NZ at Noon: Unorthodox painters, dear old ladies, and a film about Jesus

Unorthodox painters: Greytown's Mary Wait, left, and Dunedin tradesman Rex Groves. Photo / Wairarapa Times Age / Otago Daily Times

Stories making headlines across New Zealand at noon include a fun debate about old age, a hand painted coffin and an $180 million film about the life of Jesus Christ.

But this dear old lady from Greytown also likes to be prepared for her adventures - death included. She has skilfully hand-painted her own coffin.

An unorthodox approach had paid off for this Dunedin painter as well.

If the set of Kingdom Come is found to be structurally sound, filming may be able to start soon, providing not only exposure of the Waitaki District to potential tourists but also work for local tradespeople and movie extras.

See this if you are wondering if old age really is a bugger.

An American financier has paid $10 million for 230 hectares of beachfront land which is part of the Mangawhai Forest, land that the Te Uri o Hau hapu of Ngati Whatua acquired as commercial redress in its Treaty of Waitangi grievance settlement.

Stories of overseas adventures, pet hobbies and favourite TV shows provide special quirks for some Rotorua couple's wedding vows.

They say there's no such thing as a free lunch but the pupils at a Whangarei school have a few choice words to say to that.

This woman touched the hearts of local people and RSA members throughout South Taranaki.

Meanwhile, a woman who moved to Auckland after the February earthquake has been told by Work and Income she's too old for a job. She's 42.

And did you hear about the saying '$10 Tauranga'? Plenty of people have something to say about that.

Stratford mayor Neil Volzke proffered the council's 2011-2012 annual report as proof that not all councils need a tight leash. He calls it an outstanding success, and says that retiring almost all debt, plus having a small surplus for the year, shows good budgeting and management.

A 15-year-old dispute over a boatyard encroaching on public land - which has already cost Northland ratepayers and taxpayers large sums of money - may finally be inching towards resolution.

But the 19-year-old who bit the breast of a Christchurch woman during a fight has been told she's "heading along a one-way path to prison."

These tuatara travelled inside the cabin alongside passengers, each housed in its own travelling tube, complete with Air New Zealand baggage tag.

Meanwhile, a group of Far North youngsters embarked on a waka journey from Cape Reinga to Whangarei.

A Christchurch-born dancer wouldn't have thought that his creation would help decide who will be the next president of the United States.

Buzz the beardie cross has become the face for shelter dogs all over the country.

Apparently, gumballs are hard to find but in high demand with people who collect Flybuys.

Some hard men are embracing tears and pain for a good cause in the Waikato.

Meanwhile, people will don witch hats and princess tiaras for another good cause.

A man, described as a lovely little kid and a great worker, got his arm stuck in a pasta maker but gets a pretty big pay-out.

This nutty idea is a big winner.

Finally, these little blue and white flippered guys have a home.

But Northland orca expert Ingrid Visser is heading back to Holland for a last-ditch court battle to save a young orca named Morgan from a life of captivity.

Gavin Hayes has a smile back on his face, thanks to the generosity of people from Rotorua and all around New Zealand.

"Ring-a-ring-a-roses, a pocket full of ... pennies?"

Farm run-off and dodgy sewage tanks have made many Bay of Plenty rivers unsafe to swim in, and the Whanganui River will never be pristine again either.

The quick thinking of a Mount Maunganui dairy owner sent a man who walked into the store with his face covered running for the exit.

And a fire at a flat in Wakari last night seemed to have been started by a Molotov cocktail or similar device.

A memorial to two fishermen who died when their fishing boat was lost in horrendous conditions in 2004 was placed high on a hill seven years ago, and it had given the families somewhere to go to remember their loved ones. But now even that has been taken from them.

Top trending topics on Twitter in NZ at noon are: #TOWIE, #binderfilms, #yegarena, Megan Fox, Livestrong, Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis, Ridges, Kevin Love, Taupo and Federal Reserve Bank.