Latest from Gisborne Herald

Orion visit starts cruise ship season

The busy cruise ship season kicks off on Monday when Eastland Port welcomes back the National Geographic Orion, described as a state-of-the-art expedition ship. She begins a cruise season that will see 25 cruise ships of varying sizes and capacities...

A ‘beautiful’ celebration for their diamond anniversary

Wainui couple Wes and Lorraine Franks have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, but only after their three daughters persuaded them. “You’ve got to celebrate this!” they said. The couple were married in 1963 at St Andrew’s Presbyterian...

Popular jump bridge open again

A Gisborne railway bridge which doubled as a popular jump spot prior to Cyclone Gabrielle is once again open to the public. But the council warns even though safety barriers have been removed and the structure is now clear of hazards, heavy rain...

Accused "unemotional" about father’s death: witness

Jurors in a High Court murder trial have heard how Russell Allison’s daughter appeared “unemotional” when told about her father’s death. On day three of the trial for murder accused Lynne Maree Martin, 63, the jury was also told that police...

Claimed baby fell off bed

A baby boy, described by his mother as “my little soldier”, was not expected to survive after being assaulted by a man who has been jailed for four years and nine months. The baby, aged three-and-a-half-months, was left with permanent brain...

Evacuations, highways closed after heavy rain in Wairoa

Wairoa District Council is monitoring the impact of heavy rainfall overnight Tuesday and Wednesday. Civil Defence controller Juanita Savage yesterday said there had been Fire and Emergency NZ-assisted evacuations from Nuhaka properties and from...

Heavy rain causes flooding in Wairoa and Nūhaka, road closures

"A very wet night last night across that area there, some spots as much as 120mm of rainfall in just 12 hours or so - really intense bursts of rain, but over a prolonged period as well," MetService meteorologist John Law told Morning Report

Expo a chance to ‘fill one’s cup’

There’s an air of anticipation and excitement around February’s East Coast Farming Expo and especially with the announcement of the speakers. The Expo will run at the Wairoa Racecourse this time, from February 21-22. “Post Cyclone Gabrielle...

Power bill rise likely as networks ‘grow and adapt’

The Commerce Commission is warning higher power bills are on the way as it starts consultation on how much the region’s lines company is allowed to charge for distributing electricity. In a consultation paper published last week, the Commerce...

Firefighters prove up for the challenge

The Gizzy Combat Challenge event brought out the best in the more than three dozen firefighters who humped rolled hoses up and down a tower and completed a range of other tests at the Marina carpark on Saturday. Co-organiser Rob Graham said those...

No Covid deaths, 38 active cases in Tairāwhiti last week

Thirty-eight active cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Tairāwhiti in the week ending midnight on Sunday. Te Whatu Ora recorded 51 deaths that week — none in Tairāwhiti. In all, Tairāwhiti has recorded 25,410 case of Covid and 39 deaths. The...

Winz moving to new premises

Gisborne Work and Income service centre will close on Friday as the service moves to a new location. The Ministry for Social Development confirmed a new site would open in another three weeks. “We contacted our clients (last Thursday morning) to...

Rocket Lab awards scholarships to aspiring Māori health professional, aerospace engineer

Space company Rocket Lab has awarded scholarships worth a total of $30,000 to a student aspiring to become a Māori health professional and a young woman determined to become an aerospace engineer. Matangirau Whaanga (Rongomaiwahine/Ngāti...

Working out some fundamental things

Act’s strong desire for Parliament to define the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi then put it to a referendum looks like it will have to be traded away in favour of other policies the party wants and campaigned on. National leader Christopher...

Israel-Gaza: a question of numbers

Gwynne Dyer When Radio Kol Berama asked Israeli Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu whether an atomic bomb should be dropped on Gaza, he should not have replied: “This is one of the possibilities.” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu promptly...

A ‘pretty’ toxic problem

A few years back, parts of Kaiti Hill almost looked like they’d been spray-painted pink for spring. While it wasn’t an eyesore, it was unfortunately a pretty serious invasion of a noxious weed — Ragwort. Also known as holly-leaved senecio...