The summer beach bus trial began yesterday heading to Ocean Beach from Rose St bus terminal. The bus leaves at 11am and returns from Ocean Beach carpark at 2.30pm at a cost of $10 per person return. The service will run every Thursday until January 28, 2021. Visit www.buslink.co.nz and click on the Whāngarei Heads Link for timetables and route information on the Beach Bus.
League titles for Northlanders
Northland's James Fisher-Harris has been named the 2020 New Zealand Rugby Male League Player of the Year for the first time in his NRL career while Dylan Brown, from Whāngarei earned Young Kiwi Player of the Year for the second year running. In a season that saw no Kiwi Internationals due to the ongoing implications of Covid-19, the 2020 Kiwis High-Performance Awards were judged solely on NRL performance. The 2020 Kiwis Player of the year, Fisher-Harris (Kiwi #801), was named NRL 2020 Dally M Prop of the Year and earned recognition as one of the NRL's best and most hardworking forwards. Brown cemented his place in the NRL as one of its elite playmakers. Aged just 20, he was instrumental in the Eels' run to the playoffs drawing praise from the highest levels of the game for his defence and multi-faceted attack.
Man pulled from water dies
A man rescued from the water at Tamaterau in Whangārei Heads on Monday has died. He had been in the intensive care unit at Whangārei Hospital since emergency services pulled him from the water at low tide. The death has been referred to the coroner.
Trio arrested on drugs charges
Northland police have arrested and charged three men with several drug-related charges. The men, aged 28, 35, and 51, were remanded in custody and will appear in the Whangārei District Court on Monday. The arrests were the result of search warrants in Ruakākā carried out by the Whangārei-based Meth Harm Reduction team, alongside the Northern Asset Recovery Unit, yesterday. Police have appealed for public information about a Red 2015 Holden Commodore registration MPJ645 as part of the same operation, which targeted the supply of meth in Northland. Anyone with information can contact police on 105 and quote file number 200804/5686.
Have a say on internet speed
Northlanders fed up with slow internet – or wanting to show off how fast their broadband is - can have their say in an internet speed survey. Northland's Digital Enablement Group - in collaboration with Northland Regional Council, the Far North, Kaipara, and Whangārei district councils – is calling on communities to help shape Northland's digital future by completing the fifth annual Northland Internet Speed Survey. Visit www.speedtest.net to take the test, with the survey closing on February 26.