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Jaleel found purpose in life through the Graeme Dingle Foundation's programmes.
Losing two special people as a teenager left her lost and scraping by daily. But with the Foundation’s programmes; Kiwi Can, Stars and Project K, she found mentors who believed in her and taught her life … View moreJaleel found purpose in life through the Graeme Dingle Foundation's programmes.
Losing two special people as a teenager left her lost and scraping by daily. But with the Foundation’s programmes; Kiwi Can, Stars and Project K, she found mentors who believed in her and taught her life skills, self-belief and the importance of asking for help.
Winning the Project K Excellence Award inspired her to work with the Foundation, which led to her becoming a Kiwi Can Leader. Jaleel hopes to continue working with the Foundation.
Find out more about how the Graeme Dingle Foundation helps kiwis like Jaleel.
From reporter Joanne Naish:
A fur seal has been making himself at home and putting on a show for visitors in a West Coast lake.
Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge owner and guide Gerry McSweeney said New Zealand fur seals had been visiting Lake Moeraki for the last five years. Lake Moeraki is 3km … View moreFrom reporter Joanne Naish:
A fur seal has been making himself at home and putting on a show for visitors in a West Coast lake.
Lake Moeraki Wilderness Lodge owner and guide Gerry McSweeney said New Zealand fur seals had been visiting Lake Moeraki for the last five years. Lake Moeraki is 3km upriver from the Tasman Sea in South Westland, north of Haast.
A male fur seal has been resident in the lake for the past six months.
“They seem happy here and eat a regular diet of eels and trout. We see this particular male almost every day over a stretch of about 5km of river and lake,” he said.
McSweeney takes tourists out on kayak trips on the lake, which is surrounded by rainforest and the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Site.
The fur seal recently frolicked in the water lying on his back and waving his flippers around near a group of kayakers.
“Their behaviour lying on their backs and waving their flippers about in the sunshine is to do with thermoregulation. They do this in sunny weather and keep warm from the sun on their flippers,” he said.
He believed the fur seals were attracted by a plentiful food source, but their presence had not dented the trout population in the lake, he said.
“The trout fishing in Lake Moeraki remains very good. This is further evidence that the presence of a large predator actually helps improve the health of the prey population because the predator will generally only eat the old, the sick and the weak species leading to an overall improvement in the health of the prey population,” he said.
McSweeney said it was unusual to see seals in freshwater. He only knew of Lake McKerrow in the Lower Hollyford Valley in northern Fiordland as the other place where fur seals have been seen in a freshwater lake.
“This is not common anywhere in New Zealand. Our visitors think the presence of a seal in Lake Moeraki is yet further evidence of what a special place the West Coast is,” he said.
Department of Conservation’s West Coast Marine Reserves Ranger Don Neale said it was an interesting find.
“It’s interesting and uncommon, but not unheard of to have a seal in such a lake. Lake Moeraki is a pretty easy swim upriver for a seal,” he said.
Fur seals had previously been seen up to 20km up rivers in other parts of New Zealand.
“We call them marine mammals, but they don’t know that,” he said.
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
South Westland Area School at Harihari is a hive of activity and it is not just the usual daily comings and goings of children.
Builders and tradespeople have occupied the school over the past couple of months, transforming the way it is heated, … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
South Westland Area School at Harihari is a hive of activity and it is not just the usual daily comings and goings of children.
Builders and tradespeople have occupied the school over the past couple of months, transforming the way it is heated, as part of the Government's programme to phase out coal-fired boilers in schools.
At the same time, the school is taking on a more cohesive appearance with a rebuild of covered paths and the addition of an all-weather outdoor lunch space.
Principal Nick Glancy said the zero carbon emissions initiative, costing at least $1.5million, was ''a massive project'' for the school.
The project was directly managed and funded through the Ministry of Education to phase out the traditional coal-fire boiler-radiator system and to bring heat pump technology to every learning area. That had necessitated an electrical upgrade across the site.
''They've had to upgrade all the electrical throughout the school, so the whole place has been dug up to put the power cables underground. That's due to be completed in early April.''
The school pool will also benefit from the heat pump-based system, Glancy said.
Work also started in mid-December on replacing covered areas between various buildings.
Glancy said that work was a part of a long-term maintenance plan developed for the school.
This followed the recent rebuild, which was the result of a significant fire at the site, and the ongoing work was part of a project to weatherproof and re-clad the school.
Central to this and linked to the healthy school lunch scheme was the new outdoor lunch area, which was nearly completed, he said.
Once finished, the all-weather canopy area would be complemented by tables and chairs, which would present a new opportunity for the school to promote positive social connection as a learning experience.
Glancy said the opportunity for pupils to sit at a table and interact with their peers and staff could not be underestimated, particularly as some young people did not necessarily always have the opportunity of sitting down at a table for meal time at home.
''It's just created a really good opportunity ... this one is pretty exciting.''
Currently, the area school roll sat at a ''very healthy'' 115, with the secondary roll for year 9 to 13 pupils, at 65.
The school continued to draw secondary-age pupils from Ross, 45 minutes drive away, down to Whataroa and the glaciers.
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From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
There has been "significant progress" to keep open the access road and bridge to the closed Globe Progress gold mine at Reefton, the West Coast Conservation Board has heard.
The West Coast Conservation Board last week heard from … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
There has been "significant progress" to keep open the access road and bridge to the closed Globe Progress gold mine at Reefton, the West Coast Conservation Board has heard.
The West Coast Conservation Board last week heard from Reefton-based board member and geologist John Taylor that liaison between community interests and DOC was "making significant progress" to ensure assets associated with the former mine site, including the access road and bridge across the Inangahua River, were kept.
Under the access agreement granted by DOC to allow Oceana Gold to develop Globe Progress, the access road and bridge had to be removed once site rehabilitation was completed. The mine closed in 2016.
In December, Taylor gave DOC a serve over the way it was
communicating with the Reefton community over the future of that access.
Submissions sought by DOC early in 2022 from Reefton on the future use of the site had come to nothing, a frustrated Mr Taylor said at the time.
"Black and white, we have had no response from the Department of Conservation at all. We expected to get some feedback, we got no feedback. We got nothing," he said in December.
On Monday, Taylor said there were now moves to form an incorporated society to facilitate a transfer and future management agreement with DOC.
It had made clear it would only deal with a formalised legal entity to take on the Globe access road, he said.
"DOC have come in from a position that they will not deal with anything seriously until we have a legal entity to deal with."
DOC's new Greymouth area manager, Chris Hickford, had been "very supportive" in trying to facilitate that, Taylor said.
"With Chris Hickford there is a very good working relationship."
The new entity would be called the Reefton Goldfields Trust, but time was now of the essence, Taylor said.
This was because moves were being initiated under the Oceana Gold and DOC agreement to seek costs to rip out the road, rehabilitate the route, and pull out the bridge in the final site clean up.
"We're running out of time rapidly. In a sense, we're making progress as of that December meeting DOC have for the first time come through and said if you put up a serious business case to keeping Globe (access) open, we'd basically consider it. Until then they would never talk to us."
Western South Island director Mark Davies made no comment on the matter at the board's meeting in Westport last week.
But in December he acknowledged a "communication breakdown" around Reefton community aspirations to keep the access open.
Taylor said the proposal now for a trust would also deal with local volunteer work currently being done on DOC administered land in the area, particularly around securing heritage sites.
Currently that was technically illegal at present.
As well, securing the Globe access would crucially provide an alternative to the now closed Rough Creek Track by linking up Waiuta and Big River via the Inkerman Track to the mine's 'outer ring road' and then down to the Globe site.
"That makes a really fit for purpose alternative to the old Rough Creek Track."
From reporter Joanne Naish:
An 87-year-old motorist who knocked down a mother and daughter in Westport’s New World car park in November has been ordered to pay reparations of $15,000.
Richard Alexander Scadden appeared in the Westport District Court for sentencing on Thursday.
He pleaded… View moreFrom reporter Joanne Naish:
An 87-year-old motorist who knocked down a mother and daughter in Westport’s New World car park in November has been ordered to pay reparations of $15,000.
Richard Alexander Scadden appeared in the Westport District Court for sentencing on Thursday.
He pleaded guilty in January to two charges of operating a vehicle carelessly and injuring Chelsea Ferguson, 29, and her daughter Pippa, 4.
“One mistake in a split second has changed my life and my capacity to be a mum for the rest of my life,” Ferguson said in a victim impact statement.
Judge Noel Walsh said Ferguson, who attended court on crutches, required nine operations to save her crushed leg, was in hospital for a month and was still undergoing physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
Pippa suffered a broken collarbone, a fractured wrist and concussion.
“There is nothing the court can say or do to undo the enormous harm that has been done ... you made a terrible error with drastic consequences,” the judge told Scadden.
Judge Walsh said Scadden had driven from Rolleston near Christchurch to Westport, before driving into the New World supermarket at about 4.15pm on November 15 last year.
Ferguson and her three of her children were coming out of the store when Scadden accelerated and drove onto the footpath, crushing Ferguson’s leg against the building.
Ferguson’s victim impact statement said she did not know if she would ever be the same again and could no longer do the things she normally did like walking, driving and looking after her four children, the judge noted.
The children who were with her when it happened were extremely traumatised, with one suffering panic attacks and another nightmares.
The family had just arrived in Westport from Australia for a holiday, and the incident had forced them to “adjust their whole lives” and move to New Zealand.
The children had since enrolled at school in Westport and Ferguson and her husband were unable to work.
Up to January they had incurred expenses for travel to medical appointments and lost income of $67,557, which left them struggling, despite the generous donations people had given them.
“Chelsea describes it as life-changing. She said she relives the crash every time she closes her eyes and thinks about what she could have done to get out of the way,” the judge said.
“It was all over in a second... the engine roared and the car shot forward into the building. I can only assume my foot slipped onto the accelerator,” Scadden said in a letter he wrote to the family.
Judge Walsh said because it was not an easy mistake to make, he had concerns about Scadden’s ability to drive in future.
He disqualified him from driving for six months and ordered him to sit a driving test before being allowed to drive again.
Defence lawyer Mark Dollimore said Scadden had not driven since the crash because he thought it would be disrespectful to be seen driving around Westport.
He knew there had been serious consequences for Ferguson and her family, which would last for a “very, very long time”.
From reporter Joanne Naish
West Coast Regional Council chairperson Allan Birchfield stormed out of a meeting after being removed from his role in a near-unanimous vote by his fellow councillors amid allegations of a “toxic environment”.
Birchfield has been on leave from the council since … View moreFrom reporter Joanne Naish
West Coast Regional Council chairperson Allan Birchfield stormed out of a meeting after being removed from his role in a near-unanimous vote by his fellow councillors amid allegations of a “toxic environment”.
Birchfield has been on leave from the council since December, which at the time was explained as being due to health reasons.
All six other councillors signed a letter requesting him to be removed as chairperson at an extraordinary meeting held on Tuesday.
When it came to the actual vote, only Brett Cummings voted for Birchfield to remain.
Read the full story here.
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This Sunday we'll be putting our clocks back for the end of daylight saving. Despite the benefits of an extra hour of sun during daylight saving, these clock changes commonly bring disruptions to our households and sleep - some feel that it should be scrapped altogether. What do you think?
… View moreThis Sunday we'll be putting our clocks back for the end of daylight saving. Despite the benefits of an extra hour of sun during daylight saving, these clock changes commonly bring disruptions to our households and sleep - some feel that it should be scrapped altogether. What do you think?
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the We Say You Say column of your local paper.
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Tomorrow is D-day for West Coast Regional Council chairperson Allan Birchfield as all six of his fellow councillors move to sack him from the role.
An under siege Birchfield has been on leave from the council in December, returning only this week… View moreFrom local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Tomorrow is D-day for West Coast Regional Council chairperson Allan Birchfield as all six of his fellow councillors move to sack him from the role.
An under siege Birchfield has been on leave from the council in December, returning only this week to an extraordinary meeting that seeks to remove him from the chair. The regional council chair is selected around the council table, not at large.
His leave of absence at the time was explained as being due to health reasons.
The formal process to have him replaced as chair was initiated on March 3, signed by every other councillor. It was not publicly disclosed until minutes before the council meeting on March 14. Birchfield did not know about the move until contacted by Local Democracy Reporting.
He did reveal however that council members had previously leaned on him to resign as chairperson.
"There had been some discussion -- they tried to talk me into standing down but I said no," Birchfield said at the time.
However he said he was "definitely not standing down" and the move to remove him was "not clear cut".
On Monday, acting chairperson Peter Haddock said the meeting tomorrow was going ahead as scheduled.
As far as he was aware Birchfield's position had not changed, "unfortunately".
"We haven't heard a word from anyone."
Chief executive Heather Mabin said the matter was for the elected council to oversee.
As of Monday she assumed nothing had changed from the formal motion she had received on March 3 to call an extraordinary meeting to remove Birchfield.
"Any decision that was made on the matter has been done in isolation of the executive and the CEO," Mabin said.
"This is a conversation that the councillors have had themselves. We will respect whatever the outcome is."
However, she said she believed Birchfield had been a significant contributor to the West Coast in his role.
"Allan has contributed incredibly towards this community, and that needs to be acknowledged."
Birchfield's leave of absence followed a turbulent period at the regional council.
This pre-dated his re-election as chairman for a second term following the local body elections last October.
An accusation of conflict of interest emerged almost immediately after the elections about the relationship of Birchfield's company Birchfield Minerals Ltd to the council-owned business unit VCS Ltd.
This was to do with a deal brokered eight years ago by VCS Ltd on behalf of Birchfield Minerals to reconsent and sell Birchfield's Grey Valley gold dredge.
The $157,025 cost of that borne by VCS - and only to be repaid when the dredge eventually sold - has remained on the council balance sheet ever since. It was first highlighted in a Greymouth Star investigation several years ago and then re-emerged after the last elections.
Neighbourhood Support members across New Zealand are invited to attend a special wellbeing webinar, 'Building Strong Communities', with Farmstrong Ambassador, Sam Whitelock, at 7:30pm on Tuesday April 4th.
For more information and to register, head to www.neighbourhoodsupport.co.nz....… View moreNeighbourhood Support members across New Zealand are invited to attend a special wellbeing webinar, 'Building Strong Communities', with Farmstrong Ambassador, Sam Whitelock, at 7:30pm on Tuesday April 4th.
For more information and to register, head to www.neighbourhoodsupport.co.nz....
Please invite those on your street and in your neighbourhood who might be interested (it's not just for rural folk, although those of you in rural communities might be particularly interested).
Save up to $69 with an NZ House & Garden subscription. Subscribe today to get NZ’s favourite lifestyle magazine delivered straight to your home every month, plus you’ll receive ManukaRx’s Pro-Aging Skin Oil worth $44.95 absolutely free!
Achieve healthy and ageless skin with the … View moreSave up to $69 with an NZ House & Garden subscription. Subscribe today to get NZ’s favourite lifestyle magazine delivered straight to your home every month, plus you’ll receive ManukaRx’s Pro-Aging Skin Oil worth $44.95 absolutely free!
Achieve healthy and ageless skin with the Pro-Aging Skin Oil. This face oil features the powerful essential oil blend of East Cape mānuka oil and rosehip oil. Offer is valid until 16 April 2023. Offer applies for 1-year and 2-year subscriptions only. For full T&Cs click here.
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Check out the never before seen deals on clothing in our massive winter sale. Genuine direct to you deals.
Every online purchase between now and 31st March is an entry to the comp. Buy once or go mad and make a number or purchases - every one of them is a chance to win. Get clicking and good … View moreCheck out the never before seen deals on clothing in our massive winter sale. Genuine direct to you deals.
Every online purchase between now and 31st March is an entry to the comp. Buy once or go mad and make a number or purchases - every one of them is a chance to win. Get clicking and good luck!!
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