PANTLESS MAN CHARGED

A man has been charged after he allegedly rode a mountain bike pantless around a west Auckland cycleway. The 33-year-old is facing multiple charges of doing indecent acts in a public place and will appear in the Waitakere District Court on March 28. Detective Senior Sergeant Roger Small said police had received ‘‘a number of reports’’ of a man approaching female walkers near the Henderson Creek cycleway.

WHAU PACIFIC FESTIVAL

The Henderson-Massey Local Board have approved the allocation of $32,000 from the event partnership fund to Whau The People Charitable Trust to deliver the 2017 Whau Pacific Festival. The four day event, beginning August 25, will include cooking workshops, music sessions, a language next and pacific theatre.

EASTER TRADING

Should shops be able to trade on Easter Sunday? Councillors decided on March 23 to seek feedback on the issue from April. Progressive Enterprises, Foodstuffs and others had asked the council to consider the matter. Currently only some shops across Auckland can legally trade on Easter Sunday, including service stations, dairies and pharmacies. Other businesses risk a $1000 fine. Councillor Linda Cooper said she expected opposing views. Council staff would be organising opportunities for people to give feedback, she said. Any changes would be made in 2018.

SPORTS DAY FOR DEAF

Kelston Deaf Education Centre will host the annual sports day for deaf and hard of hearing children from all over the North Island.

The event will take place on March 30 with over 300 children taking part. Those taking part range in age from pre-school up to the age of 20. The event will begin at 9.30am and finish at 1.30pm.

RANGERS BEAT TARANAKI

The 2017 national basketball league is underway and Auckland’s Super City Rangers have gotten off to a flyer, beating out Taranaki 85-81. Mitch McCarron top scored for the Rangers with a solid 23 points.