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The Waitaki district is now firmly on the tourism map. Oamaru reporter Andrew Ashton asks Tourism Waitaki marketing manager Megan Howell why her staff no longer get asked ''Waitaki? Where's that?''

A Waimate woman is thought to be one of three women allegedly seduced and then swindled out of money and possessions by an online dating fraudster.

Aoraki Polytechnic is confident it can hit this year's target rate for students enrolled to study at its Oamaru campus, as it aims to bounce back from a $2 million loss last year.

Construction of a milk plant that will bring 70 new jobs to Glenavy is ''stepping up another gear'', Oceania Dairy says.

A $45 million project to refurbish the Waitaki Dam and powerhouse is on schedule and below budget - despite a slight delay caused by one of nature's own construction projects.

A new ''porta-court'' could still be used for Oamaru District Court hearings by the end of this month - if wrangles over where to place it can be resolved.

The 108-year-old Quinn's Arcade building in Waimate was yesterday transformed into a 1950s construction site as part of a Japanese television commercial production shoot.

Aoraki Polytechnic is not expecting to lay off any Otago-based staff, even though it will scrap two roles at each of its Oamaru and Dunedin campuses.

Oamaru cheese-maker Whitestone Cheese may withdraw from the Australian market, despite escaping the effects of a supermarket boycott on New Zealand-made products.

The Ahuriri Community Board now has a full complement, after a by-election yesterday elected two new members to the five-member board.

Oceania Dairy's new $214 million milk-processing plant in Glenavy is still six months away from taking its first supply of milk, but the company confirmed yesterday that hundreds of people were already queueing up to fill job vacancies.

Police in Oamaru are urging motorists to keep unattended vehicles locked, after two teenagers were apprehended for an alleged spate of thefts from vehicles.

At the end of the official fundraising launch last night for a proposed new medical centre in Twizel it was revealed nearly half the $1.8 million needed had already been raised.

Possible job losses at Aoraki Polytechnic's Oamaru and Dunedin campuses will not be made official until the institution has considered feedback from staff members.

Motuariki Island at Lake Tekapo is still smouldering following a devastating fire three days ago, and people should stay away, the Department of Conservation says.