Two new police have started working in Alexandra this week, bringing the number of frontline officers up to seven, just in time for Christmas.Constable Scott Vollweiler is originally from Milton and started his career in Gore, followed by Christchurch and Rangiora where he spent eight years. All of his family are based in the Otago region, including a brother in Wanaka, and he was looking forward to getting back to his roots in the south.Based in Cromwell and with two young children (5 and 7), he also enjoys tramping and skiing in his spare time, and was focused on proactive community policing.New police officer Constable Henry Caccia-Birch. PHOTO: Supplied“It’s good getting out there and meeting people from different walks of life. It’s just a brilliant place to work and live in Central Otago,” he said.Constable Henry Caccia-Birch also started this week, and has rejoined the police force after a break, where he worked in Tauranga and was involved in fitness instructing.Henry, formerly of Ranfurly, worked with youth in the town before becoming a police officer, and also enjoyed playing golf.Senior Constable Graham Perkins said there was a bit of movement within the ranks, with one officer moving into roading, another becoming a rural sergeant and two more new officers starting in the new year - including a new sergeant position. 

It is still unknown what caused the death of three dogs after visiting the Manuherekia River, off Galloway Rd, last weekend.While the cause remains a mystery, Otago Regional Council scientist - water quality Helen Trotter said it could not completely rule out toxic algae being the culprit.When asked by The Central App what other causes were likely, she said it was “unknown”.“Because a very small amount of toxic algae is enough to cause serious illness (or death), it is difficult to completely rule this out as a possible cause, however no benthic cyanobacteria (toxic algae) has been recorded in the river at this site.”She said Otago Regional Council (ORC) has limited information about the incident, so could not rule out the dogs had come into contact with toxic algae elsewhere, for example.The dogs’ owners posted about the incident anonymously on Facebook.The ORC said the “sad” incident was a reminder to be on the lookout for toxic algae in our waterways this summer.ORC has done a thorough site assessment in the area, but found no sign of toxic algae at the site, or at popular access points downstream. It was consistent with recent monitoring results at Shaky Bridge and Galloway, which have also not found potentially toxic algae to be present.Helen said toxic algae are commonly found in and around waterways over summer, including the Manuherekia River and it was important people, dog owners in particular, were vigilant. Just one teaspoon was enough to be fatal, so dogs should be kept on a leash to keep them away from the water and riverbank.“Blooms frequently occur (most years) at Ophir in the Manuherekia River and we have a permanent warning sign at this site.”She said other rivers throughout Otago, known to be cyanobacteria hotspots include Silver Stream (Mosgiel), Cardrona River (Central Otago), Hāwea River (Central Otago) and Waianakarua River (North Otago).Helen encourages people to check the Land Air Water Aotearoa website before heading out, but anyone who had any doubts should stay out of the water.She said it was also “very important” people contact ORC on its pollution hotline: 0800 800 033 if they discover what they think could be toxic algae and take a photo of it.Blooms are more common during the summer months, when low rainfall, warm temperatures, the right level of nutrients and more sunlight create an environment where it can thrive. “However in the right conditions toxic algae can bloom rapidly and just a teaspoon is enough to cause serious illness (or death), so people are urged to remain vigilant around our waterways this summer and if in doubt, stay out,” she said.ORC follows the Ministry for the Environment guidelines in managing its response to potentially toxic algae. Benthic cyanobacteria is a dark coloured matting of algae found on riverbeds, which can be washed up on rocks and banks. PHOTO: ORC“We put up warning signs at popular access points when toxic algae reach levels that pose a risk to human and animal health. However, not all sites with toxic algae will have warning signs because of the very large number of waterways across Otago, including many on private land, and because blooms can occur rapidly in the right conditions. “It [is], therefore, really important for people to know how to spot toxic algae and if in doubt, stay out. “We also use social media, our website and LAWA to help keep the public up to date on potential health risks.”How to spot toxic algae:• In rivers, look for dark brown mats like tar on the riverbed — mats can detach and wash up in the shallows and on banks.• In lakes, look for murky green water like a pea soup.Signs of poisoning include:• Lethargy• Muscle tremors• Fast breathing• Twitching• Paralysis• ConvulsionIf you think your dog has eaten any toxic algae, see your vet immediately.To find the latest toxic algae sightings visit the ORC’s website.

Ripponvale Road behind Cromwell is starting to become its own little community hub, with new businesses popping up along the main road, and others expanding.Over the past 18 months new PYO cherry businesses have been added to the mix - several years ago there was just two, now there are seven along the road.Added to this, owners of the new La Bottega General Store have opened their doors to the public this week, and will be selling freshly baked Italian goods and pasta, as well as fresh local products.The old Ritchies Gully Store was initially a side business for a cherry orchard owned by Ripponvale Adventure, and the owners had been selling fruit and vegetables, nursery plants and preserves.Now they have re-established the use of the old building with a focus on offering frozen and fresh pasta, sauces, and an assortment of baked goods like tarts, cakes, and breads. A resource consent hearing was held in early December and the directors said the existing store would be a good community asset, rather than letting the building deteriorate and be left unused.  La Bottega will be run by chef Armando Varlotta (Armando's Kitchen) and partner Christine Kimm - the original owner of Richies Gully, along with Wendy Denholme.Senior planning officer Oli Monthule-McIntosh said in his report to the hearing that the impact of the proposed store on Cromwell’s business resource area was a pertinent consideration, but believed the potential adverse impacts would be negligible.“Its operation is of a very small scale, suggesting a limited operational footprint and customer base, which reduces the likelihood of a significant impact on Cromwell's town centre business dynamics. Additionally, the store's unique nature as a local specialty store, offering niche locally made products, sets it apart from the general retail mix in the business resource area. “This specialisation indicates that the store will likely attract a niche market, rather than competing directly with the broader retail offerings of the town centre,” he said.However, he suggested the types of goods sold should be strictly limited so as not to set an undesirable precedent.“This approach will help maintain the integrity of the District Plan and ensure that this approval is seen as specific to the unique circumstances of this case, rather than a broader shift in policy regarding rural retail activities.”

Consultants working on the Cold Gold Clutha Dredge proposal are confident they have been able to adequately resolve any issues relating to the planned operation near Luggate.A hearing about a month ago by the Otago Regional Council (ORC) in Alexandra adjourned after two days and the client was submitting its final report this week.Many submitters were opposed to the operation moving from near the Tuapeka Mouth where the dredge had been working for the past 10 years, to the Upper Clutha, south of the Luggate Bridge.Land use, water and discharge permits were needed to suction dredge the Clutha Mata-Au, and the applicant had applied for a seven-year consent.Expert witnesses believed the project had significant environmental shortfalls, there were concerns about the effects of suction dredging on cultural values, and also how it would impact the natural ecology of the river. Thirty-six people submitted against the proposal, but the applicant also put forward a strong case being led by Terramark Ltd.Planning manager Darryl Sycamore said this week they had been working with the harbourmasters, “and it is our expectation the navigation and safety issues can be resolved to address the concerns raised by submitters.”While the applicant commissioned a cultural impact assessment, Aukaha advised that inadequate information had been provided to mana whenua to assess whether the proposal provided for cultural values, including the mauri of the water (ecology, biodiversity and archaeology.)Darryl said the evidence of the runaka representatives was considered and they were working through a response to their concerns.There were also issues from submitters about the dredge being located in the middle of the river, as it was very limited in its response to move away from other vessels.The river was considerably narrower than the lower Clutha River and could restrict other vessels.Consultant planner for the ORC recommended the application be declined and a final decision will be made by the end of January.

Dry conditions have forced Central Otago into a prohibited fire season.The Central, Naseby, Upper Waitaki, Lakes, Glendhu Bluffs and Lake Ōhau zones moved from a restricted to a prohibited fire season at 8am today.A prohibited fire season means a total ban on open-air fires, and all previously granted fire permits are suspended.Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) made the announcement following a recent period of hot, dry and windy weather conditions.Fenz Otago district manager Phil Marsh said westerly winds and a lack of widespread rain has dried out much of the vegetation across the district. “In these conditions, with more wind forecast, a fire can get out of control very quickly.“We have already seen several unwanted fires across Otago in the last week, with one likely to have been caused by fireworks,” he said.That fire was attended by crews from five Central Otago fire brigades, along with helicopters carrying monsoon buckets, battled a blaze on a steep hillside above Lake Dunstan."Wind can easily carry sparks and embers from fireworks large distances into dry vegetation,"Fireworks are now also banned in the Central, Naseby, Upper Waitaki, Lakes, Glendhu Bluffs and Lake Ōhau zones under Section 52 of the Fire and Emergency Act, until further notice. Fireworks are now banned in some areas until further notice, due to dry conditions: IMAGE: FenzFenz encourages residents to create safety zones for their homes as hot dry conditions persist, increasing the risk of fire.Fire and Emergency Incident Controller Bobby Lamont said people could do that by keeping lawns mowed, cleaning their gutters and removing anything that could burn, including dried vegetation from their properties.He said anything that was within close vicinity to a house that could fuel a fire, such as firewood should be removed.Anyone planning on cranking up the barbecue should also take extra care by making sure there is a water source at hand, either a hose or a bucket of water.In general, he said Central Otago residents were “really aware” of the fire danger and the risks at this time of year.“I’d like to thank the communities of Central Otago for that.”Bobby said it was also that time of year when farmers needed to check their machinery and tractors for birds nests.And, people were also advised not to park in long grass because hot exhausts can set grass on fire.Bobby encourages people to visit fireandemergency.nz where they can get some good fire safety advice, along with weather updates.

Two incidents of staff/contractors locking up and leaving council-owned facilities while customers were still inside, have managers now implementing new procedures.Two girls were left inside the Molyneux Aquatic Centre and a customer at the Ranfurly Transfer Station, a health and safety report to the Audit and Risk Committee last week revealed.The two girls, aged 11 and 13, found an emergency exit to leave the pool in Alexandra after a staff member locked up earlier than usual at the end of the day.The report by health, safety and wellbeing advisor Hannes Strydom said checks were made by lifeguards to make sure that everyone had left the premises, but the changing rooms were not thoroughly checked. The girls managed to phone one of their parents and the team leader for the centre was eventually contacted who went to unlock the pool – by that time the girls had already managed to get out.The parents of both girls were contacted and offered an apology.  The shift manager agreed a thorough check of all areas was not carried out, and team members were reminded of the closing procedures.In Ranfurly, a customer was locked inside for 15 minutes after the transfer station had closed for the day in a similar situation. The customer contacted the council’s customer service centre who were unable to unlock the gate, but the problem was eventually resolved.Enviro NZ investigated the incident and instructed their staff at all transfer stations to walk around the sites at the end of each day to ensure there were no customers on the premises before they locked up. Staff have also been reminded of this at their regular monthly meetings.Hannes told the meeting staff now followed through a checklist to sign off everything before they left the building, and this was a good example of the processes coming into play.

Up-Cycles Charitable Trust will spend 2024 further developing bike education programmes that can be delivered across Otago and Southland.Founder and project director Chris Foggin said achieving charitable status in October 2023 meant they could now apply for funding and attract organisations to assist in its development goals.“It’s not just only about refurbishing old bikes (our main purpose), but also the delivery and education and sustainable transport programmes, organising events and generally lifting wellbeing through cycling,” he said.In 2023 Upcycles gifted 41 bikes around the Central Otago community, of which half were adults and half children.It had 76 bikes donated from the wider community across Otago and Southland, and also sold a further 21 further bikes for a low price to raise some initial funds for the charity.When H&J Smiths Invercargill recently closed, the CEO John Green contacted Upcycles and donated thousands of dollars worth of new parts and accessories.Over the next 12 months Chris will be exploring how he can engage with more volunteers, expand the project and look for a better space to operate from.The Up-Cycles project aims to close the gaps between the strong tourism cycling market in Central Otago and those in the community that might need a hand up to get into biking.He’s been working closely with Oranga Tamariki, Salvation Army, Presbyterian Support Otago, Pasifika Central Otago, Comcol Southern, ADLNZ and Foster Hope-Otago and schools.The cycle education programmes being developed include:1. Cycle Trail Ambassador (CTA) courses.2. Waka Kotahi (NZTA) BikeReady programme.3. Cycle safety and skills education.4. Community Bike Leader training - which includes leadership for rangatahi.5. Promoting active sustainable transport and waste reduction.6. The transfer of skills i.e. teaching people how to look after their bikes or creating interest in working in the bike industry.“This has all happened in less than 12 months with one operational project manager and two ‘silent’ governance trustees, and all based from a shipping container,” Chris said.

Slip, slop, slap and wrap - the mercury is expected to hit 30 degrees Celsius across parts of Central over the coming days.MetService has predicted some warm days ahead for the district, with temperatures ranging from the high 20s to early 30s.Communications meteorologist Lewis Ferris said that warm weather was expected to start today and tomorrow with temperatures in the high 20s for some areas, while others could potentially break into the 30C mark.“Monday looks to be a little cooler, but Tuesday [and] Wednesday will see the potential for exceeding [a return of] 30C.Lewis said hot weather was expected to hang around Central leading into Christmas.However, the week between Christmas and New Year did not have a strong signal for prolonged warm weather, he said.“Broadly looking ahead, Jan and Feb do have a good potential for days exceeding that 30C mark at times, this is closely related to El Niño, increasingly the prevalence of westerly winds, which present as warm north-westerlies across Central Otago.”There will still be some cooler days with rain, he said.“Current long range forecast info suggests about normal amount of rain across Jan/Feb.”Although Lewis could not confirm what the hottest temperature was and where so far this summer, he noted the MetService station at Pukaki Airport in the Mackenzie District reached 30.5C yesterday.This summer MetService will trial a heat alert system for 46 towns or cities, if the forecast temperatures are expected to be unusual - very hot - for that location.For more weather updates visit The Central App's weather button.

As Central Otago turns into a holiday destination over the Christmas period, police are reminding locals to be patient as our resources come under pressure.Alexandra Police Senior Constable Graham Perkins said the increase in holiday traffic on our roads would come with extra people with caravans, trailers and boats, boosting tension levels.“They come down from Christchurch and the West Coast, or from Auckland and think they can get to Queenstown in a day.”He said holiday makers often didn’t care where they stopped, “so with that we’ve got a lot of different methods of driving which causes frustration. "And, then people take chances, which they would not normally take.”Holiday camps filled up and it was not uncommon for some - particularly the Alexandra Holiday camp to increase by 3000 people over Christmas-New Year.“And, that puts a strain on our resources, whether that be restaurants, public toilets, our roads and supermarkets . . . and then holiday makers, they are often drinking and their inhibitions come down and they might put themselves into situations they’re not always used to.”Since Covid-19 Snr Const Perkins has noticed that people socialised more at home in their family or friend groups, and didn’t tend to go out to pubs as much.Police and Age Concern were also urging people to check on their neighbours regularly leading up to and during the busy Christmas season.Snr Const Perkins said there have been cases in the past where people haven’t seen anyone next door for a few weeks, and then authorities have then found them deceased.He said it didn’t hurt to knock on someone’s door if you noticed there hadn’t been any activity at the neighbour’s house, and to look out for things like lights left on all night and curtains shut.There were also plenty of “opportunists” out there over Christmas who were looking at easy access to cars (don’t leave windows down in supermarket), and entry into houses, so using preventative measures such as a sprinkler in the front yard, or leaving a security light on could help, he said.Listen to more here on The Podcast Outlet.

Omakau School’s senior pupils are leaving a legacy behind for future children to enjoy.Year 8 children Zac Dougherty, Will Gillespie, Wiremu Harraway and Alexis Henderson have signed off their time at the school by crafting native birds on large wooden panels for display in the playground.The artistic creations, installed on large poles in the middle of a recently developed bike track, are part of the school’s annual Legacy Art Project.Wiremu Harraway with his matuku moana.Each year, children in Year 8 get the chance to work on a project - one they can leave behind for others to enjoy in years to come.Year 5 to 8 teacher Wanda Jaggard said the children designed their chosen bird on Google Drawings, shaped them from plywood and painted them.“So, if they come back in the future they can show their friends and family - it’s like a legacy they have left the school."Will Gillespie with his tūī.Alexis Henderson with the tauhou and pīwakawaka.The native birds they chose to create were kārearea (New Zealand falcon), matuku moana (white faced heron), tūī, pīwakawaka (fantail) and tauhou (silvereye).She thanked a large range of people who helped make the project happen, including those who donated materials and equipment and those who helped install the artworks.Zac Dougherty with his kārearea.Last year’s project, a pair of kaitiaki, also known as guardians, were also recently installed and now stand proud at the entrance to the school’s new greenhouse. Their purpose is to protect the school’s food crops and native plants.PHOTOS: The Central App

Alexandra and Cromwell Information Centres have formally informed Tourism Central Otago (TCO) they would no longer be providing an official staffed service.Unichem Alexandra Pharmacy and Forage Cafe had a Memorandum of Understanding since 2020 with TCO to provide bookings for visitors, as well as being agents for Intercity buses.The Gate manager Glen Christiansen told the Central App, when contacted, that the model was no longer right for the business, and it was not a decision they made lightly.“We’re sad about not being able to provide the service, but however, if people still walked off the street we’ll still look after them because we are a customer-based industry.”But, he said Forage Cafe would no longer be an official Information Centre, and that would include removing signage.The decision by the Central Otago District Council to close its Alexandra i-Site in 2020 and move it from Central Stories Museum to the Unichem Alexandra Pharmacy, near the monument, caused some controversy in the community.Eight jobs in total were lost and many people spoke out, saying it was a shame to close the i-Site and move it away from a place people were familiar with.Unichem Alexandra Pharmacy owner Chris Galbraith said she had invested a lot of money into her business model, and had been the only one in New Zealand with an Information Centre, “so it was a bit out of left field.”“We took it on as an opportunity and we were really excited about it. But, it didn’t align well with my business, being a health business, and we had to make our own visitor centre effectively.”But, with no council funding and setting up during Covid-19 it had been really challenging.“We did our best but we can’t viably do this. The model just doesn’t work.”The Information Centre, which has been available to people at Forage in Cromwell. PHOTO: SuppliedUnlike Forage, however, Chris was reluctant to completely shut down her Information Centre, and the signage would remain, as well as the dedicated space inside the pharmacy.“I’m pretty reluctant to throw it away.”A brand refresh of i-Sites nationally was currently underway, and both Ranfurly and Roxburgh were part of that, with new signage going up over the next few weeks. Both sites were still funded by the council. Head of destination Anthony Longman told the council yesterday there was no intention for both Alexandra and Cromwell to become an ‘enhanced’ i-Site like others around the country.Dunedin and Napier remodelling was currently underway and both were undergoing huge refits to align with the new branding.Considering the operational changes by the two Information Centres, Tourism Central Otago contacted Intercity (Entrada Group) to advise that there was still a community and visitor need for a bus booking agent in Alexandra and Cromwell. Entrada advised they did not have any current plans to find new agents. Customers would now have to contact them by phone, email or complete online bookings for bus tickets or enquiries.Group manager - Community Vision Dylan Rushbrook told the council he was “absolutely keen,” and hopeful that someone else would run with the Information Centre model.“We’re hoping that someone will see the need or the opportunity,” Anthony said.As part of the nationwide review of I-Site services, it was noted that while some tourists made bookings in person, often they were not looking to make their decisions while visiting the centres, and more often booked online.

Omakau has been given the green light to build its estimated $5 million community hub on the town’s reserve.The Omakau Reserve Management Plan was recently adopted by the Central Otago District Council (CODC), which has allowed for the existing rugby clubrooms and camp kitchen to be decommissioned, with the clubrooms to be housed in the proposed hub.A new camping ground kitchen will be constructed next to the existing ablution blocks and the playground could be relocated to where the existing clubrooms are.Manuherekia Valleys Charitable Trust committee chair Andrew Paterson provided an update on the hub project at yesterday’s final council meeting for the year, stating there was a shortfall of about $1.2 million to $1.5 million.The community hub would effectively provide a one-stop-shop for a large range of groups, while also providing a space for functions to be held.Andrew said there were three buildings in Omakau, which were not fit for purpose and showcased the need for a community facility the wider community could make use of.One of those buildings was the rugby club rooms, a facility that was serving a need now, but needed extensive work done to it - either a major renovation or replacement.He said another building that required attention was the toy library, a basic facility that has no lights or running water.The future of the Omakau Community Centre is also in jeopardy, due to the amount of work that needs to be done to it.In 2014 an initial earthquake assessment of the building found it was only 22 per cent of the new building standard and estimated structural strengthening to cost about $230,000.He said the aim was to put those three buildings into one, along with a range of other groups in the community who do not currently have a building or clubrooms to work from.The state of the town’s existing buildings meant the community had reached a “critical situation”.A small committee of people have been working behind the scenes on various elements of the project over several years, including design concepts and fundraising.The group has so far raised about $4 million, including trust grants, and will add to that on December 28 when it hosts a golf tournament fundraiser.Read more: Omakau Community Hub making progress

Cromwell residents will be down to just one bore this week as a vital treatment upgrade takes place for meeting drinking water standards.The Central Otago District Council has asked residents in Bannockburn, Ripponvale, Lowburn and Pisa communities to reduce their water usage from Tuesday until Friday, while the testing phase took place.The upgrade would be completed by the end of 2025 and the water services team would be carrying out further bore testing this week to help scope out the final design towards creating an improved treatment plant.“During this time, the Cromwell water supply will be operating from one bore rather than the normal two, which will impact on the rate at which water can be produced,” a statement from council said.In early October the council also received direction from Taumata Arowai regarding compliance deadlines for protozoa barriers across all water systems. The move came after a cryptosporidium outbreak in Queenstown, which left many people sick and prompted a boil water notice.Some of the new technology inside the LDWS treatment plant. PHOTO: SuppliedFor water systems that used bore water as their source, installation and operation of a protozoa barrier must be in place by December 31, 2025.Capital projects programme manager Patrick Keenan said it has always been the council’s intention to upgrade the Cromwell treatment plant as part of the Long-Term Plan (LTP) projects, by the end of 2025.“Obviously, the council is going to be working hard to meet drinking water standards, however the upgrade is part of the bigger picture around Cromwell water.“The fact that there are those deadlines (Taumata Arowai compliance) is not directly related to the scheduling of the work on the bore as this had been planned ahead of time.“The protozoa barrier is one part of the drinking water assurance rules, but the upgrade goes wider. While meeting the aims of the LTP, we’re also future-proofing the water supply for growth and Central Otago, in particular Cromwell, is growing fast.”To ensure that the council continued to provide safe water in the Cromwell community, people were asked to think carefully about their water usage, and reduce during the four-day period.During the works, the team would be monitoring the water supply levels closely and may issue a conserve water notice if required.To help with the water reduction efforts, the council would not be irrigating some greenways and open spaces over this period.The latest developments involved the Three Waters team investigating the yield and quality of water at two possible new bore sites adjacent to Lake Dunstan.The drilling works would be carried out in such a way that there would  be no adverse environmental effects, and when the investigation was completed, the drill holes would be backfilled.Another project awarded by the council this week was to HEB Construction Ltd for the installation of a dedicated rising main to the existing Cromwell reservoir, a $5.7 million contract. In the Maniototo, the Ranfurly wastewater pipe renewals project contract was awarded to SouthRoads Limited this week.The project was estimated to cost just under $1.4million which would cover approximately 750 metres of new wastewater piping. Works would get under way in January and the main scope of work would be in the Ranfurly township. One of the key benefits to this work was to mitigate infiltration from the variable ground water table and stormwater, which negatively impacted the effectiveness of the Ranfurly wastewater treatment plant.

Central Otago District Council staff are working weekends and long hours to catch up on crucial work for the next Long Term Plan (LTP) 2024-2034.Project manager - Organisational Christina Martin told the audit and risk committee yesterday they were tracking behind schedule, but was confident the team could still make the June 2024 statutory deadline.With a new Government and changes in legislation pending, councils around the country were all trying to negotiate the new environment and budget accordingly.  Mayor Tim Cadogan has already warned rates would be up around and possibly more than 20% - like many councils around the country.“The whole team is really flexible . . . but there have been so many balls up in the air,” Christina said.Council’s audit and risk committee chair Bruce Robertson, who also chaired 14 other local government committees around the country, agreed the future was still too uncertain, particularly in the Three Waters space. It was revealed just over a week ago that the Government’s 100-day plan included the dismantling of the regime, opting to replace it with the Local Water Done Well policy.Christina said in her report to the committee that additional resourcing in the finance team had been sourced to help get the LTP project back on track.She said while there was a delay to the original programme, adoption of the LTP 2024-2034 by the statutory deadline of June 30, 2024 was still achievable.Community boards would discuss the draft budgets in late January, and council would approve the draft consultation document in February, before it went out for public consultation for a month from mid-March.Council chief executive Peter Kelly said they didn’t want to “break the camel’s back this side of Christmas,” and instead concentrate on putting more quality into the work done by staff. 

It was a busy weekend for Alexandra Police, assisting with a fire at Weatherall Creek and also being called for backup at a domestic incident in Cromwell.Senior Constable Graham Perkins said two men were arrested in Cromwell for disorder after a feud between a family of 15.Pepper spray was used to subdue the confrontational males after the domestic incident spilled out onto the street.The team from Cromwell called for backup from the Alexandra team, which sent two officers.“Because we all often work by ourselves we needed those numbers there,” he said. Several members of the public alerted police to the altercation, and Snr Constable Perkins said there was quite a variance of ages of those at the family gathering.Back in Alexandra, the new owners of a motel in the main street received a bit of a shock when they realised the local hoons liked to park up outside their premises and play loud music, keeping their customers awake.Snr Constable Perkins said they were going to start cracking down on young people driving around in cars between Thursday and Sunday nights over the Christmas period.The Alexandra monument was a popular spot for them to converge because of the free Wi-fi, and they also gathered outside the Caltex and the Night n’ Day.“They are not speeding and they have sober drivers, but their windows are down and passengers are often banging on the roof.”Police will give a warning first and if they continued to cause a disturbance they would then be charged with using a vehicle likely to cause annoyance, which could come with a $600 fine.Alexandra had a liquor ban from 10pm to 7am so anybody caught with passengers in their vehicle and drinking would be targeted as well. Police have also been getting frustrated with drivers who wouldn’t get out of the way when emergency services were on their way to a call out.Despite the flashing lights and sirens, some drivers were totally oblivious to what was going on behind them.“Be aware of your surroundings,” Snr Constable Perkins said.Impeding an emergency vehicle came with a $150 fine if the police officer warranted it serious enough and decided to record the driver’s license plate and followed up.

An app that gave avid readers access to various services across the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes Libraries network has been withdrawn without warning.The app, which allowed people to do a range of things from their phone, including browse, renew and hold books, no longer functions.Central Otago District Council group manager community experience David Scoones has apologised to the community for the issue, which is out of the council’s control.“Sorry to say, but the library app we’ve been using has been withdrawn without notice by the third-party providers, an issue that affects us as well as libraries across the world who also use it.”About 2000 people across Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes had downloaded the app."People found it very useful, particularly to reserve and renew items . . . and for keeping track of their children's checkouts."They are disappointed that it is no longer available, but understand that it was not within our control."David said the developer has told the council the app may not be available for the foreseeable future.“It’s not a situation that we have control over, however a solution is being worked on and we will update you as soon as we are able,” he said.The library app, which no longer works, allowed users to do everything from downloading e-books to renewing physical books. PHOTO: The Central AppThe app will remain on people’s phones until they remove it and while it may appear to work, the information is outdated.“We recommend deleting the app and using the mobile optimised catalogue in your phone web browser by visiting CQ (kotui.org.nz).”From the online catalogue, people can login using their library card number and password, which allows them to manage their account, just as they did from the app.Most features are similar to the app, but anyone with questions can contact their local library.“We will let you know when a new and improved app is available,” David said.“We really do apologise for the inconvenience.”

Central Otago District Council is pleading with the public to keep well away from operational areas at Alexandra Airport, following a series of near misses.The incidents involved people who had accessed the area near the runway when they were not authorised to, which has raised concern among airport officials and the Central Otago District Council (CODC).CODC raised the issue last week among its social media followers, particularly people who enjoy the tracks near the airport for cycling, motorbiking, walking and exercising their dogs.A CODC spokesperson said measures have been taken to limit public access onto operational areas and asked everyone to follow the rules “for safety’s sake”.“We do want people to enjoy the Alexandra Airport tracks . . . however, people need to stick to the permitted tracks and stay away from the operational areas of the airport.”People are only permitted to use tracks or trails outside the red areas. PHOTO: SuppliedA pilot, who did not want to be named, said although he had not witnessed any near-misses himself, he had heard of others who had.His message to people was simple: “it’s an operational area - the risk of near-misses is high because they are in the operational area.”He said it was particularly concerning that people had ventured into an operational area when they knew they shouldn’t.People are reminded not to walk or bike in the red shaded areas. PHOTO: The Central AppThe council asks people to pass the message on to others who they know use the tracks, reminding them to “stick to permitted tracks and stay away from operational areas of the airport”.

A potentially long, hot summer is in store for Central, prompting calls to conserve water to prevent stocks from drying up.Central Otago District Council (CODC) plans to launch a campaign in the coming weeks, calling on people to use water wisely.A CODC water services spokesperson said being cautious when using water now can make a difference, and potentially prevent any conserve water notices.Naseby is among the towns that have experienced conserve water notices in recent years, including in January 2021 after widespread flooding. Its water supply is sourced from an open irrigation race, which the council treats and distributes.The CODC water services spokesperson said the district's other large water bodies such as the Clutha River or Lake Dunstan can create a perception that there is a boundless amount of water available."Therefore, it naturally takes time for the water conservation message to really register with people.”The water services team agreed that getting the message out early could help, particularly as visitors would soon arrive in the district, adding extra pressure on water supplies.Treating a raw water source to make it safe to drink takes time and a lot of resources.“The rising costs of electricity and methods of treatment used to make each litre of our water, make it more and more expensive to produce. Reducing demand helps us to manage these costs.”There are several reasons why demand for water threatens to outstrip supply in Central, particularly over summer. “One occurs during the height of summer when visitor numbers are high and the days are hot. The process of treating raw water to a safe/potable level takes time.”The treatment technology available at each plant is different and comes with their own challenges.“What they all have in common though is that the raw water doesn’t instantaneously become safe to drink. It takes time to pass through each level of treatment.“This is why we have reservoirs to store treated water and distribute it while more is being produced.”The team also points out that demand for water can outstrip supply in extreme rain events.“Our surface water sources of ‘raw’ water can become muddy (turbid). The rise in levels of turbidity make the treatment process less effective and/or impossible. “However, if we can’t treat the water adequately, then we stop producing it and rely on what is stored in the reservoirs. It takes time for turbidity levels to return to normal after a decent rain event, so we need the public to conserve water until we can begin producing safely treated water again.”Visit the CODC website for tips on how to use water wisely this summer.Read more: Prepare for hot and dry Central summer.

Fire crews and three helicopters with monsoon buckets have contained a blaze near Clyde this evening.Crews from five Central Otago brigades have been fighting the blaze on a steep hillside above Lake Dunstan, on Fruitgrowers Rd, and will continue working in strong winds to secure the perimeter until dark.Police evacuated people from a nearby freedom camping area and ask that people stay away. The fire, which was reported at about 4.20pm, is understood to have reignited from an earlier fire, which was started by fireworks last night.Strong winds had fanned the blaze, which had moved uphill and had not been easy for crews to reach on the ground.Fire and Emergency incident controller Bobby Lamont said the firefighters from local volunteer brigades and the helicopter pilots had done a "tremendous" job in "very challenging" conditions to limit the fire to three hectares."The winds in the area have been horrific - thankfully the face where the fire is burning is slightly sheltered, and we slammed extra resources onto it to make sure it didn't impact the transmission lines from the dam."He said a crew would remain at the scene overnight and further ground crews would be back in the morning.A passerby, who wished to remain anonymous, witnessed it while driving over the Clyde hill passing lane.The fire is located on Fruitgrowers Rd, near the rowing club. PHOTO: SuppliedShe said she could see smoke, which was billowing down the gully.“Lots of [the] area already looks scorched.”It is one of several vegetation fires, which crews were battling around the South Island today.Central Otago is already in a restricted fire season due to the dry conditions and elevated fire danger, as is the Lakes District and Upper Waitaki.Bobby urges people to think twice about letting off fireworks in windy conditions, and be aware that it only takes one spark to cause a wildfire.People who have lit outdoor fires in the past few days are urged to check they are fully extinguished, as strong winds can fan old fires back into life.Anyone considering lighting a fire outdoors needs to visit www.checkitsalright.nz to make sure there are no restrictions in place and to read up on fire safety advice.