Reagan Wilson at Uncle Bills in Hastings with Halloween-themed stock. Hawke's Bay residents can enjoy some Halloween-themed activities over the coming week. Photo / Paul Taylor
Halloween-themed activities at Hastings, Flaxmere and Havelock North libraries ran from Tuesday with a ‘Halloween Hullabaloo’ on October 31 from 4.30pm to 7pm at the Hastings Library.
Te Pohue community hall will host its ‘A Halloween Kids Disco’ on Saturday 28 October from 6pm to 8pm.
It will be a $2 cash-only entry per person, with food, soft drinks and lucky dips available to purchase on the night.
All funds generated from the event will help keep Te Pohue hall operational.
Aubyn Live Theatre hosts its Halloween disco for kids on October 31, with the event for primary school age children from 5pm–6.30pm and the event for intermediate school age children from 7pm–8.30pm with tickets for $5.
For the adults, Peak House has a Halloween Party on Saturday October 28 from 7pm to 12pm with Auckland artist and DJ Amandamania and local talent Kuuma Krim and Lunay.
In Napier, the Municipal Theatre will host an interactive storytelling of Hansel and Gretel on October 31, where kids can collect lollies to decorate a magical candy house and fill it with yummy treats to take home.
The event is free, but registration is required.
The Cabana has its Halloween Ball on Friday November 3, with live music from Groove Foundation and Yes Yes No. Tickets are available for $15.
Napier Prison has its Halloween Scavenger Hunt from 10am to 3pm on Saturday October 28 and Sunday October 29.
One adult and one child get 30 minutes to search the prison for Halloween candy for a $20 entry and $10 per additional adult and child.
Wairoa Library has its own Halloween Party for children aged four to 12 from 3pm to 4.45pm on October 31, with a trick or treat rock hunt, face painting, story time and crafts.
Gaiety Theatre’s Fright Night on November 3 will have screenings of Five Nights at Freddy’s at 5.30pm and Scream VI at 8pm.
Four youth arrested in Napier for dishonesty offending
Eastern District Police arrested four youths believed to be involved in dishonesty offences in Hawkes Bay this week.
Senior Sergeant Craig Vining said in a statement a member of the public saw the occupants of two vehicles acting suspiciously in Napier, and informed police shortly after 3pm on Thursday, October 24.
“One of the cars was abandoned, and four people fled from police in the remaining car. It was later established that one of the vehicles was stolen,” Vining said.
“The vehicle the youths were travelling in was eventually spotted in Havelock North. Police cordoned several residential streets, and arrested four youths aged 16 and under.”
He said two of them will now face dishonesty and driving charges in the Youth Court, while the other two have been referred to Youth Aid.
He said police want to thank the public for their assistance.
“We are heavily reliant on our communities in supporting us with information and we do our utmost to receive and deal with this information responsibly, to ensure everybody is kept safe.”
Hawke’s Bay Police are still investigating the recent ram raid and burglary to liquor stores in Napier, with several youths believed to be involved.
Anyone with information regarding this offending can contact police and quote file number 231019/9623 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Waka Kotahi issues weather warning for East Coast driving conditions
Waka Kotahi has urged road users throughout Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti to take care and plan ahead for heavy rain expected on Monday and Tuesday.
“Waka Kotahi is reminding people planning their journey to factor in potential delays; drive to the conditions and take care while driving,” a Waka Kotahi traffic bulletin said.
“Contractors will be closely monitoring the network during the expected rainfall period.”
The bulletin also asked people to expect potential short-notice road closures if the heavy rainfall reaches a point where a road closure is needed for the safety of all road users.
Date announced for Keep Napier Beautiful’s Recycling Day
People with unwanted items that are still useful, others looking for an upcycling project and still more on the hunt for a bargain are all welcome at Napier’s Recycling Day.
The annual fixture is on at Anderson Park from 8.30 to 12pm on Saturday 4 November.
Every item sold for a small donation boosts the organisation’s coffers for community grants, says Maxine Boag, Keep Napier Beautiful chair and Napier City councillor.
”Recycling Day is our main event to raise money for the grants we give out to activities and projects that protect or beautify Napier. Every person who drops off items for sale, or who buys something, is helping make Napier even more beautiful,” Boag said.
Projects funded by the grants in the last three years have included community gardens, tree planting at schools, clean-up days, and the Napier Repair Cafe.
Recycling Day, run by Keep Napier Beautiful in partnership with Napier City Council, is also supported by City of Napier cadets, Napier Host Lions, local schools, scout groups and Napier Youth Council.
For more information about which items will be accepted for sale, on the day, go to napier.govt.nz #keepnapierbeautiful.
Pink Ribbon street appeal
Volunteers are hitting the streets on Friday and Saturday to raise vital funds for breast cancer research, education and patient support.
Every year around 140 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Hawke’s Bay.
All of the money raised from the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal goes towards Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s work to advance breast cancer research, educate Kiwis about the importance of early detection, and support patients through their treatment and recovery.
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s chief executive, Ah-Leen Rayner, said they are asking everyone in Hawke’s Bay to show some love for Kiwis affected by breast cancer by donating to the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal.
”As a charity that doesn’t receive any government funding, it’s only thanks to the generosity of New Zealanders that we can carry out our life-saving work.”
You can also donate online at bcf.org.nz/streetappeal23
New artist opportunities
Te Whare Toi o Heretaunga and Gwen Malden Charitable Trust launch new contemporary art commissions
The opportunity will see four artists each receive $10,000 with additional support from the Hastings Art Gallery to develop a new body of work, which will be exhibited at Te Whare Toi o Heretaunga in July next year.
Hastings Art Gallery Curator and Manager Sophie Davis said the gallery wants to hear from artists living and working in Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke’s Bay.
”This initiative builds on the successes of our previous biennial exhibition, EAST, and our new partnership with the Gwen Malden Trust. We’re thrilled to be able to invest in the future of contemporary art in Te Matau-a-Māui in this way - offering tangible career support for artists and celebrating creative practice,” she said.
Expressions of interest are now open to both emerging and established contemporary artists who live and work in Hawkes Bay, with a due date of 5pm, November 13.
Applicants should have been practising as an artist for more than two years and had at least three public exhibitions. They should also be committed to exhibiting in a public and non-commercial environment and engaging with audiences.
Artists will retain full ownership of their commissioned work.
See the Hastings City Art Gallery website for details.
Two car crash in Dannevirke
One person was injured and had to be cut from a car that overturned in a two-car crash in Dannevirke.
Police were called to the crash at the Waterloo St and Allardice St intersection about 2pm on Wednesday.
Dannevirke Police Sergent Gary Mckernon said one person had moderate to minor injuries after a car failed to give way at the intersection.
Mckernon said it was a low-speed impact, but the way the car had landed meant firefighters were needed to cut them out.
He thanked several members of the public who had stopped to help.
Cost of Cyclone Gabrielle injuries from Hawke’s Bay farms revealed
New data has revealed that as at October 15, ACC claims from Hawke’s Bay farms relating to Cyclone Gabrielle have totalled $18,704.
There were 25 claims from farms in Hawke’s Bay relating to Cyclone Gabrielle, which made up half of the overall claims across cyclone affected NZ regions.
Claims were identified as related to Cyclone Gabrielle where the accident description included the keyword flood, storm, Cyclone, Gabrielle, wind, windy or winds. The accident date was between February 12 and 20 2023.
Hawke’s Bay to light up for Diwali
The Hindu Council of Hawke’s Bay and Entire Indian Community has partnered with the Hastings and Napier district councils to provide a Diwali Festival of Light celebration for Hawke’s Bay.
The free event will be held on Saturday, October 28 from 6-9pm at the Mitre 10 Sports Park in Hastings and will include cultural performances, food stalls, ethnic stalls, a bouncy castle, fireworks and more.
According to Hindu tradition, Diwali symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.
Celebrating Pasifika
The public are invited to come along to Fiafia Day ‘23, Saturday 18 November between 12-4pm in Hastings’ Civic Square.
Fiafia, literally meaning a celebration or get together, are traditionally held as a public social occasion where different people and groups share food and exchange their performances of music and dance. Fiafia Day ‘23 will be a day for the Hastings community to come together and celebrate all things Pasifika!
Brought to you by the Hastings District Libraries working alongside local Pasifika communities, Fiafia is being held as an extension of the nine Pasifika language weeks we celebrate throughout the year. Fiafia will complement all of these and bring a touch of Pasifika to Hastings City with cultural performances, activities and information about our Pasifika peoples and nations.
A selection of food vendors will be onsite.
Healthy soils…healthy profits
Toitoi, the centre of arts and culture in Hastings, will for one day at the start of November be the centre of farming too.
The Hawke’s Bay Future Farming Charitable Trust has organised a conference called Healthy Soils…Healthy Profits: Inspiring Resilience and Profitability for Future Farming for November 1.
The important community event, targeted at farmers and the rural community, includes speakers such as Mike Petersen, Steven Apfelbaum and CEO of the Ministry for the Environment James Palmer.
The event is free and runs from 1pm to 5pm.
Westshore SLSC junior open day
Westshore Surf Lifesaving Club is having its Junior Surf (7 - 13 years) Open Day on Sunday.
Due to the Rugby World Cup final, the time of Junior Surf registration has been moved to 10.30am.
A new athlete management system will be in place so organisers are asking people to please be patient as they register everyone for the first time.
Westshore Surf Life Saving Club is a voluntary, community service organisation that provides protection to the beach-going public.
If you want to join or are just looking for more information you are very welcome.
Long weekend vehicle crashes
Emergency services were called out to several minor crashes at the close of the long weekend in Hawke’s Bay.
A police spokeswoman said there was a report of a vehicle crash on SH2 at Putorino at 1.06pm on Monday.
”It appears it was a nose-to-tail crash, which blocked the southbound lane, causing minor injuries. It’s not clear from the initial job how many vehicles were involved, it was a least two,” the spokeswoman said.
A Hato Hone St John spokesman said a person was assessed and treated at the scene, but not taken to hospital.
The police spokeswoman said a crash on the intersection of Pourerere Rd and Ireland Rd was reported about 5.50pm on Monday.
”It appears to have been a two-car crash that blocked the road at the time. One person was injured and taken to hospital by family,” she said.
Finally, she said police received a report of a single-vehicle crash on Lake Road in Wairoa about 11.45pm on Monday.
A Hato Hone St John spokesman said St John assessed and treated one person in a minor condition at the scene, who was not transported to hospital.