Northland news in brief: More Lotto luck; and heavy rain warning

Paul Ubana Jones brings his unique guitar wizardry to Northland this week.

Ubana Jones to play

UK/Kiwi guitar maestro Paul Ubana Jones is playing two gigs in Northland over Labour Weekend.

Ubana Jones, who has not played in the region for a few years, said he is looking forward to playing in Northland again, and the issue had been finding a suitable venue.

He will play at the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, in Russell, on Friday October 25 and Saturday October 26, from 5.30pm both days, where he will perform a range of his compelling originals and superb covers. Tickets are $75 and include a two course meal.

Three win in Northland

While the $32 Million Powerball jackpot was not struck, three tickets sold in Northland were among 26 nationally that each won more than $22,000 on Lotto Second Division on Saturday.

The tickets, one sold through MyLotto and the others from New World Regent, in Whangārei, and New World Kaikohe, each won their holder $22,419.

The winning Lotto Numbers were 19, 23, 25, 27, 30 and 40 with the bonus number 37 and Powerball number 1. The winning Strike numbers were 30, 23, 40 and 25.

Powerball has jackpotted to a whopping $38 million on Wednesday.

Weather warnings

Northland could be in for strong winds and heavy rain today as a deep low is forecast to approach New Zealand from the northwest, directing a strong and moist easterly flow across the upper North Island.

MetService said the heaviest rain is expected in Coromandel Peninsula, where a heavy rain warning is now in force. Heavy rain is also expected in Northland and northern Auckland where heavy rain watches are now in force.

The strongest winds are expected in Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato and western Bay of Plenty, and strong wind warnings are now in force for these areas. Strong winds are also expected in Northland, where a strong wind watch is now in force.

People are advised to keep up to date with the latest warnings and watches in case any changes are made, or further areas are added.

Native tree research

University of Canterbury engineer Dr Volker Nock has been awarded a 2019 Rutherford Discovery Fellowship to accelerate research into saving native trees from fungal pathogens that are devastating trees in Northland and elsewhere.

Using a lab-on-a-chip approach, Dr Nock will receive funding for the next five years to better understand how plant diseases such as kauri dieback and myrtle rust - which threatens pohutukawa, rata and manuka - target and invade their hosts. Myrtle rust was first found in NZ in Kerikeri in 2017.

Dr Nock will receive $800,000 over five years for his research titled: Electrotaxis and protrusive force generation in fungal and oomycete pathogens – pathways to new biocontrol strategies.