Vaughan Elder

The annual boom for tradesmen in North Dunedin is under way, as landlords look to upgrade flats to meet the demands of today's more discerning students.

Summer can be taxing. But, after long days chasing children or long nights pouring chasers, a bit of mindless action fits the bill as the perfect cure.

Sprightly 92-year-old Gladys Walker said it was ''marvellous'' having five generations of her family together for the first time.

A sea lion's aggressive behaviour forced about 40 swimmers to retreat from the water at St Kilda Beach yesterday afternoon.

The owner of an Invercargill car wrecker has taken a $250,000 hit after a fire tore through his yard, sending large clouds of black smoke across the city.

Dunedin residents are being urged to conserve water voluntarily as drier-than-usual conditions dehydrate much of Otago.

Go on adventures as often as possible.

A man posing as a charity collector in St Kilda has prompted police to warn the public.

A Dunedin-made diagnostic device has been recognised by a world-leading technology publication as one of 10 top ''science-fiction-like'' developments last year.

Living on the opposite side of the globe to the world's major film markets means, for the most part, we get "summer blockbusters'' in winter. But our summer coincides with awards season, meaning many of the year's best films screen over the warmer months. Reporter Vaughan Elder suggests three Oscar contenders to see at the movies this summer.

Former Dunedin mayor Peter Chin says he would be dead if not for the heroic actions of two Air New Zealand flight attendants who revived him mid-air.

Dunedin beach-goers are being warned to keep their distance from newborn sea lion pups amid expectations of a higher number of births this season.

Prime Minister John Key saying New Zealand was settled ''peacefully'' is an example of the Government's fading interest in heritage, a leading University of Otago academic says.

An in-depth report into a more than $1.5 million fraud at Dunedin City Council has revealed it went beyond the sale of 152 council-owned vehicles.

The intended recipient of a letter addressed only to ''Granny'' has been found, ending a mystery that has confounded Karitane since before Christmas.

A flying proposal message towed by a Tiger Moth has topped off an extra special birthday for Karitane resident Debbie Smythe.

A Karitane resident is concerned a holiday-maker will be hit by a car, as a lack of footpaths in the coastal village leads people to walk all over the roads.

The hammers are out again this summer at the University of Otago, with several building projects being worked on while the students are away.