Northland news in brief: Covid response 'envy' of the world; and manslaughter charge

NZ Covid response envied

For the 13th day in a row no new Covid-19 cases were recorded in New Zealand yesterday, with director-general of health Ashley Bloomfield saying New Zealand is the envy of many other countries for its response to the pandemic. There is still one active coronavirus case, Bloomfield said in his daily update yesterday. He said it was "satisfying" for New Zealand to be in its current position which was "better than we might have anticipated" thanks to how well people followed the lockdown rules. New Zealand is the envy of many countries, he said.

Manslaughter charge
A Kaikohe man has appeared in the High Court in Whangārei on a charge of manslaughter. Aige Shakur Valintine Adlam-Kiro, 22, entered a not guilty plea to the charge through his lawyer, Catherine Cull, before Justice Timothy Brewer, who heard the case via an audio visual link yesterday. A homicide investigation was launched after police were called to the corner of Heke and Hongi Streets in Kaikohe around 8.45pm on February 24, this year after reports of a gunshot. Officers found 17-year-old Tawhirimatea Leevi Jershon Tahere near a vehicle in a critical condition. He died on the way to hospital. Adlam-Kiro also faces another charge that between February 1 and February 24, 2020, he was in unlawful possession of a shotgun. He was remanded on bail to reappear on August 6 for a case review hearing.

It's a fire, possum
A crackling noise in the ceiling which a Kerikeri man at first took to be a possum on the roof was, in fact, a fire. The man called 111 about 12.05am on Thursday when he realised the cause of the sound was more sinister than a wandering marsupial. Two crews from the Kerikeri Fire Brigade responded, putting out the fire and removing sheets of roofing iron to get at the source. Fire chief Les Wasson said damage was limited and the home's elderly occupant was ''pretty lucky''. The cause was rats or mice chewing through wiring in the ceiling. Wasson said it was a reminder to keep pests under control.

No wind leaves kiteboarder stranded
A kiteboarder trying out a new kite struck trouble off Ruakaka Beach after the wind dropped yesterday. The experienced kiteboarder launched near Tip Rd but found himself drifting in the current when the wind strength weakened about 3.19pm. He drifted south for about an hour towards the Waipū River mouth but was able to rescue himself with the help of his brother on the beach. Lifeguards launched from Waipū Cove but arrived just as the kiteboarder got out of the water.