Sally Rae

About 50 hardy swimmers braved the waters of Friendly Bay at Oamaru Harbour yesterday, for the annual Port FM Local midwinter swim.

Ryan Craig is on the road again.

The Waimate District Council says it made a "genuine error" when filling out statistics, which meant it appeared near the bottom of the list for processing resource consents on time.

Crime figures in Waitaki are down because of partnerships formed in the district, Waitaki community safety officer Alison Banks says.

Sandra Hawkins may have been involved with the Scouting movement for 25 years but she has no plans for retirement.

Delegates at a recent national New Zealand Automobile Association conference were "appalled" at the condition of stock underpasses in the Waitaki district, North Otago AA district chairman Graeme Dodd says.

A play illustrating some of the consequences of teenage binge drinking will premiere at Waitaki Boys High School next Thursday night.

A bargain garage-sale find has turned into an important piece of North Otago motoring history.

Once you think about retiring, you've had it," says prominent Oamaru artist Colin Wheeler, who turns 90 today.

The options of closing Otepopo School at Herbert or merging it with another school are not favoured by staff and parents.

"Colour and attitude are going to get us there," Waitaki Girls High School pupil Rose Elphinstone-Hayes declared as she and her friends strode along State Highway 83 on Saturday pulling a bath.

Linda McCallum-Jackson's computer has been in overdrive.

"I'll stand out among the others, I think", the Wizard of New Zealand muses as he discusses going to Government House later this year to receive his Queen's Service Medal.

Summit Wool Spinners is calling for up to 30 more voluntary redundancies and 200 staff will take a paid eight-day break this month.

Omarama's war casualties may finally get more public recognition with a proposal to erect a war memorial in the township.

Splish, splash, four girls are taking a bath - all the way to Omarama.

Two Otago teachers have earned trips to far-flung parts of the world.

Being able to play the didgeridoo sounds difficult enough, without adding a mandolin to the mix.