Fields closed
All grass sports fields managed by Masterton District Council have been closed due to extremely wet ground conditions and forecast rain tonight and tomorrow. This includes Douglas Park. Trust House Memorial Stadium, South Park, The Cricket Oval, and Queen Elizabeth II Park Sportsgrounds.
More roadworks
Waka Kotahi NZTA has advised of a raft of roadworks on Wairarapa state highways. On SH2 between Carterton and Masterton stop-go traffic controls will remain in place at various sections throughout next week, with the transport agency noting that Carterton District Council has also implemented traffic restrictions on the parallel Hughes Line. Stop-go traffic controls will be in place in Greytown, Monday to Thursday from 7pm-5.30am.
Rainy weekend
While heavy rain warnings are in place for Gisborne, Wairarapa is unable to escape the wet. Metservice said Gisborne should expect a prolonged period of rain, heavy at times, especially from Friday evening through to Sunday morning. “This rain is expected to cause dangerous river conditions and significant flooding. Slips and floodwaters are likely to disrupt travel, making some roads impassable and possibly isolating communities.” Less severe rain is expected to hit Wairarapa this weekend, with only 21mm forecast over the weekend by Niwa Weather. Metservice said an area of low pressure is expected to hit the rest of the North Island and the upper South Island on Tuesday and Wednesday. “Fronts associated with this low could possibly bring warning amounts of rain to some areas, but the uncertainty is very high at this stage,” Metservice said.
On the beat
A series of retail, residential, and public disturbances in Masterton kept police on their toes yesterday. Three youths were reported shoplifting on Chapel St at 9.15am, and police said they are making enquiries. There was a second theft later in the day at 3.05pm on Herbert St, where police spoke to several people, including the alleged offender. The other disturbances included a person taken into custody for refusing to leave a property on High St at 9.20am, a woman reportedly verbally abusing people on Queen St at 10.20am, and reports of a person trespassing at a retail premise on Jackson St at 11.30am.
