News in Brief
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Police, the licensing inspector and the Medical Officer of Health are opposing the renewal of Five Stags in Leamington’s liquor licence. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Te Awamutu News readers love a good pub story even if it’s about one on the other side of the Waipā district. Top story on teawamutunews.co.nz last month was the upcoming alcohol licensing hearing for Five Stags of Leamington, heading off Fieldays’ honour of life membership for Sir William Gallagher. The home page was next with Jesse Wood’s story on Tim Smith’s loyalty and two decades’ service to Foodstuffs Team with hunter Neil Pratt’s thoughts on the upcoming duck season rounding out the top five.
Strong stories pushed news in brief out of the top 10 for the first time in months. Views to the site were 60 per cent up on May last year.
Crime writers gather
Authors knitting together fact and fiction at a ‘Culprits in Cambridge’ event at Cambridge Library last month are, from left, Cambridge’s David ‘Chook’ Henwood and Nikki Crutchley, Rotorua’s Zoe Rankin and Pukekohe’s Angus McLean. Photo: Viv Posselt
A ‘Culprits in Cambridge’ night at Cambridge Library last month brought together authors known for their fiction and non-fiction works around criminal behaviour. The event was part of Waipā’s Mystery in the Library series, run in association with the Ngaio Marsh Awards. Pictured are, from left, Cambridge’s David ‘Chook’ Henwood and Nikki Crutchley, Rotorua’s Zoe Rankin and Pukekohe’s Angus McLean. The panel was chaired by two-time Ngaio’s finalist Nikki Crutchley.
Sahara’s scholarship
Sahara Stanton has been awarded the 2025 Ritchie Pickett Music Scholarship at Cambridge High School. The award, in memory of the Morrinsville born country music singer songwriter, goes to the student at the school who has contributed the most to music within the school.
School update
Ray and Maxine Nelson
An application by Cambridge couple Ray and Maxine Nelson of Ignite Arts Academy for a charter school could be under consideration. Deputy prime minister and associate education minister David Seymour told The News on Thursday a batch of applications were being decided. “I would love to see more charter schools in the Waikato, and I just have a funny feeling that I have heard that there might be some in the pipeline.”
Rockquest
Cambridge High School duo Sahara have progressed to the video submissions round of the Smokefree Rockquest while Cambridge High band Versailles and Te Awamutu College’s No Point will play in the regional finals on June 14.
New book
Suzanne Miller
Author Suzanne Miller will launch her e-book What If? What If? In Hamilton on June 20. The book is a novel about a person living with obsessive compulsive disorder and in part draws on the diary and experiences of her grandparents, including one who spent time at Tokanui Psychiatric Hospital in the 1940s.
Wet and warmer
Temperatures are expected to be above average across the country from now through to August – but NIWA’s Seasonal Climate Outlook for has more rain than usual in Waipā.
Chain reaction
Hallys Lane toilet block to be replaced.
Work was due to start this week on a public toilet block to replace the aging 30-year-old block in Hally’s Lane, Cambridge.
