Paul Hickey: Mel leads us back to the 90s

Mel B, aka Scary Spice from The Spice Girls, will be hosting my show this afternoon between 12pm and 3pm on The Hits Rotorua 97.5. Photo / Getty Images

It is not often the boss says to finish early on a Friday, but this week that's exactly what's happening.

In fact I get to finish on the air a whole three hours early because they're going to get someone else to host the last part of my show. Now, this has never happened before, so when they first told me I figured it must be for something pretty special.

And it certainly was, as Mel B, aka Scary Spice from The Spice Girls, will be hosting my show this afternoon between 12pm and 3pm on The Hits Rotorua 97.5.

It is to launch our "Nothing But The 90s Weekend", and I suppose when it comes to music in the 90s there wasn't anybody much bigger than the Spice Girls, so it is a real thrill to have Mel working with us on The Hits over the next couple of days.

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I've been doing a lot of bits on this week's show about people's thoughts and favourite things about the 90s, and across the board everyone seems to have fond memories. Listen right across the weekend and join us as we travel back in time. I can't wait.

I've been hit by that scoundrel Murphy this week. After spouting off a couple of weeks back about how I don't get sick, I have been very under the weather this week.

Now, I know they say sick people shouldn't go to work, but I've been able to lock myself away in the studio, and avoid all the workmates this week. I am dosing up on everything I can, and at this stage I'm still sick-day free.

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I've been a vocal supporter of the City Focus during the debates over the past year or so about whether it should be removed, and I'm understandably pretty happy with what looks like a council decision to keep the City Focus area but give it a freshen up.

I like the concepts that have been thrown out for consultation and look forward to seeing what develops.

One thing which I have noticed over recent times, is that most things that the council do nowadays gets a pretty swift response. With the growth of social media, people can actually vent and have their say a lot easier. Whether it be the Green Corridor, Te Arawa Partnership, City Focus or bus route changes, they get plenty of positive and negative comments online. Unfortunately, a whole lot of people making those comments don't really engage brain before typing, and those who swear and curse in forums like this do nothing to enhance their own reputations.

What will now be interesting is to see if all those who are so quick to be vocal on social media, now actually use the opportunity to vote in the local body elections online. A simple "comment" that can actually make a difference. Well done to the council for deciding to trial this next year, hopefully we might actually get more than half of our eligible voters having their say.

Paul Hickey is the host of the locally based 9am to 3pm show on The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM. Follow on Twitter @paulhickeynz or at The Hits Rotorua on Facebook.

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