Two Matakana Locals, Paige Patten and Daniel Hubbard, have spent the last year working on an exciting and innovative new social platform for lovers of fashion to connect with each other and brands to form a community. The platform, FriendsWith™, will be launching soon and is on the lookout for vendors. The custom-built platform is unlike anything else on the market. FriendsWith™ aims to ultimately bridge the gap and create an elevated shopping experience for everyone to enjoy. The app is for iPhone users who want to be a part of a fashion community. FriendsWith™ is a marketplace stocking a range of mid- and high-end boutique New Zealand and Australian brands.FriendsWith™ was an idea born in March 2020 when New Zealand first saw a Covid19 level 4 Lockdown. Due to lack of job security, unfulfilling jobs and the passion they have always had to work for themselves, Daniel and Paige were driven to create a joint business idea and make it happen. “We really just sat down and thought up business ideas that would incorporate each of our strengths. FriendsWith™ has come a long way since the ideas phase. We have now developed and refined the idea into a fully functioning product that we are so proud of.“Our mission is to connect retail vendors with users through a connective and contemporary approach, by further introducing vendors to the benefits of social media. Facilitating a solely fashion focused profile, users are provided a platform to discuss, inspire and relate to others, allowing the ability to shop more accurately on size, length, fit and quality, in both men’s and women’s wear.“We are yet to set a date for launch as we aim to first build a strong vendor base and this is where we will be focusing our energy over the next few weeks-months. Make sure to follow @friendswithapp to stay up to date on this exciting launch date!”How FriendsWith™ Works:BROWSE BRANDSBrowse and shop with all the wonderful brands we have on-board, follow specific labels and collections to see more of what you love.MAKE FRIENDSDiscover users with similar or inspirational fashion choices to follow and enjoy the benefits of this social platform to enhance your overall shopping experience.UPLOAD AND SHAREOnce you have made a purchase, add it to your store with your own photo so you can show your friends how you would style it and why you love it.EARNOur rewards system works by linking the users by the items they purchase: each user is rewarded by the transaction their profile has aided in. The rewards system is uncapped and instant, rewarding users for sharing their own content.To follow their journey check out: Website: www.friendswith.co.nzIG @friendswithapp FB https://www.facebook.com/FriendsWithapp

With another beautiful harvest done and dusted, Matakana Estate will be celebrating the joys of winemaking on the Matakana Coast region next weekend with their Harvest Celebration event. On Saturday April 24th, boutique wineries from across the region will join the Matakana Estate cellar door to provide wine tastings. Get to know the winemakers and ask them all you've ever wanted to know about the business of vino. Some of the wineries don't have cellar doors, so this is an amazing opportunity to taste the gems of our region. Some of the winemakers in attendance will include Yakutin Family Wines, Monarch Estate and Sculptureum.It's not a proper celebration unless you have a lot of food, so food trucks will be serving up their signature dishes all day long. They will be able to provide plenty of food and wine pairing opportunities.To make it a real party, there will be live music all day, so be sure to pack your dancing shoes. Children are welcome but must be supervised by a parent or legal guardian and will need to register their free tickets.Transportation can be arranged with Concierge Passenger Service, their shuttles will be available from Matakana, Warkworth, Snells Beach and Omaha. Please contact [email protected] or call 021 02 65 48 58 to book your shuttle.Tickets can be purchased from https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/harvest-celebration-tickets-143891448195Limited Early Bird Tickets $20 - entry and 5 wine tasting tokens.Standard Tickets $25 - entry and 5 wine tasting tokens.Children free - but must register for tickets and be supervised by a parent or legal guardian.More wine tokens can be purchased on the day. 1 token per wine tasting.

The planned opening of a Super Liquor store in Matakana has come as unwelcome news to many residents this week. The store is set to be located at 1A/44 Matakana Valley Road, in the premises that used to be Summer Sessions.On April 8th, the following licensing notice appeared in the Rodney Times:“G1 and Co. Ltd has made an application to the district licensing committee at Auckland for the issue of an Off Licence in respect to the premises situated at 1A/44 Matakana Valley Road. The general nature of the business to be conducted under the licence is a Super Liquor Matakana. The days on which and the hours during which alcohol is intended to be sold under the licence are Monday to Sunday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.”A post to the Matakana Community Facebook page gained over 100 comments as residents were quick to voice their displeasure about this potential new addition to the village. The consensus seemed to be that Matakana was only a small town, and the already available options to buy liquor were more than enough.“Horrendous. Gosh, we don't need another liquor store”, said one commentor, whose sentiments were supported by many others. There were many comments professing loyalty for locally owned liquor shop, Matakana Liquor: “John and the team at Matakana Liquor are the best, I won't be going anywhere else.”Some people objected to the new store via Auckland Council. If the District Licensing Committee believes the objection meets the criteria for objection, they will schedule a hearing and notify everyone involved.Any person who has a 'greater interest' than the general public in an application for an alcohol licence may object to the grant or renewal of that licence. A person with a 'greater interest' may be a resident or business located in the same street as the proposed or existing business applying for an alcohol licence. The new liquor store has posted their public notice in the newspaper this week. Anyone who wishes to oppose it will be able to do so up until April 21, 2021.

Work starts this week to restore the much-loved wharf on the Mahurangi River. The wharf is over 20 years old and beginning to fail.Auckland Council’s Community Facilities Head of Operations, Paul Amaral, says “this beautiful spot on the river is popular with locals and visitors to the town centre. The community built the existing wharf, in partnership with the council, and a lot has been invested both in it and the surrounding walkway.“So, it’s been important to keep the community informed about the wharf restoration. The wharf and boardwalk remain open except at the north-western end where the work will take place.“People are asked to take care in this area and observe all signs and safety fencing. Where possible, use alternative pedestrian routes.”Work includesremoving and replacing all the timber decking, handrails, kick rails and pile caps along the length of the older section of the wharf and walkwayreplacing the failing pine timber with a hardwood alternativerepurposing the timber decking that is in better conditionremoving naming plaques for safekeeping by a community group until they can be re-installed.Work is expected to take between six to seven weeks and, weather dependent, should be completed before the end of June.The council would like to thank you for your patience and cooperation during this time, and if you have any questions, please call the council contact centre on 09 301 0101.

With the trans-Tasman bubble set to open, tourism businesses across New Zealand have breathed a sigh of relief. With so many awesome things to do in the area, we may see an increase in aussies on the Matakana Coast over the next few months. Tourism New Zealand has talked up bubble benefits, suggesting Australian visitors could pump $1 billion into the economy this year, and it says 2.6 million of our trans-Tasman cousins considering a trip here had indicated they would come within six months of the border opening.While the bubble may mean that cheap domestic holidays will become a distant memory, some local tourist attractions are keen to keep prices low in the hopes that Kiwis will continue to explore the awesome places they get to call home. While international borders were closed, local tour guide Ness, from Kiwiness Tours, became twice as busy as before, due to all the New Zealanders out and about. However, the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble still comes as welcome news.“I've been so busy with locals supporting my business and I hope they continue to do so, but then I also have open arms for Australians to come and join in too!“Aucklanders as well as people from all across New Zealand have been visiting their own backyard; Matakana as a destination has been busier than normal and people have been opting for tours because well, why not!? They can't go overseas! I changed my pricing to be more affordable to the average New Zealander and I shall keep it that way going forward as the price point has been a real win.”If you have friends or family in Australia planning on jumping the ditch for a getaway, be sure to suggest Matakana as a must do.As Ness says, “It's the new tourist mecca of New Zealand! (Maybe not quite Queenstown) but it's accessible to Auckland and offers so many unique and beautiful things to see and do, plus loads of amazing accommodation.”If you would like to know more about Kiwiness Tours, or want to get out and explore Matakana with a fabulous guide, get in touch with Ness. web: www.kiwinesstours.co.nz or check them out on Facebook and Instagram

Auckland Council has advised that works will be commencing mid-April on further planned remediation and asbestos containment alongside the seawall south of the Omaha boat ramp.Tons of asbestos were previously removed along this seawall but remnants folded into the seawall vicinity are working their way to the surface. Hydro-seeding late last year did not achieve the protective grass coverage needed to lock down the asbestos-containing materials.Late last year, Auckland Council completed its investigation into the presence of asbestos. Asbestos found predominantly in soils behind the seawall appear to have come from historic coastal structures. Findings highlighted that while some pieces are migrating to the surface, most elements are buried to depths of over two metres. Air monitoring has been undertaken, with results identifying very low levels of risk.Contractors will soon be on-site to lay established Kikuyu turf over the areas which currently have the least coverage. This will be laid over a protective underlay, designed to stop materials from reaching the surface, reduce dust generation and inhibit ground disturbance. By laying established turf, the current impact of the rabbits digging into the softer exposed materials should also be reduced. The area will remain fenced until council is confident in the success of the grass planting.Asbestos is a health risk when the smallest asbestos fibres are inhaled deep into a person’s lungs. Asbestos containing material such as the fibre cement only becomes hazardous when the following conditions are met: 1. The asbestos containing material is in a form that fibres are released to air. 2. The fibres are able to be dispersed into the breathing zone. 3. The fibres are inhaled in high concentrations.It has been deemed extremely unlikely that the asbestos found in the Omaha area will cause any health risk.

The Mahurangi River has been a symbolic feature in the lives of Warkworth locals and surrounding areas for generations. It is no secret that the life of this river has degraded, and many are working to restore this precious resource to its previous health.The Mahurangi river and harbour have been choked by silt in recent years as development in the area has continued to grow.A $5 million injection from the Ministry for the Environment will support the Mahurangi East Land Restoration Programme (MELR) to reduce sediment in the Mahurangi River catchment over the next five years.Auckland Council and Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust have signed a relationship agreement to design and deliver the project in partnership. The Mahurangi catchment comprises 206.6km of rivers and streams that discharge out into the Hauraki Gulf; sediment is ranked the third highest threat to marine habitats in New Zealand and around 21,000 tonnes is lost every year from the area.Projects will be designed to work alongside local communities, including landowners, developers, and the farming sector to reduce sediment runoff from rural land, forestry areas, construction sites and runoff from unsealed roads. It will include the fencing of waterways, riparian plantings and wetland conservation and development.Next weekend on Saturday, April 17th, One Mahurangi will host a community day to celebrate the beginning of this project, and to learn more about future plans and funding. The event will be held at Mahurangi West hall at 2:00 p.m. There will be food, drinks, and family activities provided. 

A koha entry show aiming to open an important dialogue about suicide and depression will come to Warkworth this Friday.Shot Bro is a one-man performance by acclaimed actor and playwright Rob Mokaraka whose undiagnosed depression resulted in a “massive mental and spiritual breakdown” in 2009.Mokaraka first performed the show in 2016 following a seven-year journey of healing after a suicide attempt in which he approached police with a meat cleaver outside his Auckland home. He was shot by police in the chest at close range as a result. Despite his efforts at the time, Mokaraka survived and Shot Bro has become his “fulltime passion”.Shot Bro has been described as a powerful, raw, and authentic show that shares the effects of depression.Mokaraka described it as a “funny, dark, real, and educational” performance which has helped him to understand what he was experiencing at the time of his suicide attempt. He hopes that Shot Bro would help others to process their own experience with depression.“The moment they’re listened to without judgement is the moment they start to heal,” Mokaraka said. “We are collectively holding that space. It takes a village to heal a village.”The show has been crafted strategically and with care to ensure the audience were supported while processing the heavy content.“When you talk about depression, it’s so serious,” Mokaraka said. “That’s why it’s padded on either side with humour or light.“People are being confronted because it isn’t just cerebral, it’s emotional. It’s easy to hide behind your mind. I’m like your steward on the flight, but I don’t bring you drinks.”As part of this care and as a ‘grounding process’, the 70-minute performance is to be followed by a 20-minute audience discussion and light refreshments. “The forum itself is the most healing part of the show.”For Mokaraka, change did not come overnight, but subsequent media coverage, medical procedures, and a court case eventually forced him to face his trauma.One of the unanticipated outcomes of the incident was the amount of support offered by strangers.“It made me feel like I wasn’t a freak,” Mokaraka said, though he continued to question whether he deserved this kind of love for some time.“It’s just about making someone feel acknowledged, and that’s what the show is doing for me. It is humbling to listen to people’s stories and how they’re trying to navigate them.”When asked whether Shot Bro had changed his life, Mokaraka replied it had done much more than that. “Creating Shot Bro has saved my life,” he said.Audience feedback indicated it was not just his life the show had saved either: “I’ve gotten people coming up to saying thank you for saving my life.”New Zealand has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, and people of any age, ethnicity, or social standing could be affected.His advice to those who may be hurting was to practise being kind to themselves, an act which was harder than it sounded. “I love you bro, I love you sis. You’re not alone. You’re allowed as much help as you need,” Mokaraka said. “Basically, please don’t take your life.”Shot Bro - Confessions of a Depressed Bullet will be on at the Warkworth Town Hall, this Friday, April 9th, at 6:30 p.m.If you are struggling and need help, these free phones are operated by trained counsellors who can help you talk through problems and identify ways of coping.Lifeline: 0800 543 354 [Available 24/7]Youthline: 0800 376 633Need To Talk? Free Call Or Text 1737 [Available 24/7]Kidsline: 0800 543 754 [Available 24/7]Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 [1pm to 11pm]Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 [Available 24/7]Samaritans: 0800 726 666

Auckland Transport has released the draft Regional Land Transport Plan, and it is now open for feedback until May 2, 2021.The RLTP is the 10-year plan for Auckland’s transport network. It details the areas that Auckland Transport, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail will focus on to respond to our region’s transport challenges. It also outlines the proposed 10-year investment programme for specific transport projects.Once public feedback has been taken on board, the final document will then be taken to the Governing Body for endorsement. Auckland Council’s planning committee, which guides the physical development and growth of the region, unanimously endorsed the Draft RLTP which AT are now seeking public feedback on.During consultation, the RLTP will also be reviewed by all the local boards. Local Boards are the part of Auckland Council that represent the views of local communities.In developing the draft RLTP, Auckland Transport sought the views of a sample of Aucklanders to understand the most important improvements people would like them to prioritise. To meet the directives set by central and local government policies and strategies, the draft RLTP aims to contribute solutions in the following areas:Climate change & the environmentSafetyTravel choicesBetter public transport connections and roadingWalking and cyclingAuckland’s growthManaging transport assetsOver the next 10 years, $36 billion is planned to be spent across Auckland’s transport network. This is funded through:Auckland Council - rates, development contributions and debtCentral Government - funding from the National Land Transport Fund, other Crown allocations for rail projects including the City Rail LinkUser pays service charges - parking fees and public transport faresRegional Fuel TaxA key source of funding for transport projects in Auckland is the Regional Fuel Tax (RFT). The RFT was implemented in Auckland on July 1, 2018 to fund transport projects that would otherwise be delayed or not funded. It adds 10 cents a litre (plus GST) to petrol and diesel.Auckland Council is currently seeking feedback on a proposal to change details of the projects funded in their current Regional Fuel Tax scheme in response to funding decisions made by the government and to align with the Draft Regional Land Transport Plan.The proposed change only relates to the projects the RFT will fund. The amount of fuel tax you pay will not change. Find out more about the projects the RFT will fund.To read over The Regional Land Transport Plan and give your feedback, visit here.

Blood On Vines, the thrilling new crime novel set right here in Matakana has hit shelves, and it’s a gripping read. Blood on Vines is the debut novel from author Madeleine Eskedahl, and it explores the lives of four friends with a shared past, and a common enemy.In New Zealand’s Martinborough, an ex-wine maker is murdered. The precise planning and execution by the unknown assailant begins a series of vile attacks. Meanwhile, north of Auckland, the long, hot summer is over and the tourists have left the Matakana wine country. A tranquil atmosphere descends, and warm autumnal winds sweep across the grape-laden valleys. With the harvest due, grapes sit bursting upon the manicured vines awaiting the pick. Within this vista of peace, a rampage of death is about to rock the local community to its core.Blood on Vines is Madeleine's first novel, but she has always been a writer, especially stories for her daughters when they were small. She chose Matakana as the setting for Blood on Vines as it is such an incredible area, one that no author has yet utilised as a setting. The landscape itself is rich, with the rolling hills, stunning vineyards and quaint little village, and the diverse mix of people who call the area home all come together to make for the perfect setting. The seemingly perfect exterior also makes the darkness under the surface that we see in Blood On Vines that much more shocking, drawing the reader in. Blood on Vines has been in the works for around three years, and Madeleine used last year's lockdown as a chance to pull everything together and send the book to be published. “I tormented my friends and family with questions about the book, so I’m sure they’re relieved its finally finished”, she laughs.So far, the reception to Blood On Vines has been overwhelmingly positive. The book launch held a few weekends ago went wonderfully.Madeleine at The Matakana Village Bookshop Signing over the weekend. Photo Instagram “Mike from the Vintry and the ladies from Matakana Village Bookshop have been amazing! It's been a real community project. It was really humbling to see all the people that came to the launch. I had to take a step back and take a mental snapshot so I would remember it,” says Madeleine.Her second book in the Matakana series, Rings On Water, is set to come out early next year, and will include some of the characters we see in Blood On Vines. Local law enforcement officer, Bill, returns and we get to know more about his past, along with his partner Niko who is dragged back to Matakana when a body washes up on Tawharanui Beach. Rings On Water is set in winter, so we see the slower paced Matakana, when all the holiday makers have left the area. 

An architecturally iconic house in Mahurangi West is on the market. The house was formerly the gallery known as the Zealandia Sculpture Garden and was designed by renowned architect Pip Cheshire with owner-artist Terry Stringer. The house won a NZIA architecture award in 2000.Zealandia was developed by renowned NZ sculptor Terry Stringer and his partner as their home, a place to create and display Terry’s work.. The gallery space and park-like surroundings showcased his bronze sculptures and the property opened to the public as Zealandia Sculpture Gardens in 2001.The property is on six acres, two of rolling lawns with a four-acre backdrop of mature kauri and sea views out to the Mahurangi Harbour. The property has since been transformed from art studio, gallery and home into a luxury accommodation retreat. The goal was to retain the aesthetic of the buildings, preserve the Terry Stringer’s artwork, while providing people with the opportunity to experience the unique spaces and environment. The existing woolshed that was Terry’s former studio is now the residence for the owners and the gallery has been transformed into two self-contained holiday apartments. The current owners have listed the property with Sue Hatton of Ray White Matakana and Omaha. It is offered with a deadline sale date of April 8, 2021.

This Easter weekend marks the start of a new, exciting, and original fishing competition all in aid of the life-saving work of the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter. The Humminbird Fishing Tournament offers seasoned anglers and budding enthusiasts, alike, ample opportunity to catch the big one, help save lives and score over $100,000 in prizes!Join the Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter at the inaugural charity fishing event and catch all the excitement of Omaha’s new catch-and-release fishing competition. The Humminbird Omaha Fishing Tournament kicks off Saturday 3rd April culminating in a prize-giving celebration at the Omaha Golf Club on Saturday 10th Apri,l, 2021.Participants will have seven days to compete, all leading to a one-day event like no other on Saturday 10th April. Celebrate the ‘one that got away’ with your family and mates at our prize-giving ceremony and Rescue Helicopter Open Day, at 12:00 p.m. at the Omaha Beach Golf Club. Everyone's welcome.Enjoy live music, food and drinks, an auction, raffle and have a close-up encounter with our helicopter and crew who will be going for gold with unmissable water safety demonstrations.Last but certainly not least, every entry into the competition will earn you a chance to win a 4.8m Maro Boat with a Yamaha 60hp outboard, humminbird sounder, canopy, VHF, safety equipment plus a fishing gear package to rival all. To claim your prize, simply purchase a ticket to the competition and be there on the day of the draw - Saturday 10th April, 2021. Tickets are $70.00 per adult and $20.00 per child. The Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopters undertook 142 missions to Rodney in 2020 - the busiest year on record with 1,187 missions overall. By taking part, you are helping your rescue helicopters save lives.Whether you’re young or young-at-heart, it’s anyone’s game and it all starts this Easter. Purchase tickets at - https://www.eventspronto.co.nz/ARHTfishing or visit Hunting & Fishing Warkworth.

The Matakana Coast is a wonderful place to raise a family: it's no surprise that many young families have chosen to settle here. Now there is an awesome organisation providing resources for parents and other caregivers to help their little ones learn from home.Playschool provides a personalised preschool service for children being cared for by a person other than their primary caregiver, such as a nanny or grandparent. This is aimed at nurturing and improving your child’s development. The service they offer is very easy to implement, requires very little work from the career, and best of all, it is totally free, including all the resources. The programme also offers non-income tested subsidies to every child of up to $4.20 per hour. Once a month, a qualified teacher will come out and visit the career, drop off some great resources for your child, and give suggestions of things the career could do that are in line with your child’s current interests.Even if your child is in a kindergarten, playcentre or preschool 2-3 times a week, or you only have a flexible arrangement with your carer, you may still be eligible for this service and the subsidy.Playschool is licensed by the Ministry of Education and audited by the Education Review Office (ERO) ensuring that the programme is of a high standard and meets your child’s educational needs. Playschool’s learning programme is based on the National Early Childhood Curriculum and up-to-date research. If you are looking for the best for home-based care for your preschoolers, then you may have just found it. To find out more information, or to find register your interest in the service, visit https://playschoolhomebased.co.nz/

The Mahurangi Wastebusters have been doing great work over the last three years, and are are continuing to fight for sustainability by diverting hundreds of tonnes of waste from landfill and educating the community on waste minimisation and recycling initiatives. Over the weekend, Wastebusters attended the Warkworth A&P show to help keep the amount of waste generated by the event out of landfill. Events like festivals or shows are notoriously hard for keeping waste low, but the Mahurangi Wastebusters managed to divert 74.7% of the show's rubbish from landfill. Of that, nearly 60% was food scraps and compostable coffee cups, cardboard plates and serveware, which will all go into the compost bins at the Lawrie Road recycling centre. In about three months it will come out the other end as compost! Another 16% was recycling (cans, bottles, etc). Wastebusters also have some tips on how to reduce your families waste this easter weekend:Buy Easter goodies and ingredients from bulk bin or zero waste shops to reduce packagingMake your own Easter chocolate, buns and biscuitsUse decorated stones for Easter Egg hunts and have one yummy prize at the end Decorate real free-range hard-boiled eggs with natural plant dyes (tumeric, beetroot, spinach, red cabbage) so they can be safely eatenCollect clean tin foil wrappers and squash them together in the shape and size of a tennis ball for recycling (Note: small bits of foil cannot be picked up by recycling machines)Sew fabric bunnies from secondhand fabric scrapsGive experience gifts like movie tickets, a boat ride, a horse riding lesson or a night walk to see the kiwi at Tawharanui Regional ParkRe-gift something you don't want or need.Mahurangi Wastebusters is a fantastic organisation, full of helpful information on how you can minimise waste at home, and how to correctly dispose of items in ways that are best for the environment.

One of Omaha's last beachfront properties is up for sale, and in terms of location, you can’t get much better than this.The property is located at 5 Matariki Street, just next to the surf club and in front of the Omaha shops. This is one of the eight beachfront properties that have not yet been developed in the northern end, making it a very rare space indeed.No one is quite sure what the future holds for this property yet, as it comes with Business - Neighbourhood Centre Use zoning, opening it up to a potential future as a restaurant, cafe or retail outlet. However, it also has the resource consent for two adjoining houses, so it could just as easily end up being a residential property.The site is rather large, 1,815 square metres to be exact, and the views are some of the best in Omaha. It is being sold by Bayleys Omaha and is up for tender with a deadline of April 19th, unless sold prior. Median property value in Omaha hit $1.8m in February, according to the latest OneRoof Property Report data, but with this being a beachfront property and in such an outstanding location, it is expected to go for upwards of $3.5 million. 

As reported by The Spinoff in December, libraries around New Zealand and the rest of the world have been getting rid of late fees. Now Auckland Council is reviewing public feedback on whether it should do the same. Auckland's libraries are currently owed just over $2 million in late fees, with $1,693.00 the highest amount owed by one customer.The fees provide a handy revenue stream, with the council collecting $1.2 million in the 2018/19 financial year (it dropped to $876,000 last year due to Covid-19). Despite this, the proposal looks set to be given the green light by councillors, who tended to agree that this was a good case for putting community needs ahead of the financial bottom-line.When libraries have abolished fees overseas, they have seen a dramatic increase in memberships and the hope is for a similar impact here. Mahurangi East and Warkworth Libraries host a huge number of activities, events and learning experiences for the community, with Shave for a Cure events, children's story times and art activities, nia dance days and educational talks being held over March alone. Many of these events are free, so they provide a great opportunity to go and try something new while supporting all the hard work the local librarians put into organising them.This Saturday, 27 March, at Mahurangi East Library, librarian Andrew is hosting a talk in which he will discuss a selection of the world’s finest art galleries and museums. Relive some of your favourite OE experiences. Tea, coffee and bickies will be served by the The Mahurangi East Friends of the Library group. You might like to throw a $2.00 coin in your pouch to subscribe to the vibrant community group of library friends and advocates. Nau mai haere mai! All welcome!

This weekend, up and coming singer Muroki will be stopping off for a show at the Leigh Sawmill, the first show of his tour celebrating the release of his latest single, ‘Wavy’. Wavy, a hypnotic slice of pop is the second cut from the young Raglan musician's forthcoming EP and these shows are his first since breaking his arm in a skateboard accident. So far, the reception to the song has been overwhelmingly positive. “It's honestly been crazy. I've never received so much love for a song before, and I can't wait to play it live.” says Muroki.After stunning RNV and Nestfest performances, a skateboard tumble in his hometown put rest to many of Muroki's plans (he also plays in popular Raglan groups Masaya and Cloak Bay) but he has already been back in the studio finishing up more tracks and planning a big 2021. “I have lots of new music, new videos, and heaps of shows planned for 2021, so keep an eye out for those!”Wavy is Muroki's third single release. His self-released debut For Better Or Worse caught the ear of BENEE and she was soon playing the song to Elton John and the worldwide audience on his Rocket Hour Radio show. When asked who his biggest musical influences are, Muroki says “definitely cats like D'Angelo, Anderson. Paak, Lauren Hill, Fat Freddys Drop, and Damian Marley.” While you can hear the influences in Muroki’s funky, soulful tunes, he has definitely carved out his own unique sound. Benee invited him not only to join her sold-out October tour, but also to be the first artist signed to her new Olive record label. “Obviously playing at spark arena is a pretty crazy rush, but it's all the same at the end of the day. It's definitely more about having a quality connection with the crowd, rather than the size of the venue”.Friday March 26th marks the start of the tour, and also the release of his next song, Cross Roads, featuring Rhys Rich. Be sure to get in and grab your tickets from Under The Radar quickly, and groove the way into the weekend with Muroki. 

The Rodney Local Board is currently deciding whether or not they should support the sale of council owned property carpark at 14 Baxter Street in Warkworth (opposite New World).The site was originally acquired by Rodney District Council in 2002 for a proposed community centre development that never went ahead. The Finance and Performance Committee deferred a decision regarding the potential sale of the property in 2017, pending further consideration by the Rodney Local Board. Since then, the local board has received further advice and discussed the issues through a number of workshops. Key issues includethe current poor and deteriorating condition of parts of the building, which will require remedial work with significant cost to councildesire from the local board to continue to ensure car parking for Warkworth town centre.However, being co-owned by three other organisations - Westpac, New World and the Masonic Lodge - arrangements while trying to figure out what to do with the property are complicated. The property at 14 Baxter Street is a non-service asset, i.e., it doesn’t provide a council service which means council is unable to allocate budget towards the management and renewal costs associated with the building.In 2017, the Rodney Local Board resolved against the sale of the car park, noting its importance for town centre and commuter parking and to meet future proposed growth in and around Warkworth. The local board also noted that it wasn’t satisfied with Auckland Transport’s assessment that there is adequate car parking in the town centre.In 2020, the local board made it clear that it wasn’t prepared to fund further remedial work on the car park. Staff have recently had initial discussions with each of the other three property owners regarding the current condition of the building and their preferences for the future. Each of the owners has differing considerations, aspirations, and constraints but are open to further discussions.

Submissions of feedback on the 10-year budget for Rodney (spanning 2021-2031) are due to close soon, and as of the 14th of March, there were only 600 submissions. With the submission deadline of the 22nd of March rapidly approaching, the Rodney Local Board is calling for more locals to have their say, in order to make sure that the budget addresses the issues that matter most to the citizens of Rodney. COVID-19 left a $1 billion shortfall in Auckland Council's budget, hitting services and local board projects. Tough decisions are needed, and community feedback helps the local board understand what matters most to us.The Rodney Local Board advocates to councillors, who decide on funding. Their proposed priorities are safe and well-maintained roads, with Auckland Transport getting funding to renew and maintain 12% of the city's roading network yearly; and securing $121 million for AT's Unsealed Roads Improvement Programme.Proposals for the local board in the 2021-2022 financial year:continue to deliver improvements to our village and town centrescontinue to improve water quality in our waterwaysimprove our local biodiversity and natural environment by eradicating pestscontinue restoration work and mitigation of kauri diebacksupport the community, and community resource recovery and recycling centres to minimise waste, turn waste into resources, and to promote education on waste reductionprogress the outcomes identified in the Green Road master planprogress renewals or construction of key community facilities including Wellsford toilets, Kumeū Library, Mahurangi Community Centre.Allocations for the budget for the next year: Community servicesOperating spend: 2021/2022: $14.3 millionCapital spend: 2021/2022: $5.4 millionEnvironmental servicesOperating spend: 2021/2022: $487,000Planning services: $315,000GovernanceOperating spend: 2021/2022:$1.1 millionFeedback on the 10-year budget is open until 22 March at akhaveyoursay.nz/recoverybudget where you can also comment on the council's regional priorities.Regardless of whether you support the 10-year budget, community feedback is crucial, so please read, submit, and share as widely as possible.