Northland news in brief: Learn NZ Sign Language; and surf lifeguards up for awards

NZ Sign Language interpreters were used during daily Covid-19 updates, and Northlanders can learn how to "speak" in the country's third official language at courses being held in Whangārei.

Learn NZSL

Northlanders keen to learn NZ Sign Language - the country's third official language - can do so at classes in Whangārei.
Level 1 NZSL courses are being held at Kāri Āhua, at 22 Bank St, for eight weeks from August 31. There will be two separate classes each Monday - from 3pm to 4.30pm and from 7.30pm to 9pm.
Then the NZSL Cafe will be held at the same venue over eight weeks on Tuesday from September 1, from 7.30pm to 9pm.
NZSL Cafe is for students who have previously done NZSL classes and want to practise with others.
For more details check out eddie.nz

Lifeguards celebrate excellence

Northland's lifeguards and others from Surf Life Saving Northern Region (SLSNR) will celebrate the best of the 2019-20 patrol season at the Toyota Financial Services Awards of Excellence on Saturday.
The annual awards night will take place at the Cordis Hotel and is an opportunity for club members to be recognised for their achievements in lifesaving, sports, volunteering and regional awards categories.
Despite fears that the awards would be cancelled due to Covid-19, SLSNR chief executive Matt Williams says it is great that the organisation can acknowledge the ongoing contribution lifeguards make to the community.
Northern region lifeguards had a successful season, performing 212 rescues and 375 patient assists, allowing numerous Kiwis to return home to their families safely. The local Emergency Call Out Squads (ECOS) also experienced a busy season with 119 after-hours callouts responded to.

Driver's lucky escape

A Mid North man had a lucky escape yesterday when he suffered a suspected medical event while driving and narrowly missed plunging into a stream. The accident occurred at a bridge just west of Ohaeawai on State Highway 12 about 3.50pm on Monday when the driver is thought to have blacked out. Kaikohe fire chief Bill Hutchinson said the man's vehicle drifted off the left-hand side of the road and went between the guardrails and bridge abutment, where it was wedged tight with one side on the ground and the other 2m in the air. If the car had carried on it would likely have landed upside-down in the water, he said. The driver suffered at most minor injuries but firefighters from Kaikohe and Ōkaihau had to cut him out because none of the doors could be opened. Hutchinson said the vehicle had come to an abrupt stop but the man was wearing a seatbelt. ''It saved his life, there's no two ways about that.'' Police and St John Ambulance also responded.

Tourism businesses boosted

The Government has identified 126 "strategic" tourism businesses that will share $246 million in grants and loans. They include Russell's Duke of Marlborough Hotel, Dive! Tutukaka, Kiwi North and Fullers GreatSights.

A vine win

Last year's Young Viticulturist of the Year, Marsden Estate's Pietro Aloisi, had to settle for second in this year's final at Marsden Estate, outside Kerikeri, on Saturday. The title went to Tahyrn Mason, from Villa Maria, in Auckland.

Act bus rolls into town

The Act Party bus, which began its journey in Auckland yesterday before heading to Whangārei for a meeting last night, will be in the district today.
The bus will visit the Waipū Celtic Barn at 11am today, then The Mangawhai Club, at 2pm.

No new cases of Covid-19

There were no new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand yesterday, meaning it is now 101 days since the last case of the virus was acquired locally from an unknown source.
Two additional cases are reported as having recovered, so there are now 21 active cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation facilities.
New Zealand's total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 remains at 1219.