2014 THE YEAR THAT WAS
IT’S not often that a new newspaper is born but that is exactly what happened when the first edition of the Journal News was published on Monday 20 October 2014.
The Journal News combined the best of the Berwick News and the Dandenong Journal to specifically keep readers in Doveton, Endeavour Hills, Eumemmerring and Hallam across all the news and events happening in their neighbourhood.
The vision for the Journal News was that it would also be the newspaper of record for important regional events and issues affecting the City of Greater Dandenong and the City of Casey.
The first edition of the Journal News featured on its front page the inspiring tale of Endeavour Hills mum Sherone Armel and her battle to care for her son, Armani, who was just one when he was diagnosed with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy, a physical disability that prevents the boy from walking unaided or from forming proper words.
In October Sherone walked the three-kilometre leg of the Melbourne Marathon while pushing Armani in a specially adapted bike.
Other prominent stories since the Journal News’ launch included the brave public declaration by Casey councillor Rafal Kaplon that he was gay in the face of moves to scrap programs promoting the awareness of different sexual orientations at the city of Casey, bullying allegations during November’s state election and the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Endeavour Hills Police Station.
