Amonthwhen the bands played on
Children featured strongly in May’s top stories and so did music, with musicians celebrating New Zealand Music Month in a big way. An icy blast created havoc for motorists as black ice caught out many.
Donations flood in for 3- year- old Reece Jimmieson from Bulls, whose rare medical condition led to a diagnosis of lung disease. More than $ 12,500 is donated to Reece’s Give a Little webpage. He is thought to be the only child in New Zealand diagnosed with the congenital disorder Goldenhar syndrome.
Speed curbs plan
The Palmerston North City Council proposes to introduce 30kmh speed zones in central Palmerston North and within 300 metres of every school. The proposal is later rejected.
Roading furore
Major changes proposed to the roading network between Foxton and Otaki fire up the Horowhenua community, with residents worried about losing their homes and the disruption to their lives.
Biofirm boost
American biofirm Proliant decides to build a $ 24m factory near Feilding that is expected to pump $ 90m into the national economy in the next decade. The firm takes a byproduct from cattle blood – blood plasma – and uses it to produce about half of the world’s bovine serum albumin ( BSA), which is used in pharmaceuticals, medical research.
vaccines
Puddings given push
and Feilding High School moves towards healthier options for its boarders by dropping puddings off the menu five days a week. Fatty foods are replaced by multigrain bread, unlimited fruit and salad, filtered water, and a bottle of low- fat milk on every table. The move gets the thumbs- up from students.
Footballers get flick
YoungHeart Manawatu are axed from the national football league, following a poor run of form in recent seasons. The Manawatu football community is left reeling.
Grant
graduates
Tina Grant, the widow of SAS Corporal Doug Grant, graduates from Massey University with a Graduate Diploma in Adult Education. Cor- poral Grant Afghanistan in
Icy challenge
was 2011.
killed
in Nearly 100 people brave icy waters in The Square, Palmerston North, to raise money for children with congenital heart defects in the Heart Stopper $ 19,000 is In the spirit of forgiveness, Feilding Baptist Church pastor Allen Hince visits Richard Elliott in prison. Elliott was jailed for seven years Challenge. raised.
Forgiveness
More
than
Black ice blast
after lighting a string of fires, including two at the church which caused $ 1.8m of damage. An icy blast leaves a dusting of snow in parts of the wider Manawatu region at the end of May, creating treacherous conditions on the roads. Snow closes State Highways 4 and 49 between Raetihi and Ohakune and black ice causes of a few accidents.
Nosing
it out
Drug- sniffing dogs join legal highs in schools.
the
war
on