Mike Sanford

* Gore District Council approves directional drilling for Mataura River water project. * Two pipelines to link bores, reservoir, and treatment plant using advanced drilling. * $2.65 million project starts next year, set to finish by December. The Gore District Council has endorsed the use of directional drilling technology to install water

The Commerce Commission has released a draft decision that could dramatically reduce the fees businesses pay for accepting Visa and Mastercard payments, potentially saving New Zealanders over $260 million annually. “These fees are passed on to consumers through the cost of goods and services, and surcharges,” the Commerce Commission stated.

* Government says councils misused wellbeing rules to justify non-essential spending, raising rates. * Labour disputes claims, saying rate increases stem from central government decisions, not councils. * Benchmarking reports will compare council performance on rates, debt, and services nationwide. The government has announced plans to remove four wellbeing provisions from the Local

* ILT hosted a Christmas dinner for Invercargill residents aged over 70 years. * Guests enjoyed a three-course meal, live entertainment, and warm community connection. * Over 25,000 meals served since the event began in 1993. ILT hosted the first of two Christmas dinners for Invercargill residents aged over 70 at the

* Aparima College students won top honours at the national Young Enterprise Scheme awards. * Their business, Treet Yourself Contracting, impressed with its focus on sustainability and innovation. * The YES programme fosters entrepreneurship in secondary schools, connecting students with business leaders. Students from Aparima College in Riverton have claimed the top prize

A devastating theft has left Southland carpentry students thousands of dollars out of pocket and jeopardised their end-of-year project. The tools, essential for their training, were stolen from the workshop at Invercargill’s Southern Institute of Technology (SIT). Related: Police Seek Information Following Safe Theft The students discovered the theft

* Coastguard Riverton's new boat will enhance safety and rescue capabilities significantly. * The advanced vessel features cutting-edge navigation, night vision, and thermal imaging equipment. * Local community and donors played a key role in funding the modern rescue boat. Coastguard Riverton is preparing to welcome a new state-of-the-art rescue boat,

* Sixteen Lotto players win $20,439 each in Second Division draw. * Powerball Second Division winner takes home a combined $43,182 prize. * Lotto NZ's Christmas promotion offers $6 million in extra prizes this year. Sixteen Lotto players are celebrating after winning $20,439 each with Lotto Second Division