Diane Brown

Think of Pinot Noir and an image of a luscious rich red wine usually comes to mind. But The Wooing Tree Vineyard at Cromwell has changed all that.

The line-up of 16 floats for the Alexandra Blossom Festival on Saturday, September 27, and the vast array of activities over the eight days of the festivalshow there is plenty of life left in the annual event, despite some claims it could be on its way out.

An innovative business whose products are manufactured in Dunedin has won an Australian award for invention, for the second year in a row.

Central Otago is experiencing a boom in house prices and sales numbers as the dairying boom and exchange rate drive demand, pushing prices in the area to record levels, according to First National Real Estate.

Central Otago employers who use the Department of Labour's Recognised Seasonal Employment (RSE) scheme are more than happy with the service being provided by their Vanuatuan workers despite the fact the workers cost employers $3 an hour more than anyone else.

Alexandra stonemason Kiri Whangapirita and Arne Cleland, of Pukerau, have won the right to erect a display at next year's Ellerslie Flower Show in Christchurch.

A large field of runners and walkers turned out on Saturday to mark the 40th running of the annual Clyde to Alexandra road race.

The area of Frankton Rd which gave way last week appears to have been stabilised and there were no immediate concerns more of State Highway 6A would be compromised by the development beside it, New Zealand Transport Agency Central Otago area engineer John Jarvis said.

Cromwell is to get a new medical centre which will eventually employ three doctors.

An appeal against a decision by the Central Otago District Council to the Environment Court has now officially been withdrawn, allowing the building of a new kindergarten at Alexandra Primary School to go ahead.