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Review: Keep up Appearances - Waipukurau Little Theatre

I enjoyed travelling back to the 90’s for this one. Sat cross legged as a child glued to the 21inch TV, eagerly awaiting the next installment. After 30 odd years the comedy was brought to the stage & was everything I dreamed of & this time the adult humor didn’t go above my head! Director Helen Griffin & the team have put together a wonderful production thank you for taking me back down memory lane .  Hyacinth (Kirsten Selfe) was just as glorious as I recalled...

Review: Little Shop of Horrors - Waipawa Musical & Dramatic Club

 Our community of many talents, work during the day & come horrifyingly alive at night “Little Shop of Horrors” - Chilling Spine-tingling & Extraordinary.Director: LJ Easter, thank you for bringing us yet another masterpiece. I was not disappointed from get go I was absorbed into another place “Skid Row”Very clever use of a small cast which was not short on talent! Our very own Mayor Alex Walker is the musical director & not one beat is missed.&n...

Local News

Another Boil Water Notice has been issued for the Pongaroa water supply. The Tararua District Council issued the notice yesterday after increased turbidity in the water due to heavy rain. The Council said rain in the ranges has caused a significant increase in turbidity and the UV lamp at the Water Treatment Plant was no longer working. Parts have been ordered to make repairs, but these aren’t expected to be in the country until the end of next week. The Council says repairs will occur in July...

Local News

Central Hawke’s Bay rates will rise 20.9% next year. District Councillors met last week to deliberate on Councils’ draft Three Year – Road to Recovery Plan. 285 submissions were received when consultation closed. Mayor Alex Walker said tough calls have been made, including closing and reducing some services or facilities. She said Council will also use external funding in the first year of the Plan to reduce average rates by over four percent. Ms Walker said rates affordability for our com...

Local News

A vehicle believed to have caused a car-crash in Waipukurau yesterday left the scene of the accident. Emergency services were called just after midday to a two-vehicle crash on Herbert Street near the intersection of River Terrace. Senior Constable Andy Walker said the vehicle that left the scene was a silver Nissan Skyline that was seen heading north back towards Hastings. A witness told Central FM the Skyline turned into River Terrace right in the path of an oncoming people mover. Two people w...

Local News

A Boil Water Notice issued for Pongaroa last week due to high turbidity levels caused by heavy rain remains in place.Tararua District Council said in a statement yesterday new cartridge filters had been put back into operation, and while there was less turbidity, the notice would remain in place to ensure the remaining turbidity in the network had flushed through.An update is expected from the Council later today, but residents are reminded to boil water before drinking, brushing teeth, preparin...

Local News

A man was flown to Hawke’s Bay Hospital on Friday following a crash between a motorbike and a ute towing a trailer. The accident happened just after 11am on State Highway 2 on Herbert Street, near the intersection with Peel Street. The section of road was closed, and traffic was diverted while emergency services worked at the scene. The man taken to hospital was said to be in a serious condition. A Hawke’s Bay Lotto player won a share of second division on Saturday night. The ticket, sold to...

Local News

A man was flown to Palmerston North Hospital in the early hours of last Saturday morning following a motor vehicle accident at Herbertville. The Grassroots Rescue Helicopter was dispatched to the scene after a man in his 20’s sustained fracture injuries as a result of the accident. Meanwhile the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter landed in the grounds of Waipawa School yesterday morning to airlift a person to Hawke’s Bay Hospital. The patient had suffered a medical event. The incident was no...

Local News

Metservice has upgraded its initial Heavy Rain Watch for Hawke’s Bay to an Orange Heavy Rain Warning. In the 36-hour period from 6am today, through until 6pm tomorrow, 150 to 200mm of rain is expected for the region. Peak rates of 20 to 30mm/hr are expected throughout the day today. Forecasters say surface flooding and slips are possible, and that streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Tararua District is also in for heavy rain, a Heavy Rain Watch in place this morning. Periods of heavy rain are...

Local News

Six people were injured in a two-vehicle crash near Norsewood on Saturday. The crash happened about 11.30am on State Highway 2 near Edgeley Road. All six were taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital, one by rescue helicopter. Two people have since been transferred to Wellington Hospital – one, a woman in her 50’s, the other a man in his 20’s, who is in a critical condition. Metservice has issued a Heavy Rain Watch for Hawke’s Bay. The Watch covers the period from 6am today until 6pm Wednesday, ...

Local News

Fire & Emergency NZ has declared an Open Fire Season for all of Hawke’s Bay and Tararua District. The Restricted Fire Season status for Tararua East and Hawke’s Bay coastal areas was revoked at midday yesterday. In declaring the fire season change, Fire & Emergency NZ’s acting District Manager Jason Hill said lower temperatures had reduced the wildfire danger. Despite the change, Mr Hill said people are still expected to take care when lighting outdoor fires, and it is important to...

Local News

A MyLotto player from Hawke’s Bay has won a share of Lotto second division. The ticket for last nights draw is worth $18,211. Police say a work-related accident at a property near OngaOnga on Monday involved the felling of a tree. Emergency services were alerted to the incident just after 11am Monday at a property near Blackburn Road. Senior Constable Andy Walker said a local man was felling a tree at the time. A WorkSafe NZ investigator visited the scene, and Mr Walker said Police will conduc...

Local News

Police have released the name of the victim of a fatal accident at Matamau last month. The incident happened in the early hours of Monday April 15th, when a person was hit by a vehicle on State Highway 2. Yesterday Police said the victim was 43-year-old Christopher Connell from Masterton. A Police spokesperson said their thoughts were with Mr Conell’s family and friends, and that enquiries into the circumstances of the accident were ongoing.A 15-year-old youth has been charged in relation to a...

Local News

Over $24,000 was raised from last weekend’s CHB Lions Bookarama. The annual event was held at the CHB Municipal Theatre in Waipawa from Friday to Sunday. A spokesperson said the amount raised was an excellent result for the community, and that planning for next year is already underway. Lions thanked the Ruahine Cadet Unit, who provided extra manpower to help load books in on Thursday and help with the pack down on Sunday.An attraction set-up for children over the school holidays has had to be...

Local News

A planned upgrade to the Norsewood water treatment plant is to get underway this month. Essential equipment has arrived ready for installation, with the upgrade aimed at enhancing water quality. Norsewood residents have voiced concerns about water discolouration and sedimentation, with water sampling being carried out twice a week. A specialised iron and manganese filter, and an additional 30,000- litre tank to supplement the existing 90,000-litre tank will be installed as part of the upgrade. T...

Local News

Two women will appear in Court on drugs charges next month after search warrants were executed in Central Hawke’s Bay last week. CHB Police together with staff from Hawkes Bay executed warrants at a number of local addresses on Wednesday. Sergeant Neil Baker says in total, five warrants were executed which saw a large quantity of cannabis and cash located. He says the warrants were the result of several month’s work into drug supply in CHB. Mr Baker says a 34-year-old female was arrested and...

Local News

A man is in a critical condition following a serious assault in Waipukurau on Wednesday night. Detective Senior Sergeant Sally Patrick said Police received multiple calls around 11:35pm reporting an altercation between a man and a group of youths in the middle of the intersection of Russell and Herbert Streets. She said the man was assaulted, and possibly hit with a scooter, before the youths left the area. Ambulance staff treated the man on scene, and he was taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital with...

Local News

A woman reported missing from the Whakatu area on Sunday has been located safe and well. Police had concerns for Jessica Kim, who was seen getting into a ute at Te Ara Kahikatea, with a spokesperson saying she looked "distressed". The 26-year-old was located "safely in Central Hawke's Bay" according to a statement. Police thanked the public for their concern.Central Hawke’s Bay Police say they are extremely concerned with the behaviours of several locals who are putting themselves and other mo...

Local News

Five youths have been taken into custody following a stolen vehicle incident last weekend. Senior Sergeant Craig Vining said at about 11.30am on Sunday, Police located a stolen vehicle travelling in Otane. He said units were quickly able to spike the blue Toyota Aqua hatchback at the intersection of Higginson Street and State Highway 2. The vehicle was then monitored as it travelled south through to Waipawa and then into Waipukurau. Mr Vining said due to the vehicle driving at excessive speed, P...

Work to create a safer, better-connected Waipawa main street starts Monday 22 April

Work to deliver on the community’s vision for Waipawa’s main street is scheduled to start next week, from Monday 22 April, with Tūpore Infrastructure starting construction of the revised trial traffic interventions that night.The Streets for People project, which is 90 percent funded by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi and Council’s 10 percent contributing to officer time, resumes next week with revised designs to introduce trial solutions to help create safer and more people-friendly stre...

Local News

The RSA is angered after the War Memorial at Hatuma was vandalised on Friday night. Peter Jackson, the RSA’s District President for Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay and East Coast said the local community was upset by the damage. He called the damage a “senseless act of vandalism”. Jackson said although a plan was already being put in place, it wouldn’t be possible to repair the damage before Anzac Day. He said the damaged plaque will remain in place to ensure those from the District who served ...

Local News

Fire & Emergency NZ has moved Central Hawke’s Bay and eastern parts of Tararua District back to a Restricted Fire Season status. The move from Prohibited to Restricted was made yesterday. Anyone wanting to light a fire in the open air will need a permit, with applications able to be made on the website checkitsalright.nz. Hastings and Napier, along with the Hawke’s Bay Coast area have also moved back to a restricted season. Rates in CHB will go up nearly 50% over the next three years if ...

Local News

Businesses and individuals interested in holding an event as part of the years Spring Fling can apply now. The Spring Fling is held from September to October, with registrations for 2024 due in by the 26th of April. Full details on how to apply are available on the website www.thespringfling.nz. Pongaroa farmer David Buick’s incredible comeback from an accident that left him critically injured nearly three years ago has continued with a win in the New Zealand Shearing Champs open shearing fina...

Local News

Dannevirke woman Adele Small has been officially welcomed as the new Chief Executive for the Maungaharuru-Tangitu Trust. Adele, who had been the Group Manager Strategy and Wellbeing for Tararua District Council, was welcomed into her new role at Pukemokimoki Marae this week. She was supported by Kahungunu whanau at her welcoming, with Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated Chair Chrissie Hape saying Adele was instrumental in supporting whanau during the Covid lockdown. Ms Hape congratulated the Maunga...

Local News

More than 100 competitors will take part in a major shearing event in Central Hawke’s Bay today.The Hawke’s Bay Autumn Shears is a brand new event being held at the CHB A & P Showgrounds.Organiser and top NZ shearer Johnny Kirkpatrick says check-in for the woolhandling is from 7am, with the competition underway from 7.30.The shearing competition will be underway from 11am.Johnny Kirkpatrick says they had talked about holding the autumn shears last year but didn’t have a pavilion to use...