NORMALLY our wettest month, less than half the 30-year average of rain fell here in July this year — 62.6mm as against 127.7mm. The month just ended was also warmer and sunnier than usual, continuing the trend for the year so far. At just shy of 160...

GISBORNE District Council chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann has said the new year cour the council is all about getting back to basics while still making people proud. Ms Thatcher Swann made the comments in an extensive activity report for...

TAIRAWHITI Roads can be a model for other roading network collaborations around the country, says a senior manager at New Zealand Transport Agency. Tommy Parker, the group manager of highways and network operations, visited Gisborne to see how...

ST JOHN staff helped more than 1500 patients during the BW and Rhythm and Vines festivals and have been praised for the “impeccable” way they went about it. The figure is the total number of people St John officers treated across the region...

Mokopuna, tamariki, whanau by any name are taonga. In Kaiti our taonga are raised in a community like no other in Gisborne — they are raised next to Kaiti Sports Bar. Kaiti is the only suburb with a pokie venue, TAB and alcohol in the one premise...

Fiesta was epic, the best Heart of Gisborne event yet, says HofG manager Lana Davy.“There was a perfect balance of weather, food, entertainment and people,” she said.“Thank you to all the vendors who turned up and supplied wicked food...

Gisborne District was urged to protect the vulnerable by having an ethical policy for funding, when former deputy mayor Nona Aston told them this money comes from “hidden places”.In a spirited address in support of Ka Pai Kaiti, she said a whole...

A French Polynesian delegation arrived in Gisborne yesterday for two days of events including a visit to Ilminster Intermediate tomorrow. Lead parliamentary educator William Davies, who is accompanying them, said the delegation of senior politicians...

A DUMPED car was set alight late last night in the carpark at Waikirikiri Park in outer Kaiti and police have started an inquiry into the incident. Fire and Emergency NZ sent an appliance to the scene at about midnight.“The shell of the car had...

A flyover and the Trust Tairawhiti Rescue Helicopter will be part of the commemorations at Combined Services Day on Sunday. The Gisborne Returned and Services Association event will consist of a commemorative parade and wreath-laying service outside...

I too support a boycott of the Tuia 250 Sestercentennial event — but for very different reasons to those of various indigenous “activists”.From what was simply something to mark the anniversary of Cook’s landing, the event has been developed...

THE cyclist who died in collision with a truck on Awapuni Road on Wednesday morning was 42-year-old Jason Duncan Houia of Gisborne. His death is in the hands of the coroner. Mr Houia was riding his mountain bike on SH35 when he struck the front of...

Writers with a connection with this region through family, or who have a Tairawhiti focus in their writing project, have until the end of the month to apply for a Margaret Spencer Writers Encouragement Trust grant. Writers working in literary...

People longing for a much needed dip to cool off this summer can go for a swim with the latest test results from LAWA (Land Air Water Aotearoa) showing most sites to be safe for swimming. Gisborne District Council operates a summer water monitoring...

January's weather has given further solid proof of local climate change, confirming the steady upward trend in Gisborne temperatures. Strangely the burst of near-record temperatures of the past few days came at the end of a month dominated by cooler...

A CRANE unit from Gisborne was this morning sent to a crash scene near Wairoa to recover a stock truck that tipped over south of the township yesterday. The driver of the empty rig was taken to Wairoa Hospital for a check-up after the unit left State...

In 2017, the coalition Government created history when it appointed New Zealand’s first Minister specifically to look after animal welfare issues. Meka Whaitiri was made Associate Minister of Agriculture with responsibility for animal welfare. Ms...

It is official, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) announced on October 8 that we have 12 years to limit climate change or face catastrophe. Judging from responses through the media, it might still take a while to influence many of...

Last year the head of GDC Community Lifelines David Wilson and two councillors involved in roading, including Graeme Thomson, agreed that the best route for logging trucks to reach Awapuni Road/State Highway 35 was via Bushmere Road. The original...

COUNCILLORS and council staff at a District Council workshop this week discussed opportunities to benefit from the new government’s $1 billion regional development fund. Acting Mayor Rehette Stoltz said councillors looked at ways of benefiting from...

Children in the care of Barnardos Gisborne will get special birthday and Christmas presents this year, thanks to the fundraising efforts of a group of Aurora Leaders. The young group raised $4900 from movie days, sausage sizzles, Matariki discos and...

Putting $2.5 million into more walkways and cycleways was a “no-brainer”, said some online voters in this week's Herald web poll. Others said the money should be spent on fixing the sewage overflow into the city's rivers. It was nearly 50/50 as...

It’s almost that time of year when Gisborne’s green thumbs come out to show off their best and biggest pumpkins at the Bushmere Arms Giant Pumpkin Festival. Organiser Georgina Kemp says more than 130 packets of seed were sold, so that gave some...

We have had three cancellations at Tatapouri from Shanghai, China because of the coronavirus — which is great, as containment is very important. I believe that it will be at least one year before there is effective control and a vaccine...

The carpentry students built five dog houses, which the SPCA will deliver to dogs in the community who do not have outside shelter. EIT carpentry tutor Ben Stevenson said they had building materials left over from building dog kennels last year, plus...

THREE drownings around New Zealand in the past 48 hours have prompted a warning from Gisborne lifeguards for people to take care in the surf, with some good beach days forecast in the lead-up to New Year's Eve and beyond next week. A man drowned...

Proponents of the rail link to Napier seem to have a certain amount of “tunnel vision”.The rail will not remove log trucks from our regional roads. The logs will still have to be loaded on trucks to be brought to a marshalling yard. The loading...

FARMERS, agribusiness professionals and anyone with an interest in the red meat sector has been urged to attend this year’s Red Meat Sector conference to be held in Napier on July 29 and 30. The conference, which is jointly hosted by Beef+Lamb New...

Unfortunately I was involved in a car accident at the Derby Street/Childers Road roundabout on the morning of Christmas Eve. I was overwhelmed by the kindness of the people who stopped to help and comfort me, and to take time out of their busy...

GISBORNE Rail Action Group chairwoman Mary Manuel has announced her candidacy for Gisborne District Council. The Gisborne-Napier rail line, as part of an integrated transport system, is a key part of her campaign platform.“I have governance...