Hamish MacLean

A group of 40 people celebrated 125 years of the Blind Foundation in New Zealand at the South Otago Town and Country Club, in Balclutha, on Saturday.

The greatest challenge facing rural firefighters in Clutha is fleet safety as no fully operational water tankers are in service between Dunedin and Clutha Valley.

A 19-year-old  woman driving a ute which skidded off the road and rolled into a paddock has told of the panicked minutes before she was rescued from the smoking vehicle by a passer-by.

Clutha ratepayers will pay the same amount for water services right across the district after the district council approved the controversial ''same service, same charge'' policy in its long-term plan yesterday.

Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan is not to blame for a missed opportunity for a new museum in Milton, Clutha District Council chief executive Steve Hill says.

Young Clutha residents (from left) James Witt (14), of Balclutha, Joe Pepper (14), of Milton, youth councillor Ashton Tourell (16), of Balclutha, logo competition winner Blake Peoples (14), of Kaitangata, youth council chairwoman Terri Thomas (17), of Milton, and youth councillor Abby Clarke (17), of Owaka, show off the logo Blake designed for Clutha youth at the Clutha Youth Logo Launch and competition awards ceremony in Balclutha on Wednesday.