A popular walkway in the Bay of Islands which has been closed since late 2021 is expected to reopen by Christmas. Work to rebuild a boardwalk and bridge on the Ōpua-Paihia Coastal Track, off State Highway 11 near the entrance to Paihia Top 10 Holiday Park, is now under way, with an unsafe section of boardwalk removed and new bridge piles, bearers, braces and handrail posts installed. The bridge had been prefabricated off-site, a council spokesperson said. The structure was closed last year after an engineer found the boardwalk and bridge, spanning a tidal inlet and mangrove forest, had been weakened by rot and marine worms. Repairs have been repeatedly delayed, most recently by a shortage of high-grade treated timber. The coastal track is the only pedestrian link between Paihia and Ōpua and forms part of the national Te Araroa trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff. Upgrades to the rest of the track will be carried out over the next two years.

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A 75-year-old man was arrested in the Far North on Wednesday night after police received a report someone had fired a gun, injuring a dog. Police responded to the Matai St property in Waipapakauri at around 8pm and took the man into custody without any incidents. The man will appear in the Kaitāia District Court on Friday to face a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm/restricted weapon. Police were unable to comment further as the matter was before the court.

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Police have named the man who died in an alleged homicide in Onerahi last week as Bob Kleiman, 56, of Whangārei. Police said the investigation into his death was ongoing. Kleiman’s body was found on Thursday, October 27, at a residential address on Edge St. A 42-year-old man, who has interim name suppression, has been arrested and charged with murder. He appeared in Whangārei District Court on Monday and entered no plea. Following the arrest, Detective Inspector Bridget Doell of Whangārei CIB said police were still appealing to the public to come forward with any information to assist their inquiries. She asked anyone with information who had not yet spoken to police to contact them on the 105 phone service or online, referencing file number 221027/5890. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Whangārei PROUD is hosting its inaugural general meeting this Sunday in the May Bain Room at the Whangārei Library from 10am onwards. 18 months have passed since their first attempt at a general meeting, and in that time, they have generated a first draft of their procedures and policies and are now ready to form a trust board. For more information. visit the Whangārei PROUD Facebook page.

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The pīwauwau rock wren has won Bird of the Year 2022. After a two-week voting period filled with creative campaigning, a kākāpō controversy, and even a threat of legal action, the pīwauwau has risen to the pinnacle of New Zealand avian achievement. The pīwauwau received 2,894 number-one votes – around 450 fewer than the kororā. But once the transferable votes were applied, the pīwauwau ultimately rocked the top spot.