With the local body election closing this Saturday the daily voting return finally crept over the 20% mark at the end of last week for the Waikato District and is now on 21.7%
The Whaingaroa Ward has been bouncing around between 2nd and 4th place amongst the wards and is currently second equal with 24.4% of votes returned alongside Wairenga-Whitikahu (from the east side of the district). The highflyers in Tamahere-Woodlands are still leading the pack on 25.3% while Hamilton City is showing what its made of with a dismal 17.4% of possible votes returned.
Despite this the vote count across the country is higher than in 2022 at the same time with Local Government New Zealand chief executive Scott Necklen saying there is the chance the nationwide vote will top 40%
Poutama Rites of Passage is offering 2 scholarship positions available for 15-17yr old kōtiro Māori living in Whāingaroa.
Poutama Rites of Passage and their female mentors are holding the rites of passage to support girls as they steps into their young womanhood and say they will help your whānau mark this once-in-a-lifetime transition in a meaningful way. They will be holding their next Kōhine Rites for Young Women on 24-26 October
Expressions of interest for the scholarships close this Friday 10 October while general applications close on Friday 19th, but spaces are limited.
After battling rugged weather and shifting swells,the Waikato scholastics surf team came home third at the National surfing competition which was held last week in Taranaki. The event was won by Bay of Plenty with Auckland taking second place.
The result followed a good team effort with plenty of podium finishes. Selva Petzold de la Cruz came second in the U14 girls, while Lennox Lindfield and Noah Crespo made it to the quarter finals in the U14 boys.
In the U16, Xander Banks made it to the quarter final while Indica Knox Corcoran made it to the semis. Alani Morse came 4th in a hotly contested girls final.
In the Under 18, Ethan Kirk Orman made it to the quarter finals while Jacob Haines charged through to second place in the final. In the U18 girls competition we had two surfers in the final with Lani Frazerhurst coming 4th and Ayla Gee 2nd.
It was a great week for Ayla who also picked up the Adam Clegg Most Improved Surfer Award across the entire girls competition.