A PETITE young woman walked into a swish fashion store where two men were talking. “Excuse me while I attend to this little girl,” the salesman said. The woman bristled: “I’m not a little girl. I’m a buyer from Stone’s.” That’s the story Bernard Stone tells to describe his “Auntie Jessie” – Jessica Stone, later…
BALLARAT councillors have united to show support for same-sex marriage after a woman told an emotional tale of receiving a homophobic flyer. Photographer and filmmaker Michelle Dunn told Wednesday night’s council meeting she had endured countless offensive comments and had been verbally abused since she and her wife came to Ballarat three years ago. Ms…
A PROMISING soccer player blew $120,000 of his inheritance on drugs while trafficking ecstasy for 12 months, a court has heard. Jackson McIver, 22, earned about $1000 a week in drug money and bought lavish gifts for his girlfriend after turning his back on the sport. “By trafficking you exposed such misery to other young…
TWO Ballarat ballet schools have merged to offer a bigger and better dance program from next year. The Academy of Classical Ballet and the Karen Mason Dance Studio, which both have about 150 students, will join forces at the beginning of 2015. Dance studio owner and director Karen Mason said the move would offer students…
BALLARAT’S population is expected to swell by 60,000 people in the next 30 years, according to a new report. The City of Ballarat’s long-term strategy, released on Tuesday, revealed the city’s population was expected to hit 160,000 people by 2040. Today Tomorrow Together: The Ballarat Strategy outlined broad plans to help grow and improve the…
ANGRY residents gathered on the steps of Ballarat Town Hall on Thursday to protest funding cuts to the ABC and SBS. About 40 protesters dressed in “I love ABC” T-shirts and carrying placards that said “No cuts to ABC and SBS” attended the public rally, which was one of six held in the country. The…
TWO Bacchus Marsh mothers have turned an inspirational verse they painted on a board in the backyard into a children’s book for charity. Tammy Bennett and Nerissa Kennedy co-wrote and self-published the nursery rhyme-inspired book I Found the Answer. Ms Bennett said the pair wanted to tell children around the world they were ‘stars’. “Twinkle,…
