Articles in ‘Editors Note’

Auckland has just come out of another lockdown that has seen businesses closed, a return to bubbles and borders patrolled in a way that created a situation for some, more challenging than the level 4 lockdown. And, yet the numbers of community transmission remain higher than they were when we returned to the new normal early in the year. For the government, this is a huge risk…

And what an exciting one it is shaping up to be! The decisions made on September 19th have the potential to have long lasting effects for years to come and perhaps more than ever it is imperative that we all exercise our right to have a say in those decisions and vote. We are lucky in our area to feature some very dedicated candidates and all of them have philosophies and…

It is refreshing to see life returning to somewhat of a new normal after the lockdown for most of us. Children are back at school, some after school activities have resumed, businesses are open and you can get your fix of whatever takes your fancy at your local eatery whilst reading your monthly elocal magazine. The lockdown left many a person wondering where their latest…

The impact of COVID-19 on our economy is yet to be seen in its entirety and may not be for some time. Fortunately for Franklin and Papakura areas, the sense of community is strong, and I believe it won’t be long before many businesses are back in full swing and it is up to all of us in the community to support them. The expected move to Level 2, hopefully mid-May will see…

It’s hard to believe the events that have transpired in the last few weeks, but happen they have and as we enter another week in our bubbles, our daily routines are very much different than they were a few weeks ago. We go out for ‘essential supplies’, exercise in a local space keeping 2m from the nearest walker, check in with the official COVID-19 information available daily…

Being impartial means not being prejudiced towards or against any particular side, and to be fair and balanced. In the world of media, this used to be a standard that many just accepted to be what happened. These days though, with the advance of digital technologies, the thrust for reporting to in response to things as they happen, and the ease with which it is possible to have…

Ever since its inception the internet has been awash with a whole new array of descriptive terminologies and over time conceivably an entire new language has been created that includes things like MEME, LOL, IMHO, BTW. There is even a handy dandy little translator that will translate the internet language for you. ( www.transl8it.com/index.php) It has also revolutionised the way…

The revelling to bring in the New Year is a time-honoured tradition, and I am sure has been played out again this year. As we head into 2020 this year, it also marks the start of a new decade or does it? In recent years there has been debate about when a decade begins and ends. For some people, the next decade will begin Jan. 1, 2020, and end Dec. 31, 2029. For others, it won’t…

Even though the pace of time is exactly the same every year, it certainly feels at times like it is speeding by far quicker than in previous years. I do wonder if this is because of the sheer amount we try to pack in to our daily lives and the way we rank our priorities or something to do with our perceptions as we age. As this year hurtles to a close, it seems to have been one…

One of the main headlines this morning on the New Zealand news sites that I frequent each day reads “Why you won’t see Judith Collins nude this summer.” Another screams “'Sick' life-sized doll suggests scary future for office workers.” I suppose it makes a change from the 20 or so stories about the Rugby World cup, however it makes me somewhat embarrassed for my own profession…

I’m writing this on deadline day, we print in four hours, and someone in their wisdom has decided to waterblast the office roof, think bees, many, many bees all angry and upset, disturbed and buzzing and desperate to get into your head. That is what is sounds like, not very convivial to last minute creative morsels for heroic headlines and inspiring sentences. It did though get…

Can you believe it’s August already? Only four month’s and we are back into the silly season again. At the time of writing there is so much interesting material that mainstream press is not covering but commenting on, opinions on opinions, but where are the facts and the questions? Is it not the job of media to provide the counterbalance for the people for the voters? Isn’t it…

Temperatures may be dropping as we head for our two coldest months of the year, but things at elocal are hotting up! It always a pleasure to work every month with our local businesses and community groups and highlight all the great things about them and this month is no exception. From graphic designers, building companies, and barn door crafters, July elocal showcases some of…

Just as the Beatles penned a major smash hit in 1967 it resonated around the world as continues to be the mantra of nations and in particular our wonderful nation under the prime ministerial leadership of the honourable P.M. Ardern. I’d really like to believe her as who would not want this attribute to be the number one policy that drives our nation. Just give it a thought for…

The second Sunday of May is when New Zealand traditionally celebrates Mother’s Day. Its modern-day origins come from an American celebration created by Anna Jarvis in 1908 that became an official U.S. holiday in 1914. Interestingly, Jarvis would later denounce the holiday’s commercialisation and spent the latter part of her life trying to remove it from the calendar. …

New Zealand is still awash with grief in the aftermath of the killings in Christchurch that left 50 New Zealanders dead and many more injured. Our image overseas while tarnished as a safe haven, has been boosted by our Prime Minister who has presented the face of the nation as one that embellishes an inclusive spirit, one that welcomes all to the shores of New Zealand to start a…

One of the things I love best about being involved with elocal is the number of people that call in or email us to tell us about how much they liked reading the last edition and when will the next one be available. The number of calls from outside the area has increased somewhat as our regular readers pass on their own copies to friends, families or neighbours who have moved…

It’s hard to believe that as you folks read this month’s edition of elocal it will be February, Kids will be back at school, the humidity will be full on, and we will have endured another year of who went, who didn’t and who did and didn’t do what at Waitangi. We have had lots of letters in over the holidays and requests from people wanting to hear more about certain topics, so…

Hard to imagine the end of yet another year is upon us and what a year it has been. Media seem to depict a gloomy picture, with house prices set to drop, rates to rise and business confidence at a nine year low, as companies worry about lack of direction in government policies, higher costs, softer demand and weaker profits. Nurses, teachers, support staff all have flexed their…

elocal, is 100% locally owned, unlike other publications in the area. The whole team, including owner Mykeljon live locally and buy locally, we like to support local businesses, because you support us. Every month, the team at elocal work tirelessly to bring you stories that will interest, educate and sometimes confront you about issues that our national media tend to shy away…