NZ at Noon: Confused cheerleaders, TV brainwashing and hot pursuits

The Suzuki cheerleaders pictured planking at the 2011 Fieldays at Mystery Creek Events Centre. But there'll be no planking for them this year. Photo / Christine Cornege

Stories making headlines across New Zealand at noon include a bunch of cheerleaders in Waikato that nobody wants to know, up to 75 per cent of children could apparently be suffering problems associated with the telly and teens in cars are fleeing police.

It's not a good time to be a cheerleader in Waikato and they are not quite sure why.

Are your children becoming introverted, less talkative, and monosyllabic? The cause may be lurking in your house.

Meanwhile in Masterton, a mother allegedly gave her 9 year old daughter a rifle and told her to shoot a man the girl had accused of abusing her.

Kaitaia teenager Nathan Rawiri lost control of his vehicle while allegedly trying to flee police and smashed into a house where five children were asleep and is now in a critical condition.

In Wairarapa, a youth driving a stolen car with police in hot pursuit decided the best thing to do was to smash through several farm fences.

While a driver was trapped inside her vehicle following a serious accident in Rotorua, motorists just ignored the crash on a busy road and drove past without offering to help.

Meanwhile police in Rotorua are looking for a man with a limp.

Outraged Ngongotaha residents are threatening to dump their recycling on Mayor Kevin Winters' front lawn after a councillor posted his home address on Facebook.

Jason Samuel Gideon probably didn't think he would end up in prison for drinking a $2.39 bottle of banana milk from The Warehouse.

4-year old Israel's mum, Amy Childs, stood outside with her ear pressed up against the door after the strangers wouldn't let her in the room with him.

Looking for gumboots? Deborah Allan needs to sell 3500 of them in four days.

Lesley Anne Hogg's plan to burn her car and claim the insurance worked initially.

Back in Masterton, KFC staff looked out the window to see a man smashing his way into Masterton Thirsty Liquor.

Two boys who were wandering around Tauranga after midnight suddenly found themselves on the ground being punched and kicked by several teenagers.

Tauranga is looking at installing World War II air raid sirens.
Over in Gisborne, there was a huge turnout for the Transit of Venus last week, all documented on video.

Christchurch residents are being asked to look out for young people riding on buses with spray cans.

Since the 1960's the Anglican diocese in Otago has been in decline and it is now "at the point of collapse". Meanwtime the Catholic Church of Dunedin says "the way is now clear" to build a new $3-$5 million campus for primary school-aged children near Arrowtown.

At the Ashburton District Court, Judge Joanna Maze continued to sentence a Methven woman on theft charges while another prisoner in custody shouted profanities and banged and kicked walls and doors.

Apparently there's a growing national trend where dead people want to be buried without any chemical intervention.

The brothers at the Waitaki Masonic Lodge have a new master.

And there's a $25,000 reward on offer on the West Coast.

Meanwhile treasure hunters who looted an historic site in downtown Greymouth appear unwilling to turn their booty in.

Top trending topics on Twitter in NZ at noon included #NRLpenwar, #MoviesIveSeen50x, Malik Monday, #ThingsThatICantStand, iOS 6, MacBook Pro, Rock of Ages, Panthers, True Blood and ACC.