Northland news in brief: Man who sparked manhunt in court; and new Kaitaia roundabout

Police guard a bridge on Pokapu Rd, near Moerewa, while the Armed Offenders Squad searches for Dylan Cooper in September. Cooper appeared in court yesterday. Photo / File

A Moerewa man on the run from police for months has pleaded not guilty to all charges and elected trial by jury.
Dylan Cooper, also known as Dylan Carrington, 30, was finally arrested in Hokianga on November 15 and faces more than 20 serious firearms, robbery and driving charges.
He reappeared in Kaikohe District Court yesterday, where the not guilty pleas were recorded. He did not apply for bail.
Judge John McDonald remanded him in custody to reappear for a case review on March 9.

New roundabout for Kaitaia

A new roundabout will be built at a busy Far North intersection on State Highway 1 early next year to reduce congestion and improve safety.
Construction of the roundabout will begin in late January 2021 at the corner of Matthews Ave (SH1) and North Rd in Kaitaia. Most of the work will be undertaken at night to minimise traffic disruption.
"Upgrading the intersection to a roundabout will help traffic flow more easily along a key freight route and improve safety for all roads users," says Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency senior manager project delivery Andrew Thackwray.
An increase in traffic volume at the intersection has led to lengthy traffic queues on Matthews Ave and North Rd.

Sweetwater pipeline meeting

The Far North District Council convened an extraordinary meeting in Kaikohe yesterday to hear detailed plans for the pipe that is to be laid to deliver water from the Sweetwater aquifer to the treatment plant in Kaitaia. Those scheduled to speak included the owners of one property that the pipeline has been designed to cross. A decision is not expected for some time.

FNDC services roll on

Key Far North District Council services will continue to operate uninterrupted during the Christmas and New Year holiday break, with some holiday hotspots due to see an increase in services.
FNDC offices, service centres and libraries will close or operate on reduced hours from midday on Christmas Eve, December 24 and reopen on January 5. However, staff will be on duty to ensure essential services such as dog control, water supplies and wastewater reticulation continue uninterrupted throughout the holiday period.

Forklift safety roadshow

Technology designed to keep workers safe will be highlighted at a nationwide forklift roadshow that visits Whangārei in February.
The roadshow, hosted by WorkSafe New Zealand, aims to reduce the amount of harm being caused by forklifts nationwide.
Between 2013 and 2020, WorkSafe recorded 11 fatalities involving a forklift. Alongside these fatalities sits an annual average of 127 injuries - resulting in more than a week away from work each year.
The roadshow, which will feature a presentation from John Harrison (Forklift Training and Support), will present drone, video and CCTV footage from live operating environments to demonstrate the everyday risks forklift operators encounter.
The devices are designed to alert the forklift operator when they come into close proximity of people on the ground. The technology is still relatively new for industries using forklifts.
The roadshow will be at Forum North on February 11, with two sessions, from 9.30am to 12 noon and from 1.30pm to 4pm.
To register head to https://bit.ly/3gy6PWE