Glenn Conway

Lawrence, famous for its 1860s goldrush, will soon make 21st-century history by becoming the first small town in the country to offer free wireless Internet for locals and visitors to its main business district.

Clutha's economic watchdog will tomorrow consider its approach to lobbying the Government to invest in installing high-speed Internet into rural regions - even though there are no guarantees money will be there after the election.

Farmers in Clutha are being warned by police to keep a close eye on their stock, after three separate incidents of wandering stock were reported recently.

Waihola's sole watering hole went up in smoke yesterday morning in a blaze that has rocked the close-knit community.

The silence was deafening at Blue Mountain Lumber yesterday as West Otago's biggest employer officially started shutting its operations.

Newly-installed telephone monitoring technology has caught Otago Corrections Facility prisoners negotiating drug deals and issuing threats of violence.

Plans for an indoor sports facility in central Balclutha were unanimously endorsed at a public meeting in the town on Thursday night.

Major wind farms could still become a feature of Otago and Southland landscapes. TrustPower's board is expected next month to approve the first stage of its Mahinerangi project, near Dunedin, and it is feeling more comfortable about the Kaiwera Downs project near Gore.

Lawrence's annual country fair day turned 21 yesterday, with organisers saying changing the event to a Sunday was the best possible present.

A South Otago Subway franchise which was started less than two years ago has beaten more established stores to be named the best franchise in the mainland.

The end of an almost seven-year journey to open a new play-centre facility in Clutha Valley was celebrated yesterday.

The ongoing struggle to find doctors and financial pressures from the Government tainted an otherwise strong performance by the groups that manage Balclutha's health facilities.