In other media…
N8N does a round-up of stories from about our district from other news outlets.
TAUPIRI TRUCK CRASH
It’s not the sort of thing you expect to see first thing in the morning. Taupiri’s newest resident Grant Kiri had just sat down to breakfast when he saw a freight truck heading towards his front fence, reports the Waikato Times.
Mr Kiri had shifted to Taupiri from Auckland just one week before to avoid the ‘rat race’.
He said it wasn’t quite what he’d expected but was better than living in Auckland. The accident happened about 7.45am on Thursday, on the main Taupiri roundabout south of Huntly.
Click here for the full story.
RURAL RUNNING
The Hamilton Half Marathon will use Plan B for its event next month – running through our part of the country.
Slips along Hamilton’s river paths mean the half marathon will take place through Flagstaff, Rototuna and Horsham Downs for the second consecutive year, according to the Waikato Times.
“We’re unable to use the river path again,” said race director Lyn Harris. “The river course can certainly test our sanity at times.”
Participants, says N8N, can now enjoy the bucolic treats of running through beautiful countryside. The New Zealand Community Trust Hamilton Half Marathon will be on Sunday October 7.
Click here for the full story.
HAIL DAMAGES FLOWERS
Gordonton’s Ian Riddell appeared in the Waikato Times, after his daffodils took a hammering from hail.
Reporter Matt Bowen said 341 lightning strikes hit the ground within an 80km radius of Hamilton between midday Saturday and noon Monday. But the hail was the main worry for Clandon Daffodils.
“Five to 15 per cent of his 8.5ha crop was rendered worthless as pellets of ice tore through their delicate petals.
‘I don’t think we got it too bad but there’s definitely rips in the flowers,’ he said.
‘It’s just something you have to put up with.’
Read the full story here.
ROTOTUNA DEVELOPMENT DISPUTE
The Waikato Times last week reported a dispute looming over development planned for Rototuna.
It was hoped that a meeting of traffic specialists could resolve at least one Environment Court challenge against a $10 million mixed use development proposal, reported Andrea Fox.
“But another appellant, the owner of the Rototuna Shopping Centre will not commit to joining the discussion.
“Hamilton veterinarian and property investor Keith Houston, whose company Horsham Downs Retail Centres owns the shopping centre, has appealed to the Environment Court against the plan by Trig Developments for a residential, office, hospitality and retail project on tree-fringed corner of Thomas Rd and Horsham Downs.”
She said Progressive Enterprises, owner of the nearby Countdown supermarket and land on which a McDonalds and Palmers store is planned, has also appealed.
Click here for full story.
GOOD GROWING, ZEALONG!
A record 10,000 people have visited oolong tea grower Zealong, based on good old Gordonton Rd.
Reporter Andrea Fox says numbers are up 47% on last year. Hitting the 10,000 mark came 16 months earlier than expected, says spokeswoman Gigi Crawford.
Around 60% of the weekend visitors are from outside the Waikato, mainly from Auckland. Overseas visitors are mostly from Australia and Europe.
“We’re getting more groups from Asia recently, but it’s still people from non tea-producing countries who are most fascinated with what we’re doing here.”
Hamilton City Council has promoted the Zealong venture as a top-10 attraction.
Full story can be read here.
Very interesting articles again this week, thank you Annette
Thank you Judy! Smiles from 122 Woodlands!