Reflections from the past

In fact, he gave no firm indication at all of when local residents could expect to see work start on the relocation of the school.

He said that the main purpose of his visit was to become familiar with the physical and climatic scope of the region, recently completed or in progress capital works and proposals already under discussion for future major capital works.

***

Echuca’s name will gain entry into about 25,000 homes in Melbourne shortly via the side of a milk carton.

Arrangements are currently under way for an advertisement promoting Echuca to appear on milk cartons distributed throughout the Glen Waverley area in Melbourne.

Advice that negotiations for the advertisement were nearly completed with a Melbourne company was received at Monday night's meeting of the Echuca City Council.

Cr R. L. Dohnt told the council that several dairies in the metropolitan area had been contacted and one replied indicating that it was prepared to carry the Echuca advertisement.

25 years ago October 2000

St Mary’s Catholic parish in Echuca has established a link with a village in East Timor.

St Mary's parish priest Fr John Murray initiated the link with Tohumeta during a recent visit to East Timor.

Set in the mountains behind East Timor's capital Dili, Tohumeta has a population of about 600 people.

Fr Murray said the link between Tohumeta and St Mary's parish would establish mutual ties between the two countries.

"It is a relationship of equals,'' Fr Murray said.

'"It's establishing friendship and ties, helping each other and learning from each other.’’

***

Echuca trench shooter Steven Calleja recently won the state junior shooting titles.

Steven shot in all five rounds of the grand prix series run over the last year.

He was placed second overall in the finals and was the only shooter to shoot clear on the final day of competition.

Steven won two events and was also first in the A-grade.

He is ranked number one in the junior division.

***

Moama shooter Jo Kerr has taken out the ISSF Victorian state title shoot in the ISU trap shoot.

After shooting 75 qualifying targets, Kerr went through to the final round.

Her overall score was 79 out of 100 targets hit.

‘’The closest shooter behind me hit 75 targets,’’ Kerr said.

To qualify for the state team, competitors had to compete in a minimum of three of the five grand prix events held throughout the year.

‘’If you competed in more than (that) then your best three scores were taken,’’ Kerr said.

Kerr competed in all five of the events, winning two of them.

10 years ago October 2015

Relay For Life is about cancer — but it also has a human face.

In Echuca-Moama, this year, one of those faces is Wayne Watson, who is in the middle of treatment following the removal of a cancerous kidney.

The other is teen Mollie Gundry, who is hopefully well on the way to recovery after a protracted battle with a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The 18-hour relay at Moama Recreation Reserve on October 24-25 will recognise and celebrate those who’ve survived, those undergoing treatment and those we’ve lost to cancer and raising funds for the Cancer Council.

Mr Watson sat on the relay fundraising committee for five years, but not because he ever thought he would need the support.

‘‘I just like to help people,’’ he said.

But now instead of organising the event, he will be the ‘hope’ for the event — taking part in the survivors’, sufferers’ and carers’ lap and offering inspiration to those pacing the grass.

***

Echuca police are sinking in a cycle of crime committed by career criminals who are repeatedly getting a free ticket.

‘‘Frustrated, gutted and exasperated’’, members are feeling let down by a court system that is becoming a revolving door for serial offenders.

And as magistrates continue to hand down lenient sentences, habitual criminals are walking out of court only to commit further crimes.

As well as taking its toll on police, hard-working business owners and innocent residents are paying the price as their shops, homes and cars are repeatedly broken into.

And because there is no deterrent, criminals are playing the system for all its worth — making it harder for police to keep their heads above water.

Victoria Police Association secretary Senior Sergeant Ron Iddles said magistrates had a whole range of options available to them when sentencing, but the overriding principle was that a sentence must reflect community standards.

‘‘In my opinion, the sentences imposed do not reflect community standards or that of our members,’’ he said.