Cricket too

Dob in the mongrels

The death last week of Murray Rae, one of the original Te Ahu trustees and who was elected to Te Hiku Community Board last year, was described by Mayor John Carter as a huge loss to the North.

The Far North is still home to a thriving cannabis cultivating industry judging by Operation Lucy, which wound up last week.

Dr Lance O'Sullivan confessed to being more nervous at Friday's civic reception at Te Ahu in Kaitaia, in recognition of his being named New Zealander of the Year, than he was immediately prior to receiving the award.

The true identity of Ironman has been revealed and it's not some fictional character - as in the case of billionaire playboy, industrialist, and ingenious engineer Tony Stark - but Jill Bloggs!

Organisers of a successful junior tennis programme in Kaitaia said plans are in place to grow the event to cater to the unprecedented and overwhelming demand they experienced last summer.

No deal.

The pilots and crew of the Northland Electricity rescue helicopter had an extraordinarily busy 48 hours last weekend, flying a dozen emergency missions virtually from Cape Reinga to Wellington.

Police have closed what an experienced officer yesterday described as one of the biggest indoor cannabis-cultivating operations found in Northland.

The owners of New Zealand's oldest service station, in Russell, have said a firm no to selling cigarettes and tobacco, and have won two awards for their stance.

There isn't much difference between taking a tumble on ice or concrete, so new national ice hockey rep Jessi Scott says.

More than 30 players from throughout the district took part in a fun tournament at Broadwood Area School's new covered outdoor facility.

New broom needed

Back to the real world

Two people, two bikes, two islands, two weeks and more than 2000 kilometres.

Te Tai Tokerau MP and Mana Party leader Hone Harawira has rejected any suggestion that he might be about to join forces with Kim Dotcom.

It pays to read the Northland Age. Rena Parangi will attest to that.

A local man has taken the early lead in the Snapper Bonanza surfcasting competition after weighing in a whopping 9.995kg snapper.

Say no more

Playing on a rugby field as a schoolboy in Hawke's Bay, Troy Kingi never imagined he would one day be acting the part of his team-mate Piri Weepu in a movie.

Spending on pokies in the Far North has plunged by more than 10 per cent, more than three times the national decline.

Far North teacher Kelvin Davis will have another tilt at the Te Tai Tokerau seat for Labour in this year's general election.

The 2014 Snapper Bonanza got off to the best possible start with perfect conditions, a record number of snapper landed, and a fish big enough to win the contest outright in other years hooked in the first few hours.

Given some rarely composed sheep to work with, Northland's best sheepdogs went on the front foot in the Mangonui leg of the Northland sheepdog trials in Aurere.

The 90 Mile Beach Surfcasting Club's traditional lead-up to the Captain Morgan Snapper Bonanza, the Twilight Competition, proved more of test of endurance rather than fishing skills in the wake of the departing Tropical Cyclone Lusi.

Gail Gillespie will slip into well-earned retirement at the end of this month, after 26 years' service to Far North Hospice.

Turtles and Boeings

Spare us this farce

Customer service has long been touted as small-town businesses' best defence against big box stores, and nobody provides better service in Kaitaia than Shackleton's Amcal pharmacy.