Manawatu Standard
Death fees bite nationwide
As the “monopoly provider” of deathcare services and infrastructure across Aotearoa, councils needed to do more to keep costs down, according to the New Zealand Funeral Directors Association. Gillian Boyes, NZFDA chief executive, called on local...
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Tributes play on for ‘Johnny Mac’
He was a man of music, style and many friends – and all three were deeply entwined. Such was the tone of the tributes for Johnny McCormick, which were paid in laughter, tears, soaring notes and shots of whisky at a packed Globe Theatre. The...
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Faith for long-term future
The chairperson of the organisation that runs Awapuni Racecourse is assured it can navigate a challenging period while its grass track is closed and become a major training centre. A report released by the racing industry last week recommended big...
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PN, Horowhenua team up
Palmerston North and Horowhenua are front-footing a plan to be the foundation members of a new sub-regional council. The city and district councils both met yesterday, and agreed to write to Local Government Minister Simon Watts telling him they are...
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Mum flees, home set alight
A heavily pregnant woman fled her Manawatū home carrying her 4-yearold daughter after three gang associates arrived looking for her partner and one set her property alight, a court has heard. The woman read her victim impact statement in the...
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Transform WINTER SKIN
Why skin is so dry in winter That feeling of tightness after a shower? Blame it on the season. This is what experts mean when they talk about a ‘compromised skin barrier’, and it’s something many of us are experiencing right now. Dryness is caused by...
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Tears, hugs at the finish line
The ecstasy of a race win was mixed with heavy emotions as commercial greyhound racing reached the finish line. The reality of a Government ban on commercial greyhound racing, announced by Racing Minister Winston Peters 18 months ago, hit home on...
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Closure proposal draws criticism
A proposed overhaul of New Zealand’s racing infrastructure has gone down like a dodgy race tip at one of the tracks earmarked for closure. Earlier this week the thoroughbred and harness racing codes released a proposed master plan for racecourses,...
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Squash world tour to make a stop in town
Dozens of the world’s best squash players will compete on stage in Palmerston North next year. The city is hosting the New Zealand Squash Open from February 15 to 21, part of the professional PSA world tour and it will be played in a glass court on...
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Last bits of track pulled up
Work to remove any sign of greyhound racing at the Palmerston North track should be completed by the end of the week. The commercial greyhound racing industry is about to be wound down as the Government ban on the sport comes into effect after...
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Harness club vows to fight
The Manawatū Harness Racing Club is in line for closure, as are thoroughbred training venues at Foxton and Levin if recommendations from a horse-racing industry report go ahead. The troubled Awapuni Racecourse would stay open and become a metropolitan...
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A century of grit and wit
Even when sitting quick. She loves a pun or a turn of phrase, and delights at reaching into her mind to dust off an adage or a pearl of wisdom, or at least the start of one. She is prone to taking “tangents”, as her daughters put it, but she has a...
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Hopes up for school buses
A potential solution may have emerged for Palmerston North secondary school students who have lost their bus routes, but it could be up to their schools to arrange replacement transport services. After intervention from the Government, the Ministry of...
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Finding gut health results in Feilding
A biotechnology company is working with Manawatū farmers to create products that can improve people’s gut health and should be a boost to the New Zealand economy. Proliant Health and Biologicals is a United States company with a site in Feilding where...
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Luxon’s school bus lifeline
After months of unrest from parents over changes to bus routes, the Government is coming up with funding to help schools pay for their own services. Changes to school buses have been a controversial saga since the Ministry of Education started...
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Locum cost hits new high
The amount of money spent on temporary doctors to plug gaps in the health system has hit a new high, topping $200 million for the third year in a row. Health NZ said it was working hard to recruit permanent specialists, and has even cut the budget for...
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McGruer’s has seen it all
An institution of Marton’s main street and retail community is coming to an end after more than a century in business. Clothing and fabric store McGruer’s has been on Broadway since 1917 but owner Peter Scott, the third generation of the family to run...
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School bus runs on again
New Horizons Regional Council-run bus routes to get Ashhurst students to high schools in Palmerston North have begun, but questions remain about the services’ long-term funding. The first day of term 3 on yesterday brought new buses for about 230...
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Actor rapt to bring play home
Waenga, a play on the challenges facing rangatahi Māori, doesn’t lack for poignancy, but there will be extra feeling for one of the cast when it is performed in Pahīatua. The touring Te Rākau o Te Wao Tapu production will provide a homecoming for cast...
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Orthopaedics dept near the brink
The orthopaedic service at Palmerston North Hospital could follow gastroenterology into collapse, a retired surgeon fears. Once head of orthopaedics at the hospital, Geoff Anderson said he was speaking up on behalf of colleagues remaining in the...
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All-weather space proposed
A pitch for a permanent covered event space in the heart of Feilding has drawn a cautious response from nearby businesses. Retail and hospitality operators have stressed the need for Manawatū District Council to consider already tense trading...
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Horizons ready to take over Ashhurst schoolbus routes
New bus services run by Horizons Regional Council to cater for secondary school students in Ashhurst will start next week following cuts to Ministry of Education routes. Many children in areas surrounding Palmerston North were affected when the...
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Mobility funds a game changer
A pilot programme providing powered wheelchairs to people with disabilities should lead to greater independence and a better quality of life for users. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston announced a $3.5 million Government project aimed at...
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Charities launch urgent drive
Kaimanawa wild horse charities are raising money for an unprecedented fourth muster of the year to avert the need to cull a small group of the animals. The group of 15 horses is in an ecologically sensitive area of Defence Force land near Waiouru, on...
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Kia Toa celebrate huge win
Not even the most dyed-in-the-wool double blue from Bill Brown Park saw such a lopsided Hankins Shield final coming. Kia Toa brought their power tackling game to trounce Varsity 59-27 at the Arena on Saturday, even though they’d had a win and a loss...
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Bodybuilder’s dedication pays off
Since Manawatū bodybuilder Shaun Ruddle first stepped on stage, he’s been captivated by the sport. Ruddle is an I Compete Natural New Zealand bodybuilder, a federation for athletes who are drug tested. In the past six years he has dedicated his life...
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Tararua mayor cautiously optimistic’
Tararua’s mayor is “cautiously optimistic” changes to local government and opportunities presented through current reforms may truly improve local decision-making after a “softening of language” from the Government. Mayor Scott Gilmore had written...
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Mother dies after leaving ED
The grieving family of a Feilding woman who died hours after leaving a hospital’s emergency department say she chose not to stay as she was told there would be a “25-hour wait”. Briar Vicky Parfitt, 40, died on Saturday as she headed to Hawke’s Bay...
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School to get new classrooms
Funding for two new classrooms is being well received at a Manawatū high school dealing with a booming roll. Education Minister Erica Stanford recently announced the Government was spending $10 million to build 14 new classrooms at schools across the...
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Life in jail for fatal attack
A Horowhenua man will spend at least the next decade in jail for the unprovoked murder of his housemate, with psychiatric reports finding he is likely suffering from schizophrenia. Dylan Neil Jensen, 32, was sentenced in the High Court at Palmerston...
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School’s call for SH1 crossing
The thought of children dodging through a flow of heavy traffic outside the school gate gives Foxton principal Phil Gunn the creeps. More than 10,000 vehicles rumble past State Highway 1 outside St Mary’s School each day and it was one of many schools...
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Old ways meet the new waves
Students have examined how generations of Pacific people have adapted over time and inspired generations of the future in their performances at this year’s Pasifika Fusion festival. The cultural festival wrapped up at the Regent on Broadway on...
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‘Opportunity of a lifetime’
Whakarongo School principal Jaco Broodryk is calling it a day, having been at the helm through probably the biggest period of change in the school’s history. Broodryk has been at the school on the edge of Palmerston North for 23 years and is retiring...
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In it for the long haul
Since starting as a one-truck operation 50 years ago, Palmerston North company PTS Logistics has grown to one of the biggest transport businesses in the country. PTS Logistics, which ships cars, tractors and other goods around New Zealand, is...
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‘Haphazard’ response for chronic gastro patients
The really “tricky” part of keeping the lights on at Palmerston North Hospital’s gastroenterology department is managing patients with chronic, lifelong intestinal and liver conditions. That was one of the messages from Health NZ Chief Medical Officer...
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Rad Hobbies taps into ‘old school’ passions
There is a good chance a rush of nostalgia will greet any 80s kid who walks in the door of Levin’s new hobby shop. The only thing missing among the radio control (RC) cars, models, skateboards, trading cards and comic books is a diligent parent close...
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Thousands brave rain for lights festival
More than 2000 people turned out to celebrate the launch of Feilding in Lights – Manawatū’s Matariki Winter Festival. Despite the rain, Saturday’s inaugural event transformed the town centre into a vibrant hub of celebration, marked by a parade of 25...
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Massey finding its groove again
Campus spirit and student numbers are up, but new Massey University vice-chancellor Pierre Venter still has a strong focus on making sure the university continues to be an attractive place to study. Professor Venter started as vicechancellor in...
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New spaces, bright future
A Horowhenua school that has dealt with leaky roofs for years will soon have dry classrooms, with a long-term redevelopment about to begin. The Government last week announced $10 million of funding for classrooms at a number of schools in the lower...
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Logistics plan gets $22.4m
Manawatū’s plans for the lower North Island freight and distribution cluster have received a $22.4 million boost. Rail Minister Winston Peters and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced yesterday that a Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF)...
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Ultimate ride for hospice
Levin man Chris Grant expects his mental resilience to be tested to its limit when he does a 24-hour cycle ride for charity. Grant is attempting the feat on the velodrome at Levin Domain this Friday, starting at 9am and going until 9am Saturday to...
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From grassroots to AB HQ
The new era for the All Blacks got under way at grassroots level in Manawatū, with New Zealand Rugby bringing all its pomp and ceremony to a provincial rugby club. New All Blacks coach Dave Rennie unveiled his first squad of the year at the Feilding...
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Freyberg clinch first title
Freyberg have claimed their first women’s club title, enduring a tense final few minutes with 13 players. Freyberg beat Taihape 31-24 in the combined Manawatū-Whanganui final at the Arena on Friday night to win the Canterbury-McKay Cup. Freys led...
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Cafe fights to keep its Kiwi vibe
A business on the side of State Highway 1 is aiming to keep the spirit of the classic Kiwi cafe and campground alive. Flat Hills Cafe and Tourist Park is just south of Mangaweka in Rangitīkei where you can find farm animals for petting, a camping...
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Schoolkids planting for a greener future
Manawatū schoolchildren are getting behind efforts to plant thousands of native trees to improve waterways and protect the environment. Trees for Survival promotes environmental education and helps schools to grow and plant native trees. It has...
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A vibrant vision for Levin
The Horowhenua District Council is being bold as it imagines what central Levin could look like in the future. The council is working on the Levin Town Centre Transformation project as it prepares for major changes when the Ōtaki to North of Levin...
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A ‘jewel in Taihape’s crown’
The rebuild of Taihape Area School is starting to take shape and is signalling an optimistic new chapter of education in the Rangitīkei town. The school, which caters for primary and secondary children, has long had problems with leaks, heating and...
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FROM 8-hour results TO 3-hour patches
STEP 3 : Target individual breakouts We all know the urge to pick at a sudden, angry spot. The final step in the Effaclar routine is designed to stop that habit in its tracks. The Effaclar Duo+M Pimple Patches are small, discreet hydrocolloid patches...
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Charity funds ‘really helped’
For more than a decade, Sarah Wilson has been a volunteer for a growing list of cancer charities. Then came the results of her first mammogram in March 2023 and the irony of a cancer diagnosis of her own. Just weeks after completing the Tongariro...
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Blind woman fears for safety
The blind victim of an alleged home invasion is sharing her story in the hope it will prevent others in the disabled community from suffering the same harm she has. The woman, who wished to remain anonymous out of fear, said she was at home on the...
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Speed limits to boost safety
Principals hope the introduction of variable speed limits outside some kura in the region will make it safer for children and whānau getting to school. The New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) is installing the limits on state highways...
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Ex seeking new home
Ashhurst Domain’s old jockey clubrooms that have housed several attempted cafes are being offered another chance at life. The last remnant of the domain’s history as a racecourse has been empty since 2017, and the Palmerston North City Council is...
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Staff failures linked to death
The death of Palmerston North Hospital mental health ward patient Erica Hume 12 years ago was preventable, Coroner Matthew Bates has found. The 21-year-old Massey University student died by suicide after an incident in Ward 21 in May 2014. Her death...
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Bridge closure cuts off rural community
The closure of a damaged bridge has cut off a critical route for a rural Tararua community and fixing the problem could come with an expensive price tag. A single-lane bridge on Alfredton Rd over the Ihuraua River at Alfredton, east of Eketāhuna, was...
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Tiny beats, big celebrations
A bilingual Palmerston North early childhood education centre has launched four new children’s music videos to mark Samoa Language Week. Malamalama Moni Aoga Amata has created the videos alongside children’s music duo The KaRs, Kane Parsons and Regan...
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Savings soften rates blow
Palmerston North’s total rates are going up 3.9% in July, but for about 11,000 homeowners their bill will stay the same or go down by as much as $250. Yesterday, the city council formally adopted its annual budget that requires a rates rise below the...
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Thirty years of innovation in Māori art
Three decades of Māori art and expression through Massey University’s Toioho ki Āpiti programme is being celebrated this month. The bachelor of Māori visual arts programme is marking 30 years since it began and Massey’s school of Māori knowledge, Te...
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Royal salute for champion of city’s military heritage
Whenever there is a poppy or a war memorial on show or a military parade or commemoration happening in Palmerston North, Joe Hollander will be there. Active in a range of community work after a career in Defence and construction, the fount of...
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Knight’s quest for literacy
Persistence and a desire to see children’s reading improve has kept James Chapman motivated through decades of working in education. The Massey University Emeritus Professor has made a significant contribution to literacy teaching and learning in New...
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‘Cool’ air dome for arena
The next part of CET Arena’s development will be a state-of-the-art air dome construction housing four indoor sports courts on the corner of Cuba St and Pascal St. The decision to go ahead with the $13.5 million complex was signed off in a 10-4 vote...
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Govt reforms loom over council matters in Tararua
Navigating the “abolition” of local government is a key focus for council, with many reports and portfolio updates reflecting the undeniable prevalence of recent government reforms. Scott Gilmore used his mayoral update at the recent Tararua District...
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Schools at breaking point
Educators hope to see greater resource put into the sector when the Government unveils the Budget today, to help in areas such as stability and learning support. Ahead of the Budget, education think tank Aotearoa Educators Collective has released the...
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Merger challenge mulled over
Doing nothing is one of the options the Palmerston North City Council is contemplating in response to the Government’s Head Start amalgamation prompt. Councils have been challenged to come up with amalgamation plans by August, with those who do not...
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Fuel prices fail to brake skids
Rising fuel prices and police efforts are failing to deter street racers, who continue to tear up Manawatū roads. Despite the enforcement of bylaws in Palmerston North to prevent antisocial road use at seven key hotspots, police inspector and Manawatū...
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Filipino pride in Manawatū
A former Feilding woman is telling the stories of Manawatū’s Filipino community through a visual display capturing some of their most deeply ingrained cultural traditions. Abigail Legg’s first solo exhibition, Kababayan, which presented her take on...
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Teens take their kōrero to the national stage
Four Manawatū teens will look to deliver a stirring kōrero on the national stage at the final of the Ngā Manu Kōrero speech competition. The regional competition was held in Palmerston North this month, with the winners of the four categories...
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Butterfly Compassion group needs home help
A Palmerston North charity giving away personalised essentials to 412 people a month who have virtually nothing is having a spot of trouble with the landlord. Butterfly Compassion Community entered a commercial lease a year ago for a 300m² warehouse...
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Weighing up merger options
The Tararua District Council is considering options for potential amalgamations with neighbouring councils, including the district being broken up, and one thing that has been agreed on is there is not enough time. The Government announced this month...
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Lotto lady’s possible deal with Pak’nSave kept secret
Pak’nSave’s redundant Lotto lady and her former Palmerston North bosses might have met, but the outcome of their discussion is under wraps. Katie Tippler was given two weeks’ notice and sent home two weeks ago without any compensation after nearly 30...
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Army unveils new homes
The importance of secure and stable housing for military families has been brought home at a ceremony marking the completion of eight new homes at Linton Military Camp. The Defence Force officially opened the doors to the three and four-bedroom homes...
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Meridian to build solar farm
Bunnythorpe’s sunshine will be captured by Meridian’s next solar energy park and battery energy storage system. The company plans to build a 250,000 solar panel farm on the edge of the village that will be big enough to power about 30,000...
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Medic’s 190km goal to give back
Hato Hone St John paramedic Chuck Williams knows what it’s like to reach your limit in a job supporting New Zealanders in their worst hour. Williams started with the national ambulance service when he was 18, having previously been a youth volunteer...
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Health centre build begins
Work has just started on Palmerston North’s Milson Line to build a new $30 million Central Healthcare complex. The private healthcare centre due to open in April 2028 has been in the planning since 2020 when the company bought the site alongside the...
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Te Hā open for business
Palmerston North’s newest general practice clinic is attracting about 50 enrolments a week as the fully renovated facility builds capacity to triple its staff and patient numbers. Te Hā Health Care in Victoria Ave near the corner of Main St opened its...
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Is Ashhurst Domain done for?
The Manawatū and Pohangina rivers have long collided through the corridor bordering Ashhurst Domain, but as unforgiving storms become more frequent, the domain is at risk of being washed away in the next weather event. It wouldn’t just be land lost to...
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