Online checks
After the heady numbers our Te Awamutu News website experienced during the local government election period, last month’s statistics settled down.
Most visited news story was the November 14 edition of News in Brief subsequently updated in the days afterwards.
Ryan Fleming’s final column as community constable came in at second, Viv Posselt’s wrap up of the Te Awamutu Rose Show was third while Jesse Wood’s story about Pirongia Sports taking out the club of the year title was fourth.
In fifth was his piece about 18-year-old Lily Houben heading to Greece for the junior world mixed martial arts event.
The two most visited pages are Home and the e-Editions, where the full Te Awamutu News edition can be found.
Rotary competition
As he surveyed Sunday’s parade from his vantage point, Santa certainly approved.
Christmas parade organiser Te Awamutu Rotary has launched a shopping competition to support retailers affected by the road closures for this year’s parade to be held on Saturday. Shoppers who make a purchase at a participating store between December 1 and 7 will get tickets into a prize draw.
Dining out
Plenty of theories have arisen as to why actor and comedian Simon Helberg who plays aerospace engineer-astronaut Howard Wolowitz in CBS sitcom Big Bang Theory was in the Waipā on Sunday. The American actor, 45 on December 9, dined at Fahrenheit, a restaurant and bar on the main street of Te Awamutu.
Sun up
The Te Awamutu District War Memorial Park is set to regain a missing feature for 70th birthday celebrations. A replacement sundial has been made to replace the original one missing from its stand since about the mid-1990s. Weather permitting it will be fitted to coincide with the commemoration celebrating seven decades since the opening of the park – Sunday, December 4, 1955.
Remembering them
Remembrance services are being held across the district to remember loved ones. Rosetown Chapel in Ōhaupō Road, Te Awamutu, is holding a remembrance service on Sunday, December 7. Trinity St Paul’s Union Parish in Queen Street, Cambridge, is hosting one on Wednesday, December 10.
Award winner
The Safer Cambridge Trust won an “Inspiring Community Leadership” award at this year’s Neighbourhood Support Conference.
New sculpture
Mana whenua representative Wini Paekau watched on by guests at the unveiling talks of the importance of the site where Rock now sits. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Rock, a striking bronze sculpture by artist Francis Upritchard, has been unveiled at Hayes Paddock in Hamilton. The artwork – donated by Tamahere’s Dallas Fisher and Helen Gleeson in memory of their late friend Glennis du Chatenier who lived nearby – has already captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike.
Film Festival
The Italian Film Festival opened this week at the Tivoli Cinema in Cambridge and runs through to next week.
Christmas Time
St Stephens Tamahere is holding its Christmas Festival through to December 20 and has a twilight market on Saturday.
Cycle trails
Taupo MP Louise Upston with South Waikato mayor Gary Petley and Waikato River Trails Trust general manager Glyn Wooller.
A new funding arrangement to support the management and maintenance of New Zealand’s 23 Great Rides will enable Kiwis and international visitors to get out to the regions, says Tourism minister Louise Upston. The announcement was made at Little Waipā Reserve on the Waikato River Trails with South Waikato mayor Gary Petley and Waikato River Trails Trust general manager Glyn Wooller.
Water checks
Waikato Regional Council’s weekly monitoring of popular rivers, lakes and coastal sites is underway to check they are safe for swimming and other recreational activities. The annual programme involves mostly weekly collecting and testing of freshwater and sea water at 45 sites.
More hornets
Almost 30 queen yellow legged hornets have now been found in the Glenfield and Birkdale areas of Auckland – prompting more calls to widen the search area for the pest. Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner Mike Inglis said genetic testing indicates the hornets are closely related, “suggesting a small, contained population”.
Scholarship coup
Naianga Tapiata
Waikato University honours student Naianga Tapiata (Te Arawa, Waikato, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou) has become the university’s fifth Rhodes Scholar, making history as the first graduate of kura kaupapa Māori to be awarded the honour.
He will join the University of Oxford’s Class of 2026 to complete a fully funded two-year Master of Philosophy in Social Anthropology.
Hobbiton tops
Hobbiton Movie Set’s Bagshot Row, opened in December 2023, has won the prestigious 32nd Annual Themed Entertainment Association Thea award at an event in Orlando, Florida for an attraction that exemplifies outstanding achievement in creating a compelling place and visitor experience.
Cheap parking
On-street all-day parking rates at selected central city locations are set to become cheaper making it more cost-effective for workers and other long-stay visitors to park in Hamilton. Data showed that some all-day paid parking areas were not getting the number of users expected. The reduction will help make better use of available parking space while supporting workers, long-stay visitors, and local businesses.
Festival returns
The Hamilton Arts Festival Toi Ora ki Kirikiriroa will return next year from February 20 and will bring together international performers, New Zealand favourites, an expanded literary weekend and an eclectic mix of theatre, music, dance, comedy and whānau-friendly events. This year’s event featuring more than 800 performers and was the largest regional arts festival in the country. It attracted 47,000 people and injected an estimated $14 million into the economy.
Research job
Florian Spoerl
Florian Spoerl has joined Waikato University as its new Director – Commercial and Business Partnerships. Spoerl will leverage the university’s opportunities in innovation and commercialisation, grow business partnerships and funding streams for research, and provide guidance and mentorship in the commercial research space.
Fellowship honour
Clive Somerville chief executive of South Waikato Investment Fund Trust is one of only nine distinguished Winston Churchill Fellows for 2026, allowing him to travel to Europe to visit communities that have reinvented themselves following the decline of traditional industries.
