Indigo Lemay-Conway/The West Australian

La Cabana took to Instagram to tell their loyal customers the bad news Sunday morning.

“Unfortunately we’ve had to make the call to keep our doors closed today!” the post read.

“Yesterday a power pole a few doors down was struck by lightning and the end of South Terrace has been without power ever since!

“A freak incident and one that’s been totally out of our hands. We appreciate your understanding and apologies to everyone that planned to come down last night or today!”

A sign on the door of Madalenas Bar on Sunday.
Camera IconA sign on the door of Madalenas Bar on Sunday. Credit: Indigo Lemay-Conway/The West Australian

Madalena’s Bar also made a similar post on Instagram.

“Closed today, no power in South Fremantle. See you next week!”

But despite the lightning strike happening directly outside of their venue, Running With Thieves remained open, so those craving an alcoholic beverage at the southern end of South Fremantle were still able to quench their thirst.

Western Power was unable to give an estimated restoration time for when the power will be turned back on, but have said their customer service team will keep the 290 affected customers up to date throughout the process.

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Australia

Perth’s public hospitals declare more than 500 code yellows as capacity issues plague WA health system

Perth's public hospitals declare more than 500 code yellows as capacity issues plague WA health system

Perth’s public hospitals have been forced to declare more than 500 code yellows in the past year as capacity issues continue to plague the health system.

Worst impacted was Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, which went into code yellow 144 times in 2021-22 – an average of eleven every two and a half days.

That was followed by Perth Children’s Hospital (89 code yellows), Fiona Stanley Hospital (74) and Royal Perth Hospital (68).

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The city’s biggest maternity hospital, King Edward Memorial, declared 36 code yellows in the year to July.

A code yellow refers to an infrastructure or other internal emergency that is impacting service delivery – including a lack of available beds.

Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam said the “shocking” figures – contained in answers to questions in Parliament – ​​pointed to a health system that was “significantly under-resourced and lurching from crisis to crisis”.

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Australia

Buggles Child Care Beeliar fined after three young children walk out open gate and are found on path

Buggles Child Care Beeliar fined after three young children walk out open gate and are found on path

Three children under the age of four walked out of a childcare center in Perth’s south and were found playing on a footpath, prompting a fine for the operators of the service.

Service provider ES5 Ltd, trading as Buggles Child Care Beeliar, was ordered to pay $22,000 and $2000 in costs by the State Administrative Tribunal for contravention of education and care service laws.

A Department of Communities investigation found that in August last year the children left the center through an outdoor gate.

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A mother who was leaving after collecting her child noticed the children and ushered them back inside.

The investigation found educators at the center had noticed the gate left open more than once during the day and failed to notify the responsible person.

They also failed to ensure the gate was securely locked while the center failed to notify the Department of Communities Education and Care Regulatory Unit about the incident within the required 24 hours.

“This is the ninth time over the past two years where disciplinary action has been taken against a service where children have left the service unattended, and staff have been unaware of them leaving,” Department of Communities Executive Director Phil Payne said in a statement on Friday.

“Childcare service staff must focus on active supervision of children in their care.

“Checks around outdoor areas should include a physical, not just visual, check of gates to ensure they are securely locked.”

In other unrelated incidents, a Mandurah center was ordered to pay $20,000 in penalties and costs after four young children climbed through a fence and were found on the verge of a four-lane highway, in August 2020.

While in November that year a childcare center at Thornlie left a two-year-old girl unsupervised on a bus for almost two hours.

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Australia

Port Hedland wins WA’s Sh**test Town contest, snatching crown from Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Port Hedland wins WA's Sh**test Town contest, snatching crown from Kalgoorlie-Boulder

Port Hedland has officially snatched the crown from Kalgoorlie-Boulder, being voted in as WA’s Sh**test Town.

Kalgoorlie-Boulder has won the past three years, however Port Hedland won the dubious award for a single point this year, taking their debut title for the WA division.

In a brutal statement from the Sh**test Town of Australia organisers, the Port Hedland is described as a “derelict minerals discharge hole”, painting images of a mate in a sandpit after a big night, spitting out whatever comes.

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“The iron anus owes its name to its turd-brown eyesore of a port… and its inhabitants’ inability to spell,” the statement read.

“Cattle and sheep farming was once a major industry for the town, but this ended when the animals all withered to a crisp. The only fauna able to survive Port Deadland’s intense heat are creatures like red-necked stints, red-necked avocets and red-necked people.”

The locals call their home the sunniest place in Australia — a great feat — however they sadly forgot to coat the surroundings in Banana Boat.

This has resulted in the landscape being deep-fried and sun-dried to a dusty brown colour, not unlike the inside of a plumbing pipe.

The engineers were focused on other things that day because the road layout is reminiscent of a circular maze; going in circles but never really arriving anywhere.

And when cyclone season hits, the spectacular drainage system clogs in record time, allowing roads to flood superbly and locking everyone inside.

Port Hedland port
Camera IconPort Hedland port Credit: james lauritz/supplied by Port Hedland Port Au

Currently the town is best known as an iron-ore hub and a spawning point for FIFO workers.

“Popular pastimes include racing wheelbarrows, smashing people’s solar panels and being hospitalized with a respiratory infection caused by iron ore dust,” STOA added.

Later this year Port Hedland will represent WA for a chance to win the national trophy.

In third place for WA came Fitzroy Crossing, followed by Armadale, Rockingham and Geraldton.

Perth came in at 11th place for the State.

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Categories
Australia

Lotto winners WA: Perth friends plan epic holiday after $2.1 million win from Rossmoyne Newsagency ticket

Lotto winners WA: Perth friends plan epic holiday after $2.1 million win from Rossmoyne Newsagency ticket

A group of Perth friends are set for the group holiday of a lifetime after winning millions of dollars in Lotto.

The two couples have been playing together for more than two decades but finally hit the jackpot on July 30, winning $2.1 million.

The ticket they bought from Rossmoyne Newsagency was one of 14 winning tickets from around Australia.

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“We’ve been playing Lotto together basically since we met, and we love it,” one winner said.

“We love knowing that our money stays in WA and supports so many great projects.

“And now we’ve won! It’s all pretty surreal.”

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Categories
Entertainment

LEGOMasters judge Brickman brings Jurassic World creations to Perth Exhibition Center

LEGOMasters judge Brickman brings Jurassic World creations to Perth Exhibition Center

LegoMasters legend Brickman is descending on Perth, and he’s bringing Jurassic World with him.

TV judge Ryan McNaught is bringing a dinosaur-themed exhibition to the city, featuring 50 exhibits and made from more than six million LEGO bricks.

A dream come true for any dinosaur enthusiast, McNaught’s brainchild is the biggest LEGO exhibition in Australian history, with some of the creations weighing a whopping 400kg.

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Ryan 'Brickman' McNaught.
Camera IconRyan ‘Brickman’ McNaught. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

“Perth fans will be blown away by the scale of the experience,” McNaught said.

“Some of these models are the most complex and challenging ones we have made to date, so being able to bring them to Perth is just fantastic.”

Brickman's LEGO Jurassic World Exhibition
Camera IconBrickman shows off one of his creations. Credit: Brickman

Some of Brickman’s previous exhibitions include Brick Wrecks, Sunken Ships in LEGO Bricks, and Wonders of the World, as well as Towers of the World and Brickman Experience.

Brickman tells how he sees it as his mission to bring childlike wonder to as many people as possible.

Brickman's LEGO Jurassic World Exhibition
Camera IconBrickman and a Jurassic Park vehicle made from LEGO. Credit: Brickman

“We have created and used new techniques and committed thousands of hours to build these models that I am personally incredibly proud of,” McNaught added.

Some of the models in this exhibition include the iconic Jurrassic World gates at four meters tall, a life-size Brachiosaurus, a baby dinosaur enclosure and, of course, the T-Rex.

The collection can be seen at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Center from September 24 until February 5 next year.

Tickets can be bought through Ticketek.

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Categories
Technology

Trading card enthusiast Azlan Ang turns passion into huge collection worth $300,000

Trading card enthusiast Azlan Ang turns passion into huge collection worth $300,000

It was 1992 when Azlan Ang opened his first box of trading cards.

He was eight years old, sitting in a hotel room in Singapore with his older brother while on a family holiday, with a big box of 1991 Upper Deck basketball cards.

“I remember smelling the cards because they had a really distinct smell,” Mr Ang laughed.

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“I got a few good cards because there was a Scottie Pippen, and I was also trying to go for a (Michael) Jordan.

“It was a blast because as a kid, a big box of cards was really expensive but so exciting.

Mr Ang with his set.
Camera IconMr Ang with his set. Credit: Supplied

“And at the time the concept of selling cards didn’t even exist; it was all about collecting.”

Mr Ang has since spent more than a quarter of a million dollars on trading cards.

He says his collection, which includes NBA, Pokemon, Fortnite Series 1, Magic: The Gathering and Marvel, is valued at $300,000, funded by his full-time employment as a contractor.

Azlan Ang's card collection includes NBA and Pokemon.
Camera IconAzlan Ang’s card collection includes NBA and Pokemon. Credit: Supplied

Mr Ang said his collecting kicked off last year when he bought a rookie Michael Jordan card for $400.

“And then the docuseries ‘The Last Dance’ came out on Netflix, which follows the story of Jordan,” he said.

“And suddenly the Jordan card exploded to $900 and I remember thinking ‘oh my God, this is a legit thing’ and started analyzing the trends.

“Now the Jordan rookie card is worth so much more.

“But it’s not just about that — it’s also about what cards mean to people.

“They can remind them of things like their first kiss or first memories. When my friend’s father died he wanted to buy Marvel trading cards because they reminded him of his dad. ”

Mr Ang said he found it therapeutic spending hours collecting and arranging his collections in binders for display.

One of Azlan Ang's most prized cards is a rookie Michael Jordan card.
Camera IconOne of Azlan Ang’s most prized cards is a rookie Michael Jordan card. Credit: Supplied

“I’m a perfectionist, and it sounds weird but what I like the most is sitting in my room, putting cards in the sleeves in the right order and then having that sense of completion and accomplishment in what I’ve done,” he said.

“The simple thing about cards is that they’re fun to collect, unlike gold or bonds or shares which I find boring.

“They’re accessible, fun, tangible, infinite, plus you can smell them.

“My advice to anyone wanting to get into trading cards is to find a card you like and then do at least five hours of research into that set.

“And also set yourself a budget because it can be a black hole — I started with $1000 and I’ve now spent $300,000.”

At the time of writing Mr Ang was three cards away from completing a Marvel trading card set which has so far cost him $100,000.

When completed, he said he would be the first person in Australia to have a Professional Sports Authenticator 10-graded set, the highest grade achievable with trading cards.

Most of his collection is in a vault in the United States.

Mr Ang also has a YouTube channel where he opens packs of trading cards and does giveaways, as well as the occasional comedy skit.

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Categories
Australia

Port Kennedy driver charged with running over a man in Warnbro incident

Port Kennedy driver charged with running over a man in Warnbro incident

A Port Kennedy driver has been accused of running over a man and pinning him under his car after a brawl at a Warnbro service station.

Police allege that the incident unfolded about 8.20pm on Wednesday, when the accused went to the Caltex petrol station on Warnbro Sound Avenue to buy a couple of items.

When he returned to his Mitsubishi Lancer, a man known to him hopped into the front passenger’s seat and a fight broke out between them.

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The 29-year-old man in the passenger’s seat got out of the car and started to walk away.

It is alleged the 33-year-old driver then sped towards him, with the Lancer jumping the kerb and ploughing into the victim, pinning him under the vehicle.

A man has been hospitalized after he was hit by a car at a service station in Warnbro.
Camera IconA man has been hospitalized after he was hit by a car at a service station in Warnbro. Credit: 7NEWS/7NEWS

Several people nearby managed to lift the car off the victim.

He was then given first aid by police officers before being taken to Royal Perth Hospital with third degree burns to his back.

The driver was arrested and charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent to harm and no authority to drive.

He will appear at the Rockingham Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Photos of the aftermath showed the Mitsubishi dumped in the bushes near the service station, with the scene taped off by police.

Police have taped off the scene.
Camera IconPolice have taped off the scene. Credit: 7NEWS/7NEWS

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Categories
Sports

Cut the BS: Josh Kennedy and David Mundy were the perfect servants for West Coast and Fremantle respectively

Cut the BS: Josh Kennedy and David Mundy were the perfect servants for West Coast and Fremantle respectively

Two separate but intertwining careers began their journey to an end last week.

I was in primary school when David Mundy played his first game for Fremantle and high school when Josh Kennedy first stepped out on to Subiaco Oval for the West Coast Eagles.

You can measure the impact of a footballer in the wake of their leave, in the flowing tributes and flowery obituaries for their playing careers.

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In Kennedy and Mundy, both West Coast and Fremantle fans are losing people who represented their teams with grace and brilliance, but also perfectly reflected the ethos supporters clung to.

The Eagles have prided themselves on their big name players and they have not had many bigger than the generational key forward with an iconic beard, who ended his career as a member of the 700-goal club.

Kennedy arrived as the consolation prize in the Chris Judd trade but as it turned out, the three-time All-Australian helped West Coast win an unwinnable trade.

West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows. Optus Stadium, Perth. Josh Kennedy's final game.
Camera IconWest Coast’s Josh Kennedy waves goodbye after his final game. Credit: simon santi/The West Australian

It is rare a club trades away a generational midfielder and winds up happier in the long-run but Kennedy, who kicked 429 goals between 2011 and 2017 and kicked three crucial majors in their 2018 grand final, became the Eagles’ greatest forward of all time .

Kennedy may not have actively sought out the limelight, but like so many bullet passes inside 50, fame found him as he became one of the AFL’s star forwards.

If West Coast are kings of the big game, Kennedy was football royalty and even among a plethora of fellow stars — Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey, Jeremy McGovern — he stood and head and shoulders above them.

Throughout his spell at West Coast, the club have been driven by a pursuit of excellence and sustained success and no Eagle has personified those traits more than Kennedy.

His final bow was a fitting finale, an eight-goal avalanche showcasing his prodigious talents one final time to drag West Coast kicking and screaming into a close contest, his star shining brightest among the on-field mire that has plagued the side this season.

If Kennedy was the perfect West Coast servant — a loyal clubman with a star profile and elite ability in spades — the reliable and understated Munday was an equally excellent representative of Fremantle.

When Mundy had the ball, the sense of relief among Fremantle fans was palpable; the level of comfort was akin to settling on to the coach with a bucket of popcorn to watch your favorite film.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 06: David Mundy of the Dockers thanks fans as he leads the Dockers from the ground after winning the round 21 AFL match between the Western Bulldogs and the Fremantle Dockers at Marvel Stadium on August 06, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Camera IconDavid Mundy following Fremantle’s win over the Western Bulldogs. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images Credit: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

You could count on your hand the amount of times Mundy, the epitome of the savvy veteran, made the wrong decision and even when he did turn the ball over, the intent was right.

Part of the allure of Mundy for Fremantle fans was not just his dependability, but also how underrated he was around AFL circles.

Mundy won his lone All-Australian jersey in 2015 as a 30 year-old, but Fremantle fans had known how good and consistent Mundy was long before then.

He was understated around the league, never getting the headlines his more famous teammates Nat Fyfe and Matthew Pavlich earned, even though he was almost as deserving.

In many ways, Mundy reflected the Purple Haze, and Fremantle fans saw so many of the traits they revere and have bought into Mundy.

He has always been a hard-working, passionate battler who has gone about his work to the nth degree, despite perhaps not always getting the wider plaudits he has served.

The Dockers’ history book devotes many a page to their identity as an industrious outfit who may not always have been the star attraction in a footy-mad town, but will always be honest in their performance and Mundy fits the bill to a T.

For all of Pavlich’s goals and Fyfe’s game-breaking ability, Mundy’s steady hand and unerring consistency made him the Docker’s Docker, a player best equipped to embody the anchor.

In Kennedy and Mundy’s retirement, Perth has lost two icons who served their club to perfection not just on the field, but off it too.

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Categories
Australia

Murdoch University students uncover crucial detail to bring decades-old murder investigation to Australia

Murdoch University students uncover crucial detail to bring decades-old murder investigation to Australia

Murdoch University students have helped uncover a missing piece of the puzzle and an Australian twist in a decades-old European murder investigation.

As part of the International Cold Case Analysis Project, Murdoch students, alongside criminology and forensic science students from UK universities, dusted off a mysterious murder case known as “The Gentleman” which had sat unanswered for 28 years.

On July 11, 1994, a male body was found by police in the North Sea, west of the German island of Helgoland. The body showed signs of trauma and had been weighed down with cast iron cobbler’s feet, a shoemaker’s tool.

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An artist's reconstruction of The Gentleman.
Camera IconAn artist’s reconstruction of The Gentleman. Credit: Murdoch University/Supplied

The body was brought to the city of Wilhelmshaven for a post mortem, but the man’s identity remained a mystery and he became known as ‘The Gentleman’ due to his apparent ‘middle-class’ clothing.

Initial investigations by German police in the 1990s suggested ‘The Gentleman’ was about 45 to 50 years old when he died and from an English-speaking country, but they were never able to confirm his identity or homeland.

The students, along with Germany’s Police Academy of Lower Saxony, recommended a range of further actions to be taken by local authorities which resulted in a surprising discovery — ‘The Gentleman’ likely spent most of his life in Australia.

This vital clue came from isotope ratio analyzes on a sample of bone. Isotopic compositions of food, water and dust differ across the globe due to variations in climate, bedrock, soil and human activity, and so do the isotopic compositions of the tissues of humans who ingest them.

A complete DNA profile was achieved in December last year, as well as photographic facial reconstruction.

Murdoch’s Cold Case Review group directors Brendan Chapman and Dr David Keatley are now using their local law enforcement connections to help German authorities progress the case in Australia, with hope it may lead to ‘The Gentleman’ finally being identified.

“It’s almost unbelievable,” Mr Chapman said.

Murdoch Cold Case Review group co-director Brendan Chapman.
Camera IconMurdoch Cold Case Review group co-director Brendan Chapman. Credit: Murdoch University/Supplied/Supplied

“What are the chances that from this small collection of universities working on this case, one would be from the country where the man originated?”

“We’ve built such a great relationship with ICCAP course leader Karsten Bettels over the years and we are really privileged to be afforded the trust by the German Police Academy to work on live cases with our students.”

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