Brynderwyns roadworks

Traffic travelling over the Brynderwyns, south of Whangarei, tomorrow night will face delays for roadworks. NZTA will be carrying out maintenance on State Highway 1 on the Brynderwyn Hills. The work, which is dependent on fine weather, is scheduled to start at 7pm at the top of the hill. A stop/go system will be in place to keep traffic moving, however NZTA says people should allow extra time. The road will be fully operational again in time for peak morning traffic on Monday. NZTA apologised and said it is important work to clear drains and prevent slips.

Motoring parts auction
An auction of items spanning four generations of the Norman's Motors business is on tomorrow. In excess of 300 auction lots - containing tools, parts and vehicles - will go under the hammer at 10am. The auction is at 35 Waipanga Rd, Kamo. Viewing of the items is today from 10am to 4pm at the auction site. A copy of the catalogue is available from Whangarei Traders and Auctions website, facebook page or by emailing darryl@whangareiauctions.co.nz

Garden safari
The Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Far North Garden Safari will celebrate its 25th this year. The 2017 safari will take in 13 gardens over the weekend November 4-5, with none of the gardens visited by the safari in the past. Programmes for the safari are being printed and will be on sale from October 1 at Mitre 10, the iSite and CBEC in Kaitaia, Bloomfields in Taipa, Mangonui Stationery and Lotto and Kwan Garden Creations in Kerikeri. For more information call Irene Knowler on 09 406 2022.

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Metal band goes viral
Northland's thrash metal band Alien Weaponry have just entered their second week at the top of the Spotify NZ Viral 50 Music Chart with its song Rū Ana Te Whenua. Spotify is the world's largest online music distributor and its "Viral 50" chart measures not only streams and downloads of a song, but also its shares. Alien Weaponry's song Rū Ana Te Whenua made headlines in its first week of release when it clocked up over half a million hits on Facebook in just 72 hours. The band are on tour in New Zealand from August to October.

Breast booklet initiative
A booklet guiding Northland women who have an intellectual disability through the breast cancer screening process could eventually help patients nationwide. The first of its kind, An Easy Guide To Breast Screening was launched at IDEA Services in Whangarei last month. Sue Cresswell, from Northland DHB's Mauri Ora Breast Screening Clinic, said the inspiration came from the experience of a woman with intellectual disability having her two-yearly mammogram. A template of the booklet might be adapted in future to demystify a range of hospital procedures.

Cruise season
The 2017-18 cruise ship season gets off to an unusually early start on Sunday with the arrival in the Bay of Islands of the Golden Princess with up to 2600 passengers on board. The ship is due to arrive at 7am from Auckland and will depart at 4pm bound for Sydney. The next ship is not due until September 3. A total of 63 cruise ships is expected this season, a 24 per cent increase on last year's tally of 51. Ovation of the Seas, the largest cruise ship to visit New Zealand, will make three visits starting on December 20, while Queen Mary 2 will call in once in March.

Aspiring YouTubers
Creative minds from Northland are being encouraged to apply for a fund which could help them become the next internet star. Skip Ahead - a joint initiative between NZ On Air and Google/YouTube - wants to help talented local storytellers make their name online and become the next Jordan Watson, a young New Zealander whose How to Dad series has close to 150,000 subscribers. Aspiring Northland YouTubers can apply for a share of a $300,000 fund to help get their video projects off the ground. Successful applicants will see their New Zealand narratives developed into a web series, attend skills workshops, and be given help to build a global audience. Applications can me made online at www.nzonair.govt.nz.

Bolstering regional airports
Northland MP Winston Peters says the underfunding of regional airports is another reason NZ First wants GST from international tourists and extraction royalties kept in the regions. Earlier this week industry body NZ Airports Association listed airports at Kerikeri, Whangarei and Kaitaia among 12 "endangered species" due to what it said was government neglect. Mr Peters said the Government would take about $1.5 billion in GST from international visitors this year, but little went back into the regions. "That needs to change and a good start would be providing money for regional airport infrastructure."