The Melbourne Snap⚡- Wednesday 5 February
Melbourne's climate warning, murder case dropped due to sleep disorder, AFL stars in violent brawl and Gnome Village is trashed.
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⚠️The cool change that came through yesterday afternoon was a relief, particularly after days of temperatures climbing over 35 degrees. But bushfires continue to rage in parts of Victoria’s west with residents in several towns yesterday advised to "leave immediately" around the Grampians and Little Desert National Park.
➡️ On Tuesday, Todd Lane, Professor of Atmospheric Science at Melbourne University warned extreme events, fuelled by climate change, are becoming the “new normal.” and we can expect “heatwaves to get hotter and longer, extreme rainfall from thunderstorms should get heavier and fire weather days are likely to increase.” - University of Melbourne
🚨 AFL stars Steven May (Melbourne) and Dion Prestia (Richmond) are under police investigation following claims they were involved in a violent street brawl in Sorrento on 27 December. A young electrician was left needing surgery for severe facial injuries. Both players deny responsibility and police continue to investigate the incident after receiving witness accounts and formal complaints. - Cameron Houston and Danny Russell, The Age
🌤️Wednesday weather
Crime Watch
This section is dedicated to crime news. Scroll on if you want to skip to lighter news.
🐦Jack Gibson-Burrell, 21, alleged to be behind Melbourne’s infamous "Pam the Bird" graffiti, is facing 59 charges, including criminal damage, theft, and assault, with cleanup costs estimated at $210,000.
➡️ Police claim Gibson-Burrell, who is also under investigation for a knife attack, created the graffiti in high-profile locations like Flinders Street Station while abseiling. - Liam Beatty, news.com.au
➡️ With the prime suspect behind the graffiti in the dock, new tribute paintings are appearing across Melbourne. - Blair Jackson, news.com.au
➡️ Victorian police say they will work with America’s FBI to obtain a search warrant from Meta to get more information about the Pam the Bird Instagram account. - Kristian Silva, ABC
🚓Seven teenagers were arrested after a high-speed police pursuit involving two allegedly stolen cars in Melbourne’s west overnight. The chase ended with a Volvo crashing into a tree in Truganina, where weapons were found in both vehicles linked to recent aggravated burglaries in Tarneit. - Victoria Police
🚔 Prosecutors have dropped the murder case against Ilknur Caliskan, 47, after a sleep study suggested she may have been suffering from a sleep disorder. Caliskan was accused of stabbing her husband to death in Clonibane, just north of Melbourne, in September 2023. Doubts arose over whether her actions were conscious and voluntary. - Tara Cosoleto, AAP (via Nine News)
✡️ A 68-year-old man has been charged with criminal damage, unlawful assault, and offensive graffiti after allegedly defacing a fence with anti-semitic graffiti in Middle Park on 31 January. He was also accused of spitting on a passerby and throwing bacon at them in the inner south suburb. - Victoria Police
💻 A St Albans restaurant has appealed for the return of a stolen laptop snatched from the bar counter at Le&Co in broad daylight at 1:50 pm. The device contains valuable lighting software, and the owners have urged the thief to return it anonymously before they share the man’s image across the north-west suburb. - Brimbank Community
👮 Police have charged a man following alleged armed robberies at tobacco shops in Bentleigh and Mentone yesterday. The incident culminated in a pursuit and collision in Noble Park, leaving several people, including police officers, with non-life-threatening injuries. - Victoria Police
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⚫Melbourne’s football community are mourning the loss of Troy Selwood, former Brisbane Lions midfielder and Geelong Cats player and administrator, who has died aged just 40. Selwood played 75 AFL games and had a lasting impact on the sport in Victoria. - Martin Pegan, Guardian Australia
🧸Children with disabilities will have more freedom and independence at kinder than before, thanks to ‘life-changing’ upgrades and renovations taking place at more than 400 centres. - Vic Gov
🚧The Victorian Government is setting up a Board of Inquiry to investigate the McCrae landslide last month, determine its cause, and explore measures to prevent similar events. A $2 million, four-bedroom house slid down an embankment and crashed into another property in January along the Mornington Peninsula. - Vic Gov
🏗️ A plan to construct new sports grounds and more lighting in Melbourne’s Royal Park has angered residents in Parkville and community and environmental groups, who fear a loss of open space and harm to flora and fauna. - Cara Waters, The Age
🇬🇷 Melbourne's Antipodes Greek Festival returns on February 22-23. The massive Greek street party will feature live performances, celebrity chef demos, and its first-ever late-night silent disco in the Lonsdale Street Greek Precinct. - More details
🍿Melbourne’s Palace Penny Lane Cinema is extending its popular rooftop viewing program through to 30 March offering more chances to enjoy outdoor screenings of new releases and retro classics this summer at the Moonee Ponds venue. - Beat
🐈 Knox Council, in the east of the city, is tackling ongoing breaches of its 24-hour cat curfew, with fines issued to non-compliant cat owners and investigations into stray and unregistered cats in the area. - Matthew Sims, East Melburnian
🍄A local landmark in the north-west has been destroyed. The Gnome Village of Keilor Park has reportedly been vandalised, much to the disappointment of residents. The beloved spot on Harrick Road has been around for over a decade and even has its own Facebook page with nearly 5,000 followers.
📢Community Noticeboard📢
📌“Free night of live opera under the stars at The Classics Opera: Myth, Magic and Memory! Where: Victoria Gardens, Prahran. When: Saturday, 8 February. Time: 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM. “ - More details
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And finally…There was an eerie red sun shining above Melbourne at sunset yesterday. Most likely as a result of smoke from bushfires to the city’s far west.
Thank you for reading edition 56 of The Melbourne Snap. This newsletter is 100% independent, free for all and has 442 subscribers. It’s written in the early hours every weekday morning after I finish my day job (which is actually a night job). If you enjoy it please spread the word or consider becoming a paid supporter Thank you, see you tomorrow.