A man accused of starting a car fire that spread to a Tikipunga house, killing its sole occupant, has pleaded not guilty. Photo / Bevan Conley
A man accused of starting a car fire that spread to a Tikipunga house, killing its sole occupant, has pleaded not guilty. Photo / Bevan Conley
Fire accused pleads not guilty
A man accused of starting a car fire that spread to a Tikipunga house, killing its sole occupant, has pleaded not guilty. Hoani Reuben, also known as Hoani or John Reupena-Tuoro, died after being critically injured in the fire at his Thomas St house, whichis believed to have started in a parked car on the driveway at about 3am on April 29. In August, police charged Ōtangārei man August Lemon with knowingly endangering life by setting fire to property (arson) – an offence carrying a maximum sentence of up to 14 years imprisonment. Appearing in Whangārei District Court, Lemon, represented by counsel Arthur Fairley, pleaded not guilty to the charge and one of burglary. Judge Philip Rzepecky further remanded Lemon in custody, where he has been since his arrest, to appear again in court on November 26.
Community Spring Clean
A group of proud Te Kamo residents are organising a major spring clean of the village this Sunday – an event they hope will be the first of many more yearly ones. With lots of donated help from local businesses and volunteers, Kamo Community Incorporated plans to clean up rubbish, revamp village gardens, and water blast some key community spaces. The group will also be giving away predator traps. The inaugral event is scheduled for 9am to midday this Sunday, September 22. Participants are asked to meet at the old Cleaning Oasis building on Kamo Rd, for a briefing at 9am. More information is available on the Kamo Community Inc Facebook page.
Applications for tertiary scholarships from the Whangārei Agricultural & Pastoral Society close this Friday. Established in 2002, the scholarship provides $9000 over a three-year period to support students pursuing careers in agriculture or related industries. Whangārei A&P Society said it considered any student studying in the primary industries for its scholarship. Past recipients had pursued diverse educational paths across various institutions, from Otago and Lincoln universities in the south to Auckland, Waikato, and Massey in the north. Interested candidates must submit their applications by 4pm on Friday, September 20. For more information on the application process, eligibility requirements, and to access the application form, please visit https://whangareiap.org.nz/education/#scholarship or contact Ellie Ball, business@wap.org.nz.
