Sarah Marquet

The first of this season's cherries are on supermarket shelves and growers are getting more money for them than last year.

As construction on the first 10km of the 34km Roxburgh Gorge cycle trail from Alexandra to the Roxburgh hydro dam steadily progresses, members of the trail trust invite media on an expedition down the river to check out the trail route, the terrain, the history and the progress. Otago Daily Times journalist Sarah Marquet goes along for the ride.

A trip down the Clutha River, through the Roxburgh Gorge, yesterday uncovered something unexpected - a new artefact, a piece of woven textile similar to one removed last month.

Glenn and Sally Hart, of Alexandra, have received coach of the year awards from Otago GymSports.

People intending to cash in on the tourism opportunities which will open up with the cycle trails being built through the Teviot Valley were advised this week to set high standards and seize opportunities.

At a small country pub last weekend, it seemed the dogs got more attention than All Blacks Andrew Hore and Tony Woodcock.

Andrew Douglas, of Alexandra, was appointed groundsman for Molyneux Park the same week New Zealand Cricket (NZC) withdrew the park's warrant of fitness due to the lack of a permanent turf manager.

Mark Williams, of Queenstown, finished the Bannockburn gutbuster on Saturday in a record time of 2hr 49min - two minutes faster than the previous record of 2hr 51min, set last year by Brent Miller, of Christchurch.

After seeing a notice in the Otago Daily Times advertising a retro theme for this year's Cromwell gallops, Maureen and Noel Bradshaw, of Oamaru, thought it too good a day to miss.

Part of Lowburn Valley road, in Lowburn, near Cromwell, has been closed since Tuesday afternoon due to high winds and dangerous trees.

Several scrub fires caused by hot ashes flying from a rubbish truck broke out along State Highway 8 between Alexandra and Clyde just after 4pm yesterday.

Construction has begun on the first 10km of the controversial Roxburgh Gorge cycle trail but the trail trust has already hit the first snag.

More concerns about the construction of the 34km Roxburgh Gorge cycle trail have arisen, but the trail trust and project manager say things are under control.

Dana Jenkins, a friendly and outgoing 12-year-old from Alexandra, says her friends think she is lucky not to have to exercise but "I just want to get out there".

Pupils from the The Terrace Primary School entertained a crowd gathered in Pioneer Park, Alexandra, yesterday as part of the Alexandra Thyme Festival lunchtime concert series.

Now the National Party had implemented incentives for irrigation and water storage development, it could look at challenges such as environmental sustainability, Agriculture Minister David Carter said yesterday.

Liferaft dropping, bombing, precision landing and navigation were all part of the Lakes Area Rally, a competition hosted by the Central Otago flying club in Alexandra on Saturday.