Continuing to serve the community motivates Craig McDougall in his fight with cancer. Photo / File pic.
The Givealittle page set up to help get prominent Hawke’s Bay boxing coach Craig McDougall to Mexico has almost met its goal.
McDougall has been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and needs $60,000 so he can travel to the Sanoviv Medical Institute to receive three weeks of treatment.
The Givealittle page was set up earlier this week and, as of Friday afternoon, has generated almost $43,000 from 369 generous donors.
Vicky Roebuck, who set up the Givealittle page, says she has also received private donations from those who wanted to keep their support anonymous.
Public submissions open on ownership of power consumers’ trust
Submissions are open for Unison customers wanting to change the ownership structure of the Hawke’s Bay Power Consumers’ Trust.
Unison is owned by the trust, on behalf of Hawke’s Bay power consumers who are connected to the network.
The trust has received an independent ownership review report from Unison’s directors, which is now available to the public.
Public submissions on the report can be made until October 16.
A public meeting will then hear submissions on November 10, before the trust announces its decision on the ownership model on November 17.
The ownership structure of the trust comes up for review every five years, with different options canvassed in the independent report which was compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Copies of the report can be found at Unison, Brown Webb Richardson, five libraries in the Napier and Hastings districts as well as online.
Napier pharmacy sells winning Strike ticket
A Lotto player from Napier will be celebrating after winning $200,000 in Strike on Wednesday night.
The ticket was sold by Andrew Spence Pharmacy in Onekawa.
Two winners in Masterton and Christchurch took out $500,000 first division Lotto wins, while Powerball rolled over to Saturday.
Beamish gets big start in Diamond League final
Hawke’s Bay runner George (Geordie) Beamish will get a chance to on his record-breaking performances when he runs the 3000 metres steeplechase at the final Diamond League meeting on Sunday morning (New Zealand time).
In July, at a Diamond League meeting in Monaco, Beamish smashed the New Zealand record, which had stood for 39 years, and last month he was fifth at the World championships in Budapest, the best result for any New Zealand athlete on the track in the 40-years history of the Championships track.
Up against a top international field, including World and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali, of Morocco, Beamish will be one of six Kiwi athletes in the season-ending Diamond League finals in Eugene, Oregon, a record qualifying number for New Zealand.
Iwi chair joins co-governance panel
Ngāti Kahungunu chairman Bayden Barber has joined a panel of speakers at a meeting about co-governance in Havelock North next week.
Cake, a cuppa and co-governance is a free event open to the public on Monday, September 18 from 7pm to 9pm at St Matthews Church, 200 King St South.
The event has been organised by organised by St Matthew’s vicar David Van Oeveren, minister of Hastings St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Jill McDonald, former Hastings District councillor Geraldine Travers MNZM, Napier City Councillor Maxine Boag and Napier event organiser Neill Gordon.
Other speakers will include Hawke’s Bay Regional councillor Martin Williams, Hastings lawyer Mark von Dadelszen, Haumoana writer Keith Newman.
Squash players make the grade in Hastings
A national inter-club squash tournament has started in Hastings. The D-grade tournament is being hosted by Hastings Tennis and Squash club, and started on Wednesday with 10 women’s teams and 8 men’s teams.
It ends with finals on Saturday.
Search and rescue operation at Ocean Beach
Police were undertaking a search and rescue operation at Ocean Beach near Waimārama after a woman was reported missing overnight on Tuesday.
Police said no further information was available at this time.
Watch out for wind, severe gales forecast
Severe gales are possible for Hawke’s Bay and strong wind gusts up to 120 kilometres per hour will hit the Tararua District later this week.
MetService issued a wind watch for Hawke’s Bay south of Napier on Wednesday afternoon, for 12 hours from 7pm Thursday until 7am Friday.
”Northwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places,” MetService said on its website.
MetService issued a more severe wind warning over most of the lower North Island, including the Tararua District, for 12 hours from 4pm Thursday until 4am Friday.
“Strong wind gusts could damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures. Driving may be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles,” MetService said of the wind warning on its website.
MetService had “moderate” confidence of another period of severe northwest gales about northern Marlborough, Wellington, Wairarapa, Tararua and Central Hawke’s Bay on Sunday and Monday morning.
Airport hosts emergency training operation
Hawke’s Bay Police, Hawke’s Bay Airport and Hato Hone St John Ambulance will test and practice emergency procedures at Hawke’s Airport terminal following the last flight of the day into the airport on 14 September.
The exercise involves 200 volunteers, the Hawke’s Bay Armed Offenders Squad and other police officers, along with Hato Hone St John ambulance and airport staff.
Police said it will allow staff to test emergency procedures for when there is a large-scale critical incident.
To ensure the least disruption to airport users the exercise is being held in the evening once the last flight of the day has landed and all passengers and public have cleared the terminal.
“Napier residents adjacent to the airport should not be concerned by any noise or activity they may observe during the exercise. It is purely a training exercise,” police said.
10,000 native plants gifted to Hawke’s Bay, $69k donated to Rural Support
The Rural Support Trust received a donation of 10,000 plants on Monday from Restore Native in Waikato. Working with the Hawke’s Bay A&P Society they distributed the plants to schools, marae and regions impacted by the cyclone.
Rural Support and the A&P Society are working together after the Society rallied together with sponsors of the Napier Port Hawke’s Bay Primary Sector Awards to make a donation of $69,000 to East Coast Rural Support Trust.
Adam Thompson, founder of Restore Native, said he wanted to help make a difference in Hawke’s Bay. “It could happen to any of us at any time”, he said. Thompson made contact with Rural Support’s national office and pledged his donation.
Jonathan Bell of East Coast Rural Support Trust, said, “We are incredibly grateful for this generosity and all the goodwill in our community”.
Hawke’s Bay A&P Society, general manager, Elisha Milmine said they were delighted to be in a position to make this donation to East Coast Rural Support Trust and this donation would enable the Trust to “continue supporting all rural communities affected by recent adverse experiences”.
Milmine said the new partnership enhances Hawke’s Bay A&P Society’s mission of supporting the primary sector.
Rural Support Trusts have local, rural people who know from experience that pressures can mount up. Their networks and training can help with all kinds of situations, and help people get through challenges. They are available on 0800 787 254.
Forest & Bird hosts Tukituki election candidates
The Hastings and Havelock North Forest & Bird branch is hosting a candidate forum ahead of the October 14 general election.
Hear from the candidates standing in the Tukituki electorate about their parties’ policies on climate change and the environment.
Each candidate will be given an opportunity to present their policies and this will be followed by question and answer time.
Forest & Bird members and non-members are welcome on Thursday from 7.30pm at St Marks Hall on the corner of Queen St East and Park Rd North in Hastings.
Flaxmere home gutted by fire on Monday morning
Firefighters were called just after 8am to the blaze on Ardrossan Ave, Hastings.
Hastings Fire Station senior station officer Mike Peachey said the residents who lived at the home were out when the fire started, and no-one was injured.
A neighbouring unit was not damaged by the fire, but people living inside that home were evacuated due to the smoke.
A cause has not yet been determined for the blaze.
Firefighters had the fire out in about an hour and two fire trucks attended.
There has been a concerning number of building fires in Hawke’s Bay including 28 recorded in the month to August 28.
Fast makes furious: Police frustrated with dirt bike riders
Police are appealing to the public for any footage of dirt bike riders driving dangerously around Hawke’s Bay.
They say staff are continuing to receive complaints of dirt bike riders, including multiple calls over the weekend about bikes being driven on footpaths and supermarket carparks in Napier.
Police say they are making enquiries to identify and find people involved in this incident and anyone who can help is encouraged to contact them.
Police say a few riders are giving the rest a bad reputation.
“They are the ones driving at speed through parks, tearing up fields, riding in an anti-social manner and not wearing helmets which not only puts themselves at risk of serious harm, but also members of the community enjoying those public spaces,” police said in a release on Monday.
Police said their message is clear: “If you ride your dirt or off-road bike where you shouldn’t and/or in an anti-social manner, you can expect that we will do everything in our power to firstly identify you and then take appropriate enforcement action which could include seizure/impounding of the bike.”
It is illegal to ride a dirt bike on the road unless it is roadworthy with a current warrant and registration.
Anyone with information about the identity of the riders involved or addresses where the dirt bikes are kept can e-mail police: HBDirtbikes@police.govt.nz or call 105.
Internship opportunity for Māori in food and agriculture tech industries
Applications have opened for a new global STEM internship programme which places Māori leaders into international food and agriculture tech businesses.
Te Ara Pōtiki will have 3-month placements for up to 15 promising applicants over the next three years, beginning with an inaugural cohort in the first half of 2024.
Arama Kukutai (Ngati Tipa, Maniapoto, Te Aupouri), CEO of leading indoor agriculture company Plenty and co-founder and partner of Finistere Ventures, Dean Tilyard, founder of the Sprout Accelerator and partner at Finistere Ventures Aotearoa and Francene Wineti (Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa) established Te Ara Pōtiki.
“Te Ara Pōtiki recognises the significant impact that globally aware and connected Māori leaders in STEM can have on Māori economic and community development and is about creating unique relationships and experiences for them in our network in the US and beyond,” Kukutai said.
Applications for the first intake are open and will close on 3 November 2023. The programme will draw on private donations and has also received MBIE support through the Expanding the Impact of Vision Mātauranga initiative.