Canberra Now: News in 90 seconds for April 24, 2018

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Canberra Now: News in 90 seconds for April 24, 2018

By Emily Baker
Updated

Good morning Canberra,

Welcome to Tuesday. It's almost Official Heater Weather™ but maybe we can maybe wait a little longer: we're looking at a chilly morning but a maximum temperature of 27 degrees today and tomorrow. Just as I was getting used to wearing turtlenecks again!

Let's take a look at today's news headlines.

Police crack down on alleged drug traffickers

Brendan Baker was one of five arrested over alleged drug trafficking at the weekend.

Brendan Baker was one of five arrested over alleged drug trafficking at the weekend.Credit: Facebook/Brendan Baker

Meet Brendan Leigh Baker. He owned a cafe on the Kingston Foreshore whose coffee had earned the praise of Canberra's chief minister on Facebook. He boasted about buying a big block of land in Taylor, and his intentions to build on it a six-bedroom house. He had a flashy Mercedes, and took spontaneous overseas holidays.

But police allege he funded his lifestyle dealing drugs. Mr Baker, of O'Connor, was one of five men, including a man police have said was a bikie enforcer and a Calwell father and son, who were arrested in police raids across Canberra over the weekend in connection to drug trafficking.

Alexandra Back has more.

Turn on the heater? I'm still blasting the air con

Have you got the heater on yet?

Have you got the heater on yet?Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong

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On the heater issue. Karen Hardy reports on unseasonably warm temperatures throughout Canberra this month, including a sweltering 31.8 degrees on April 11.

Canberra's traditional "Anzac Day rule" decrees that using a heater, fire or electric blanket before April 25 is a sign of weakness.

But there hasn't been much temptation to switch on the heater this year.

According to the experts, the warm weather was due to a hot air mass that's been lingering over the south-east of Australia for a while now.

Karen shares her tips for staying warm without hurting your gas bill. Read them here.

The Canberrans honouring the Australian sacrifice

WildBear Entertainment producer James Sutherland, creative director,Serge Ou and senior editor Rob Perry produced the new Australian WWI memorial in France.

WildBear Entertainment producer James Sutherland, creative director,Serge Ou and senior editor Rob Perry produced the new Australian WWI memorial in France. Credit: Elesa Kurtz

Meet the Canberrans who have helped honour the Australian contribution to World War I. Megan Doherty chats with veteran filmmaker Serge Ou and producer James Sutherland about their work in bringing to life the stories of diggers in the new $100-million Sir John Monash Centre in France.

The Australian-commissioned Sir John Monash Centre officially opens on Anzac Day and Canberrans across the board have had a major hand in seeing it rise up from fields near Villers-Bretonneux.

Among the team were project managers, Canberra couple Caroline and Wade Bartlett, multimedia team Wildbear Entertainment in Civic and Canberra artist Lisa Cahill, who contributed a stunning glass sculpture, and Tharwa designer Grant Rollinson, who built the timberwork.

Read more here.

Big rate rises the exception, not the rule: Treasury

More than 41,000 apartment and unit owners have seen their rates bill rise.

More than 41,000 apartment and unit owners have seen their rates bill rise.Credit: Graham Tidy

Controversial changes to the way rates are calculated for apartments, units, townhouses and dual occupancies have attracted the ire of thousands of owner-occupiers and landlords and even prompted an ACT Legislative Assembly inquiry.

But ACT Treasury says stratospheric rates rises are the exception, not the rule.

New figures show while more than 41,000 properties experienced an increase to rates because of the change in methodology, nearly 4300 saw no change or even saw their rates fall.

Katie Burgess has the details.

Hosking builds momentum

Commonwealth Games gold medalist Chloe Hosking.

Commonwealth Games gold medalist Chloe Hosking. Credit: Jamila Toderas

She secured gold on the Gold Coast, now Canberra cyclist Chloe Hosking is looking ahead to Tokyo.

A Cycling Australia edict for a three-year plan for the 2020 Olympic Games forced Hosking to look at what steps she needed to take to get there.

"So I really had to sit down and go, 'OK, how am I going to get to Tokyo?'

"I had to identify my weaknesses and then work out how I was going to make them less weak or turn them into strengths."

Read David Polkinghorne's story here.

The case for electric bikes

Ian Ross from Pedal Power ACT with the bike barometer in O'Connor.

Ian Ross from Pedal Power ACT with the bike barometer in O'Connor.Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong

Would you ride a bike to work if it meant you didn't need to break a sweat? Ian Ross from Pedal Power ACT makes the case for electric bikes following the release of the ACT government's Transition to Zero Emissions Vehicles Action Plan.

"An e-bike is a regular bicycle with an electric motor that assists you to pedal, and kicks in strongly when you encounter hills or steep terrain, making the overall ride a shorter and more pleasant journey," Ian writes.

"People who ride to work on e-bikes describe the effort of a 25km/hr ride as equivalent to no more than a brisk walk, so they can reach the office without breaking a sweat or needing a shower and a change of clothes."

Read more here.

Today's cartoon

The Canberra Times editorial cartoon for Tuesday, April 24, 2018.

The Canberra Times editorial cartoon for Tuesday, April 24, 2018.Credit: David Pope

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