In Brief

 

Teen drowns at lake
A local boy has drowned  on March 13  at  Kai  Iwi  Lakes,  north   of  Dargaville, while swimming  with a group of friends. He was 17-year-old Vaughan Hoyle of Kaiwaka.

The boys went into the water at Promenade Point  on Lake Taharoa about 6.30pm and swam out to the end of a shallow shelf of water. The  boy  who drowned   remained in the shallow water while the others swam across a small canal to the other side of the lake.

When they returned  a short time later they noticed Vaughan was not there and found his shirt near the lake edge, so started looking for him.
They discovered him lying four metres below the surface of the water and pulled him out, starting CPR before the ambulance arrived. However, he could not be revived and died at the scene.

Rodney College ERO visit
During  the first week of March the Education Review Office visited Rodney College. It has  been  three  years since  their last review. 

The verbal feedback given to the Board of Trustees  and the Senior Leadership  Team  at the  completion  of the visit was very positive  and  the school now waits for the draft written report which will be with them  in around  20 working days.. They then  have a period of 10 working  days to respond  before the final report is sent and it goes online to the ERO website www..ero..govt.nz.

Immunisation best says Plunket

Plunket is encouraging  New Zealanders to take up the government’s offer of free influenza  vaccinations.

“New Zealanders  tend to underestimate  what  serious  disease  influenza is”, says Plunket  clinical advisor Marianne Grant.  “It kills around 400 New Zealanders, directly or indirectly, each year – so it’s not something we should take lightly. Last year it put more  than  a thousand people in hospital.
 

The free influenza  vaccine is available now until the end of July. The vaccination is free to those at greatest risk of serious  influenza complications,  including New Zealanders  over the age of 65, pregnant  women,  and people with on-going conditions  such as asthma  or heart problems.

People who are not eligible for the free vaccine can purchase  it from their general practitioner or selected pharmacies.
For more information visit www. fightflu.co.nz  or www.health.govt.nz or call 0800 IMMUNE (0800 466 863).
 
First Maungaturoto Market
Circle the date, Friday April 5 for the first Maungaturoto Market.

Buyers, sellers, traders of arts, crafts, bric-a-brac, plants, clothing or what- have-you.
Either  set  up  a  stall  or  just  come along as there will be something for everyone at the Maungaturoto Centennial Hall, 4–8pm.

Show your community support  or if you would like to become involved call Carol on 431 8777.

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