No WaiFest
Masterton District Council has confirmed it will not be staging a WaiFest music festival this year. “Consideration is being given to how best to mark Waitangi Day in future, along with Matariki, in ways that celebrate their cultural significance and also appeal to a wide cross-section of the community,” a council spokesperson said. Meanwhile, neither Carterton District Council nor South Wairarapa District Council have organised events for Waitangi weekend.
Cops play
trump card
Police have made solid progress with Operation Trump Card, an operation aimed at recovering stolen property across the Wellington area, including Wairarapa. So far, 12 people have been charged and are before the courts on burglary, receiving [stolen items], and theft charges. Further arrests are likely. Police said over 5000 individual items of property believed to have been stolen were found in October. Recovered items included bikes, tools, hardware, and appliances. So far, 93 of 298 bikes, 10 of 29 e-scooters, and 11 of 49 laptops have been identified and will be returned to owners or insurance companies. Police asked owners of stolen property – particularly anything that’s unique or has an identifiable feature, marking, or a known serial number – to contact police and provide this additional information. Anyone who has had property stolen but has not reported the theft is encouraged to do so, and provide a description of their item.
Algae blooming
Masterton District Council has escalated the alert level for toxic algae in Henley Lake. It said the monitoring team had increased warning level to moderate yesterday. “With sustained warm weather, it is likely that algal bloom will continue, so please take care around the water and keep dogs and children out of the lake.” The council said more information on toxic algae could be found on the regional council website.
Library closed
Staff shortages have forced the doors shut at Martinborough Library today. South Wairarapa District Council said the library would be closed today due to staff illness and shortages. It said normal hours would resume tomorrow.
