News briefs: Not guilty plea in court, coastal hazard maps released

Whangārei Lions Club' donated $5000 to St John Ambulance with proceeds from the club's 27th annual corporate Charity Golf Tournament.

Donations after golf tournament
Northland's St John Ambulance service is better off thanks to a donation from the Whangārei Lions Club's 27th annual corporate Charity Golf Tournament.
Held at the Northland Golf Club mid March the tournament saw $5000 for St John Ambulance, which will be used mainly for intraosseous bone injection drills to be included as inventory for ambulances.
The club also donated $5000 to the Brain Tumour Support Trust, a new body set up to help those who have suffered brain trauma.

Six free workshops
Following successful delivery of the first stage of the Kaipara Kai Hub project, a series of six free workshops will be delivered to eligible businesses working in the food, horticulture and agriculture sectors.

Beginning on May 5 and running weekly until June 9, the workshops will continue the work of the Kaipara Kai Hub by providing a crucial piece in the puzzle - how to commercialise and turn product into profit.

To be eligible, attendees must be based in the Kaipara and have a business idea or a product in the food, horticulture or agriculture sectors. People who want to sign up for the workshops should email hello@kaiparakaihub.nz by May 1. The workshop locations will be held in the Kaipara District and there will be an online option for those who can't attend in person.
Further information on the Kaipara Kai Hub can be found here kaiparakaihub.nz

Not guilty plea
A Whangarei man who allegedly shot at police during a pursuit has pleaded not guilty to a swag of charges.
Mikaera Rivers, 24, has been remanded in custody to re-appear for a callover in the Whangārei District Court on June 3.

Rivers was arrested in November last year following a series of armed offenders squad follow-ups across Whangārei, including roadblocks on Station Rd in Kamo, and searches in and around Mander Park.
He is charged with using a firearm against a law enforcement officer, two counts of unlawfully carrying/possessing a firearm, driving while disqualified, failing to stop for police.
Police have withdrawn one charge of unlawful possession of a pistol.

His alleged co-offender Renee Dunn, 40, has also pleaded not guilty and elected a jury trial. She is on bail. Dunn is facing one charge of unlawful possession of a weapon and another of unlawful possession of ammunition rounds.

Gang members due in court
Two Black Power members netted in a police operation in Whangārei are due back in court in June.
Hiko Komene, 24, and 32-year-old Israel Orani - faced joint firearms charges related to a cut-down .22 calibre rifle and a bag containing 47 rounds of ammunition. Both men were charged separately with resisting arrest. The arrests were the outcome of a police operation in Whananaki and in Otangarei, Whangārei.
Both are in custody and will re-appear on June 3 and 15 respectively.

Mapping coastal hazards
New coastal hazard maps have been released by the Northland Regional Council.
The latest maps show areas at risk of coastal erosion and flooding.
For coastal erosion, mapping is available for 11 new sites (bringing the number of local site assessments across the region to 41) while for coastal flooding, mapping has been extended along the entire regional coastline.
The updated mapping is available online at nrc.govt.nz/coastalmaps