Hamish MacLean

A bird may have caused up to 8000 North Otago homes and businesses to go without electricity for several hours yesterday afternoon, after a circuit tripped at Transpower's Oamaru substation.

Power has been restored to Oamaru and other outlying areas in North Otago following a big outage from early this afternoon.

Finding a solution to the Waitaki Resource Recovery Trust's current cash crunch could mean Waitaki residents will have to bin plastics they now recycle.

Four-term Waitaki district councillor Peter Garvan will not seek re-election in the coming local body elections.

The Waitaki Whitestone Geopark Trust has withdrawn its application to become a Unesco Global Geopark.

More than 200 people came through the doors at the Oamaru Islamic Centre yesterday to find out more about the Islamic faith and the people who practise the religion in Oamaru.

A crowd of about 60 people gathered in Lower Thames St, in front of Oamaru's courthouse, yesterday, to remember the more than 250 people killed in the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka.

The young adult male Fiordland crested penguin, or tawaki, released from Oamaru earlier this month, has travelled about 500km in just over two weeks at sea.

Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher does not like the term "master plan" for the new plan proposed for Oamaru Airport.

Approved projects at Oamaru Harbour are not on hold as the Waitaki District Council prepares a master plan for the area.

Construction at the entrance to Oamaru Harbour could continue for the next two months, Waitaki District Council assets group manager Neil Jorgensen says.

The 20 "informed participants" to take part in next month's Oamaru Harbour master plan workshops have been chosen by the Waitaki District Council.

The two boat ramps beside the slipway at Oamaru Harbour are property of the North Otago Yacht and Power Boat Club, the Waitaki District Council's harbour area committee has agreed.

KiwiRail has confirmed its old gasworks building in Humber St will be demolished. The two- to three-week process will begin on Monday, strategic land use general manager Stephanie Campbell says. 

The beach at Katiki Straight is a popular stop for visitors.

A small village sprang up at Willow Park, Papakaio, on Saturday.

And then there were none.