News in Brief
Waka racing
More than 4000 competitors – watched by 8000 spectators – will take part in a total of 380 races over seven days in the waka ama sprint nationals on Lake Karāpiro starting on Sunday. Waka Ama gets ready for 35th anniversary
Waka Ama. Photo: Garrick Cameron, Waka Ama NZ
Honours galore
People with Waipā connections on the New Year’s Honours list – Linda Te Aho, Paula Baker, Fred Graham, Valerie Lissette, Ian Foster and Sally Davies – feature on our website Waipā people included in New Year’s honours
Tender named
Cambridge Town Hall
The Cambridge Town Hall Community Trust has announced Woodview Construction will carry out the renovation of the Victorian and Edwardian Rooms and make roof repairs. Work will start next week.
Teacher dies
Lynne Douglas, a longtime Leamington School teacher who was recognised with an NZEI award in 2023 for 50 years of service to teaching, died on December 29. The News will carry a tribute to her in next week’s paper.
Dutch elm victim
The mound of dirt where the elm tree was before its felling.
A second case of Dutch Elm disease has been confirmed in Waipā and a 100 year-old elm on the southeast corner of Victoria Square has been removed. See: Felled tree had Dutch Elm disease
New trustees named
Olympic gold medallist and Te Awa River Ride trail manager Sarah Ulmer on the Te Awa River Ride track between the Velodrome and Hooker Road. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
Sarah Ulmer, Mike Garrett, Glenda Taituha-Toka and Ken Williamson have joined Trust Waikato as board members.
The trust is one of a dozen community trusts in the country. It was established in 1988 to manage shares in Trust Bank Waikato and has made almost $300 million in grants since 1996 when the shares were sold and an investment portfolio established.
Associate Finance minister Shane Jones, announcing the appointments, also confirmed the re-appointment of Metua Tangaroa-Daniel-Malietoa.
Ken Williamson
The appointments follow the announcement last month that Janise Hine-kapetiu Eketone had succeeded chair Vicky McLennan and her deputy would be Chris Flatt.
Taituha-Toka, from Piopio, sits on the Waikato-Tainui executive. Flatt and Ulmer are both Waipā based – they live in Cambridge. Eketone is a former Maniapoto Māori Trust Board chief executive.
Jones said the trustees collectively bring “expertise in education, business, healthcare, community services, marketing, sports, governance, law, environmental protection, grant allocation, and community development to the trusts”.
New chief
Craig Hobbs
Waikato District Council has appointed Craig Hobbs as its new chief executive replacing the long-serving Gavin Ion, who will remain with council until mid-year. Hobbs starts on February 3. See: Waikato appoints new chief executive
Waste submissions
The Environmental Protection Authority received 478 written submissions on behalf of the Board of Inquiry on the Te Awamutu-waste-to-energy plant resource consent application from Global Contracting Solutions Limited. A hearing is expected in June. See: Board reveals business interests.
Don’t burn Waipa
