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Tyres come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing is for sure if you own or drive a vehicle of any size, you need to regularly maintain the wheels and replace the tyres to ensure you remain on the road! Ensuring you get the right tyres and the correct fit for your vehicle and needs is the expertise of Matt and his team at Keller Tyres on Manukau road and this year he wants you to…

As I write this, the Auckland region has been hit by once-in-a-century flooding. Over a third of Auckland’s annual average rainfall fell in just 24 hours at the start of the Anniversary Weekend. And it’s not over yet. More bad weather is forecast, with red and orange warnings issued for heavy rain. Our Franklin district has been seriously affected, albeit not quite as badly as…

Ensom Funeral Services recognises that each family's needs are different and, with that in mind, they take the time to prepare a unique and fitting tribute and farewell. It is the emphasis on providing personal advice and assistance to grieving families that sets Ensom Funeral Services apart. The friendly and professional team at Ensom Funeral Services has been part of the…

A sophisticated new study has tracked the relationship between early teen social media use and changes in their brains over a three-year period. The novel research found more frequent checking of social media was linked with a greater sensitivity to social rewards, but experts stress the detected brain changes can neither be confirmed as causal or declared harmful from these…

As life becomes more costly and complicated, we are always looking for simpler and more carefree times. Whether it’s an escape to the beach or taking on a new hobby or somehow reliving the past - we all seek more simplified times. Car guys are no exception and the two cars you see here are perfect examples of that. The automobile has a rich history of evolution and particular…

A couple of months back I wrote a column on New Zealand’s high and, at that time, accelerating rate of inflation. I concluded that column with the following comment: There has to be some risk that, faced with growing public concern about inflation and the impact of the rising interest rates which the Reserve Bank is using to get on top of inflation, the Government will reach…

Who doesn’t love a summer salad. Try any of the ones below and you will be guaranteed a winner at home or to take out to a gathering with family or friends. Recipe 1: Asian Slaw with Peaches and Herbs Colorful, juicy, crunchy, sweet, bitter, herby, spicy… there are so many flavors and textures to put together with all the great fruits and vegetables that are in season right now.…

Nancy Wake (aka The White Mouse) was the Allies most decorated woman during World War 2, saving thousands of soldiers and eventually becoming the #1 most wanted person by the German Gestapo in 1943. Nancy never believed that women should just stay at home or stand on the sidelines while men went to war and proved herself to be a fantastic leader during the French Resistance, in…

Happy New Year and welcome to 2023! The Papakura Business Association hopes everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year with an enjoyable and safe break. WELCOME: Recently, we welcomed the following businesses to our community: Fork Café (East Street), Midtown Bar (Selwyn Centre, Great South Road), The Gift of Framing (Elliot Street) and Automate (Railway Street). WHERE TO…

Realestate.co.nz has released its December 'Property Report' setting out listing levels and asking price averages. Asking prices are falling and sunsequently so are the sale prices. Nationally in December they were asking prices-5.5% lower than a year ago. Much of that was driven by sellers becoming more realistic in Auckland. The Median House price across the country fell by…

By the time you read this, the Christmas season will all be over, and we will be heading into a brand-new year, 2023. That’s 23 years since the world teetered on the brink of a potential disaster as computer programmers grabbled with the Y2KBug, the point at which the world slipped over to the 21st century, and the year 2000 ticked over from 1999. It was thought and hyped up by…

The media is awash with stories about the state of the real estate market, house values plummeting, interest rates rising, an increased average in the number of days to sell which could strike fear into the hearts of any prospective vendor who wants to sell their house and move on. However, for mother and daughter duo, Jo-Ann Townsend and Victoria Day, it is business as usual,…

Stroud Homes has experienced tremendous growth in recent times and is building a brand-new show home to showcase the latest styles and features that Stroud can offer. He has been building homes for over 17 years, ensuring every customer is given the very best level of service which is reflected in the growing number of families in the Franklin area that are choosing to build with…

The sun is finally shining and the temperatures are going up and with that, its time to show off one of our most important assets, our feet! in a hot new style from Bakers Shoes and More in Waiuku. Fiona Baker and her fully trained team are well known for keeping up with the latest fashions, plus have all the know how to keep your feet looking good as well as being comfortable…

No matter what your age or fitness level you will be more than welcomed and encouraged to participate in the Navigation Homes Fun Run series. After running successfully at the start and end of last year, the new season of Fun Runs kicks off on Tuesday February 7th and every Tuesday after that until late March. Starting at 5pm with registrations, the race kicks off at 6pm…

Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. It was traditionally a time to honor deities as well as ancestors, and it has also become a time to feast and to visit family members. Celebrations of Chinese New Year traditionally last for 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year's Eve to the Lantern…

A Covid delayed Repco Beach Hop went off with great success back in November at the cool Coromandel town of Whangamata. New Zealand's largest celebration of the 50's & 60's proves to be as popular as ever with people coming from all over New Zealand as well as other parts of the world. The nearly week long event kicks off on the Wednesday at Waihi, then onto Thames on the…

We have all seen the social media posts of ‘free kitten/puppy to a good home’ sweet, cute, innocent faces looking back at us in all manner of colours and fluffiness. Small, defenseless, ‘presents’ for that child or family member who we want to please. But for Taryn Gibbs, her team at Fur Paws Sake and many hundreds like them throughout the country, the aftermath of that impulsive…

As we look into the New Year, there are a lot of crucial issues facing the country – how do we deal with the ongoing unaffordability of housing (notwithstanding the recent fall in house prices); how do we increase our rate of productivity growth so that we can afford the good things of life that wealthier countries take for granted; how do we improve the serious problems in our…

RECIPE : Frozen Cherry Chocolate Pudding Cake Ingredients 1kg store-bought Christmas pudding, crumbled 6L vanilla ice cream, softened 2 cups cherries in cane sugar syrup (from delis and specialty food shops) 2/3 cup (165ml) cherry syrup Chocolate shards and pitted fresh cherries, to decorate Chocolate Icing 1/2 titanium-strength gelatine leaf 11/3…