Media release – New Zealand Police
Police investigating the disappearance of Marice McGregor from Whanganui have serious concerns after establishing that a health condition means she has limited mobility and would not be able to walk far unaided.

At a media conference this afternoon relatives of Marice made a personal appeal for information about her disappearance. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
If you’ve wondered about the strange messages on the expensive new electronic signs on the Wellington motorway, or why they usually contain no information at all … we’ve discovered the reason. They’re controlled from an operations centre in an Auckland industrial park, which is also in charge of Wellington’s roads every night. The information is buried towards the end of this press release from the NZ Transport Agency, in which Wellington seems to be an after-thought. Read more »

Press Release – Grafiti Entertainment
Batucada Sound Machine are gearing up for their second pilgrimage to Europe. After the success of their previous UK tour in 2007, they have lined up a string of dates through Portugal, Spain, Holland, Germany, Belgium and the UK. Read more »

Press Release – CRS Management
The Naked And Famous and Kids of 88, two of the most exciting young bands in the country, are coming to Wellington’s San Francisco Bath House on Wednesday 26 May. Read more »

Media release – Department of Conservation
Trampers are being warned not to venture into the Tararua Forest Park over the weekend as river levels rise due to heavy rain, and high winds buffet the area. Read more »

Press Release – New Zealand Defence Force
A full military funeral service for Flight Lieutenant Hayden Madsen, Flying Officer Daniel Gregory and Corporal Benjamin Carson was held at 1.30pm today at the Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Ohakea.

FLTLT Madsen, FGOFF Gregory and CPL Carson were tragically killed when their Iroquois helicopter crashed near Pukerua Bay, Wellington on Anzac Day.

Before the service, the men’s caskets were flown to the Base by three Air Force Iroquois helicopters from No. 3 Squadron where they were taken to No.1 Hangar. Read more »

Businesswire report by Paul McBeth
Perpetual Trust has sent the Wellington finance company St Laurence into receivership a day after its managing director Kevin Podmore pitched an offer to debenture holders to swap their debt for equity in a new holding company. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
No one who publishes a blog could be categorised as someone who worries about their privacy. So it was strange this week to see Mayor Kerry Prendergast on TV3 explaining that she hadn’t sought authorisation from Terry Serepisos to release details of his overdue rates – as she agreed the law entitles her council to do – “because individual ratepayers value their privacy.” Read more »

Media release – Hutt City Council
The Hutt City Council has closed the northern and southern tees of the Point Howard Wharf after a routine survey identified timber and steel fixings deteriorating faster than expected. Read more »

Media release – Wellington City Council
Wellington’s recent run of dry weather is wreaking havoc on the city’s sportsfields – with a blanket ban imposed last night on any training on the fields. Read more »

Media release – Mount Ruapehu
Those wanting a sweet deal on a 2010 Mt Ruapehu Season Pass have only four days left to take advantage of the earlybird special with the cut-off at 5pm on Monday. Read more »

Press Release – Burn The Floor
The new Broadway production of BURN THE FLOOR comes to Wellington following an engagement at the Longacre Theatre, where it broke the box office record and enjoyed two extensions. Read more »

Media release – Fair Trade Association
Wellington will experience its first Fairtrade Fortnight starting on Saturday till May 16, as the nation’s Fairtrade capital city. Read more »

Press Release – Trade Aid
People living in Wellington have the chance to be inspired by a leader in the fair trade movement on Wednesday 5 May at 6pm with Trade Aid Wellington hosting a visit from the founder of its Nepalese trading partner. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
Wellington director Taika Waititi’s new feature film Boy has held its number one position at the New Zealand box office for a fifth consecutive week.

In its first five weeks it has been seen by more than 500,000 people, and its gross box office is more than $5.2million. It will soon exceed the $5.5million achieved over eight weeks by the Disney Alice in Wonderland. Read more »

Media release – New Zealand Police
As part of the termination of the national Undercover operation “Operation Lime”, 45 uniform and CIB staff from Wellington Police executed search warrants at business premises and residential dwellings yesterday morning. The operation targeted businesses and individuals responsible for the commercial sale of equipment used for growing cannabis. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
Mayor Prendergast appeared on Campbell Live last night, answering vigorous questions from John Campbell about the $2m in overdue rates which developer Terry Serepisos owes to her council. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
by Lindsay Shelton
The city council phoned me this week. It wanted to know what I thought about its plan for a city-wide drinking ban 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Read more »