Caves Beach Phone Tower Approved

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A controversial pone tower proposal for Caves Beach has been approved by Lake Macquarie Council.

Furious residents stormed out of council's meeting last night when the tower was unexpectedly approved.

Residents were expecting the application for the Telstra tower on Scenic Drive to be deferred until next year after Councillors visited the site and made the recommendation to defer.

Residents are concerned the tower could pose a serious threat to their health because it's so close to their homes, from radio frequency electromagnetic energy.

Phone Reception But at What Cost

BY TYLER FARDELL

For Caves Beach locals, good phone reception has always been an enigma. So when Telstra announced it was looking to build a mobile phone tower in the area, it was welcome news for many residents.

However, residents were soon left frustrated by the proposed tower as it was destined to be built within very close proximity to many homes in the area along Scenic Drive.

Lake Macquarie council will tonight vote on whether to allow the development to happen, and there are many opposed to the towers proposed location.

Councillor John Gilbert says the area sorely needs mobile reception, but building the tower here may pose a potential health risk.

"There is evidence that people have contracted diseases and gotten sick as a direct result from proximity to mobile phone towers", he said.

There are several homes within 50 metres of the proposed site and others within a few hundred metres, well inside the exposure radius.

"This is a case of Telstra putting money before people", Mr Gilbert said. "They had the option to build the tower 500 metres back away from houses but that would of cost more money".

The vote is expected to be a very interesting one, with polarizing views of the matter at council, but Mr Gilbert is hopeful the vote will return with no and they can discuss building the tower elsewhere.

Argument in Lake Macquarie leads to police pursuit

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man will face court today following reports he stabbed a man during an argument in Lake Macquarie.

Officers were called to a home on Martha Street, Caves Beach, just before 1:30pm yesterday. When they arrived they were told two men became involved in a verbal argument when one of the received a cut to his hand.

A 31-year-old man then fled the house in vehicle.

Police pursued the vehicle to Turea Street, Pelican, where they found a man and arrested him.

The man was taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with police pursuit-not stop-drive recklessly, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, aggravated enter dwelling and three counts of enter enclosed lands without lawful excuse.

He was refused bail.

Shark Close Encounter Captured on Film

BY IAN CROUCH

A surfer has been left rattled after a close encounter with a Great White Shark at Caves Beach.

Daniel Caban was riding a wave yesterday afternoon when the 3-and-a-half metre White Pointer breached out of the water behind him where he'd just been.

His quick thinking friend, on the beach, Nathan McLaren managed to capture of a photo of the drama unfolding.