A person has been seriously injured in a fire at a wrecker’s yard in Napier’s Onekawa industrial district A pall of black smoke was visible across the city Fire and Emergency NZ Napier senior station officer Dan Nesbit said three people had been in the open steel workshop Hato Hone St John said one person was taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital in Hastings in a serious condition Two appliances from the nearby Napier station were quickly on the scene and another was on its way from Hastings when the fire was brought under control within half an hour A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said firefighters arrived to find a car on fire in the shed behind the Wakefield St club of the Hawke’s Bay Indoor Bowling Centre and about 10 metres from the nearest building was fought externally due to the risk of roof collapse A “couple” of businesses self-evacuated as a precaution The owner of a Thorn Pl business backing onto the scene was unaffected Wakefield St traffic was blocked between Leyland and Niven streets during the fire which was being investigated by a fire safety officer and Worksafe The Saturday closure comes amid a proposal to shut Napier Library for at least two years Neighbours saw “a ball” of flame shooting up from a Napier home during a suspicious fire early Wednesday morning Two fire crews attended the “well-involved” fire at a single-story home on Riverbend Rd in Onekawa Fire and Emergency NZ communications centre shift manager Carlos Dempsey said everyone was accounted for with no injuries reported and a specialist fire investigator was attending to determine a cause Napier senior station officer Bruce Botherway said the fire was being treated as suspicious and police were involved Botherway said the fire itself was contained quickly and firefighters were on the scene for about 90 minutes said he got up about 4.30am to go to the toilet and let his cat outside When he opened the door he saw flames coming from his neighbour’s home “[The flames] were coming straight out in a ball,” he said He evacuated with his housemate and said the two people who were living inside the burning home also evacuated safely by the time he got outside “It is something different that is for real,” he said He said firefighters were quickly on the scene and put out the fire He said it did not spread to any neighbouring homes including his own Three police vehicles were parked outside the property as of 9am A Rotorua retirement community is spreading early Christmas cheer by doing up old and broken bicycles so they look as good as new for delighted school children Arvida Glenbrae residents say the project has taken on a life of its own and they have now given out dozens of bikes to kids and local charities The retirees say they enjoy drawing on their decades worth of DIY knowledge and seeing happy youngsters zoom off on their new wheels Chance Kemp and Karlie Takuira from Mokoia Intermediate were the first to get bikes "It looks cool and I'm excited to ride on them," Reon said I was riding one day and then I fell over and the bike was on the road and someone ran it over." The retirement home has given about 20 bikes to Mokoia intermediate Resident Gerald Allen has been helping clean the bikes and fitting them with new tyres and parts He enjoyed the process - but said the bikes were much more complicated to fix up then they used to be back in his day "The old bikes you could tie them together with a piece of number 8 wire but you couldn't do these ones that way," Allen said Chris Carrothers has also been helping out - he said seeing the kids faces when they were given the bikes was priceless Carlo Lumapas is the assistant wellness partner at Glenbrae but he is also pretty handy at fixing bikes but before long they had upcycled more bikes than they knew what to do with Giving bikes to those kids that unfortunately they don't have one Seeing them riding their bike - it's beyond words." Village manager Maria Jay said with Christmas coming up it felt like a good time to spread some cheer "Knowing how challenging it's been for a lot of families out there it seemed like a really good time of year to just give free bikes away that have been made with lots of love .. we were hoping there'd be some children out there that would enjoy that." The village have also given some bikes to Women's Refuge and the Salvation Army Jay said there were another 20 bikes in need of repair which the residents would get stuck into at the start of the new year Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News If you're looking for some beautiful loop walks this summer travel writer Peter Janssen has you covered and locals have planted out plants which are special to that area that are only from that eastern Bay of Plenty "Then you go up to the first pā site that's Onekawa "There's a glow worm dell where an enormous pōhutukawa shades a small cliff down which water trickles through lush mosses." 45-minute return walk takes in the Whakapapa River While heavily milled in the early 20th century "The beauty of the bush along the river and around the small Ohinetonga lagoon was recognised early and was created as a reserve in 1921 without being milled." The track meanders through dense bush to a huge old tōtara tree then drops downhill to a lagoon where a boardwalk crosses still waters entirely enclosed by dense native bush calm and completely protected by huge trees the first section of the track passes through fine tawa forest with lush groves of nīkau palms and several huge rimu There are QR codes along the way [that] allow you to listen to native bird calls." and through the earthquake it became shallower This flat and easy 90-minute loop is in Burwood The wetland is gradually being restored with an energetic planting and weed-removal programme There is even a bird hide for serious bird watchers An easy 90-minute loop located within Pūponga Farm Park a working farm at the base of the spit which acts both as a buffer to preserve its delicate ecosystem and as an area of outstanding beauty in its own right Police chanced on $2.2 million worth of methamphetamine when they went to a Napier property with an arrest warrant Two Public Safety Team officers went to the Onekawa house about 6.45pm on Tuesday looking for a 19-year-old man who had a warrant for his arrest As the pair approached the house they saw a firearm through a window Police said they found a AK-47 machine gun said the amount of methamphetamine was significant If sold on the streets it would be worth about $2.2 million "This was exceptional work by the officers involved," he said "They were at the property to undertake a fairly routine policing task but they were also focused on the bigger picture." Two patched gang members aged 19 and 34 were arrested and face a number of drugs and firearms related charges They were due to appear in Hastings District Court on Wednesday A mixed boys' and girls' team from YMP Waka Ama won the Tairāwhiti district's first gold medal of the Waka Ama NZ Sprint Nationals at Lake Karapiro last week They won the taitama (midget boys') W12 250m te ihu (championship) final on the Monday standing (from left): Te Waikohurangi Ria-Smith chairman of the executive board of the governing council of the Waikato Tainui tribal confederation “New kids on the block” YMP gave notice to their more established opponents at the Waka Ama NZ sprint nationals: here they come An eight-team YMP Waka Ama contingent returned to Tairāwhiti from the week-long championships at Lake Karapiro last week with eight medals Their six-gold/two-silver haul put them fourth on the medal table – this from a club formed within the past decade and aimed mainly at youth “We’re focused on building our kids,” club president David Jones said club captain Nancy Tarawa and treasurer Courtney Onekawa started the club in 2015 in time to send “about five teams” to the sprint nationals in January 2016 Tarawa and Onekawa had all been trained in their youth by Mareikura Waka Ama Club founder and waka ama pioneer Matahi Brightwell and had paddled with Kiwi Campbell before she moved to the fledgling Horouta Waka Hoe Club “While we were with Mareikura there was always a dream – set up a club and bring it home to Manutuke,” Jones said “We had a conversation with Kiwi about the club – she was a YMP netballer – and she had a conversation with her Horouta clubmates,” Jones said “We started with two waka we borrowed from Horouta for a year or two “We didn’t really have heaps of numbers because we wanted to focus on building some quality and instilling values into our kids values are important – knowing who you are determination and a whole lot of training you will get results “Those values sit within Te Ao Māori [the Māori world view] .. having a true sense of self and the value of community I think working for and supporting your community is important We say that because our coaches come from the community “Some people have come home specifically to support the community and to give back “We have won medals throughout the life of the club but this year we’ve done really well It’s a testament to all the hard work that’s happened over the years Some of the teams would have a significant proportion of their crews returning next year “Last year our midgets got a silver medal,” Jones said over half of that team will be in the midget division for at least another season with our intermediate boys’ and girls’ teams “Our intermediate girls’ team didn’t get any medals but this is their first year in that division “The Junior 16 men’s team won the 1000-metre turns race They missed out on the medals at the world sprint champs in Hawaii last year but have made their mark this year “All our clubs in Gisborne know it takes a lot of work sacrifice and commitment – a lot of time on the water – to be successful.” The state of city rivers following sewage discharges related to heavy rain and sewer blockages posed challenges to YMP’s training for the sprint nationals “Before Christmas we had to pack up and take the kids to Ōpōtiki for three days to train there and the week before the champs we had to put waka on trailers and drive to Tolaga Bay,” he said “We’re thankful to the people in Ōpōtiki and Tolaga Bay who allowed us to go and train on their rivers.” presenter and election-night anchor for Māori Television has worked for and with iwi both as a chief executive and consultant and now does consultancy work for companies and government and non-government agencies splitting his time between London and Gisborne He went to Manutuke School and Gisborne Boys’ High School and is happy to be helping with the realisation of the YMP Waka Ama dream Jones wanted to thank YMP’s team of coaches: Kiana Ria Petra and Ropoama Hape and head coach Nancy Tarawa when its community officially adopted the rugby club Manutuke has been the home territory of YMP The Young Māori Party (YMP) was not an organised political party but an affiliation of like-minded individuals – most notably James Carroll (Ngāti Kahungunu) also known as Peter Buck (Ngāti Mutunga) – who promoted Māori social advancement They encouraged the revival of Māori culture and the formation of sports and cultural groups All four were knighted for their public service The full name of YMP is sometimes given as Young Māori Players BIZminton 2025 starts this week for social and competitive badminton players One of six bags of methamphetamine found at an Onekawa address in Napier Two patched gang members have been arrested after cash, drugs and $2.2 million worth of methamphetamine was found during a search in Hawke’s Bay A 19-year-old and 34-year-old are facing drug and firearms charges after the Napier raid on Tuesday night and were to appear in Hastings District Court on Wednesday Police said two public Safety Team (PST) officers and a Tactical Dog Team got a lot more than they bargained for when they arrived at an Onekawa address about 6.45 pm looking for a 19-year-old man with a warrant for his arrest officers obtained and executed a search warrant at the property “This was exceptional work by the officers involved,” Eastern District Crime Services Manager Detective Inspector Martin James said “They were at the property to undertake a fairly routine policing task but they were also focused on the bigger picture.” James said spotting the firearm was a big win for community safety “We’ve removed two firearms from the streets and the amount of methamphetamine found at this address is significant – it is equivalent to an estimated 275,000 doses “If this had been sold to users within our community The retail value of the meth was about $2.2 million “That’s $2.2 million that will not be going into the pockets of gang members to further their criminal activities and victimisation of vulnerable people in our towns.” A Napier coffee cart stolen in a brazen nightime theft has been found The owners of the Boost Espresso cart said they’re rapt - and are grateful for the support of the community after it was sighted in Onekawa and reported by a member of the public Bruce McKenzie got a text about 7.30pm on Thursday with the good news It had been taken for fingerprints and on Friday morning it wasn’t clear if any coffee equipment was stolen or damaged McKenzie’s partner Susan Ardill said she felt a “boost in our thoughts on the community and the help they provided to get it back to us “Napier rallied together and the result has been fantastic.” the owner of Boost Espresso’s five food and coffee wagons rushed straight to his security system to see what had happened when he awoke to see his cart was gone as the footage showed a thief breaking off the trailer lock about 9pm on Wednesday They then hitched up the coffee cart onto a vehicle and drove off McKenzie said the cart was usually parked elsewhere but was at a Cumberland Rise Taradale address for about a week because he was between jobs Also at the address were four other food and coffee wagons that he takes to the Napier Farmers’ Market He earlier said there was “probably $15,000 worth of equipment inside - a coffee machine and other little bits and pieces that add up.” Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings and Central Hawke’s Bay newsrooms She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and has a love for sharing stories about farming and rural communities Onekawa School principal Steve Bloor with Year 6 students Havana Falaniko (left) and Freddi Robson in the willow hut Rusted monkey bars and old metal slides are nowhere to be seen at Onekawa School in Napier breathing entity that will grow with its students The school opened its brand-new nature-oriented playscape on Monday after four years of hard work and delays with a karakia by Mana Ahuriri chairman Te Kaha Hawaikirangi the brown branches of willow huts will be covered in green foliage by next summer The playscape was designed around natural elements and includes a dry riverbed It also includes a sandpit and outdoor stage Guests included Napier MP Katie Nimon The generous efforts of Team Pipi and funding from Pub Charity the Lion Foundation and the Trillian Trust were all acknowledged by Onekawa School Board of Trustees presiding officer Anna Wairama on Monday “This playscape will not only enhance our awesome school aesthetically but also provide a space where all tamariki will be able to learn explore and grow throughout their educational journey here at Onekawa School now and in the future,” she said Onekawa School principal Steve Bloor said the playscape was a fantastic resource for tamariki and the wider Onekawa community and would enhance the concept of “learning through play” will host the Farmer of the Year Field Day Hawke’s Bay’s 2024 Farmers of the Year will host a celebration of achievements and innovations in Hawke’s Bay farming The 2024 Silver Fern Farms Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year Field Day will be held at Michael and Karen Toulmin’s farm at 231 Glenross Road in Waiwhare starting at 10am on Tuesday They will showcase their farm and share insights into their successful farming practices while attendees can discuss sustainability said the society was “thrilled” to hold the event again after a year hiatus “This Field Day not only honours their achievements but also serves as an inspiration and learning opportunity for the entire farming community,” Milmine said and a $10 lunch pack needs to be pre-ordered Motorcyclists dressed in their most dapper attire atop vintage and classic vehicles will rock the streets of Napier for a good cause The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride involves vintage and classic motorcyclists across the world riding to raise funds for causes including men’s mental health and prostate cancer This year all proceeds go to the Movember foundation So far 58 riders have registered for the Napier ride starting 9am on May 19 All those who want to participate as a rider must be registered at The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride website to view local ride details Police are still appealing for sightings of a 66-year-old Central Hawke’s Bay man missing for over a month was last seen in the Ōtāne area on April 4 The most recent public update from police on April 30 said there have been possible sightings of him in Central Hawke’s Bay and Havelock North and information suggesting he may have travelled to Ruatoria A police spokeswoman confirmed Taka was still missing as of Thursday “Police and Pat’s family have concerns for his wellbeing and urge anyone with information on his whereabouts to call 105 and reference file number 240416/0517,” the April 30 statement said A youth was arrested after a “disorder” in the Napier suburb of Marewa A police statement said one other person was taken to hospital in a serious condition after the incident around 5.20pm on Tuesday Police inquiries were ongoing to establish what happened and charges were being considered A police spokeswoman confirmed the arrested person was a youth and charges had not been laid as of Thursday A St John spokeswoman said one person was treated and transported to Hawke’s Bay Hospital in a critical condition A Te Whatu Ora Hawke’s Bay spokeswoman said a man in his 50s was discharged from Hawke’s Bay Hospital as of Wednesday People in Hawke’s Bay can now light outdoor fires without a permit from Fire and Emergency Hawke’s Bay An open fire season began this week for the entire Hawke’s Bay District FENZ revoked the restricted fire season for Tararua East and Hawke’s Bay Coast at midday on Tuesday Acting District Manager Jason Hill said lower temperatures across Tararua East and Hawke’s Bay Coast had reduced the wildfire danger we still expect people to take care when lighting outdoor fires It is important to ensure they are well controlled and safe,” Hill said Hill advised people to get their chimneys swept and cleaned before the first fire of the season have working smoke alarms and remember to turn electric blankets off before bed A man has been charged with assault and a firearm-related offence after being arrested near Napier some 400km from where the incident unfolded Hawke’s Bay police arrested a 23-year-old man who had allegedly earlier assaulted a woman and presented a firearm at a Counties Manukau address Hawke’s Bay police received information that the man The vehicle he was in was stopped by police in Eskdale The man was located in the back of the vehicle and arrested Other occupants of the vehicle were compliant A firearm was also located in the vehicle and seized The man was due in Hastings District Court on Monday charged with assault convening a protection order and unlawfully possessing a firearm Hirepool and charity Sustainable Coastlines have teamed up with local councils community groups and businesses to bring the Hirepool Big Clean event to the Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay coastline on Sunday from 9am Organisers are encouraging volunteers to register for the event at Napier’s Waitangi Park on Sustainable Coastlines’ website Hirepool and Sustainable Coastlines will work alongside Sustainable Hawke’s Bay Hawke’s Bay Regional and District Councils Save the Dotterels and Ātea-a-Rangi Educational Trust to support their efforts to protect the local environment family-friendly day out that enables locals to look after the beaches they love Everything will be provided including health and safety documents Napier and Hastings are now relaxing water restrictions – in all areas of Hastings and everywhere except for Bay View in Napier Bay View will stay under some water restrictions (Level 3 sprinkler ban) while the rest of Napier and Hastings move to Level 1 Bay View is being moved to Level 3 due to an issue in the water supply pipe that is still be remedied A leak was found in the pipe running underneath Te Whanganui a Orotu Residents are asked to continue to conserve water where possible due to the ongoing dry conditions and no significant rain forecast for the near future Hawke’s Bay’s strong role in the Black Sticks’ New Zealand men’s and women’s hockey teams continues with eight players named for upcoming NIH Nations Cup tournaments in Europe Already established internationals Dominic Dixon, Sean Findlay, Sam Hiha and Jonty Elmes have been named in the team for the men’s tournament in Poland on May 31-June 9, part of the preparation for the Olympic Games in France two months later With the women concentrating on re-establishing a place in the upper order globally after failing to qualify for the Olympics Emma Findlay and Olivia Shannon have retained their places for the women’s Nations Cup tournament in Spain on June 3-9 Firefighters quickly suppressed a fire in a vat at Burger Wisconsin in Havelock North on Tuesday Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman Murray Dunbar said three fire trucks were called to a Havelock Rd eatery about 3.50pm and used a CO2 blanket and other methods to put it out Emergency services and NZ Transport Agency crews were called to assist with the cleanup after a truck hit and killed a horse near Waipukurau The incident on State Highway 2 was reported just after 10.30pm An NZTA Waka Kotahi spokesman said the road was cleared just after midnight “The road did not close however motorists were advised to drive with caution through the accident site,” the spokesman said A police spokesman said there were no human injuries Police inquiries into the incident are ongoing The ASICS Runaway Hawkes Bay Marathon is taking place on Saturday with the event running from 6am to 4pm The race will start at Anderson Park in Napier and finish at Elephant Hill Estate and Winery in Te Awanga Road closures will be in place from 6am and will be removed as the race is completed For a full map of the road closures in place please visit Hawke’s Bay Marathon’s live map here Resident’s access and exit will be available from time to time during the event when it is safe to do so There will be no on street parking available within any of the road closure areas An Onekawa store was broken into in the early hours on Monday A police spokesman said they were notified of the burglary at a store in Taradale Rd shortly before 1.40am those involved then left the scene in another vehicle,” he said Police are making inquiries into the incident Fire investigators are looking into a house fire in the Napier suburb of Pirimai A Fire and Emergency spokesman said firefighters responded to the incident at one of the units at a two-unit property at 5.53pm on Sunday Napier senior station officer Bruce Botherway said two fire trucks from Napier one from Hastings and the Fenz Hawke’s Bay recovery team attended the “minor” fire in Clarence Cox Cres that was extinguished in about 30 minutes Botherway said the occupants had not been home but returned shortly after the fire was extinguished The unit was left with heat and smoke damage throughout The fire was still under investigation as of Monday morning and Botherway could not confirm the cause or whether the fire was considered suspicious One person was seriously injured in a Hastings crash over the weekend Police received reports of a two-vehicle crash in Albert St about 8pm on Sunday A police spokesman said the road was completely blocked for about an hour A St John spokeswoman said several people were assessed by ambulance staff and one person was taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital in a serious condition A Te Whatu Ora Hawke’s Bay spokeswoman said a man in his 60s was assessed by staff at Hawke’s Bay Hospital and discharged Motorists using State Highway 50 between Takapau and Ongaonga are likely to notice crews installing roadside safety barriers and rumble strips over the next few weeks Crews will be onsite near Ashley Clinton just south of Tukituki River Bridge from Thursday preparing for the installation of the barrier Around 200 metres of barrier will be installed on the southbound lane of the highway crews will install rumble strips on the stretch of SH50 from Ongaonga to Takapau there will be stop/go traffic management in place and lower temporary speed limits between 30 km/h and 70km/h from 6am to 6pm NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said drivers can expect delays of up to 10 minutes as a result of the work Senior project manager Chris Mahoney acknowledged the temporary delays will be frustrating “Ultimately these safety improvements will help reduce the possibility of crashes in the area and minimise the risk of injuries from any crashes.” The work is due to be completed by the end of June this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read New World Onekawa owners Jess and Ant Pederson - the latter of whom is a former professional motorsport driver - are aiming to put their supermarket in pole position with their competitive racing mindsets Both underwent a career spin to enter the supermarket ownership game in 2017 with Jess leaving a fulltime job as a registered nurse and Ant moving on from working as a former professional motorsport driver and fulltime chartered accountant “Our parents are business owners themselves so they provided a bit of inspiration around business ownership,” Ant He said they had to decide whether he’d pursue a racing career in Australia or they’d go into supermarket ownership with Foodstuffs before ultimately purchasing their first Four Square while Jess was pregnant with their first child The couple moved to Hawke’s Bay to take over a new larger store to be closer to family and because they saw potential in the store convinced him to return to the scene with him in 2021 He said the commitments of running a supermarket and spending time with his children but he soon decided he could return to racing in occasional “low-key” domestic competitions It is this competitive mindset that he’s applying to New World Onekawa We just want to win and provide the best shopping experience for the community,” Ant said The couple said they were “impressed” by their team of staff and the community, who have been through Covid, the Napier floods in 2020, Cyclone Gabrielle a whole store refurbishment and a change in ownership we had a raft of initiatives to try to solidify that relationship between store and community because this is a big store and this is a bigger city,” Ant said James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. Email him at james.pocock@nzme.co.nz SENTENCED: A man has been jailed after he held up a female shopkeeper with a knife at the Onekawa dairy on Maadi Rd in March The man who robbed an Onekawa dairy at knifepoint and then tied up the shopkeeper with shoelaces has been jailed for three years and nine months held up a female shopkeeper at the Maadi Rd dairy on March 30 this year demanding cash and cigarettes as he held her at knifepoint he got away with $1200 in cash and 80 packets of cigarettes leaving the woman face down on the store room floor with her wrists bound with shoelaces police executed a search warrant at his home and after finding the knife and clothing he wore arrested and charged him with the aggravated robbery was found and Apatu admitted he used it to smoke the class A drug He appeared before Judge Geoff Rea in the Napier District Court on Friday for sentencing on one charge each of aggravated robbery possessing methamphetamine utensils and receiving stolen property The judge told the court it was another "very sad" case of a young person getting himself into a situation He said the woman had "feared for her life" and undoubtedly suffered as a result of the robbery The strongest indicator that it was a planned attack was the fact he had brought the shoelaces he eventually used to tie the woman up with him to the dairy "Whether it is the drugs that are making you do it I have no idea at all but I hope you've had an opportunity to reflect on the terrible position you've put this woman in." Apatu had told police he committed the robbery to get money for his partner's birthday Defence lawyer Eric Forster told the court his client had made friends with his neighbours who were "significant players" in the distribution market of methamphetamine in Napier "He's become heavily addicted and done something completely out of character He's a person with good prospects and has good family support." He said the offending had "devastated" his family some of whom were sitting in the public gallery and submitted his client should get a discount for his remorse and early guilty plea Judge Rea passed a sentence of three years and nine months' imprisonment which reflected a 25 per cent discount for the guilty plea It was the courts' responsibility to send a strong message to the community that this type of offending wasn't tolerated He ordered the destruction of the knife but could not order the defendant to pay reparation due to his jail term saying "once again the complainant misses out" Detective Amy Bryant said crime prevention wasn't something police could do alone requiring commitment and support from the community "Crimes such as this are unacceptable as they have a serious impact on small business owners and communities "Police are committed to working with the community to prevent crime however should a crime be committed they work tirelessly to hold those responsible to account." Nourished for Nil founder Christina McBeth (right) stands with social supermarket manager Lisa Hammond at the site of Hawke's Bay's new social supermarket in Onekawa A “trailblazing” low-cost initiative to combat food insecurity has made its way to Hawke’s Bay an unassuming building in Napier’s industrial area will be transformed into the region’s first social supermarket a place where people who typically use a foodbank service can choose what items they want as opposed to receiving a traditional food parcel It’s being spearheaded by local food rescue non-profit Nourished for Nil in partnership with Foodstuffs and various local food suppliers Nourished for Nil founder Christina McBeth said the organisation was approached by Foodstuffs about a year ago about being a partner the organisation was a “bit hesitant” because it was a different framework from what they were usually involved in even though it would be addressing the same societal challenges partnering with Pak’nSave Tamatea to get the ball rolling on the premise at 47 Edmundson St A social supermarket runs on a points-based system with heavily subsidised food for sale which McBeth says is about “dignity and choice” “We don’t want this to become an alternative to shopping and all people do from now on A client is referred by an agency or connector and given a certain number of points depending on how many people are in the family “A single individual is automatically given 55 points A large family could get up to 75 points,” McBeth said The items on the shelf have a points value so people shop with their points rather than money There will be an up-front minimum spend of $20 Points for items would be equivalent to supermarket prices “Between $0-2 is one point and $2-4 is two points so you’re going to find things like meat for four or five points because that’s the equivalent you will find in a supermarket,” McBeth said Access to the store would be granted once every month for a period of nine months but this is subject to change depending on community response Napier’s social supermarket will be the eighth for Pak’nSave owners Foodstuffs North Island It is being set up on existing Nourished for Nil leased property in Onekawa which is really handy because we haven’t had to take on a new lease or anything like that,” McBeth said The organisation said it would build up a volunteer base accordingly McBeth said it was timely considering the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle “We have families today that a year ago were not in the situation they are in and that’s all due to the cyclone There is a huge amount of hardship not at all helped by inflation and the fact Hawke’s Bay was hit hard.” Foodstuffs North Island Social Supermarket lead Willa Hand said the group had been wanting to bring the project to the region for a long time and were fortunate to be working with Nourished for Nil “Our local stores have supported Christina and the team for a number of years when we were providing Pak’nSave gift cards to those most affected,,” she said “Nourished for Nil are doing some epic mahi in the community and this social supermarket which is the first of its kind for the region is going to be a real game changer by providing dignity and choice for families who need a helping hand.” McBeth said Nourished for Nil were still on the lookout for help from local growers manufacturers and volunteers to help run the store and provide food for free or at a discounted price Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things It took at least five security officers to restrain Hemi Taylor after he was sentenced The sentencing of the man behind a 12-hour standoff in Napier with Hemi Taylor having to be dragged out of the dock by court security Taylor emerged from an Alexander Ave house carrying a baby at 1.30am on June 25 after an 12-hour standoff that saw several blocks of Napier cordoned off who previously pled guilty to charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a firearm related to the standoff appeared before Judge Tony Adeane in Napier District Court on Tuesday for sentencing Adeane sentenced Taylor to two years and five months for possession and 18 months for discharging the firearm Five court security officers were involved in restraining Taylor after he refused to leave the dock following Adeane's decision Taylor appeared to attempt to punch the officers Adeane earlier said mitigating factors in the sentence included Taylor's early plea he said the involvement of an infant in the case was serious citing a similar situation in which a 2-year-old girl was killed by her parent which resulted in a 12-hour lockdown in the Napier suburb of Onekawa before Taylor emerged with a baby He said Taylor's remorse was still to be tested He said Taylor was paranoid at the time of the stand-off after he had consumed methamphetamine he was supposed to transport from Napier to Gisborne for the Mongrel Mob On June 24 he and his partner visited her mother where he took out a cut off shot-gun and yelled gang slogans The resulting stand-off lasted 12 hours ending at 1.30am when Taylor agreed to surrender Firefighters were called to the scene on Maadi Rd near the Aquatic Centre at around 4.45am to reports of bushes on fire Police are investigating suspicious scrub fires that were lit in Onekawa early Monday morning Firefighters were called to the scene on Maadi Rd near the Aquatic Centre at about 4.45am to reports of bushes on fire Crews extinguished the blaze within 15mins but deemed it suspicious with Police confirming that they are investigating and that enquires are ongoing Police on Waterworth Ave in Onekawa on Monday afternoon after the alleged brawl Four people were injured in three attacks in Napier within 24 hours The road rage-related machete attack, a group brawl and a dairy hold-up all happened between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. Three people were taken to hospital, including one man with a bloodied hand allegedly from a machete In that incident, police say the man was attacked in what appeared to be a road-rage incident in the industrial area of Pandora about 8.20am on Tuesday along Thames St Several police vehicles were near the scene soon after and the victim could be seen with a bandage and blood visible on his right hand as he spoke to police A police officer at the scene said the man had been attacked by someone with a machete during an apparent road-rage incident The man in his 30s was taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital in a moderate condition by Hato Hone St John Ambulance A 46-year-old man has been arrested following the attack He has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and wilful damage In a separate incident on Monday afternoon three people were injured and two taken to hospital after an alleged group brawl in another part of Napier Police were called to the alleged fight about 3.10pm involving a group of people on Waterworth Ave in Onekawa A witness said there were armed police visible on the street about 4pm A Hato Hone St John spokesman said two patients were taken to Hawke’s Bay Hospital after the incident One was in a serious condition and the other in a moderate condition A police statement said one person was reported to have been seen “with what appeared to be a firearm” No firearm had yet been recovered and police said none of the injuries were from a gunshot Police arrested one person on an unrelated matter and inquiries were continuing Hawke’s Bay Hospital said one person presented to hospital who was discharged the same night as the incident police were called to an aggravated robbery at Pirimai Plaza Dairy on Bill Hercock St A dairy worker was threatened and forced to hand over money left in a vehicle which police spotted travelling towards Hastings “The driver failed to stop when signalled and continued at speed through Hastings and then across to Flaxmere.” the vehicle was stopped on Portsmouth Rd in Flaxmere “The victim of the aggravated robbery is understandably shaken but did everything right by following instructions and alerting police as soon as it was safe to do so,” the spokesman said A 20-year-old man has been charged with failing to stop and was due in Hastings District Court on Tuesday Inquiries are continuing and further charges are likely A representative at the dairy declined to comment Napier City Council is set to spend $500,00 to investigate the Onekawa Aquatic Centre site's suitability for expansion $500,000 set aside for a multi-million dollar aquatic centre at Prebensen Dr could now be spent on investigating an expansion of Napier's existing Onekawa pool site In an agenda item for Wednesday's extraordinary meeting council noted the funding would be used for a site investigation of Onekawa Park a concept design of one option on Onekawa Park and consultation with the community on the concept design The Onekawa Aquatic Centre site off Menin Rd sits on an old landfill A council spokesperson said the investigations would be completed by an external contractor and would be focused on "geotechnical factors and contamination" to understand the site conditions in greater detail "These investigations will be completed by an external contractor." The council said it was too early to tell how long the research into the site would take but said investigations and options were "confined to Prebensen/Tamatea Drive site and Onekawa" Napier mayor Bill Dalton campaigned for the closure and demolition of the Onekawa site saying it would not be safe to build on the site Dalton said a person with a PhD and had worked for the US Government for 15 years on contaminated sites had " absolutely stated he would not open up that ground and he would not build a pool on the Onekawa site" The decision to effectively spend public money investigating whether this is true or not continues a long-lasting saga to try to expand Napier's aquatic facilities Kirsten Wise (now mayor) and several candidates in last year's local body elections promised and then voted to block the more than $40m Prebensen Dr pool favoured by the previous council That was despite a judge's finding delivered on April 30 against those involved in a public-initiated judicial review that the 2016-19 council had acted properly in reaching previous decisions focusing on a new development That was sparked when in April 2019 acting mayor Faye White used a casting vote supporting putting the project out to tender to undertake investigations and design at the current Onekawa site It was noted that the council was conscious of the widespread community interest around progressing the previously proposed Napier Aquatic Centre development and wished to reconsider the various options The council is now consulting on its draft Annual Plan 2020/21 and the issue is set to be debated at an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday As part of that it has been asked to approve a transfer of $500,000 to 2020/21 from the Aquatic Expansion project fund to enable further investigations at the Onekawa Site Rotorua's Darryn Onekawa lowered one of his 58cm biceps bent his legs - each thigh about 78cm around picked up giggling daughter Aaliyah and held her like a delicate doll against his barrel chest It's from his sixth place finish at the recent 2017 Arnold Classic Australia bodybuilding championships in Melbourne - a top finish that reclaimed his No1 New Zealand bodybuilder ranking Onekawa was congratulated after the show by the competition's creator - Arnold Schwarzenegger It was a "comeback competition" for Onekawa who slimmed down to 120kg and 4 per cent body fat confident smile that hadn't appeared across his face much during his time out after the athlete suffered badly from depression "I went from everything being rosy and hunky dory in my life and being at the top of my sport and then some bad stuff happened - life took a different course and I found myself right down the bottom and as a result I went through some very dark times," Onekawa said "I got to the point where I was holding a handful of pills and the thing that flashed into my mind was I've got to be there for my daughter and that scared the living s*** out of me "Depression is not something that you're like - 'yep you're all right now mate cheers' and you wake up one day and you're fine It's something that stays with you for life Depression is like a dog that sticks its claws into your back and every now and again it can try and dig its claws in again It doesn't discriminate - it doesn't matter who you are "I never thought that kind of thing could affect me but it did I was at the lowest of lows and one of the biggest things I want to be campaigning for is the importance of being able to speak up and say 'I need help At his lowest Onekawa ballooned to an "unhealthy" 160kg He said a turning point came after he was stuck in a climbing apparatus at a children's playground "Aaliyah wanted me to join in like some of the other parents were and follow her on the bigger playground adventure fun," he said "I just remember getting wedged in because of my size unfit and not in a good place mentally and physically "I just wanted to be the best dad I could be - something had to give," he said "That's why the bodybuilding show was something to aim for to use as an aid For me it was about accomplishing and working on myself mentally and physically to get better For me my goal was to be better than I was last time - but more importantly I wanted it to doing something that was bigger than just me and incorporate my daughter the motivation for me to keep pushing forward In this sport the biggest question is always 'what's your why?' My daughter is my why and I should have piggy-backed on that earlier in the dark times." It took little more than 16 weeks for Onekawa who turned professional in bodybuilding during 2009 At his peak he trained up to five hours a day at Anytime Fitness with the help of training partner - local Richie Belvie and lived off a strict diet of mainly oats "I was five years older so the body doesn't respond as quickly - I'd also ballooned in size and didn't have a lot of time to get in shape," he said "Where I drew my strength from was through my daughter and the support from my family and close friends also helped." said he "loved" being back on stage competing again and said he was inspired to incorporate his Maori roots into the original poses part of the show "It's important for me to acknowledge my ancestry and I wanted to show Maori culture on an international stage," he said "Melbourne was certainly an experience I'll not forget in a hurry and to quote Arnold himself - 'I'll be back!'" He was bullied because of his "skinny frame" and grew up playing with rugby in his school days for Rotorua Boys' High who passed away aged 59 after a heart attack that inspired the now walking muscle chart man - as if lifted from the wall of biology class and - in the search for another athletic outlet I was at home sick one day from school and my dad came home from the gym and he said 'here boy have a watch of this' I started training when I was 17 - in school I had played a lot of rugby but I wanted something else to occupy my time I went to a local gym and someone approached me and said you should try doing a bodybuilding show and the rest as they say is history." People often stare at Onekawa as if unsure if he is a man or a machine What they do not realise is that beneath the steeled exterior and self-assuredness is a sense of anxiety and vulnerability "People look at me and don't think 'oh he suffers from anxiety'," he said "There are days I don't want to get out of bed When you go 20 to 25 years with people looking at you because you're different because of the way you look that can build up over time Onekawa's 142cm chest heaved with emotion as he described his daughter as "his saving grace" "When she's with me - she changes the opinion people have of me because they see me then they see this tiny little blonde-haired blue-eyed little girl and they are like - 'oh jeez he's not that scary monster we all saw'," he said "He's just a caring loving father and he's just trying to get through one day at a time just like we all are." Where to get help ■Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7) ■Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7) ■Youthline: 0800 376 633 ■Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (Mon-Fri 1pm to 10pm Sat-Sun 3pm-10pm) ■Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 (available 24/7) ■Samaritans: 0800 726 666 If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk He piko he tuna is about resilience and love the despite challenges of life The Ex-Royal Navy Club welcomes you aboard The Ex-Royal Navy Club on Ford Road in Onekawa is easily recognised via the ageing guns on the road frontage and a flagpole flying the White Ensign considers the club to be centred around comradeship meeting up with old shipmates and welcoming visiting warship crews of any nation when they berth in Napier “It is also our pleasure to invite members of the other military personnel and civil services The club meets each Saturday from 2.15pm and on every first Saturday of the month they join with a Vietnam veterans’ group to enjoy a barbecue Phil says there is always plenty of hilarity and new members are welcome to come aboard but invariably it gets around to what happened in Singapore or Hong Kong those we knew that have passed on and those we respected and some subjects are only for sailors’ ears!” The club was built by ex-naval men in 1956-57 and was officially opened at this location on October 5 there are pictures of almost every ship that New Zealand sailors have served in over the past 80 years.” Phil says only one club member who served in World War II remains with most members serving since 1950 for periods ranging from three to 30 years tough times and yarns you might not believe but few ever say they regretted the experience.” With some members having other commitments on normal club days there are usually around 15 to 20 veterans in attendance Phil says partners can also attend if they wish and the club includes women who served in the WRNS (Women’s Royal Naval Service) “and there are two generous raffle prizes to be won each week” “We also have reunions and exchange club visits There is a monthly lunch at Taradale RSA for those who wish to attend.” contact club secretary Buzz Barham by phoning 027 446 5840 Kaitī pictured with swim instructor Chi Yeh in 2019 The Onekawa pool cat has died after 16 years roaming the edge of the water A cheeky cat which spent its life eyeing up the strokes of swimmers at a Napier pool never once showed any sign of wanting to take a dip itself Napier Aquatic Centre’s freewheeling but not freestyling “pool cat” Kaitī died last week after what is thought to be about 16 years of sharing love and affection with pool staff and attendees Customer services coordinator Jo Harber-Jones knew Kaitī well and was with her the day she arrived at the centre and the day she died we would need to write a book,” she told Hawke’s Bay Today Harber-Jones said Kaitī had called the pools home for more than a decade but started out by splitting her affections “She used to travel between us and the Onekawa School especially around lunchtime where I am sure the kids fed her well.” Once Kaitī had made the pools her permanent lodging cat doors were installed for her convenience and all the staff pitched in to take her to the vet “She quickly endeared herself to the staff and customers and would come out of her office each day to survey her surroundings and bask in the attention that everyone was more than willing to give her,” Harber-Jones said or would even sit at the front door and greet our morning customers.” Kaitī would often walk along the edge of the pools and “occasionally have a wee taste of the water” Cheese was her favourite delicacy and staff would take turns at feeding her Harber-Jones said in recent months Kaitī’s eyesight and health were failing very fast and she had begun to wander “She found it harder to keep up her daily routines oftentimes sleeping the whole day away in one of the offices.” After one wander led to Kaitī being found at the SPCA a hard decision was made to let her go this month “We agreed as a team that it was the kindest thing we could now do for her We let as many people in the community know as we could so anyone wanting to say goodbye to her had that chance,” Harber-Jones said Kaitī died last week with some staff in attendance to make her final moments as comfortable and familiar as possible to the tenderness they have all shown her in her later years and then to the kind words and stories they have been sharing with us over the past couple of weeks,” Harber-Jones said Many customers would remember the memories of Kaitī making a makeshift bed inside their swimming bag She survived two lockdowns and a cyclone and was well looked after by Harber-Jones and this is where she was happy and wanted to be,” Harber-Jones said “She was a great diversion for us on busy days and helped calm our nerves She shared her love with us when we needed it she was a cool cat and very much a part of our team for a long time.” Harber-Jones said the pool was waiting for Kaitī’s remains to be returned before they decide how to properly honour her, but for now people could get in touch and send their special memories to the Napier Aquatic Centre Facebook page. Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. The Saturday closure comes amid a proposal to shut Napier Library for at least two years. WorkSafe will not be laying charges in relation to the drowning of a two-year-old boy at a Napier council pool, Stuff reports. The boy was rushed to hospital in a critical condition after a "drowning incident" at the Napier Aquatic Centre in Onekawa on December 5 last year. He was transferred to Starship Children's Hospital where he died four days later. A WorkSafe spokeswoman told Stuff an investigation into the matter was completed in mid-August and no charges would be laid against any party involved. New adult-to-child ratio rules were introduced at the pools in June, taking effect from July 1. When asked by Hawke's Bay Today about these changes, a council spokesperson said it was "not in any way" related to the December drowning. "Council is constantly reviewing policies across all of its facilities and operations, including Napier Aquatic Centre." Council chief executive Steph Rotarangi told Stuff investigations found "no fault with the pool operation or the facility". The site is surrounded by some of the city's major business names says Mark Evans of Bayleys Hawke’s Bay who for sale by auction commencing 2pm on Thursday July 4 Featured in Bayleys’ latest Total Property portfolio magazine has a Napier City Council rating valuation of $740,000 giving drive -through options for businesses using B-train vehicles the greenfield site connects to Prebensen Dr and the SH2 expressway linking Napier Port and the airport as well as providing easy access to the CBD Onekawa is Napier’s main industrial area and is about 4km south-west of the city centre between the western side of Taradale Rd and SH2 “The area is well established with a mix of small to medium sized industrial businesses ranging through to service and commercial activities,”  Evans says “The bare land provides an opportunity for a developer to subdivide an owner-occupier to design and build premises or a land-banker to have the long-term benefit of controlling the site for key port clients or warehousing and third party logistics firms needing to expand Evans says the industrial property is “the darling” of the commercial property sector Industrial property is now the most sought-after sector for developers and investors in New Zealand “And Hawke's Bay has a limited number of medium to large industrial sites available “Napier has even fewer industrial land options to meet business expansion growth as a result of the strong Hawkes Bay economy.” Napier City Council and Hastings District Council have work underway on a region-wide plan for establishing industrial precincts Napier City Council’s economic development manager Some of it will be about attracting clean industries to the region's industrial precincts which are near Pandora Pond and Ahuriri Estuary - areas that suffer from water quality issues “Napier is under pressure to provide solutions for the continuing wall of wood coming into the port Log scalers and associated industries are being squeezed to find logistical answers to meet the port's ever-increasing freight volumes as the region's economy strengthens,”  Evans says Printstock Products and Goodtime Pie company the Turner Place block is one of few remaining large industrial sites in Napier or a clean industry factory could be erected on the property,” he says “The comparative cost of acquiring a site that is fully developed makes this an attractive proposition For companies wanting to relocate their business to Hawke's Bay there are daily flights to Auckland making it an enviable headquarters for large industrial operators.”   Napier's main Industrial zone allows for a wide range of land uses in the Onekawa Each of the areas have a range of both industrial and commercial activity Onekawa has a significant retailing component in addition to the diverse manufacturing and light service industries Hawke's Bay's economy is underpinned by a robust primary sector The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) predicts continued strong growth in the pip fruit Evans says Napier Port is consequently experiencing exponential growth in export volumes and this has been accelerated by capturing substantial business that once exported through the Port of Wellington Police are investigating the death of a 46-year-old Napier woman who was found in Onekawa with serious injuries two weeks ago after being taken to a local medical centre with serious injuries She was initially treated at Hawke’s Bay Hospital before being transferred to Wellington Hospital Detective Sergeant Darren Pritchard said the woman had died in Wellington Hospital on Friday “Police extend our condolences to her family and loved ones,” Pritchard said Pritchard said it was believed the woman sustained her injuries sometime between Sunday 19 and Monday 20 February at an address on Dunlop Rd “The woman’s injuries are currently unexplained and Police are working to establish exactly what has occurred,” he said If you have information which could assist police enquiries, you can contact Police via the 105 phone service or online at https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 Napier City Council's hopes of getting the often-heated aquatic centre debate out of the way in its three-year term which ends in October have been scuttled by a motion to revoke decisions it made just three months ago The motion goes before the Council's Extra Council meeting tomorrow – just as the council should have been starting to make decisions based on consultation which was projected in the resolutions of a meeting held on March 10 this year to go to the public with site options central suburban Onekawa Park home of the ageing current Napier Aquatic Centre or a new western location on the corner of Prebensen and Tamatea drives The decision included directing staff to prepare material for a four-week public consultation aimed at getting a decision on a site by early July the start of a three-month hiatus in which councils cannot make major decisions in the three months leading up to the local elections It was at the time intended that the section stage would be design and funding stages in 2023 to be an amendment to the council's 2021-2031 long-term plan but councillors are now being told it could not have committed a new council to a long-term plan amendment A report prepared for this week's meeting reveals that on April 7 – just four weeks after the decision – councillors instructed officers to pause consultation "due to perceived fiscal and reputation risks with proceeding to consultation using the proposed projected costs for the respective sites." chief executive Dr Stephanie Rotarangi received a Notice of Motion signed by the minimum required five of the 13 at the Council table (the Mayor and the 12 councillors) proposing the revocation and replacement of the resolutions The report to the council notes it cannot commit a future council to a Long Term Plan amendment The situation means the debate will now likely go into at least a fourth council term from when it was election issue in the 2013-2016 term owner of Third Eye Coffee Roasters and Sparrows Cafe in Onekawa's industrial area in front of the tasting wheel Benny Fernandez and his staff are up with the birds Monday to Friday ready to make delicious coffee at Sparrows The newly opened espresso bar in Onekawa opens its door at 6am while making the final touches to its specialty "Thirdeye" coffee roasters "Thirdeye Coffee Roasters is housed in the purpose-built space on the western fringe of the Onekawa industrial estate in the historic Williams & Kettle site," owner Benny says Location is critical for this type of operation We had a pretty long list of requirements when we set out to find a suitable space "We've handpicked a team of coffee professionals We're here to raise the bar on coffee education and quality," he says He and his wife Krista James also own Georgia On Tennyson Benny loves coffee and wanted to offer his customers something a little different."When it comes to coffee You can't beat a coffee made with freshly ground beans," he said He searched far and wide for a coffee roaster that would produce the best quality coffee possible He finally found what he a was after - a vintage German coffee roaster "The nice thing about them is that they are build better than most They have a steal drum and it is made out of cast iron It took me 12 months to find one that the owner was willing to let go." Benny says the plan is to run Sparrows coffee bar as a sort of cellar door "It gives us a platform to introduce people to our unique blends and single origin offerings." Another way in which they plan to make specialty coffee more approachable for everyone is to host monthly "cupping" sessions which will give people an opportunity to sample rare and interesting coffee from around the world "Cupping is an activity usually reserved for industry professionals but at Thirdeye our focus is on opening up the often mysterious dark-art of roasting coffee and creating a space where people can experience new things and better educate themselves in the intricacies of coffee." how it is produced - all of these aspects adds to its characteristics." Thirdeye coffee will be available online and delivered to your door "Because we know that fresh is best and we want our customers to get the best deal possible we will be offering bulk buying along with weekly deliveries "So you might buy three months worth of coffee at once but rather than get it all delivered at once we will deliver say 500g a week or whatever you think you will use "We will also have an in-house technician to service both commercial and domestic espresso equipment with plenty of tips and ideas to help improve your skills as a home barista." said they loved the atmosphere at Sparrows We have had fantastic feedback from everyone including all the tradies that come in," Hine said She is looking forward to getting the coffee roasting under way and helping with the testing "Our goal is to get it absolutely right before offering it to the public." Benny's longterm goal is to go offshore and source green coffee - "that's my dream plan." Thirdeye Coffee Roasters and Sparrows are in the same complex on the corner of Austin St and Taradale Rd UNIQUE HISTORY: Local resource teacher of the deaf Juliet Clarke has compiled the history of the Onekawa Deaf Unit in Napier Among the schooling communities in Hawke's Bay perhaps one of the most unique is the deaf community; many of whom were taught at Napier's Onekawa Deaf Unit heard over the past two years by resource teacher of the deaf Juliet Clarke have now been compiled into a one-of-a-kind book 'Hearing Aid Bras and Other Stories 1969-2014' that gives readers a perspective on education like no other who saw the rise and fall of the Onekawa Deaf Unit was well-equipped to detail the ins and outs of the school and what was at times a very lonely job as a teacher of the deaf "I can remember feeling quite isolated as the only teacher of the deaf in the school I had no input into teaching options such as mainstreaming I was just told what was going to happen," she wrote in the book Mrs Clarke had her first encounter with a profoundly deaf child at the age of 14 and has since gone on to dedicate more than three decades of her life to teaching deaf children "I try to give the kids the skills they need to cope independently how to make friends and how to be a friend," she said In the early 1960s a major rubella epidemic left a large number of profoundly deaf children throughout New Zealand and the Onekawa Deaf Unit was among the earliest deaf units in the country Previously children had been unable to attend mainstream schools so they were sent as boarders to either Sumner School in Christchurch or St Dominic's in Fielding However once Onekawa's deaf unit was built children from Havelock North Napier and even Te Pohue travelled to the school daily to be taught to speak Sign language was not permitted in education at the time At its peak in 1975 more than 30 children attended the Onekawa school and over time enrolment numbers dwindled as many families opted for their children to attend a mainstream school Mrs Clarke continues to travel around the Bay's mainstream schools to work one-on-one with deaf students Today's book launch will be attended by several past pupils of the Onekawa Deaf Unit who now have their experiences permanently encapsulated in Mrs Clarke's book Napier City Council (NCC) gained understanding of its community's wishes over a controversial aquatic centre proposal through a business case and Long Term Plan process The High Court hearing to determine if Napier City Council's consultation process for the new pool complex was adequate had opened on Monday in Wellington On Monday, the Friends of the Onekawa Aquatic Centre society alleged that the council process was "manifestly inadequate" the NCC countered by saying it had consulted through at least two means once which saw 620 people make submissions during a Long Term Plan (LTP) consultation process said council had gained an understanding of the community's wishes around aquatic facilities during a business case in 2017 which showed the community favoured a 50m pool at Onekawa he submitted that after further information was presented to the council was no longer reasonably practicable or financially prudent He said the community was presented with reasons for not pursuing a 50m pool at Onekawa through the LTP consultation document and did not need to release further supporting documents In particular Williams had focused on a report which was not released to the public which provided the basis for council's decision to veer away from the 50m pool option McNamara argued the report did not need to be released as a supporting document in the LTP consultation as the council was not consulting on a 50m pool at Onekawa He also refuted Williams' argument that the public was kept in the dark about the decision to change direction arguing the new Prebensen Dr proposal was published in a Hawke's Bay Today article and discussed on a local radio station He said this showed there were multiple avenues explaining the proposal He said the council complied with consultation principles under the Local Government Act including that the council successfully encouraged stakeholders to submit on the LTP He said the council "successfully encouraged" stakeholders to submit on the LTP with 620 submissions received specifically on the Napier Aquatic Centre there were four stages local councils were expect to engage with their communities when it came to plan development including the assessment and development of options he said a change to the Local Government Act in 2010 removed these four stages making the legal requirement for consultation more generic It requires local authorities to "in the course of its decision-making process in relation to a matter give consideration to the views and preferences of persons likely to be affected by He said the LTP consultation process was a legally available and appropriate way for the NCC to make a decision He said councillors had "intensive briefings" and the reasons for not including the 50m pool at Onekawa in the LTPP consultation process Onekawa is waiting on tenterhooks for Napier's $5m Lotto winner to claim their prize They queued by their dozens at Onekawa's Andrew Spence Pharmacy on Wednesday to double check if they were Napier's newest multi-millionaire But one-by-one each of them left a tad disappointed as the wait to see who will step up as the winner of the store's $5 million share of a $50m Powerball jackpot continues Eight of the 10 winners of the jackpot around New Zealand have come forward since Saturday's draw Andrew Spence Pharmacy has a history of big wins - and big rumours about wins - having sold winning tickets worth in excess of $40m It's the second-luckiest Lotto store in Hawke's Bay after Unichem Stortford Lodge Pharmacy in Hastings Lotto NZ head of communications Marie Winfield said the other winner yet to claim their prize bought their ticket from Collingwood Foodcentre in Invercargill Winfield said they expect to hear from the winners soon "Either they know they have won and are laying low for a while to let the gravity of their life-changing windfall sink in or they are completely oblivious and have a very big surprise in store for them," Winfield said who bought her ticket from Andrew Spence Pharmacy said she believed the unknown winner was being deliberately quiet I would have claimed it right away," she said Fellow resident Lynn Gibson said all eyes have been on Facebook "I get Lotto about twice a week and have won three figures a few times," she said Another hopeful punter queuing at the store added: "If it was me Onekawa councillor Richard McGrath confirmed that he purchased his ticket from Andrew Spence Pharmacy but said he wouldn't be resigning to sit on a new fortune "I advise them to take a deep breath and seek financial advice prior to spending their new fortune as they are a lovely team that work there - always polite and friendly." rumours about who the winner is haven't really circulated in the Napier suburb Winners can claim their prize in-store or call the Lotto New Zealand team This weekend past and present pupils of Onekawa School will be coming together to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Onekawa School Deaf Unit ex-pupils and friends of the Onekawa deaf unit will meet in Hawke's Bay to remember their schooling experiences share stories and visit the site of the old unit The weekend will start with a Powhiri and welcome at the HawkesBay Deaf Club on the Friday evening and a dinner and special cake cutting featuring both the first deaf pupil and current deaf students of the school on Saturday night Sunday will see the unveiling and presentation of a special plaque at the site of where the deaf unit used to be Tanya Smiley who attended the school in its earlier years said through her interpreter Lisa Smith that being in the mainstream class was difficult to deal with "When I was at school we were told to try and speak and be more vocal we weren't allowed to try and sign anything which made it very hard and frustrating," Smiley said "When I moved to the deaf unit it made it easier but we still needed to learn sign and try and communicate with others." At its peak more than 30 children attended the deaf unit but over time the number of enrolments dwindled as parents wanted their children in mainstream schools Nowadays Smiley sees that the schooling for children is much better and since 1996 there has been a Hawkes Bay Deaf Club which she has been president for the last two years "The schooling for deaf children has gotten better now with technology and having the Deaf Club is a great way for us to socialise and come together as a community," Smiley said But for Smiley she can't wait for the weekend some of my class mates I haven't seen for over 40 years and they are coming from all over New Zealand and Australia for this reunion." David Kamper will present a petition with about 6500 signatures in favour of saving Onekawa Pools Thousands of Napier residents have signed a petition to save the Onekawa Aquatic Centre the petition organiser saying it is a huge groundswell who started the petition said it had been signed by almost 6500 residents "Support is amazing including local schools who walk to pools omni gym who use the pools as part of holiday programme for children and may patrons who use the facility regularly." He hoped Napier City Council would listen to the people of Napier "The general feeling from those who signed is that the council will recognise what the public want which is to keep Onekawa facility and upgrade it at current location." Napier's Mayor Bill Dalton said the decision had already been made "The council has made the decision to move the pool to the new site." Council currently has a plan to move the aquatic centre to a new location on Presbensen Drive and will be based on the QEII design in Christchurch and a water play area featuring an accessible pool The petition suggested the aquatic centre should remain at Onekawa Kamper said the current site was part of a social hub including that Onekawa was close to schools A spokesperson for Napier City Council said they were unable to comment on the situation until after the petition was presented The petition is due to be presented to council on October 16 The new Aquatic Centre at Presbensen Drive is included in the council's Long Term Plan and is due to be completed in two and a half to three years When a strange dog approached Morgan and Harrison Atkins outside Onekawa School were walking to school and were just past the bus stop and he started putting his bag out in front of him and he stopped for a minute and backed off." She said was feeling a bit nervous when the dog started approaching them especially because it was closer to Harrison said he was incredibly proud of the two students and this stray dog came up to two of my students and we didn't know if he was a friendly dog or not a friendly dog." He said he was unable to get to the students immediately but saw them do what they had learnt in training they said they remembered what happened from the training so they did exactly that." He said without the training from the council the siblings would not have known what to do and the situation could have potentially become dangerous Animal Control Officer Luke Burton said it was great to hear the two children remembered what to do when the dog approached them "I'm so pleased the advice I was able to pass on to the children recently has helped to keep them safe in this situation." Napier City Council has delivered the education programme to 1500 across Napier using a life-sized rottweiler toy named Fluffy to demonstrate various situations scooter or bike in front of them and backing away slowly while shaking the item He said it was important to not run or turn your back but do not look the dog in the eye or show your teeth Police blocked off Morris Spence Avenue in Onekawa Napier on Tuesday morning as part of a search warrant on the street which was attended by the Armed Offenders Squad A police spokeswoman said staff were executing a routine search warrant at a property on the street There were no signs of police in the area as of 10:45am A group of Napier residents have filed High Court proceedings against the city council over a controversial decision to build a new $41 million pool complex said the council failed to properly consult with the community over its decision to relocate the Napier Aquatic Centre from its current site in Onekawa to a new site on Prebensen Drive on the outskirts of the city It will be the largest construction project ever funded by the council But the council failed to follow its own public consultation policy when making its decision Friends of Onekawa Aquatic Centre chairman Graham Sutherland told around 100 residents at the public meeting last night "We feel the council decision was based on flawed information and a lack of due process The information the council released was misleading." "We want the council to recognise that the people of Napier should be listened to A 7000-strong petition calling for the pools to remain at Onekawa said David Kamper from Hawke's Bay Poverty Bay Swimming Association "It was laughed off basically and treated as a bit of a joke and nothing became of it." Many who signed the petition did so only after he informed them the pools would be demolished at Onekawa "People thought there would be two pools." Seven schools were within three kilometres of the Onekawa site but just one school would be within three kilometres of the new site who successfully challenged the council's Easter trading policy in the High Court last year said this was a similar case of the council failing to follow its own consultation rules some misleading aspects of that information the lack of key stakeholder engagement in the lead up to the long term plan.. An injuction was also being sought to immediately halt the tender process for construction of the new site "If the tender process goes too far down and the contract is let and construction work start that becomes a little bit difficult," Mr Williams said No one from the council attended last night's public meeting despite all councillors being personally invited by the group The legal challenge was "very disappointing," Napier's Acting Mayor Faye White said in a statement "The proceedings threaten to undermine the democratic process to date The council is taking advice about how to best protect the interests of the Council and its community It is important that there is accurate information out in the community and the Acting Mayor will be keeping the community informed as and when possible," she said The Friends of Onekawa Aquatic Centre are seeking to raise $50,000 to fund its legal challenge in the High Court A Givealittle page set up has raised more than $7,000 so far silty water coming out of Napier taps is the result of sediment being stirred up by maintenance work on old pipes and a chemical reaction caused by introduction of chlorine High levels of manganese have been found in Napier tap water but the local council have said it is not an immediate health risk SUMMER TREATS: Sheen Khoutdavong and Jade Costen scooping up treats at New World Onekawa Hawke's Bay's famous Rush Munro's Ice Cream and New World Onekawa are scooping up a summer treat for shoppers the two local businesses launched this week the first in-store supermarket scooping offer adding a whole new level to the customer experience while shopping said he was thrilled when New World Onekawa Owner/operator Kerry Stanley approached him with the concept "Kerry wants the best for his customers and is invested in keeping things local This fresh approach marks an exciting new chapter in Rush Munro's 90-year history The Rush Munro and New World teams have enjoyed working together to bring the concept alive Mr Currie said - training in scooping skills learning about the flavours and how the icecream is made with 100 per cent full cream milk and natural ingredients Mr Stanley said giving customers the option of buying a Rush Munro's icecream fitted perfectly with creating a great shopping experience and is a fantastic addition to the deli section of the store "Our customers want to know where their food is coming from they expect excellent quality and Rush Munro's icecream delivers this with a proud Hawke's Bay history." Mr Currie said it's a fun point of difference and is expected to invite consumers to buy their favourite Rush Munro flavour in a take home pack "Enhancing the customer shopping experience will continue to present a leading edge for both retailers and suppliers alike and we are keen to keep working with the New World group to extend this concept wherever they feel it could offer value to their shoppers" As part of promoting scooped icecream in New World Onekawa Rush Munro's is giving away 50c off a single scooped icecream vouchers at the Napier Aquatic Centre After cooling off at the aquatic centre you can enjoy a Rush Munro icecream You can buy Rush Munro's scooped icecream in a wide variety of flavours at the deli counter for $4.50 a scoop Napier residents are feeling increasingly unsafe with about 55 per cent of people surveyed saying gang activity was their leading safety concern 597 people over the age of 18 were surveyed as part of the Napier City Council's community safety survey The survey found that while 45 per cent of residents said they felt safe 44 per cent felt unsafe – a significant increase on the 17 per cent response to this question in the Social Monitor Survey from 2020 While people felt safest during the daytime people felt increasingly unsafe going out at night dropping from 48 per cent feeling safe in 2020 to just 29 per cent this year Feelings of safety were lowest for using public transport with only 33 per cent reporting feeling safe at home and in their neighbourhood and younger residents were more likely to report fear of crime having a strong impact on their lives Nelson Park and Onekawa-Tamatea wards residents were significantly less likely to feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark A retail operator in the Marewa shopping centre on Kennedy Rd said he would have thought more people felt unsafe Just last week he'd had to call police to arrest a beggar making threatening remarks to a woman outside the store He said these sorts of incidents were "very regular" He said a community patrol vehicle parked in the area in recent days had seen "less nuisance" and staff "a lot happier" The leading safety concern related to gang activity with respondents calling for more police and getting rid of gangs or banning gang patches followed by putting in more CCTV and security cameras Council's chief executive Dr Steph Rotarangi said the community safety survey showed residents' concerns matched council's and validated the work already underway to address these concerns "Concerns about safety have come through loud and clear in our survey and we need to act along with working together with our partners to not only improve people's feelings of safety She backed collaborative projects that make the most of the city's resources and strengths Council currently invests $350,000 a year into community safety initiatives working closely with police and other agencies This includes security patrols in Napier city and Marewa shopping centre Napier Community Patrol 'meerkat car' patrols The focus was on making sure public places are safe While Napier MP Stuart Nash said he stood by comments that he didn't think Napier was unsafe he acknowledged that people said they felt unsafe and that a "culture of fear" was unhealthy "For me to feel safe - as six foot 200 pound guy - is different from a young woman walking back from a restaurant at night "There are far too many people in our community who don't feel safe and I am concerned about that." He recognised that many people found gangs intimidating though it was rare for members of the public to be targeted by them "They wear patches and ride around in packs to be intimidating." Nash said a more collaborative approach was needed and supported working with council and other agencies to find a solution It's about the community coming together to come up with a solution." Council is due to confirm next week at the adoption of the LTP that the development of a new City Ambassador programme for Napier will continue in conjunction with a replacement of the existing CCTV network with the CBD patrols to continue until then Debbie Sands and her team run the Rembrandt Framing Gallery in Onekawa There are stories behind everything Debbie Sands frames and she loves hearing them Debbie and her team run the Rembrandt Framing Gallery "Every day is different and I enjoy hearing the stories behind artwork that people bring in Or it might be a canvas or a picture that you want revamped Our job is to guide you in the right direction and ensure that you are totally happy with the end result "We have more than 250 frame samples to select from and always allow plenty of time for people to browse "It's important that we get it right because the end result is likely to be displayed in your home somewhere you can see it every day." Debbie says it never fails to amaze her how the same print can look so different "It might be a print of Te Mata Peak for instance but even if several people select the same print the reason for their choice is different and the way they end up framing it is different I love helping people to make their choice so personal "The gallery is looking really cool after the renovations following the November floods so pop in and have a look We also have a huge range of framed art for sale memorabilia framed or custom framing for things such as holiday memories go and have a chat with Debbie and her experienced team at Rembrandt Framing Gallery While you are there take the opportunity to pop next door to the Rembrandt Furniture Clearance Warehouse They have an incredible selection of furniture and home decor at great prices to furnish your home without breaking the bank and mats along with indoor and outdoor furniture and a whole lot more Make sure you have plenty of time to browse through both premises and to chat with Debbie about your next framing project • You will find the Rembrandt Framing Gallery and the Rembrandt Furniture Clearance Warehouse at 51 Niven St Onekawa School student Sophie Knight (front) on the new buddy bench which has been introduced to reduce loneliness and encourage friendship in the playground Onekawa School's new buddy benches have been created to reduce loneliness and encourage friendship in the playground were inspired to create their own bench after co-chair Jo Breslin noticed the concept at another school Breslin said it was a great way to share the message of inclusion and kindness "It's a non-verbal way for kids to communicate that they're in need of a friend or someone to talk to." which culminated in Pink Shirt Day on Friday Team Pipi decided there was no better time to introduce it to their 340 year 0-6 students at assembly Team Pipi member Sarah Knight said it removed any stigma and shyness associated with making friends "For some people who are a bit shy to go and join in with someone else's game it is just a way of allowing them to take their time to get involved." It also provides an opportunity for teachers to identify any students who are repeatedly using the bench and address to any issues "It is a chance for all of them to make new friends with people who they wouldn't ordinarily play with." Principal Steve Bloor says it builds on the "lovely environment" they already have at the school "It is all about those kids who see children there to make a new friend or see someone in need and want to help He said it has been a "lovely collaboration" between Team Pipi and staff who both saw the need and came together to make it happen Team Pipi member Fiona Windle hopes it will encourage other schools who are not already using the initiative "It is about letting kids know that we are unique and different and sometimes everyone does need a little bit of a helping hand every now and then." and Complete Paints in Napier supplied the paint Onekawa pool cat Kaiti poses for a photo with lifeguard Tracy Jones Debate about Napier City Council's decision to send a new $41 million aquatic centre to tender has been furious one burning question has been left unanswered the Napier Aquatic Centre's furry feline friend has been a beloved part of the furniture for nearly 10 years a previous lifeguard and swim teacher at the centre said her grandfather Rota Nikora had "come across the beautiful Kaiti" one day "I think she might have been a stray cat," she said "He would take care of Kaiti and feed her … he even made a little cat door for her to get into his workshop at the centre," Shelby said who had been living abroad for the past seven years was elated to learn Kaiti was still around after seeing a post about her on the Napier News Facebook page "It's good to see she's still keeping an eye on the place," she said which had attracted 79 likes and 23 comments showed a lot of love for the pool pussycat One person even suggested she would vote for Kaiti were the cat to run in the upcoming council elections "He's got our backs and will follow on to the next place with his team," another person said A Napier City Council spokesperson would not say whether the wellbeing of Kaiti was included in the council's Long Term Plan But the spokesperson did promise that "Kaiti is very well cared for and loved by the staff here" "Kaiti goes where we go; she's part of our team." Kaiti did not want to comment on her potential predicament and reluctantly posed for a photo The Napier Aquatic Centre at Onekawa Park in 2020 when the city council budgeted $500,000 to investigate the site's suitability A new aquatic centre in Napier could cost $30 million more than the project mothballed by the Napier City Council three years ago The projections were unveiled at a meeting on Thursday at which the council by an 11-1 majority voted to put two location options out for public consultation in the hope the people will help the council decide by early July major-decision hiatus before the local elections Impacted by geotechnical and site stability issues while a new facility on the corner of Prebensen and Tamatea drives could cost over $70m Each dwarfs the $41m which had been forecast for the Prebensen-Tamatea site decided on in acting-mayor casting vote in 2019 but paused firstly by an injunction in the High Court and then by a new mayor and a newly-elected council with five new members The new council in 2020 budgeted $500,000 for comparable assessments of the two sites and has since received extensive reports comparing the two sites with information not previously available to councillors but despite the subterranean issues at Onekawa and the wide variation in costs councillors have decided against putting a preferred option before the public They decided to direct staff to prepare consultation material and plan for the new facility in two stages the public will be consulted on the location existing design and indicative costs of the two options consultation will take place on the final design timing and funding as a 2021-2031 Long Term Plan amendment The council resolution includes signalling future consultation on development of the rejected site particularly Onekawa Park - which is a reserve and as council CEO Dr Stephane Rotarangi noted couldn't be redeveloped for such things as high-rise accommodation under that reserve designation In a lengthy resolution setting the pathway the council endorsed the provision of $4m in capital funding in the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 years as needed to keep the Onekawa facilities operating "to the best of its ability for the next 3-4 years" and an additional $80,000 of operational expenditure per year of the "remaining life of the asset to enable repair and maintenance of end-of-life components" – all pending the opening of new facilities It was projected a Tamatea facility could open as early as September 2026 but a new facility at Onekawa Park would not be open before January 2029 Mayor Kirsten Wise said she was "not comfortable" about the council making a decision for such a costly project at a time it was facing such issues as the possibility of selling its rental housing which is also going to public consultation with other options for the future of the accommodation You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image Clark is part of a trio of inspiring active women attending the Female Federation gym who all share their birthdays this month Isabel Mundy and Ngaire Onekawa are both set to turn 80 this month All three powerhouse ladies regularly attend the gym taking part in Pilates and balance classes as well as working on their own cardio and weights routines defying the stereotype that aging holds you back from achieving an active lifestyle Decked out with a Crusaders tattoo and a Rugby World Cup tattoo on each wrist seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren She even competed against her own daughters Clark has always found her energy outdoors in nature; a keen hiker and although is not climbing the nearby mountain heights she still loves to wander through the beech trees Mundy used to work in her family’s fruit and tomato business which kept her strong and fit She’s been attending three times a week for the past four years Onekawa has kept up consistent gym practice for more than 12 years She now attends Female Federation five times a week She also said she can do side plank rotations and dips and has completed 200m within 15 minutes on the ski erg She has been attending the gym on and off since 1998 and in spite of a hip replacement taking her out of the game for a while “It’s a relief to find you’re still strong,” she said the physical stuff becomes terribly important and you become more aware of your body and how it works.” “Coming to the gym is a positive step to being a strong and complete person.” getting to the gym is also important for the mental benefits Her life passions have been education and theatre; in 2019 she was awarded the prestigious Drama New Zealand President’s Award given to someone who has significantly contributed to the drama space over their lifetime They all share the same goal: To keep going There is strong camaraderie between the three women and they love being part of the community at Female Federation Onekawa said she gets coffee twice a week with her new found gym friends She only has glowing reviews of the fitness levels of the three women “I cannot wait til I retire to be able to work out with them all.” Clark said: “We are lucky enough to be able to work out and so we choose to make the most of this and continue to stay fit.” Rotorua bodybuilder Darryn Onekawa will compete at the 2018 Arnold Classic Australia bodybuilding championships in Melbourne in March Rotorua bodybuilder Darryn Onekawa likens himself working out at the gym to a dancer preparing for a ballet recital but that is how he explains the sport to his 5-year-old daughter Aaliyah After a sixth-place finish at the 2017 Arnold Classic Australia bodybuilding championships Onekawa has been selected to compete at the March event for a second time Onekawa's eyes light up when he talks about his daughter who provides him with all the motivation he needs to constantly seek improvement she knows now and she comes to the gym with me sometimes while I'm training and she knows it's like her doing her ballet practice "I'm aware of the fact that I'm up against the best in the world Every time I compete I always strive to be better than I was before and it's no different this time "At the end of the day you can't control what other people are doing consistency in this game is the biggest thing right down to the amount of sleep you're getting There's no point training if you're not getting enough rest." Leading up to a competition he trains about seven times a week but knows the importance of listening to his body and taking a day off when required When asked to describe how it feels to stand on the stage in a big event he said "terrifying" "I never got into the sport for the posing side of things The part of the sport I enjoy the most is the training and the discipline but I'm aware that bodybuilding encompasses getting on the stage and posing "I get up there and present what I've got to the best of my ability There's a lot more to it than people realise there's a real process behind all of it - from the different poses all the way down to getting the tanning right so the lights highlight your conditioning." He said his goal this year was to represent everyone who supported him his sponsor Xtreme Nutrition and the team at Rotorua's Profiles Gym where he trains a sport that's not really accepted in the mainstream It helps me on a therapeutic side of things Matthew Liley completed the Rotorua Marathon in five hours and 50 minutes An evolving drama over more than three decades in retailing competition in New Zealand seems to have gone the full circle with Kmart's opening of a new store in Napier The Australia-anchored chain opened its first New Zealand department store in Henderson and Hawke's Bay was soon jostling in the pack seeking to establish the first Kmart plaza in the lower North Island traditions of Hawke's Bay's notorious twin-city rivalry to whether the first on the east coast of the North Island would go to Napier or Hastings The honour went to the city on the south side of the rivers where Kmart opened on October 20 on a site on the corner of Karamu Rd and St Aubyn St as part of a two-stage project at the corner of Prebensen Dr and Ford St between the Onekawa and Pandora industrial zones there are now more than 20 Kmart stores in New Zealand The company was told to return hundreds of thousands of dollars of funding to the Tertiary Education Commission Staff of a longstanding Hawke’s Bay-based tertiary education training provider resorted to a foodbank after being left without wages for seven weeks before being told they will lose their jobs A routine audit of Workforce Development Ltd in 2021 that turned into an investigation by the Tertiary Education Commission found it needed to return hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer funding due to invalid claiming of funding The investigation found inaccurate reporting of learner enrolments with 74 per cent of students recorded as having started on the wrong date It also found incorrect reporting of learner withdrawals and invalid claiming of Fees Free funding for 120 learners totalling more than $300,000 1News reported the amount of taxpayer money the company now owes could be more than $1 million run by Napier man Aaron Smith and father Michael One of those staff members is teacher Stewart Whyte who has taken on the role of spokesman for those out of their jobs He says the majority of staff had kept working because of their feelings of obligation to their students and as of Wednesday they had still yet to be paid Whyte said staff had hired a lawyer and were lodging a complaint with the Employment Relations Authority on behalf of all 22 staff about their treatment which has more than 30 years in the industry and was sold to new owners in 2017 had hit dire financial straits when it was unable to secure further contracts Director Michael Smith said on Wednesday Workforce Development was now being wound up He said it was a complex matter and he did not want to elaborate further on the specifics “These wages will be paid,” he told Hawke’s Bay Today “We recognise that we owe them money and we will be able to clear it “Anything that you put in the media that is derogatory will make that harder.” Michael Smith then rang back on Wednesday afternoon to say the wages would be paid to staff as early as Tuesday TEC chief executive Tim Fowler said the Commission stopped funding Workforce Development in June last year after an investigation showed it was not complying with funding conditions The TEC investigation had identified a funding recovery of $307,651 related to incorrectly claimed Fees Free funding “Subsequent remedial action by WDL showed that there was a significant amount of funding that would need to be recovered,” he said WDL had also received funding that was greater than the delivery (ie teaching) that had occurred.” He said the factors “significantly increased the TEC’s concerns about WDL’s solvency,” and stopping funding was necessary to “ensure the prudent use of public funds and to protect the interest of future learners and reputation of the tertiary education sector.” “We recognised that stopping funding would impact learners,” he said “TEC offered support to WDL to transition those learners to alternative providers if required however this was not taken up by WDL’s management WDL is responsible for the pastoral care of students This includes keeping students informed of events that might affect the learning they are paying for.” TEC’s engagement with WDL had mostly been around recovering debts owed The Commission said the company had been co-operative with the inquiry and staff say they had spent much of their time working on matters in the inquiry Whyte says there was a cordial relationship with the company ownership and management until late last year when there was a delayed pay cycle in the run-up to Christmas When pay was not received as scheduled on February 6 Whyte says they were told initially it was because of a delay caused by the Public holiday (Waitangi Day) Initially acting individually or in small groups and engaged an employment lawyer using financial contributions from the affected staff and families Michael Smith said Aaron Smith was currently in the US Aaron did not respond to a request for comment said Workforce Development’s registration had now lapsed because of unpaid invoices due on March 13 All qualifications and credits awarded to WDL’s learners remain valid “Around 40 people were enrolled with WDL when they stopped teaching “Half of the learners were due to finish their studies on 22 March 2024 The other half will need to transfer to another provider if they decide to complete their study We are communicating with learners to support them with this transition.” The death of a teen who fell through a skylight has prompted calls for tighter safety measures at a Bay of Plenty school Te Hawiki Hona Kiri Te Amo (Hawiki) was fatally injured when he fell from the roof of the library building at Ōpōtiki College on October 13 last year The 16-year-old from Christchurch was visiting his father when he and his cousin Hoani Abraham decided to go to the school grounds and climb on the buildings The boys were kicking the skylight when it broke They fell 8m to the floor below - Hawiki landed first and Hoani landed on Hawiki's back Hawiki had a traumatic head injury that was later deemed non-survivable He was transported to Waikato Hospital via helicopter and he died at 11pm the next day suffered bruising and loss of memory and was transported byambulance for treatment at Whakatāne Hospital Emergency Department Coroner Gordon Matenga's findings were released todayafter a hearing on Monday He recommended Ōpōtiki College either removed the skylight in the roof or complied with Ministry of Education guidance for roofing materials Matenga also ordered that his findings be distributed to all New Zealand state-funded schools Coroner Matenga wrote he was surprised a metal grille had not been installed over the skylight at the college after Hawiki's death "While I accept that installation of ministry-compliant skylights may not have been possible because of the lack of structural support and the availability of funding at the time Ōpōtiki College Board of Trustees chose to utilise their capital funding allocation to complete other works." He also wrote that the board "worked with the ministry's property personnel to make their decision" "The ministry was a part of the decision [not to install a metal grille] and appears to have been in direct conflict with the ministry's own guidance." Secretary for Education Iona Holsted was quoted saying the ministry's guidance document for school roofing materials was updated after 8-year-old boy Justin Reid died in 2017 He fell through a section of polycarbonate roofing over a walkway between two classrooms at a primary school in Palmerston North 'if non-trafficable roofing sheets are to be used these must be laid over safety netting or mesh that is strong enough to hold the weight of an adult'." Holsted said: "Schools receive property funding every five years and are required to use this money on priority areas Making roofing safe is a priority area and I expect this to lead to the replacement of potentially unsafe historic roofing material." said there was a fire escape stairway that led towards the school roof She told Coroner Matenga of her own experience as a child climbing the roof of Ōpōtiki College principal Susan Impey was quoted saying the school was considering putting in external fencing She said the school's gym was also being re-roofed and the pitch was being changed which would "minimise the possibility of access by climbing" She said Ōpōtiki College took health and safety very seriously and was "always looking for ways to improve the safety of the school site" When approached for comment about Coroner Matenga's findings Impey told the Rotorua Daily Postthe cousins' fall "was a tragic and traumatic accident" "Although Kiri Te Amo was not a student at the college we were very saddened by the accident and the loss of a young life "The school will work with the Ministry of Education in relation to the Coroner's recommendations regarding building materials for all skylights in the school." A Napier school expects to be shut for at least another week to clean out flooded classrooms that took a battering from this week's torrential rain While most schools in the worst-affected parts of Napier were closed on Tuesday One exception is Henry Hill School in Onekawa where half of the classrooms are flooded with knee-high water told Morning Report they would not know the damage until tomorrow morning and the clean-up would take at least another week "The amount of debris that was floating around yesterday it's just definitely not a safe place for anyone "I walked through and I was knee-deep in water on the back field .. it seriously looked like a river flowing through the school because it was flowing pretty fast as well "I approached the first classroom and opened the door and it was absolutely soaked." Williams said the school had experienced a similar flooding in 2004 but staff who came on-site yesterday said this was a lot worse we've got things like iPads that were charging .. maybe 15 iPads per class are damaged already and that's without even looking at the top level which may have been affected as well It's a pretty sad scene to walk into and seeing things floating across the classroom floor." The water had "dropped considerably" yesterday but overnight rain had been steady and was expected to continue today MetService has also issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the region "It's anyone's guess how bad it's going to be and I suppose we're not starting with a level playing field - it was already soaked Online learning for students is expected to start today While most whānau had seen the notification about that Williams said this was different to the Covid lockdown situation because parents were going back to work now and there still weren't enough devices for students "So it's really hard to tell how this will impact our community "I think it was about a third of our community at least didn't have access to a device to connect .. there's definitely some inequity there that no-one's been able to deal with yet." Students are also able to connect via phone but it made a difference in learning to have a device A team from the Ministry of Education will come down to help assess damage Emergency services remain on standby in Napier as hundreds of homes are damaged and at least 19 uninhabitable after Monday's deluge Flood-hit Napier residents remain on alert as more heavy rain is falling on the city As Napier continues to battle a one-in-250 year storm and a local state of emergency has been declared