Whanganui news in brief: Gumboot kudos, rail bridge struck

Gumboot throwing promoter Curly Troon has been named a joint winner of the Toyota Lifetime Legacy to Rural Sport at the 2021 Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards. Photo / file

Gumboot kudos

Gumboot throwing promoter Curly Troon has been named a joint winner of the Toyota Lifetime Legacy to Rural Sport at the 2021 Norwood New Zealand Rural Sports Awards held in Palmerston North on Friday, March 12. Troon is a founding member and chairman of the New Zealand Boot Throwing Association and has promoted Taihape as a destination of the sport for many years. For the past five years he has been a member of the North Island team and has competed in the men's open, North Island champs and was a member of the team that won the 2019 World Champion National Team Event.

Lakes all clear

Dudding and Wiritoa lakes have received the green light for swimming. It will be the first time Dudding Lake has moved out of amber (caution status) for some time. Algae and E. coli levels are low at both lakes.

Rail bridge struck

KiwiRail's chief operating officer Todd Moyle is urging drivers to heed height restrictions on railway bridges after train travel on the North Island's main trunk line between Palmerston North and Hamilton stopped for 24 hours after a truck carrying a digger struck a bridge on Pukenaua Rd near Taihape. Eleven trains and rail freight services were disrupted.

COGS meeting

COGS (Community Organisation Grants Scheme) is holding a public meeting in Hawera on Friday, March 19 from 10.30am to noon at the Community Centre, 66 Albion St, Hawera. Register your attendance by emailing marion.james@dia.govt.nz

Local news online

Get your free news app from your phone's online store.

Get your Whanganui news on the go with the new NZ Herald app. Available through the Apple App store and Google Play, the app features first-class local, national and international journalism. You can also personalise it to display local weather, and choose to receive news alerts from the Whanganui Chronicle as well as the latest national news, sport, politics and business.