Holiday traffic hotspots

Waka Kotahi is warning people of congestion hotspots over the holiday period. An online tool is now available on the agency’s website showing predicted traffic flow based on last year’s travel patterns. Hotspots include SH1 Whangārei, where traffic is expected to be busy for periods today, December 30 and New Year’s Day. SH1 at Kawakawa was expected to have very busy periods on December 27, December 30 and January 1, 2 and 8. The tool is available at journeys.nzta.govt.nz.

Lotto win in North

A Lotto player from Kāeo had an extra special Christmas after winning $33,619 in Lotto Second Division on Saturday night. The lucky ticket was sold at Kāeo Four Square. They joined a list of 11 Lotto players nationwide to enjoy the windfall. Three people from Auckland, Thames, and Levin took home the big bucks in First Division after winning $333,333 each.

Top Auckland cop is from Northland

A Northland-born-and-bred police officer is the first dedicated Assistant Commissioner for Tāmaki Makaurau, the country’s largest city.

Assistant Commissioner Sam Hoyle was formally welcomed last Tuesday with a pōwhiri at Te Mahurehure Marae in Pt Chevalier, attended by local iwi, family, and guests.

Hoyle was born in Northland and started his police career here. Hoyle said his time in Northland, where he did his detective training, was invaluable and his varied work in rural and provincial policing was great experience. Born in Paparoa, Hoyle began as a beat constable in Whangārei in 1985, becoming a detective in 1990. He also spent two years working in Kaitaia police station, leaving to take up a CIB post in Otago in 1993.

He returns to New Zealand after his most recent posting to Washington DC as the Senior Liaison Officer for the United States, Canada and South America.

Rāhui lifted

A rāhui declared at Matauri Bay after the death of a local man while kayaking last Thursday has been lifted. Ngāti Kura kaumātua Dover Samuels said the rāhui, which applied to the main beach at Matauri Bay and extended south to Orokaraka and north to Parua Bay, was lifted at sunrise on Christmas Day. The death had been found to be the result of a medical event.

Fire destroys home

A Hokianga family’s home was destroyed in a blaze firefighters say they were lucky to survive. Rawene fire chief Zak Bristow said the homeowner was woken about 2am last Tuesday by a noise. When he opened a door to investigate, the fire instantly “flashed over” and ripped the door from his hand. He managed to get his two children and one grandchild outside to safety. “They were very lucky to escape,” he said. Rawene firefighters, who were backed up by a Kerikeri tanker and a Kaikohe appliance, got back to the station at 6am. The house was completely destroyed. Bristow said the local community and a large extended family were rallying around the man and his children. The fire was not suspicious but the cause had not yet been established.

Top police recruit for Northland

A Northland recruit has come top of the latest crop of police college graduates. Steven Young, from Whangārei, won the Minister’s Award for First in Wing and the Driver Training and Road Policing Practice Award. The Firearms Award also went to a Northlander, Constable Jeremy Crawford. Fifty-six new police officers graduated as part of Wing 361 on Thursday. Two will be posted to the Northland district, starting today.

Fibre at the beach

The remote reaches of Northland have been connected to the national fibre network. Opononi was fully connected to ultra-fast broadband during an event to celebrate the completion of Aotearoa’s fibre network after 11 years. The event was held at Manea: Footprints of Kupe in Opononi earlier this month and attended by the Hokianga community, Chorus, Crown Infrastructure Partners. Minister for Digital Economy and Communications, David Clark, appeared via video link. Chorus chief executive JB Rousselot said he’s “rapt with the infrastructure rollout”, which was delivered by Chorus, Enable, Northpower and Tuatahi First Fibre in partnership with Crown Infrastructure Partners.