All articles

Untangling Learning-to-Read Myths In the past ten years, educational research has brought much clarity to what does, and doesn’t, support a young child to learn to read and write well. Before we explore some essential tools to help your child with this process, let’s untangle some common myths that can inadvertently derail the process. MYTH 1: Children learn to read in the same…

Last month, I mentioned, there is a multitude of issues in this case. Not least the legitimate tactics employed on both sides to present their side of the argument. The trial lasted 3 months and 183 witnesses were called. Four million dollars were spent on legal aid for the defence. Nearly another million was paid to the defence team to stop further litigation, all at the…

A few months ago, I wrote a column highlighting some of the serious things which are going on under our collective noses to provide, or in some cases, continue to provide special privileges to those New Zealanders who chance to have at least one Maori ancestor – along with ancestors of other ethnicities in every case. I listed the continued existence of separate Maori electorates…

For most of us new is so appealing, even the idea of new carries a certain mystique. What will be new, fresh, in this otherwise familiar product? It doesn’t matter whether it is clothes, cars, cameras, jewellery, guns, boats, tennis racquets, a smart phone or even houses. Today of course it is not just the newness that has appeal it is the integration of functional design for…

Do you have numb fingers, sore arm & tight shoulder that have been bothering you? If so, you might be suffering from cervical radiculopathy. Numbness in the fingers, sore arm and tight shoulder sound like there are three different pains in three different spots but have you think about they can be related and caused by the problem in your cervical (neck) and/or thoracic (upper…

WELCOME TO OUR NEW BUSINESSES IN TOWN: Flavours of the Pacific who have opened in Broadway. Baby and Me Café who have opened in O’Shannessey Street. Counties Hand Clinic who have opened in Counties Care in O’Shannessey Street. Azumaya Sushi and Café who have opened in Averill Street. If you need contact numbers for these businesses – or any of our businesses in town please go…

On Saturday 16th March, Pukekohe Christian School will hold their main fundraiser for the year – their popular annual Gala. Commencing at 8.30 with the garage sale and finishing at 1.30, the day offers fantastic bargains, food and fun for everyone in the family. Located on Yates Road (past the railway station and behind the race course), PCS is a privately-funded Year 1 – 13…

Are you on the lookout for a home that exudes sophistication inside and out? A home to call your own that has the most incredible Architectural lines that blend in seamlessly with peaceful rural surroundings whilst still being close enough to town. ZAM Builders have a 250sqm home finished to an exceptionally high standard in Cedar and Board and Batten ready for sale in Patumahoe…

At the completion of 53 years of delivering food to those in need, the hard-working team of drivers at Papakura’s Meals on Wheels, celebrated the end of an era with one last get together at the St Johns Hall in Papakura on February 13th this year. The group, which was initially founded by Reverend FL and Mrs Gardner, has been delivering nutritious meals to those in need for over…

Today’s kitchen wears many hats. It’s the centre of a busy morning family breakfast huddle, the place for coffee with friends, the makeshift office for paying the bills, a backdrop for your children’s art, and let’s not forget its prime purpose — a place to make and enjoy good food with family and friends. It stands to reason then, that when you are creating a kitchen in your own…

Travel along State Highway 22 from Drury through to Pukekohe and it is hard to miss the tasteful silhouette of the Brand New Golden Homes Show Home on the corner of McPherson and Karaka roads that has emerged better, brighter and bigger than the one that was destroyed in an arson attack in April 2018. The attack in the early hours of the morning resulted in damage to the existing…

Much has been made of a recent discovery of a Queensland Fruit Fly in two areas of Auckland in February and like many foreign species, if it were to get a hold in the country our horticultural and associated industries could suffer severe consequences. Termites are another example. Also known as white ants, they can live in colonies that can number in the thousands. Invasive…

‘Once Were Whalers…’ is part 1 of a 6 part series looking at the ‘scumbuggery’ that has happened through the years in New Zealand. It was the era that has retrospectively been described as the Age of Discovery, a time when the commercial and imperial interests of Europe sought to expand their power through global exploratory expeditions. It was also a time when the foreign policy…

For the last few months, controversy has swirled regarding the proposed 5G system for New Zealand after the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) warned that using Huawei equipment posed a security risk. However, national mainstream media has somehow neglected to cover the extremely serious potential health and environmental effects of 5G. As things stand, NZ’s…

The decision to remove a tree from your property sometimes isn’t easy. They take years to grow and are an important part of the environment. But sometimes due to a number of factors the call just has to be made to get them cut down, so they are no longer a problem or pose a threat. Factors like root systems undermining driveways and dwellings are one of the main reasons we are…

In years gone by, it has been a rite of passage for many New Zealand Kids to watch mesmerised trackside, Hot dog on a stick in hand, while custom and hand built road cars race round an oval dirt track, in all or nothing, guts and glory type racing that is Dirt Track speedway. New Zealanders have had a love affair with speedway of all kinds and Dirt Track racing at the Meremere…

Since 2016, the Papakura Local Board has been giving young people a helping hand with its financial scheme that provides a scholarship grant for those embarking on tertiary study, trade or leadership courses. The Papakura Youth Pathways and Excellence Grants recognise the importance of ensuring young people get a great start in life and provide awarded applicants a maximum of…

Cats have a habit of popping up into people’s lives at the right moment. Mary Medricky and her husband David had been thinking of getting a feline friend after being catless for a while. David favoured the Maine Coon breed, a large and handsome long haired pedigree cat who can grow to 10kg in weight. What they ended up with was quite the opposite. Instead of an enormous, finely…

With New Zealand’s largest solar-powered swimming pool heating system now installed at Massey Aquatic Centre, Papakura Local Board have more reason than most to enjoy the sight of a hot sun beating down on the town. But the tightwads at the Papakura Local Board have even more reason than most to enjoy the sight of a hot sun beating down on the town. Having coughed up $170,000…

It’s hard to believe that as you folks read this month’s edition of elocal it will be February, Kids will be back at school, the humidity will be full on, and we will have endured another year of who went, who didn’t and who did and didn’t do what at Waitangi. We have had lots of letters in over the holidays and requests from people wanting to hear more about certain topics, so…