Sally Rae

The fact no new drink-drivers appeared in the Oamaru District Court on Wednesday was "extraordinary", Judge Stephen O'Driscoll said yesterday.

Phyllis Isbister was "blown away" when she was made a life member of the Heart Foundation of New Zealand recently.

"A classroom without walls" is how Gloria Hurst describes a mentoring programme for school pupils at the Waitaki Community Gardens.

Kakanui man Alec Tasker believes he has the answer to the unsightly mess of silage wrap on farms.

Sam Julius (18) is enjoying his involvement with the Community Clean Up project in Oamaru.

As well as being sisters, Gemma and Becci Huls share several other bonds - they are both teachers and now buddies.

Hours of training have paid off for Oamaru teenagers Nicole Herron and Stacey Kerin who both won bronze medals at the recent Gymsports New Zealand national championships at Mystery Creek.

Four North Otago businesses have collaborated to raise funds for the Red Cross relief efforts in the tsunami-stricken island of the Pacific.

Stonemason Bill Dooley, who has spent 62 years working with Oamaru stone, says the suggestion the stone is too reflective is "absolutely bloody ridiculous".

At an age when most racehorses are considered over the hill, 13-year-old Oamaru trotter Raymauwarrhen Sun is showing no signs of slowing down.

Work began yesterday on repairing the damaged Marine Parade seawall at Oamaru Harbour.

"The recession's had it," Palmerston business owner Jim Moffat declared yesterday as the small community celebrated its revival.

Arthur Wilson has just had his lawn-mowing "contract" rolled over for another five years.

A new direction for Crown pastoral land, which the Government says strikes a balance between economic use and environmental and cultural values, has been welcomed by high-country farmers.

This large rock from Birdwood Station is about to become a war memorial in Omarama.

Talented young North Otago rider Joel Meikle is off to the Australian junior motocross national championships this month.

A DVD has been commissioned as a "mark in time" of what is going on in community education in North Otago.

"I absolutely love it. It's just the best thing on a morning like this," Waitaki Community Gardens co-ordinator Annie Beattie said yesterday during an open day at the gardens.