Love Local News

The Queensland Police Service’s new hoon hotline – 13 HOON (4666) commenced operation December 13th.

The 13HOON hotline gives the public an easy to remember central contact point to report hoons to Police.

The implementation of the Hoon Hotline enables community members to provide information in relation to hooning activities such as illegal street racing, travelling at high speeds, burnout offences, drifting and rolling road blocks directly to the QPS.

It further provides the opportunity for community members to provide information related to other types of traffic complaints and report traffic related offences.

Non-urgent calls made to the QPS Hoon Hotline will be entered as a QPRIME occurrence.

Trained call takers will answer the call and record details including vehicle registration, vehicle characteristics and location of the illegal activity.

For hooning incidents actually underway, the information obtained by the operator will be forwarded to the designated Police Communications Centre for a response as required.

The Queensland Police Service emphasises that community members should not place themselves at risk to report this anti-social behaviour. If anyone is in immediate danger or it is a life threatening incident, police urge callers to call Triple Zero (000).

Tony Rehn, Crime Prevention Officer

Southern Region, Queensland Police Service

Ph 07 46316755 Fax 07 46153200

Marshall Cox, Toowoomba West Lions Club’s Christmas Wonderland of Lights Co-ordinator advises that Kids’ Night at Toowoomba’s Christmas Wonderland of Lights has been rescheduled from tonight to next Saturday night, 18th of December. Due to the inclement weather, the Christmas Wonderland of Lights in the Botanic Gardens will not be open to the public tonight(11th December).

With rain forecast for this weekend, the 2010 Highfields Carols on Sunday December 12th will play it safe and be held indoors at the Highfields Cultural Centre. The carols were to have been held at Peacehaven Park, but other details remain unchanged. The fate of the fireworks is as yet unresolved.

The Highfields District Community Carols Committee, friends of Peacehaven Park and the Toowoomba Regional Council are presenting a great family evening of food, entertainment and community carol singing. Doors open at 5.00pm and the show commences at 6.00pm with local choirs and singers, plus John Townsend, a singer of international renown who now resides on the Darling Downs, and Leisa Johnson.

The Highfields Cultural Centre is off O’Brien Road, Highfields.

Further information from Mandy Anderson (Ph 0407 645 153).

International Volunteers Day (5 December) is fast approaching. A day to acknowledge the immeasurable contribution made by individuals, who volunteer time and talents, in so many aspects of our society.

But, don’t go thinking that volunteering is what you do when you retire”!

Imagine the plight of those entering the workforce for the first time – you can’t get a job without experience and you don’t get experience without a job”.

A viable option then is to consider voluntary work. Apart from benefiting others by offering your skills and time, you’ll gain valuable work experience and give your resume a boost.

Volunteer work is a stimulating and rewarding activity, and a great entry portal into an organization. Apart from allowing you to develop your ability, it shows prospective employers that you’re determined to succeed, even if you have to start at the bottom. It is a well accepted fact that volunteers don’t always work for purely philanthropic reasons, so don’t feel guilty about undertaking voluntary work to improve your chances of paid employment.

Volunteer work will provide you with:

* The chance to think laterally about your skills;

* The opportunity to network;

* The opportunity to use and develop your communication and inter-personal skills;

* Motivation, enthusiasm and confidence;

* Actual work experience in a work environment; and

* The opportunity to explore career options before making a commitment.

Success as a volunteer depends on you, so remember to honour your commitment and understand your responsibility as a volunteer. Finally, ask for a reference – it will be a welcome contribution to your resume!

For further information about volunteering in the environment/conservation sector,

contact Frank Ondrus at HOPE on phone (07) 4639 2135 or email office@hopeaustralia.org.au .

Frank Ondrus, President – HOPE Inc