Wellington.Scoop
Peter Jackson yesterday confirmed that a third movie has been added to his two-part adaptation of “The Hobbit,” which is now in post-production in Wellington. Read more »

Press Release – Hachette Book Group
Fans of HBO series True Blood and lovers of the Sookie Stackhouse novels the show is based on are in for a treat when author Charlaine Harris’ NZ tour kicks off with a Dominion Post Write Stuff event in Wellington this Sunday afternoon Read more »

Press Release – Cheer Central
Wellington will be introduced to the high-energy sport of competitive cheerleading this weekend, with the region’s first competition running on Sunday. Read more »

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Press Release – The Dowse
Every day across the world, millions of people enter virtual worlds through video games. The Dowse Art Museum is excited to celebrate what is now the fastest-growing form of mass art with a major exhibition of New Zealand video gaming – Arcade: Homegrown Video Games opens on 10 November and runs throughout the summer months until 3 March 2013. Entry is free. Read more »

News from Paper Plus
Local books and stationery store Paper Pus Coastlands has taken out the award for best book sales at the annual Paper Plus Group Awards, proving that their valued customers still enjoy curling up with a good read. Read more »

Press Release – NZCF

Swiss master chocolatier, Rene “Choco” Fellmann

The New Zealand Chocolate Festival will bring more than one and a half tonnes of chocolate to Wellington in August, tempting its residents to dip their digits in the sweet stuff. Chocolate lovers will get a chance to make their own chocolate truffles under expert guidance in the festival’s brand new Heilala Vanilla Chocolate Factory. Read more »

Press Release – Pinot Noir New Zealand
A small Martinborough winery – Schubert Wines – has won the “Great New Zealand Pinot Noir Photo Competition.” Read more »

News from NZ Police
Riding motorcycles all day was a big draw card for women, a new exhibition at the New Zealand Police Museum reveals. Read more »

Press Release – Royal New Zealand Ballet
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is delighted to announce two new trustees for the company’s Board. The appointments of Wellington based Steven Fyfe and Christchurch based Ros Burdon coincide with the opening of the RNZB’s Tower Season of Cinderella. Read more »

Press Release – Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand has appointed Adam Newell and Sébastien Lambert as head culinary tutors for the new school, set to open in Wellington in late August. Read more »

Press Release – Wellington City Council
Work has started on installing two new signal-controlled pedestrian crossings on Wakefield Street and Jervois Quay, which will provide a safe, direct walking route to the waterfront. Read more »

News from NZ Government
Health Minister Tony Ryall today announced Wairarapa DHB Chair Bob Francis has been appointed as a member of the Capital & Coast District Health Board. Read more »

Press Release – University of Otago
The University of Otago will present a series of talks on health research for MPs and policy makers at parliament in collaboration with the University of Auckland and Wellington’s Malaghan Institute. Read more »

Report from BusinessDesk
Retirement village builder and operator Ryman Healthcare plans to build its 28th retirement village in Petone in the Hutt Valley. Read more »

Wellington.Scoop
Wellington recorded New Zealand’s second-largest increase in new residential building consents last month, compared with the same month a year ago. Statistics New Zealand reports that in June a total of 148 new consents were issued in the Wellington region – an increase of 83 over June 2011. Of the increase in consents, 78 were in Wellington City, and 71 were for new city apartments. Read more »

Press Release – Kapiti Coast District Council
The Kapiti Council has tied up a “complex but inspiring” deal to secure 80 hectares of public land for a future dam site in the Maungakotukutuku Valley behind Paraparaumu. Read more »

Press Release – Upper Hutt City Council
The recent Biennial Conference of the Australian Library and Information Association featured a presentation on Upper Hutt City Council’s library service. Read more »

Press Release – NZTrio
Art3 Series
Having earned high-praise for their second Loft Series performance at Q Theatre (Lightbox, including the premiere of Karlo Margetic’s titular work), New Zealand’s foremost piano trio NZTrio will mark their return from a tour of Asia with a final tour of the country throughout October. Read more »