Water quality in the Hakataramea River catchment remains a major worry for the Central South Island Fish and Game Council, but it has also found some positives in new resource consents which will see major expansion in irrigation in the valley.
An Oamaru supermarket is undergoing a $5 million makeover that will take eight months to complete.
Two South Island Roman Catholic secondary schools, Verdon College in Invercargill and St Kevin's College in Oamaru, have swapped staff to fill vacancies for principals.
Prominent Otago restaurateur Fleur Sullivan is opening a restaurant and bar in the Loan and Mercantile building in Oamaru's historic Harbour St.
The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is determined to retain its place as a leading attraction for visitors, despite facing competition from plans to develop similar facilities in other areas.
Waitaki deputy mayor Gary Kircher is pinning his hopes on winning the mayoralty race in October's local body elections after serving three three-year terms as a Waitaki district councillor.
A High Court decision which quashes resource consents and compliance certificates for 16 proposed dairy farms in the Omarama and Ohau areas is "a big wake-up call" for the Waitaki District Council and other local authorities, Waitaki First said yesterday.
The lure of newly released salmon in Lake Benmore and the Ohau canal is causing some anglers to break the law, prompting the Central South Island Fish and Game Council to boost policing efforts.
The Waitaki District Council has admitted it made an error when it issued resource consents and certificates of compliance for three companies to develop 16 dairy farms in the Omarama and Ohau areas.
There has been debate over a structure proposed for the northern entrance to Oamaru.
The Waitaki District Council wants to get tough this summer on freedom campers leaving human waste and litter around the district, but it does not quite know how.
The issue, common throughout New Zealand with campervans and caravans that do not have on-board toilets and tanks, came up at the council's corporate services committee meeting this week.
Separate recycling facilities and a transfer station are being considered by the Waitaki District Council as it continues to look at how to deal with the disposal of rubbish.
A strategy is being developed for the Waitaki district to cash in on the thousands of visitors to New Zealand for next year's Rugby World Cup.
Rare, precious or unique items will likely still be accepted by the North Otago Museum, even though space is no longer available to store them and an 18-month moratorium on collecting is in force.
Tony Gloag has a message for all Otago families - support Dunedin Hospital's resident neurosurgical unit because you may need it.
The North Otago Museum wants a moratorium on collecting any more material because it is critically short of space.
The antics of drunken youths in Oamaru on Saturday night fuelled disorder throughout the town, leading to four arrests by Oamaru police.
About 1000 rugby fans converged on the Kurow racecourse on Saturday for a day of fun and competition.
A 72-year-old man has died after an unusual crash in Oamaru on Friday afternoon and police are appealing for witnesses to help with their investigation.
A 73-year-old Oamaru man lost control of his car yesterday just after 2.30pm when he had a medical emergency.
