Boat stolen
A $11,500 boat and a jet ski worth $5000 have been stolen from Northland properties in two separate burglaries, prompting police to warn owners of watercraft to ensure they have sufficient security. A boat was reported stolen from a Whananaki property on Monday and a jet ski from a Parihaka property in Whangārei yesterday morning.Senior Sergeant James Calvert said owners of the expensive crafts needed to make it harder for them to be taken including parking at the back of the property. Ensure they were locked including pin locks for the tow bracket, wheel clamps for the wheels, and chains through wheel spokes. Mark the trailer so if stolen it could be identified later. And remember, call police immediately for suspicious behaviour, people lurking around or crimes that were happening. Dial 111.
Dead man's name released
Police have released the name of the man who died following an incident in the mental health unit at Whangārei Hospital this week. He was Bradley Gibbons, 43, from Whangārei. Police have referred the case to the coroner. Police said inquiries into the death were ongoing and they were not in a position to comment further. Police were called to the mental health unit to assist with an unrelated incident around 10pm on Wednesday, when another patient in the ward assaulted a staff member. The man was restrained by police and staff, before becoming unresponsive, Northland CIB Acting Detective Inspector Lloyd Schmid said. CPR was carried out by hospital staff but the man died in the Tumanako inpatient unit shortly after midnight.
Tall ships regatta
The Tall Ships and Classic Invitation sailing regatta is on in the Bay of Islands on January 12, next year. Hosted by the Russell Boating Club, the races are billed as light-hearted affairs to celebrate the spectacle of sailing. And while the races make plenty of spectacle, there's always plenty of keen rivalry. The Tall Ships Race is open to all monohull sailing vessels, that have two or more masts and have a minimum deck length of 30 feet. The Classic Invitation race is for monohull classic yachts that have a deck length of at least 22 feet. The All Comers Race is open to any mono or multihull with a deck length over 20 feet. For more information see russellboatingclub.org.nz/tall-ships.
Collectors wanted
Heart disease is New Zealand's single biggest killer, claiming the lives of 6000 New Zealanders every year and the Heart Foundation is calling on Northlanders to volunteer for its annual street appeal early next year. Big Heart Appeal street collections will take place on February 22/23 next year. The Heart Foundation needs volunteers in all regions and people can visit heartfoundation.org.nz/volunteer to sign up.
Airline wins award
Fly My Sky, the family owned airline that recently stared a new flight service between Auckland and Whangārei, is the 2018 Rural Champion Award winner of the NZI Rural Women Business Awards. Fly My Sky started its scheduled service between Auckland and Whangārei on October 29, aiming to providing customers more choice and flexibility of travel time between the two cities. The flights, which operate twice daily Monday to Friday, have a similar flight time to other flight services and operate at a lower altitude, allowing customers to enjoy the spectacular Northland coastal scenery on their journey. Whangārei passenger numbers have steadily climbed since the inaugural flight, the company said.
