WA Brekkie Blog | Tuesday, January 17, 2017

MANDURAH: Two years ago, Erelle Mason and her partner Scott Martin experienced the unimaginable pain of losing a child to sudden infant death syndrome.

Baby Mason Martin was just three-weeks-old when he passed, and his death prompted calls for a review of WA's forensic services system. Baby Mason's family has now been forced to endure a second tragedy.

32-year-old Erelle and 40-year-old Scott were in their Halls Head unit in the early hours of Saturday morning when an unknown assailant broke into their home and stabbed Mr Martin to death. Read more. 

ESPERANCE: It seems even JK Rowling is blown away by the first sightings of Ruby seadragons in the wild.

The famous British novelist, best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series, tweeted about the creatures that were recently spotted by a group of researches in the waters of Esperance. Read more.  

SOUTH WEST: The communities of Brunswick, Burekup, Australind and Eaton have been removed from a potential gas exploration area following a decision by gas miners Empire Oil and Pilot Energy to give up part of a gas lease over areas of the South West. Read more. 

WA: The increasing popularity of drones in Western Australia has prompted the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) to issue a reminder to the community not to unwittingly halt firefighting efforts this bushfire season. Read more. 

Need a national news snapshot first thing – well, we have you covered. 

►TASMANIA: A child with anaphylaxia, a horse riding injury with no way to call for help, elderly relatives living alone, major highways without phone reception, bushfires, snakebites – all stories of life without reliable phone coverage across the state… the full story of the ‘black spot state’.

►ORANGE, NSW: Robert Nixon is considering his legal options after a review into his son’s death identified gaps in mental health services.  In April last year, Mr Nixon’s son presented to a local health campus suffering from severe depression and drug addiction but no bed was available...the full story here.

►ACT: Authorities were warned of two dangerous dogs at a Belconnen public housing complex months before a resident was horrifically mauled.  Now the victim is suing the ACT government for allegedly failing to prevent the attack despite receiving warnings from residents over three months.

►BENDIGO, VIC: Tuesday has been declared a Total Fire Ban day in the North Central, Wimmera and Mallee districts.  The Bureau of Meteorology expects temperatures in Bendigo on Tuesday to soar to 39 degrees.  A maximum of 40 degrees is predicted in Northern Country towns such as Kyabram...read on. 

►SYDNEY: A body has been found in a burnt-out car parked outside the Rooty Hill Leisure Centre in Sydney's west.  Emergency services were called to the carpark on John Street just after 3pm on Monday where they found a dark blue Toyota Corolla hatchback with red P-plates well alight.

►Fourteen dolphins were found dead in shark nets installed at NSW beaches during last financial year, amid a surge in the numbers of marine creatures caught...read on.

►At least half of Australia's special intake of 12,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees will be settled in one part of western Sydney within 12 months..read full story.

► MEXICO: At least five people, including four foreigners, have been killed and 15 wounded after a shooter opened fire at a nightclub in Mexico's Playa del Carmen resort during a music festival...full story here.

►INDONESIA: Police deny they are afraid to tackle hardline Islamic leader Muhammad Rizieq Shihab.  Widely known as Habib Rizieq, he is being investigated over multiple reports of alleged blasphemy and slander, including his outlandish claim that the 100,000 rupiah note contains an image of the hammer and sickle, which is illegal in Indonesia...read more.  

Doing anything for 60 years is remarkable, whether it is working a job or playing an instrument. 

Two Central West women, Maureen Clark and June Reedy, have sent the very same card back and forth to each other for six decades.

Ms Clark, who resides in Bathurst, sent the card to her friend when she was just 17 years old in 1957.

Read the full story here.