Lynda van Kempen

Denise Potter's disappearance more than two months ago left her family and her community reeling in disbelief.

Rising compliance costs may put the brakes permanently on the Brass Monkey motorcycle rally. The future of the rally, which has been held for the past 35 years at Oturehua over Queens Birthday Weekend, is uncertain.

An Alexandra mountain was scaled, or rather, scaled back, by a group of volunteers at the weekend.

It seems romance is waning in Cromwell and there's more demand for war.

Keith Turner reckons all you need in the way of camping gear at the Brass Monkey Rally is a hammock and a tent fly.

St Michael's Anglican Church in Clyde has been given a reprieve and is off the market.

Oturehua is the place to be for motorcyclists this weekend as the 35th annual Brass Monkey Rally cranks up. Organised by the Otago Motorcycle Club, the event draws motorbike enthusiasts from all over the country. They wrap up warm in case the event lives up to its name, and camp next to the Idaburn Dam. Pete Sparrow (64), of Dunedin, is among a dozen or so people who have attended every rally and he will be continuing that attendance record. He explains to Central Otago reporter Lynda van Kempen the attraction of the event and gives a few hints for first-time rally-goers.

A service is planned to celebrate the life of Alexandra woman Denise Potter, who has been missing without trace for the past two months.

Central Otago residents starring as themselves in a television commercial are more than happy to be upstaged by their co-star - a piglet.

A spectacular hour-long thunderstorm caused flooding to dozens of Alexandra homes and businesses last night.

Worksafe NZ has laid a charge over the death of Peter Grayland in a burn-off on a high country station in early September.

Central Otago rates rises may be capped at a maximum of 5% a year for the next decade.

Another Central Otago vineyard is changing hands to an overseas investor - the second this year.

Two high country stations Pioneer Generation bought to provide access to potential hydro development on the Nevis River are on the market.

Parking restrictions in Cromwell are an ill-conceived, unjustified interference and a waste of money, the Central Otago District Council was told this week.

Family is important to Ashleigh and Peter (''Brownie'') Brown, so naturally they were excited to be expecting their first child.