In this week’s edition

Kia ora and welcome to another edition of the Taupō & Tū rangi Herald. We kick off the paper with Pam McLeod’s story. While there is no criticism intended, it is important to highlight the things that we might not have even considered, but which can have a big impact on the lives of some people.

The ability to get around town is a pretty big deal and it was fascinating to take a walk with Pam and witness the reality of life on the streets in a wheelchair.

All-in-all the council does a pretty good job of catering for all walks of life - excuse the pun - but it’s up to everyone to keep their street frontage clear of branches so people can get out and explore our beautiful district and get a bit of fresh air in the process.

On page three we look at what happened to one Taupō family when their remote car key packed up. It’s certainly not the worst nightmare for motorists but it is right up there I reckon, especially for those with an older vehicle and a key that’s getting a bit unreliable.

Finally, we have definitive evidence that the world has returned to normal after a couple of years of cancelled events and pandemic paranoia. The Tū rangi Garden Club Flower Show is back on!

On page 6 we have a page of pictures from Conservation Week. Getting involved with environmental initiatives is everyone’s job, there’s a million ways to do it and there are plenty of local organisations willing to help out with some inspiration and practical advice.

We also look at the surprise announcement from GNS this week that Lake Taupō has gone into Alert Level 1. It’s the first time the Taupō Caldera has been at Level 1 and a reflection of a more risk averse approach to the alert system, and a slightly out of sequence series of shakes in recent times.

We have sports and club results, and a cute picture from the Global games Junior Rugby Festival on page 39 and Scottish dancing on page 28.

So, enjoy this week’s paper and be sure to let us know about your news and views.