Rugby World Cup, election and feather mystery: the big stories of September 2023

As the year draws to a close, Waikato Herald is taking stock of 2023. What moved readers most? As part of a 12-day series, Waikato Herald reporter Danielle Zollickhofer looks at the top stories each month. Welcome to day nine: September.

Nationally, September 2023 marked the start of the Rugby World Cup in France where eight Gallagher Chiefs players where part of the All Blacks squad.

September was also a month of election campaigning, where both Chrises also made visits to Hamilton.

Speaking of Hamilton - the Kmart Distribution Centre opened at the Ruakura Superhub and further south in the Waikato, Cannasouth became the first company in the country to export cannabis-based active pharmaceutical ingredients to Australia.

For the Waikato Herald, September marked the end of an era as editor Peter Tiffany retired, bringing to a close a journalism career of almost 50 years.

Other big stories in the region were:

Feather mystery stuns locals from Waikato to Taranaki

A trail of white feathers littered the road across the Waikato and had even been spotted as far away as Taranaki.

It wasn’t long before motorists were scratching around on social media looking for answers.

Te Awamutu and Kihikihi residents were particularly ruffled, leading to a fair amount of speculation.

Feathers cover the road in Te Awamutu. Photo / Kate Durie

Hamilton retirement home organises nuptials

Bernard Gartner, 87, and Tutata Wiltshire, 66, threw the rest home Radius St Joans into an excited turmoil as they became the first couple to get married at the facility.

Tata and Bernie, as they are known at the Hamilton rest home, celebrated their wedding on September 15, with close to 80 facility residents in attendance.

The two lovebirds met at the facility about six months ago and fell in love instantly.

Hamiltonians Tutata Wiltshire and Bernard Gartner are Radius St. Joans' first residents to get married at the rest home. Photo / Radius St. Joans

Hamilton postie finds family history through a letter

NZ Post Hamilton depot freight investigator and former postie Lani Catherall, 34, stumbled upon a missing piece of her own family history while delivering a letter.

Auckland-born Catherall spent her early years in Wellington before moving to Hamilton seven years ago.

In her early 20s, Catherall stumbled upon an unexpected connection when she delivered a letter bearing her initials and last name.

New Zealand Post Hamilton depot freight investigator Lani Catherall. Photo / Kate Durie

Danielle Zollickhofer is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined NZME in 2021 and is writing for the Waikato Herald.

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