Lights out in Paihia
The Far North is again a district without traffic lights after a wayward vehicle bowled three large wooden bollards and demolished a controller box in Paihia. The controller operated the district's first, and so far only, traffic lights on Marsden Rd, which were installed in 2017 to ease traffic congestion caused by pedestrians crossing between the wharf and Williams Rd. The crash is thought to have occurred on Monday night. Contractors for the NZ Transport Agency are due to start repairs today with the lights expected to be back in action by Monday.
No teacher strike on Tuesday
Northland parents of Year 10 student can relax - they won't have to stay home or find somebody to look after their children on Tuesday as a planned secondary teachers strike for that day has been called off. PPTA president Jack Boyle says, "Secondary teachers have called off the Year 10 rostering home that had been planned for Tuesday, June 11. The PPTA will not be making any further comment at this time." The Post Primary Teachers' Association - the union representing secondary school teachers and principals - announced last week it would take "rostering home action" which will see teachers opt not to teach a certain year group on a particular day, over four weeks. It began on Monday with Year 9 students and was scheduled to continue with Year 10 students on June 11, Year 11 on June 25 and Year 12 on July 12. There is no word at this stage, if the Year 11 and Year 12 action will still go ahead.
Twelve set to rock
Twelve Northland school music acts will compete in the regional final of the Smokefreerockquest competition on Tuesday. The top 12 bands to play off at the regional final at Forum North, Whangārei, on June 11, from 7pm are: Elevated, from Rodney College and Mahurangi College; Stranger Paradise, Kerikeri High School, Springbank School; SubDeer, Bream Bay College; Wham Bam Thank you Ma'am, Whangārei Girls' High School; Live Wire, Mahurangi College; The psychedelic goldfish, Whangārei Boys' High School, Whangārei Girls' High School; The Steves - Kerikeri High School; Pahi State of Mind - Otamatea High School; Limerence, Tauraroa Area School, Jeeks, Bream Bay College; Daisynuke, Kamo High School and Zelama, Bream Bay College. The top regional bands and solo/duos submit footage for selection as finalists to play off at the Smokefreerockquest national final at the Bruce Mason Centre in Auckland on September 14.
More winds at Coopers Beach
Wild weather has again been causing chaos at Coopers Beach in Doubtless Bay, just two days after a suspected tornado damaged 15 houses and made two uninhabitable. Just before 11am yesterday high winds picked up a carport roof, which had been damaged in Wednesday's tornado, and slammed it into a neighbour's house on Torsby Rd. Volunteers from the Mangonui Fire Brigade secured the roof to make sure it couldn't blow any further but a crane or hiab would likely be needed to remove it. Seven people — a couple and a family with three children — have been staying in temporary accommodation since Wednesday's tornado tore off their roofs and blew out windows.
Jones to open terminal
Minister for Regional Economic Development Shane Jones will open the new $4.75 million Bay of Islands Airport terminal at 9.15am on June 21, 356 days after he drove a digger bucket through the old one to mark the start of demolition work. The new airport terminal was the first of six "shovel-ready" Far North projects, championed by council-owned trading company Far North Holdings, to receive funding from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF). These involve upgrading key items of infrastructure that underpin the Far North tourism industry and wider economy. The PGF contributed $1.75 million to the airport terminal project, enabling FNHL to future-proof the new terminal to cater for baggage screening and related requirements if introduced by CAA in future.
