Author: Press Room

The hospitality crunch is worse than it has ever been, cafe owners say, as job cuts and the cost of living bite. Kris Bartley, the owner of Sweet Release cafe in Wellington, said she had the worst day of sales in her 10 years in business this week. “People just don’t have money. People who do are saving their money in case they lose their jobs, which is totally fair.” Her customers were usually working professionals and students, but public sector job cuts had hit hard, and some customers had also expressed concerns about safety in Manners Street where the…

One person has died and two others are moderately injured after a “serious incident” in Auckland’s Mount Wellington this afternoon.Emergency services responded to an incident on Tomuri Pl, near Sylvia Park at 1.31pm on Saturday.Police said a male has been pronounced dead at the scene.”Police are speaking with a person of interest and there are some cordons in place as police make inquiries,” a spokesperson said.St John said it responded with two ambulances, one rapid response unit, and one manager.”Our crews have assessed and treated two patients both in a moderate condition at the scene,” a spokesperson said.Police, ambulance and…

An active front is bringing volatile weather to parts of New Zealand tonight, with loud thunder in Auckland and flights cancelled from the capital earlier.There has been a “lot of thunderstorm activity over western parts of the North Island” on Thursday night, according to MetService meteorologists, as fronts embedded in a strong northwesterly flow spread onto the country.However, no official warnings have been issued by the forecaster.In Auckland, a loud boom of thunder could be heard just before 7pm.”Wow – a thunderous whack over Mt Albert – think the thunder may have arrived in Auckland,” one person wrote on Twitter.Flights…

Whether you’re dropping a dollop in your frying pan, spreading it on your toast, or measuring up for baking, butter is a versatile pantry mainstay for most of us. But soaring prices also mean butter is living up to its growing reputation as “yellow gold”.In a non-scientific survey, Seven Sharp found prices for a 500g block of butter ranged from $6.49 to $9 — a third more expensive than this time last year, according to Stats NZ.Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand executive director Kimberly Crewther said butter prices in New Zealand are determined offshore. (Source: Seven Sharp)”The Global Dairy…

A mid Canterbury ice rink is “strongly recommending” helmet use, but is holding off any decision on making them compulsory after a man died following an accident on the ice.Victor Schikker, 67, died in hospital earlier this month after he fell at Staveley Ice and Curling Rink.His family has described his death as a tragic accident which occurred during a curling event that Schikker, who worked with PGG Wrightson for 49 years, had organised.Staveley Hall Society chairman Rob Withers said they are waiting for the outcome of an investigation into Schikker’s death before making a decision on mandatory helmet use.The…

The mass arrest of every patched member of the Christchurch chapter of the Comancheros leaves it “at risk of collapse” in the city, a criminologist says.Yesterday, officers executed 70 warrants in a large-scale operation with 21 people arrested, alongside property, vehicle, and drugs seized by authorities.Approximately 5kg of class A drugs were seized, along with 11 firearms, ammunition, and about $250,000 cash, according to police.Detective Inspector Darrin Thomson alleged “drug offending involving controlled drugs methamphetamine and cocaine, and extensive money laundering” in the case.Gangs researcher and criminologist Jarrod Gilbert told 1News the move has “put a huge hole in the…

One of two doctors charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death has made his first appearance in a federal court in Los Angeles after reaching a deal to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors.Dr Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, stood in court with his lawyer and told a judge he understood his rights. US Magistrate Judge Jean P. Rosenbluth told him he could remain free on bond with several restrictions, including turning over his passport and not working as a doctor. He has agreed to turn over his medical licence.Chavez signed an agreement with prosecutors earlier this month to…

Five youths have been arrested after a spate of vehicle thefts across Canterbury this afternoon ended in a crash which closed State Highway 76 ahead of the Christchurch end of the Lyttelton Tunnel.Canterbury Metro Commander Superintendent Lane Todd said police were investigating whether those arrested have links to several serious incidents in Christchurch over the past week.”Police were first alerted to four balaclava-clad men in upper Riccarton, leaving a vehicle on Field Terrace before getting into a second car about 1.30pm.”Shortly before 2pm, police were alerted to another stolen vehicle being driven around the Riccarton area.”Several 111 calls were made…

The deportations come a week after a deadly knife attack in the town of Solingen which left three people dead and eight others wounded. ADVERTISEMENTGermany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called the return of 28 Afghan nationals to Afghanistan a “clear sign” that foreign-born criminals won’t be spared deportation.A government spokesperson said on Friday that the Afghan citizens were all “convicted criminals” but did not respond to a request for comment to clarify their offences.”We prepared this carefully without talking much about it because such a project only succeeds if you make an effort, if you do it carefully and very…

A leaked email says Nelson Hospital emergency department was lacking senior staff yesterday — with a contingency plan for a “major incident” to be declared if it became overwhelmed. In response, Health New Zealand said in a statement there were no issues overnight and one of the regular ED doctors worked an extra shift. The email, sent on Wednesday, noted an “advance warning that today in ED we have capacity constraints that increase patient risk this afternoon”. 1News has not identified the author of the email but it appeared to be from a hospital staffer to colleagues. The email listed…