Bay band to compete in music final, new security fog and more Northland news

Bay of Islands College band Harmonies Divergent is competing in the national finals of Smokefree Tangata Beats this weekend. Photo / supplied

Harmonies Divergent to compete at Smokefree Tangata Beats

A four-piece all-girl band from Bay of Islands College in Kawakawa will compete in the national finals of Smokefree Tangata Beats in Auckland on Friday. Harmonies Divergent — featuring Danika Holland (keyboard), Dana Scott (guitar), Mihitaurangi Koperu (guitar, vocals) and Jade Norman (vocals) — will compete against six other high school bands from Auckland, East Coast, Whanganui and Wellington at the Dorothy Winstone Centre at Auckland Girls' Grammar from 7pm. Smokefree Tangata Beats, which turns 20 this year, was set up to recognise and promote Māori and Pasifika musical talent at New Zealand schools. Past success stories from the Smokefree Tangata Beats awards include Waipu thrash metal trio Alien Weaponry, Strangely Arousing and Nesian Mystik.

Prepared for intruders

A word of advice for anyone who might be thinking of helping themselves at g.a.s. Cooper's Beach — don't. Owners Sandra and Simon Allan and their staff are well prepared to repel intruders. The service station, on SH10, has become the proud owner of a 'fog' machine, which within seconds fills the entire shop with glycol vapour, giving staff time to bolt to a safe room at the rear and lock themselves in. While they're doing that, the alarm system will be contacting the police. The drill was that at the first sign of trouble the fog machine would be activated, any staff in the shop then changing their position before heading for the back room.

Fireplace heat sparks blaze

A fire which gutted a house on Puketotara Rd, between Kerikeri and Ōkaihau, on Saturday evening was most likely caused by heat from a fireplace igniting something combustible. Fire safety officer Jason Goffin said the blaze was a reminder of the ''metre heater rule'' — to keep anything combustible at least a metre from any heat source, be it a gas or electric heater, open fireplace or, as in this case, an enclosed wood burner. The fire destroyed the rear half of the house and badly damaged the rest. The tenant, who was not home at the time, had lost most of her possessions.

League tournament just for girls

A rugby league tournament at Glenbervie School on Thursday will feature players from six primary schools, all under-9 girls. All games will have nine minute halves with a two minute halftime. The schools are Glenbervie, Maungaturoto, Whau Valley and Selwyn Park (Dargaville), with a few players from Kaurihohore and Te Kapua Whetu being fitted into a team. Organiser Nick Waihi said the emphasis will be on fun and to celebrate the Wahine Warriors (Auckland) and Kiwiferns (national women) who have been supportive of the girls tournie.

Tyre slasher's back

It all went quiet for a while, but police warned Kaitaia's phantom tyre slasher appeared to have returned last week. A number of incidents had been reported, Senior Sergeant Russell Richards said, including one at the old Pak'n'Save carpark in Kaitaia on Saturday, despite the fact that it had been a hive of activity. He urged the public to watch for, and to report, any suspicious behaviour.