Musical luminaries to perform
Joining forces at Kerikeri's Turner Centre on Friday are, Simon O'Neill, Jackie Clarke and Tim Beveridge.
Internationally renowned tenor Simon O'Neill ONZM, pop diva Jackie Clarke MNZM and veteran musical theatre baritone Tim Beveridge, accompanied by Grammy-nominated pianist Dr Stephen Small, will perform at Kerikeri's Turner Centre on Friday evening, 7.30pm, sharing their love of great songs. The songs are from Puccini to Lloyd Webber, Cole Porter to Queen, from worlds of opera, musical theatre and pop. Admission adults $89.90, seniors, students and children $79.90.
AOS callout
Death threats allegedly made by a man feared to be armed triggered an armed offenders squad callout in Maungatūroto on Monday. The drama unfolded around 2.30pm when a person contacted police stating they had received death threats from a 23-year-old man in the Maungatūroto area, a police spokesman said.
"The informant went to get his rifle and one of them was missing. That is where the concern around a firearm came from," he said. When officers arrived at the property the man took off on foot. Police considered the man to be armed with the missing rifle and opted to call in AOS. "There was a pursuit in a vehicle," the spokesman said. "Then he was stopped and arrested." The brief pursuit, that came to an end in Kaiwaka around 5pm, was more a failure to stop rather than high speed chase, he said. "He was put into custody and no firearms were found." The man had not being charged at edition time.
SNA meetings
Public meetings are being held across the Mid North this week amid unrest over a proposal to designate swathes of the district as Significant Natural Areas. A meeting geared at farmers and land owners will be held at the United Kawakawa Rugby Club rooms, at 337 Paihia Rd in Taumarere, from 6pm on Wednesday; while a meeting at Whangaroa Memorial Hall in Kaeo will start with an open forum from 6-7.30pm on Thursday followed by an action forum from 7.40-9pm. Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) are a nationwide initiative to protect areas of ecological value but alarmed Far North property owners fear the move will drastically limit what they can do with their land. The outcry has already prompted the Far North District Council to extend its deadline for feedback by three weeks to June 11.
Faulty light fitting
Kaikohe Library was evacuated on Tuesday due to a strong smell of electrical burning. The alarm was raised about 10.20am with Kaikohe Fire Brigade tracing the source to a faulty light fitting. The library was advised to bring in an electrician in to replace the fitting. Kerikeri and Ōkaihau brigade were also dispatched initially but stood down when Kaikohe firefighters found no sign of fire.
