Sweet revenge
Police have arrested two people over an incident where a shopkeeper was injured attempting to stop a shoplifter on September 17.
The co-owner of Corner Cardz ‘n’ Magz on Maunu Rd was allegedly dragged alongside a car when she followed a shoplifter to his vehicle and attempted to retrieve a tin of sweets.
A 54-year-old female and a 58-year-old male have been charged with theft and aggravated assault. They were both due to appear in court yesterday.

Armed cops raid home
Armed police were on School Gully Rd, Kaeo, on Tuesday while police executed a search warrant in relation to alleged firearms offences.
One person was taken into custody in the afternoon after the search just after 11am. Police said there was no risk to the public.

Crop tests
Kaipara District Council has confirmed sunflowers and squash for the second growing season of the Kaipara Water demonstration sites.
The two sites are located at Te Kopuru on private land, and further north at Maunganui Bluff on iwi land. Both are set up as practical working examples of the ways in which different irrigation techniques can support land diversification and higher-value crops in the Kaipara. KDC has contracted Northland Inc to manage both sites. Squash was chosen for Site 1 after consultation with Te Roroa, who own the land at Maunganui Bluff. The squash crops will be watered using sprinklers, with a control area set up with no irrigation on the crops. Greg Hall of Northland Inc and the site manager for both demonstration sites, thinks this is an opportunity to show that Kaipara could grow high yields of sunflowers with irrigation. Sunflowers are currently grown in Northland for animal consumption only.

Jazz sounds
The next Northern Jazz Society Sunday Jazz event is on October 2 when The New Orleans Joymakers, with Art Cummins, Bob Ward, Carlos Palmer and Jimmy Gibb, perform at Flames Hotel Onerahi.
The concert will take place from 2pm-4.30 pm, Admission is $10 for members and $15 for non-members.

Search and rescue
Police are conducting a search and rescue exercise in Whangārei Heads this weekend.
Police Search and Rescue, Land Search and Rescue and Coastguard personnel will be in the area from Urquhart’s Bay around to Oceans Beach including the Te Whara Trail and Peach Cove tracks. Rescue helicopters and Coastguard planes are also due to take part in the exercise, which is expected to begin in the early evening on Friday, September 30 and run until Sunday, October 2. Police said there was no risk to the public from the routine exercise.

CORRECTION
A news brief in Monday’s Northern Advocate incorrectly stated National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis was scheduled to visit Kerikeri next Monday. However, the correct date of Willis’ visit is Tuesday, October 4. We apologise for any upset this may have caused.