Festival delights wine-lovers, gastronomes
Crowds gather in Clyde's main street enjoying the Clyde Wine and Food Harvest Festival. PHOTOS: CARYS TROTTEROvercast weather did little to dampen spirits as thousands gathered in Clyde yesterday for the town’s longest-running event, the annual Clyde Wine and Food Harvest Festival. The festival featured 18 vineyards from across the Alexandra basin, alongside a wide range of food vendors showcasing Central Otago produce. Co-owner Chris Cockroft, who ran the vineyard with her husband John, said supporting the local event was important to them. Alexandra couple Tom McIntyre and Zarah Read sample local wine.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:37 UTC
A spoonful of fun for youngsters
Ella Gutsell and Sage Michael, both 6, race to the finish line in the egg-and-spoon race as part of Musselburgh Baptist Church’s Easter fun day on Saturday. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIENDozens of children and their families kept dry and under cover during a messy Easter Saturday. More than 70 children attended Musselburgh Baptism Church’s Easter fun day on Saturday despite the squally and inclement weather. ‘‘I think it’s just to be able to have some good family fun and activity that’s free in the community for Easter. I think just a connection with the church about what the story of Easter is —that can only be a good thing.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:37 UTC
Easy as moving cattle from 9000km away
The 1000-cow herd wears Halter collars and Ignacio’s father, Oscar Perez, runs the software from Osorno, Chile, over 9000km away. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDCanterbury herd manager Ignacio Perez’s video of his Chilean father running a cow collar app 9000km away is going gangbusters on social media. His father, Oscar Perez, is shown in a traditional Chilean cowboy chamanto — poncho — riding his horse, Golosino and operating the Halter software from Osorno, Chile. Mr Perez said his father was naturally nervous about being a ‘‘superstar’’ on video and becoming the first person in Chile to use Halter from 9000km away. The dairy farm had 1000 cows and the Halter technology was introduced in May.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:37 UTC
Caravan, church windows damaged
Lew Bylsma assesses the damage done to a hot-food caravan, owned by the Dunedin Seventh Day Adventist Church, yesterday morning. PHOTOS: GERARD O’BRIENThe church in charge of a caravan that serves hot food to homeless and vulnerable people is ‘‘hugely disappointed’’ it has been damaged again. Dunedin Seventh Day Adventist Church treasurer Lew Bylsma said the group had the van parked by the Stafford St church on Saturday night. Stained glass windows at St Matthew’s Church in Dunedin were also smashed. St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Hope St, Dunedin, was also targeted, with two of the church’s more prominent stained-glass windows badly damaged as well as the kitchen window.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:37 UTC
The lure alluring no longer
This was no photo finish situation: the House had voted unanimously to end dog racing in previous votes, and at Thursday’s final reading only Act New Zealand opposed the ban, which passed 112-11. From August 1, 78 years of dog racing as we know it will come to an end. There have been improvements, and innovations such as the opening of country’s first straight line track — deemed safer than the dogs racing around the traditional oval — have been tried. Mr Peters said that closing the greyhound industry was not an action which had been taken lightly, but that welfare concerns were irrefutable. It is not as if New Zealand will be an outlier in bringing in a ban: Wales, Scotland, and Tasmania are also moving to close commercial greyhound racing.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:37 UTC
No delays as proud crew complete upgrade
Runway construction crews celebrate completing 30 nights of meticulous work at Invercargill Airport where they laid 1700m of new asphalt. PHOTO: SUPPLIEDFor 30 days, crews at Invercargill Airport have raced against the clock to resurface the runway without delaying a single flight. Invercargill Airport chief executive Stuart Harris said completing such a heavy construction project was complex, as the airport needed to remain fully operational. “We didn’t delay or cancel a single flight, and we’re really proud of that.”About 30 Fulton Hogan staff were supported by specialist runway crews from Christchurch to complete the contract. “The specialist crew live and breathe runway work — they’re all about fine detail,” Mr Harris said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:37 UTC
Seasick VR firm owes half million
A Christchurch business developing a virtual reality headset to cure seasickness has gone into liquidation owing creditors more than $513,000. On the See Level website company founders said it took 80 software builds and repeated boat tests on seasick individuals in Lyttelton Harbour until ‘‘we got it right’’. Mr Crimp said in his first liquidators report the company was set up in 2018 to develop a product for countering seasickness. ‘‘It is too early for the liquidator to indicate the likely funds available for unsecured creditors. Creditors included ANZ Bank, Mr Jackson, Mr Rule, IRD, MIRJ Investments and MBIE.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:37 UTC
Surfers make the most of big waves
Lincoln Penei competes in the open men’s section of the South Island Surf Champs at St Clair Beach, Dunedin, yesterday. South Island Surf Champs contest director Jimi Higgins said the waves were probably the biggest there had been during national competition this season. Teenager Taimana Marupo won the open men’s category and Chloe Groube the open women. Mr Higgins said they would spend a day with professional surfers at a championship tour event in Raglan in May. The 60th South Island Surf Champs were hosted by the South Coast Boardriders Association.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:37 UTC
Santana rejects Doc accusations
But Santana Minerals is accusing Doc of misrepresenting their work. Santana Minerals’ Bendigo mine project to be situated in Central Otago, is now going through the fast-track consent process. It has applied for a partial revocation of the existing conservation covenant on the project site. Doc assessed Santana Minerals’ research and found it wanting in several departments. Santana Minerals communications spokeswoman Polly Clague said Doc’s opposition ‘‘misrepresents what we’re actually proposing’’.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:37 UTC
Frizzell reflects on long career
Artist Dick Frizzell (left) and Milford Galleries director Stephen Higginson with Frizzell’s Mickey to Tiki Tu Meke in Queenstown on Saturday. PHOTO: GUY WILLIAMSArtist Dick Frizzell says it has taken ‘‘steely resolve’’ to continue producing work that challenges cultural boundaries. Frizzell was speaking at the opening on Saturday of ‘‘Tiki to Tiki’’, an exhibition of 30 of his paintings at Queenstown’s Milford Galleries. Frizzell told the 70-strong audience how his playing around with abstract tiki forms came up against ‘‘heavy vibes’’ during the Maori art renaissance of the time. Entitled ‘‘Whakatipu and The Remarkables’’, it has 17 paintings, most of which were painted during visits Sir Toss made from Nelson to Queenstown in 1973-74.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:36 UTC
Poor weather fails to dampen airborne fun
A weather-beaten Warbirds Over Wānaka concluded with a mass fly-past of vintage aircraft bringing the event to a stunning close. On Saturday Mr Taylor must have been wondering what he had done to upset Him, with low cloud, low temperatures and intermittent showers putting a dampener on events. Thankfully, the weather across the weekend permitted Mr Romain’s Spitfire a full programme of flying following a three-month, 24,000km journey in a shipping container. The event represented a step back in time in more ways than one for Mr Romain and the perfect place to demonstrate the aircraft. ‘‘It's like shows used to be in the United Kingdom years ago, with the aircraft flying a bit closer to the crowds,’’ Mr Romain said.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:36 UTC
Captain made huge contribution to golden era
He played blindside and No 8 for the Highlanders and contributed mightily to a golden era with his strength, mobility and rugby smarts. And, while he was destined to have a difficult time as All Blacks captain, Randell was rightly feted for the leadership of a Highlanders team containing a mix of characters. Taine Cheyenne Randell was, like regular loose forward compadre Josh Kronfeld, a product of Hawke’s Bay, out of Lindisfarne College. He was on a hiding to nothing when he was made permanent All Blacks captain at just 23. He is back in Hawke’s Bay, where he has dabbled in carbon credits and Maori governance, been a director of the Hawke’s Bay Airport, and started a freeze-dried food company.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:36 UTC
Centenarian witnesses evolution of Cromwell
To attend Lowburn School, Mrs Cowie and her siblings would walk to the Lowburn Punt to cross the Clutha River. She later attended Cromwell District High School and left at 14 to work on the family farm. Previous owners, the Munros, had named it Deer Park supposedly after wild deer that came down from the hills. It was not a big transition to being a farmer’s wife as Mrs Cowie was used to working outside. Mrs Cowie believed there would be few places in New Zealand that had undergone such change as Cromwell.
Source:Otago Daily Times
April 05, 2026 17:36 UTC
Ricky Gervais’ partner Jane Fallon blasts ‘disgusting’ fake obituary
Jane Fallon – who was diagnosed with breast cancer in March following a routine mammogram – was shocked to discover that fake announcements of her death had been published online. Photo / SuppliedJane Fallon – who was diagnosed with breast cancer in March following a routine mammogram – was shocked to discover that fake announcements of her death had been published online. Photo / SuppliedRicky Gervais’ partner Jane Fallon has blasted a “disgusting” fake obituary circulating about her. The 65-year-old bestselling author – who was diagnosed with breast cancer in March following a routine mammogram – was shocked to discover that fake announcements of her death had been published online. According to the MailOnline, she took to X to blast the obituary before deleting her post and later adding: “I’ve taken the post about the obituary down, because I don’t want people to think I’m upset by it.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 05, 2026 17:21 UTC
Trump aid cuts to Africa: How economies grew despite funding slump
Melusi Gumbi works at the Luke Commission’s medical drone network in Sidvokodvo, Eswatini. Sign in hereAccess to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Trump aid cuts to Africa: How economies grew despite funding slumpMelusi Gumbi works at the Luke Commission’s medical drone network in Sidvokodvo, Eswatini. Photo / Ilan Godfrey, The Washington PostThe Trump Administration’s sharp reduction in aid to Africa last year seemed likely to cause a continent-wide crisis of apocalyptic proportions. United States aid fell to US$7.86 billion ($13.7b) in 2025 from US$12.1b in the last year of the Biden administration.
Source:New Zealand Herald
April 05, 2026 16:38 UTC