Tributes flow for slasher victim

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Friday, March 5, 2010
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Pictures and reports » pages 8 & 9
‘She was my
everything’
Tributes flow for
slasher victim
THE 42-year-old woman killed when struck
in the head by a pipe flung from a slasher
was engaged and about to celebrate her
daughter’s 21st birthday party.
Muraka ‘Jenny’ Vearncombe, (pictured right)
was on her way to work at the African Bazaar
in Flinders Mall and had barely made it 100m
down the footpath when struck by the pipe
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on Wednesday morning.
Fiance Peter Pyne, (left), said Jenny, as she
was known, meant the world to him.
“She was out of the ordinary and that’s
what attracted me to her,” he said.
“Jenny was the sort of person everyone
made friends with. She was my everything.”
» EMILY MACDONALD reports / page 2
Ed:
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Unit: Regn 2Couple:
Friday, March 5, 2010
NOTICES
Supreme Court Criminal Callover: Counsel
and solicitors are advised that the Honourable Mr
Justice Cullinane will hold a criminal callover at
9:30am TODAY Friday 5th March 2010 for his 3
weeks sitting commencing Monday 19th April
2010
Jury Information: Jurors on Panel B numbers 1
to 99 inclusive are NO LONGER REQUIRED TO
ATTEND.
SUPREME COURT OF QUEENSLAND
Criminal Sittings
Before Justice Cullinane
Court 1, Level D: 9.30am Criminal Callover
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Before Justice Cullinane
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SHIPPING
Colour:
Arrivals: The Ken San, Townsville Shipping, is due
to depart berth 7 at noon after loading zinc
concentrates.
Departures: There are no scheduled departures.
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Decision on boat
ramp due today
Mower tragedy:
fiance mourns
By EMILY MACDONALD
police reporter
MURAKA ‘Jenny’ Vearncombe
was engaged and about to celebrate her daughter’s 21st birthday when her life was cut short
by a tragic twist of fate.
The 42-year-old woman was on
her way to work at the African
Bazaar in Flinders Mall on Wednesday and had barely made it
100m down the footpath when
she was killed instantly, struck in
the head by a pipe flung up by a
slasher.
Fiance Peter Pyne said Jenny,
who was always known by her
middle name, meant the world to
him.
‘‘She was out of the ordinary
and that’s what attracted me to
her,’’ he said.
‘‘Jenny was the sort of person
everyone made friends with.
‘‘She was my everything.’’
Jenny was born in Papua New
Guinea but moved to Australia
14 years ago, living in various
parts of the State including
Cairns and Rockhampton, where
she met Peter four years ago.
She had three children from a
previous marriage, Wayne, 18,
Kevin, 23, and Tara-Lee who
lives in Nanango and who Jenny
was due to visit in a fortnight’s
time to help celebrate
her 21st birthday.
Peter said he would
always treasure the
memories of times
with Jenny, including a fishing trip to
Lucinda last weekend.
‘‘She was a good
fisherman. She outdid us every time,’’ he
said.
‘‘We were trying to
light a fire and when
we turned around a
fish caught on the
line and the rod went
flying into the water.
‘‘We also had a
couple of nice trips to
the Gold Coast
together that I will
remember.’’
Jenny’s uncle,
Joshua Mivira, only recently met
his niece for the first time and
said he was glad to have had the
chance to get to know her.
‘‘I was so happy to have met
her,’’ he said.
Family friend Vanessa Beuto
said Jenny was a devoted mother
and generous friend.
‘‘She was like my older sister,’’
she said. ‘‘She was a wonderful
Page: 2
THE long-running debate between
residents and Townsville City
Council over the future of the
National Park boat ramp in Railway
Estate is expected to reach a
conclusion today.
Deputy Mayor David Crisafulli has
held last-minute discussions with
residents about the expansion of the
car park at the boat ramp on
Barnicle St.
Last year, council applied for a
material change of use for the park
on Yates St to reclaim part of the
area for 100 trailer parking spaces to
upgrade the boating facility.
Today marks the end of the appeal
process for the material change of
use application for the park.
Spokesman for the residents,
Derek Saggers, confirmed they had
been taking part in ‘‘meaningful’’
discussions with council.
+ Page 2
Townsville Bulletin
Friday, March 5, 2010
OUT OF THE
ORDINARY . . .
fiance Peter
Pyne with a
photo of Jenny
Vearncombe
and, left, Jenny
(left) with her
friend Leena
Young at
Dunwoodys in
Cairns
person, so giving and loving. She
always talked about her kids. She
will be missed by a lot of people.’’
Local PNG elder Maggie
Baison said Jenny was proud of
her heritage and respectful of
the culture and traditions.
‘‘She called me ‘Mumma’ because I’m an elder in the community,’’ she said.
‘‘She has a lot of respect for the
elders. It will be a shock to all the
PNG communities here.’’
African Bazaar owner Harry
Martin said he and his wife Nora
were devastated to lose Jenny as
an employee and a friend.
‘‘It’s such a tragic bolt out of
the blue,’’ Harry said.
‘‘She was a wonderfully cheerful person and she also proved
herself to be very reliable.’’
Nora said the fact Jenny had
recently rediscovered her faith
at Sun City Christian Church
gave her some comfort throughout difficult times.
‘‘She was a vibrant person just
beginning to spread her wings,’’
Nora said.
‘‘It is such a comfort to me to
know she is with the Lord.
‘‘We’ve lost a real gem.’’
Car drives off after fish and
chip shop takes a battering
A DRIVER escaped uninjured
when a car crashed through a fish
and chip shop window yesterday.
The accident happened about
9.35am.
Emergency services attended
the scene in Garbutt, on the
corner of Ingham Rd and Hughes
St, near an IGA supermarket.
Fire crews assisted staff in
removing glass from the window
frame to ensure it was not a
hazard.
It was believed the vehicle had
left the scene by the time
emergency crews arrived. Police
investigated the incident
yesterday.
Later, a man sustained minor
neck injuries when his four-wheel
drive collided with a truck in
Kirwan.
The incident happened at the
Thuringowa Drive and Dalrymple
Rd roundabout about 11.55am.
The man was taken to The
Townsville Hospital.
SMASH . . . emergency service
officers attend the accident at
the fish and chip shop
South reels
from floods
FLOOD levels could
exceed an 1890 record,
weather forecasters
warned the southwest
Queensland town of St
George last night.
An area the size of
Victoria is under water
in Queensland.
The flood surge is
expected to hit St
George, population
3800, late today or
tomorrow.
More rain is forecast
across southern
Queensland tonight.
A preliminary
estimate has put the
damage at $135 million.
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