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From reporter Debbie Jamieson:
ZZ Top bass guitarist Elwood Francis delighted fans with an unscheduled stop at a Queenstown music shop this week.
Francis and band frontman Billy Gibbons are in Queenstown to perform at the Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert on Saturday.
Maya Music store… View moreFrom reporter Debbie Jamieson:
ZZ Top bass guitarist Elwood Francis delighted fans with an unscheduled stop at a Queenstown music shop this week.
Francis and band frontman Billy Gibbons are in Queenstown to perform at the Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert on Saturday.
Maya Music store owner Deo Bohn, himself a keen guitar and bass player, was surprised to see the distinctive rocker walk into his store early in the week.
“He just walked in the door with a roadie. They were looking at some instruments,” he said.
He had a chat with Francis, who shared some photos of the band’s concert in Taupō from the weekend, and grabbed a few photos.
Francis and Gibbons had stopped in a record store in Taupō and Bohn hoped Gibbons would call by his Queenstown store also.
Bohn had brought his copy of ZZ Top’s First Album into the store, just in case he could get it signed by Gibbons.
Gibbons has been with the band – famous for beards, hot rods and spinning guitars – since it formed in 1969.
Francis, previously the band’s guitar technician and famous in his own right for performing with a 17-string guitar, stepped into his role after the death of original band member Dusty Hill in 2021.
Queenstown man Andrew Wesney was having a guitar lesson when Francis called into the store.
“I was pretty stoked to see him and get to meet him in person. It was cool,” he said.
Bohn said it was not unusual for visiting musicians to call into the store, which was near Queenstown’s airport.
Some Kiwi artists such as The Black Seeds and Kora would book practice space at the shop before a gig.
“You never know who’s going to walk in the door in Queenstown,” he said.
Musicians Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo have also been in Queenstown during the week, posting a photo overlooking Lake Wakatipu, towards Cecil Peak, on their Facebook page on Monday.
Mora Wines and Artisan Kitchen posted a photo of the pair having lunch there on Thursday.
The Greenstone Summer Concert returned this year after being cancelled due to the difficulties of bringing in international artists under Covid-19 border restrictions last year.
ZZ Top is headlining the show, along with 90s grunge legends Stone Temple Pilots, four times Grammy Award winners Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, and Aussie rockers The Angels.
They performed at Taupō on Saturday but the Whitianga Summer Concert scheduled for Sunday was cancelled due to weather conditions.
About 15,000 people are expected at Saturday’s Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert in Queenstown, which starts with Wānaka band Powder Chutes at 11.30am.
Organisers said it was forecast to be a warm and sunny summer’s day, so people should stay hydrated and use sunscreen.
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Simply bring two cans of food into your local Resene ColorShop and swap them for one Resene testpot (60-80ml). We'll donate all food to The Salvation Army foodbanks.
By adding a little more colour to your life you can also help… View moreSwap food for a FREE Resene testpot with Hunger for Colour!
Simply bring two cans of food into your local Resene ColorShop and swap them for one Resene testpot (60-80ml). We'll donate all food to The Salvation Army foodbanks.
By adding a little more colour to your life you can also help those in need.
The newest addition to the NZ Compare suite of comparison brands has landed - Mobile Compare is the home of Kiwi Mobile Plans. A one stop shop for Neighbours everywhere!
Start 2023 right! Forget overspending and getting stuck with a plan that offers too much or too little.
Whether you’re … View moreThe newest addition to the NZ Compare suite of comparison brands has landed - Mobile Compare is the home of Kiwi Mobile Plans. A one stop shop for Neighbours everywhere!
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With rising inflation, the pressure is piling on councils this year to tighten their budgets to keep rates payments down for households across the country.
Overall, do you feel that your council and community board does a good job for your area?
If you don't wish for your replies to be … View moreWith rising inflation, the pressure is piling on councils this year to tighten their budgets to keep rates payments down for households across the country.
Overall, do you feel that your council and community board does a good job for your area?
If you don't wish for your replies to be used in the We Say You Say column, include NFP in your comment.
Our February issue of our Seniors Newsletter is out now. In this issue we're keeping you in the know how on copper withdrawal and how that may affect you, plus lots more.
To celebrate Valentine’s Day, subscribe to NZ House & Garden, NZ Gardener, or TV Guide online at Mags4Gifts and receive an iconic box of Guylian Belgian seashells.
Simply enter the promo code ‘VALENTINES’ at the checkout to redeem this great offer. Valid until 11:59pm 14 February … View moreTo celebrate Valentine’s Day, subscribe to NZ House & Garden, NZ Gardener, or TV Guide online at Mags4Gifts and receive an iconic box of Guylian Belgian seashells.
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Following the summer holiday pause on roadworks, resealing is set to resume on sections of SH6 in the Kawarau Gorge and at the SH6-Jack Hanley Drive intersection.
The work by Aspiring Highways is part of the biggest nationwide summer works programmes ever undertaken by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport … View moreFollowing the summer holiday pause on roadworks, resealing is set to resume on sections of SH6 in the Kawarau Gorge and at the SH6-Jack Hanley Drive intersection.
The work by Aspiring Highways is part of the biggest nationwide summer works programmes ever undertaken by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
Because of the large volume of daytime traffic on SH6, work will be done at night with rolling closures, Waka Kotahi maintenance contract manager Peter Standring said.
“The road will open at least hourly for a contractor vehicle to pilot waiting drivers through the site. This will keep construction crews and road users safe and lessen damage to the new seal.”
All sealing work needs fine, warm weather, with the dates below subject to these conditions:
- SH6 Kawarau Gorge from Victoria Flats Bridge to east of Pearson Road:
Sunday, February 12, and Monday, February 13, 9pm to 5am
- SH6 Kawarau Gorge from Crown Range intersection to Bungy Bridge:
Tuesday, February 14, and Wednesday, February 15, 9pm to 5am
- SH6 intersection with Jack Hanley Drive, Jack’s Point:
Thursday, February 16, 9pm to 5am
“This work is necessary to improve the surface on these sections of highway, and ultimately makes our roads safer for people,” Standring said.
“We understand resealing can be noisy, our team will be doing all we can to get this job done as quickly as possible to minimise the impact of this work on households and businesses.”
Speed restrictions will be in place after the work is completed to enable the seal to fully set.
All too often, our older community are found at home alone, suffering, physically hurt and unable to help themselves. If you’re living alone and would like some extra support, get to know your neighbours, reassure them that you're okay with them checking in on you, and together make a plan … View moreAll too often, our older community are found at home alone, suffering, physically hurt and unable to help themselves. If you’re living alone and would like some extra support, get to know your neighbours, reassure them that you're okay with them checking in on you, and together make a plan and talk through what warning signs to look out for should something be wrong. It could just save your life.
For more information, and tips to help you make a plan go to thehelloproject.nz
Needless to say, it's been a horrible week for a lot of us with the scary weather and all it's brought with it. If you're doing it tough, here's something which might help.
Stuff's podcast Stuff Explained has been talking with Hummingly's Jolie Wills, a … View moreNeedless to say, it's been a horrible week for a lot of us with the scary weather and all it's brought with it. If you're doing it tough, here's something which might help.
Stuff's podcast Stuff Explained has been talking with Hummingly's Jolie Wills, a psycho-social expert in disaster and disruption. In this short podcast interview, Jolie shares her expert advice on what you, or the people you want to support, may need right now.
Whether you're currently involved, or you want to help others, it's worth a quick listen!
The Canon Summer Snap competition has garnered some stunning photos from across Aotearoa. Once again, Neighbourly is the judge of their People and Communities photograph category so we need you!
There's a camera up for grabs for these talented photographers, and it's up to you to … View moreThe Canon Summer Snap competition has garnered some stunning photos from across Aotearoa. Once again, Neighbourly is the judge of their People and Communities photograph category so we need you!
There's a camera up for grabs for these talented photographers, and it's up to you to choose who takes the crown...and the Canon EOS!
Cast your vote in the poll below before 4pm, 14 February.
With torrential rain and flooding caused by an 'atmospheric river', should this event convince us all that climate change is real and we need to be taking action?
*Add NFP if you don't wish for your comments to be used for We Say You Say in the local papers.*
From reporter Debbie Jamieson:
Queenstown’s only indoor public swimming pool will close on weekends, indefinitely, with the council blaming a lifeguard shortage.
And the news for families in the area gets worse: Arrowtown’s outdoor pool will close about a month early – on February 13 … View moreFrom reporter Debbie Jamieson:
Queenstown’s only indoor public swimming pool will close on weekends, indefinitely, with the council blaming a lifeguard shortage.
And the news for families in the area gets worse: Arrowtown’s outdoor pool will close about a month early – on February 13 – for the same reason.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council-owned pools are the latest businesses to be hit by a widespread staff shortage, exacerbated in Queenstown by an extensive housing shortage.
Council sport and recreation manager Simon Battrick said the decision to close Alpine Aqualand in Frankton, Queenstown on weekends from February 18 was unavoidable due to a lack of staff.
The council chose to close on weekends to avoid disrupting swimming and fitness programmes.
Battrick said the district’s pools always struggled to find staff in February when high school and university students returned to their studies.
However, a global shortage of lifeguards and Queenstown’s local staff shortage meant the situation was worse this year.
Alpine Aqualand was down to nine staff and needed another 10 (full-time and part-time) to fill rosters.
A minimum of three full-time and one part-time lifeguards were needed to open on weekends.
The Queenstown Lakes district was not the only area suffering a shortage of lifeguards. In the Timaru District several pools have also been forced to reduce their operating hours in the last week.
Battrick said anyone who could swim 200 metres in under six minutes could apply to be a lifeguard.
Staff underwent two weeks training and two weeks supervision before being independent lifeguards.
The starting pay rate was $23.65 an hour and tops out at about $26.
As of the first of April the pool would be able to sponsor migrant workers but needed to pay a minimum $29.66 an hour, which was too high, he said.
“The reality is that this is an entry level job. “We have to live within our means.”
The hourly rate in the Queenstown Lakes was higher than at many other pools around New Zealand, as it recognised the higher cost of living in the district.
The council had advertised the roles extensively and had some bites, he said.
“It’s just really hard at the moment.
“Someone can give us a call, and we can take them through the process, give them a contract, and then next day they say they’re taking a job at the supermarket.”
There would be some exceptions to the use of the pool on the weekend including the locals swimming club, which was coached by a qualified lifeguard and swimming lessons.
The weekend closures would hit families and children who visit and play at the pool,
The situation would continue until more staff were available.
Mayor Glyn Lewers said the staff shortage issue was being felt right across council and there was no magic solution.
He was concerned about the impact of the closure of the pool on local families on weekends when the weather was not good for swimming in local waterways.
The pools provided a low cost recreational activity and social connection.
Now there was a barrier to providing that.
“We went through this with Covid. We don’t want to go through it again,” he said.
This was the first time in six years the pool had been closed, except during Covid-19.
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Many schools allow female students to wear earrings but male students aren't allowed to have an ear stud. Is it time to get rid of gender-based rules in regards to jewellery?
Share your thoughts below - write NFP if you don't wish your comments to be shared in the community … View moreMany schools allow female students to wear earrings but male students aren't allowed to have an ear stud. Is it time to get rid of gender-based rules in regards to jewellery?
Share your thoughts below - write NFP if you don't wish your comments to be shared in the community paper's We Say You Say column.
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