Sarah Marquet

From rural Otago to the big city lights, ODT reporter Sarah Marquet blogs about life in Seoul, Korea. With funding from the Asia New Zealand foundation, she will be working in the newsroom of one of South Korea's largest papers, the Joong Ang Daily, for the next six weeks.

''Awfully grey lines'' between swimming pools and irrigation dams and ponds incited debate in the Central Otago District Council chambers last week. The Government had asked local authorities for their opinions after it proposed changes to the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987.

Councillors, mayors and community board members could receive significant pay increases after elections later this year, according to figures in a report released this week by the New Zealand Remuneration Authority.

Cheapskate pilots or aircraft owners not paying landing fees at the Alexandra airport have been caught on camera by the Central Otago District Council.

A review of how government funding for roads is distributed could have ''reasonable implications for this district'' Central Otago District Council roading committee deputy chairman Barry Becker says.

The team from Cromwell College that is trekking in Nepal have had their first view of Mount Everest.

After the men from the Alexandra Men's Shed group heard about Central Otago Mayor Tony Lepper carrying around his mayoral chains in an old cardboard box, they decided to do something about it.

A potential multimillion-dollar irrigation scheme in Tarras, albeit a controversial one, is entering an ''absolutely exciting'' time, Tarras Water Ltd chairman Peter Jolly says. The company's final prospectus was released last week and its share offer will open later this week.