As we prepared today's paper, we contemplated a classic good and bad news scenario.
So do you want the good news first?
Somewhere in Hawke's Bay there was a big celebration on Wednesday night. One that probably won't end for a while.
More than $15 million was collected in Lotto'sBig Wednesday by a couple who bought tickets at the Caltex station on Karamu Rd, Hastings.
Of course the expectation of winning a life-changing amount of money through Lotto is not a sound financial plan. It is plain, dumb luck against the odds.
But what a way to start the year for those who get to enjoy that dumb luck. Congratulations to them.
While many of us survey the damage to our bank balances and credit cards following Christmas celebrations, and look ahead to another year of hard slog to make ends meet, they now have financial independence.
A quad bike crash at Waimarama sending five people to hospital, including a 6-year-old girl with injuries which have required her to be transferred to Auckland's Starship Children's Hospital in critical condition.
While there will inevitably be more discussion around the dangers of quad bikes and relaxed attitudes at the beach, it is irrelevant verbiage.
Neither the vehicle nor the setting had anything to do with the carnage that ensued on Wednesday night.
The real culprit was utterly selfish behaviour.
Four intoxicated adults, including the young girl's parents, and not one with enough common sense to ensure the safety of a vulnerable child.
The driver of the vehicle will ultimately be charged. But all the adults involved - all of whom were badly injured - should hang their heads in shame.
On one hand we have a couple counting 15 million blessings, on the other a couple facing the ultimate loss.
