Citrus for Southerners
Whangārei folk with excess citrus fruit can get rid of it and help residents in the South Island at the annual Citrus for the South event in the city tomorrow. Whangārei's Lions Clubs and real estate company One Agency are holding the collection at Marist Sports Club, on Kensington Ave, from 8.30am to 2pm. South Islanders in Christchurch, Dunedin and Clyde suffering the winter blues will be given a pick-me-up from the tonnes of citrus fruit expected to be donated. Sweet oranges and lemons are needed. All other citrus - mandarins, limes, ugli, tangelo, etc - will also be accepted. Mainfreight in Whangārei has again agreed to pay for a shipment of banana boxes full of citrus to the South Island for distribution among charities that deal with poor and needy folk there.
Driver 'very, very lucky'
The driver of a van written off in a collision with a cow on Matauri Bay Rd just before 9pm on Thursday was ''very, very lucky'' to avoid serious injury, firefighters say. The accident occurred near the junction with Martin Rd. Police, St John Ambulance and Cavalli and Kaeo fire brigades responded. Kerikeri's rescue tender was also called out but not required. The fate of the cow is not known.
Police investigate race case
Police investigations are still continuing into the racial abuse of a Whangārei family now living in fear. Racial slurs were spray-painted on the car belonging to Stephanie Thomas and on the letterbox of their rented property on Cemetery Rd, Whangārei, early this week. Senior Sergeant Rob Huys said police have been conducting patrols in the area in an effort to catch those responsible. At this stage, he said there is no description of the vehicles driven by the alleged offenders. Huys said Thomas' family were content with how police were conducting their investigation.
New case of Covid
There was one new case of Covid-19 in managed isolation reported in New Zealand yesterday. It has now been 84 days since the last case of Covid-19 was acquired locally from an unknown source. The latest case is a man in his 40s who arrived in the country on July 12 from Africa. There is no one in New Zealand receiving hospital-level care for the virus and the total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 is now 1206.
