News in brief
Woman jailed
A 46-year-old Otorohanga woman has been sentenced to four years and seven months jail after admitting charges of forgery and fraud, and being found guilty of perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice. The Waikato Times reported Sally-Kae French’s activities also impacted on the tenancy tribunal and family court. The News understand the Ombudsman’s office has also been involved in complaints. In the Hamilton District Court Judge Kim Saunders said the motivation for the offending was spiteful and malicious.
Show to air
The Country Calendar episode featuring Janette Osborne’s natural knitting yarns side hustle will finally air this month. The show was scheduled for broadcast during the lead up to local body elections, but TVNZ postponed the broadcast of the segment featuring Briar Patch following a complaint that Osborne, who at the time was challenging for the Waitomo mayoralty was being given an unfair advantage. See: King Country Farmer inside today.
Nathan’s Fun-draiser
A fundraiser at Windsor Park on Sunday in honour of Ōtorohanga’s Nate Anselmi will support the Child Cancer Foundation. The event will include activities for children including rides on Toby, the Mitre 10 train, a sausage sizzle and face painting.
Firefighter’s 50th
The 50-year-service of Ōtorohanga Volunteer Fire Brigade’s Darcy Lupton will be recognised at the Ōtorohanga Club this weekend.
Woolhandlers represent
The shearing season heated up at the weekend’s Central Hawke’s Bay Shears. Te Kūiti’s Keryn Herbert narrowly missed out on a place in the final and the chance to record her third woolhandling win in a row. Kelly Barrett (Kāwhia) finished third in the senior woolhandling final and Taumarunui’s Vinniye Phillips placed third in the open final.
New national president
Cambridge’s Tony Hill has been appointed national president of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association (RNZRSA). His appointment was made at last week’s 109th NZRSA National Council in Wellington. During the year prior, Hill was one of two national NZRSA vice-presidents.
Projects funded
Waikato River Authority has awarded $5.7 million to 26 projects dedicated to protecting and restoring the health and well-being of the Waikato and Waipā Rivers and their catchments. The projects are wide-ranging from erosion control, riparian planting and geothermal ecosystem restoration to Waikato River education programmes for tamariki and a four-day waka journey.
Strike planned
More than 3 500 mental health nurses and assistants and public health nurses and 1700 policy, advisory, knowledge and specialist workers – who provide support for health care – have voted to strike on Friday next week.
Tudman, Good chair boards
Bronwyn Tubman is the new Ōtorohanga Community Board chairperson for the 2025-2028 triennium, while the previous Kāwhia Community Board officers remain.
The new community boards were sworn in last week before in-house nominations began.
Tubman was elected alongside new deputy chair Craig Thomas at the first meeting post-election.
The other board members are Ōtorohanga ward councillors Tayla Barclay and Katrina Christison as well as Leanne Massey and Brendon McNeil.
Christison was the previous chair and Peter Coventry the last deputy.
Tubman is the other half of Ōtorohanga Automotive, where she works alongside husband Mike.
The Ōtorohanga board meetings will remain on the first Monday of each month.
The Kāwhia Community board has retained Geoff Good as the chair and Hinga Whiu is the deputy chair again.
Good was re-elected unopposed.
Good had also been elected unopposed to the Aotea Community Subdivision, while Richard Harpur, Annie Mahara and Whiu were elected unopposed in the Kāwhia Community Subdivision.
Kāwhia-Tihiroa ward councillor Kit Jeffries is on the board for a half term. Fellow ward councillor Jo Butcher will be present for the second half of the term.
Their meetings will continue to be on the first Thursday of each month.
