Northland news in brief, Rachel Ward new editor of Northern Advocate

Experienced journalist and newsroom leader Rachel Ward has been appointed editor of the Northern Advocate.

Experienced journalist and newsroom leader Rachel Ward has been appointed editor of the Northern Advocate. Ward, above, who was born in Warkworth, will officially take up the position on July 23. She is a senior news editor at the NZ Herald. Ward has been at the Herald since 2000 and has held a variety of roles from picture editor to chief reporter to current role of news editor. NZ Herald editor Murray Kirkness said Ward is a hugely experienced and popular newsroom leader who is calm, courageous, and is looking forward to standing up for the Advocate's readers and making a positive difference to the people of Northland.

Flash fiction day
National Flash Fiction Day will be celebrated at Kings Theatre Creative, Kawakawa, on Sunday, June 24 from 1pm. Flash fiction writer, micro writer, poet, and this year's judge, Jac Jenkins, will present a workshop called Straddling the Border between Poetry and Flash Fiction. Flash fiction is an extremely short story which still has a plot line and characters. Anyone who writes poetry or flash, whether experienced or new to writing, is welcome to attend the hands-on workshop aimed at helping people reimagine the limits of form. It will be followed by afternoon tea and an open mic for flash fiction readings. The cost is $10 for the workshop, payable at the door.

Kerikeri identity remembered
An informal celebration of the life of Kerikeri identity John Williamson will be held at the Old Packhouse Market at 2pm on Wednesday, June 20. Williamson died peacefully on June 10 at the Kaikohe Care Centre after a battle with cancer. In recent years he was best known for his antics as the market's parking director. Close friend Judy Hyland described him as a ''unique individual with a joy for life''. Most stallholders called him a friend and remembered him for his kindness, stories and wit. He was also known for his intolerance of poor parking. ''Customers will remember him as the friendly but sometimes crazy parking attendant waving his orange stick around, usually helpful but sometimes frank with his assessment of their parking abilities,'' she said. He is survived by a sister and three brothers. The celebration will be followed by afternoon tea.

McCarthy works on show
Many people have seen Quarry Arts Centre studio artist M Francis McCarthy working on site during open days. His latest collection of paintings, rich with colour and depth, will be exhibited at the Yvonne Rust Gallery from June 21 until July 10. McCarthy's work has been described as emotive, capturing the poetic spirit of the landscape, and the essences of previous eras as well as a modern aesthetic.

Tree blocks road
Mangonui's volunteer firefighters were called out at 10am yesterday to saw up a large tree that had fallen across the road at Mill Bay. The road was re-opened about 10.30am.

Oral history grant
A plan to record the oral history of a Bay of Islands hapu has received $3000 from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage's Oral History Awards 2018. Robert Willoughby has received one of 11 grants from the awards, getting $3000 for a project to record the oral history of Ngati Kuta Hapu from Rawhiti, in the Bay of Islands. Through his research for the project, Who are Ngati Kuta, Willoughby aims to leave a legacy for Ngati Kuta children by finding out more about the tribal history of the Ngati Kuta people by talking with descendants about their whakapapa connections, and the stories and events that shaped their history from pre-European times to today. The 11 awards, totalling $56,186, granted this year will see a diverse range of stories brought to life and more of Aotearoa's hidden history recorded for posterity.

Slip delays road opening
State Highway 11 at Lemons Hill has re-opened to one-way traffic after a fresh slip blocked the road on Thursday night — but the re-opening of both lanes has now been delayed until next week. SH11 was to have fully re-opened on Friday morning after being closed on and off since a massive slip in February. The latest slip dumped trees and debris on to the highway but contractors managed to get one lane clear again by about 10.30am yesterday. Stop/go traffic management will continue today and Sunday. Jacqui Hori-Hoult, NZ Transport Agency's Northland manager, said staff inspected the hillside on Friday morning and estimated it would take three days to remove trees and loose material from the edge of the original slip. Crews would work over the weekend and on Monday. She expected the road to re-open to two-way traffic late on Monday afternoon. When SH11 is closed motorists had to use the alternative route via State Highways 1, 10 and 11, adding up to an extra 30 minutes to the journey between Kawakawa and Paihia.