Northland news in brief: Bomb scare at Whangārei court, thousands of native trees planted

Representatives of Trees That Count, Kaipara Moana Remediation and Whangārei District Council planted 7000 trees on Monday. Photo / Supplied

Thousands of native trees planted

A total of 7000 native trees have been planted in Hikurangi to acknowledge the coronation of King Charles III. The trees were planted thanks to a partnership between charity-run organisation Trees That Count, Whangārei District Council and Kaipara Moana Remediation. They were planted on Monday, July 15, on the margins of the Mangawhero Stream, near Hikurangi Sports Park. In two and a half years, Kaipara Moana Remediation has supported the planting of 1.8 million trees, as part of the project to halve sediment flows in the Kaipara Harbour.

Bomb scare at court

A bomb scare alert at Whangārei District Court was dismissed by police after no items of concern were located. A police spokesperson said at 11.07am on Tuesday they received a phone call from a person whose comments were of a “concerning nature”. The court was evacuated as a precaution and police conducted a sweep of the building and its surrounding area. When no suspicious items were found, the building was reopened to the public.

Power outage petition

NorthChamber has started a petition to demand accountability from Transpower over the June 20 power outage. The region-wide blackout was caused during maintenance, when too many nuts were removed from a high-voltage power pylon, causing the tower to topple over. The cost to businesses is estimated at $60 million but Transpower has denied responsibility for any compensation. The Change.org petition calls for a thorough investigation, and fair and reasonable compensation, due to the “glaring display of negligence” causing financial repercussions. Go to tinyurl.com/north-petition for details.

Cycle securely with bike docks

Free and secure bike parking is coming to Whangārei with 15 new Locky Dock bike-parking stations being installed around the city. The docks provide free bike security and e-bike charging, accessed through an app, making it easier for more people to cycle more often. They are being installed in key locations such as the Cameron St Mall, Town Basin, Old Library, Okara shops and Semenoff Stadium, and will be in place by February 2025.

Fundraising goal reached

The Mangawhai Education Trust, which is developing Mangawhai Hills College, has reached its initial fundraising goal of seven figures thanks to community members, businesses and groups in Mangawhai. Interviews were held with the first set of students in June and more are planned for this month. Chairwoman Jill Corkin said the college remains on track to open on February 10 and prospective staff are currently being interviewed. The off-site construction of the first two-classroom building is nearing completion and a second office and staffroom with attached toilets will begin soon.