Hamish MacLean

​For nearly three decades, Kakanui's Debbie Shields was the friendly face at Awamoa Clothing. Hamish MacLean catches up with another North Otago local legend.

Oamaru's Tongan community probably all have family members suffering in the aftermath of the category 4 storm that ripped through the islands at the start of the week, Oamaru Tongan Community president Hotili Asi says.

An Australian motorcyclist was dumbfounded yesterday after waking up next to his broken-down bike in Oamaru's main street with a $200 freedom camping ticket.

Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher was not among the 22 mayors to receive an invitation from Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis to hash out solutions in Wellington next month to the country's freedom camping problem.

A farmer's decision to burn ''about six big heaps of rubbish, spread all around the paddock'', during a total fire ban prompted firefighters to turn out to a farm near Maheno yesterday afternoon.

As Central Otago booms, the communities in the Waitaki Valley will soon hold "visioning meetings" to learn how ratepayers want to deal with the expected growth in their region.