Latest news with #HawkesBay
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Man charged with murder over cold-case killing of Hawke's Bay father Eddie Peters
Eddie Peters was was beaten and left for dead in Flaxmere in 2018. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police A man has been charged with murder over the cold-case killing of a Hawke's Bay father nearly seven years ago. A 29-year-old Hastings man was arrested for the murder of 45-year-old Eddie Peters, who was beaten and left for dead in Flaxmere in 2018. "In the early hours of Friday 16 November 2018, Eddie was viciously beaten and left for dead on the driveway of a home on Diaz Drive in Flaxmere," said Detective Inspector Dave de Lange. "He was hospitalised, but despite the best efforts and care of medical staff, he sadly died at Wellington Hospital on 24 November." Police said they were able to piece together the tragic events of that night thanks to the assistance from members of the Hastings community. "What happened to Eddie was terrible, and the investigation team has remained focused on establishing exactly what happened, for Eddie's whanau and friends," de Lange said. "The arrest brings some satisfaction, but I believe there are still more people out in the community who know what happened and can further assist the investigation." The 29-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman were also charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, in relation to the murder investigation. He will appear in the Hastings District Court this afternoon and police are urging anyone with anymore information to contact them. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
'Four years is nothing': Grieving family of Emma-Jane Kupa fight for higher prison sentence
Emma-Jane Kupa, 11, was killed in January. Photo: SUPPLIED The family of a young girl who was killed by a drunk speeding driver high on meth have launched a petition appealing for a higher prison sentence. Mother of five Terina Pineaha, 34, fatally hit 11-year-old Emma-Jane Kupa with her car in January. Emma-Jane was biking to a dairy in Flaxmere, Hawke's Bay with her sister to spend her pocket money when she was killed. On Friday, Pineaha was sentenced to four years and five months in prison in the High Court at Napier. Pineaha previously admitted to a raft of charges including manslaughter, consuming methamphetamine, wilful damage, driving with excess breath alcohol, dangerous driving and failing to stop. Terina Pineaha during an earlier court appearance. Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook Emma-Jane's family were devastated Pineaha was not jailed for longer, and some family members walked out of court saying it was "bullshit". Emma-Jane's mother, Shannon Davis, told RNZ the family launched a petition because they felt four years was not enough time to pay for the life of their little girl. "She was taken by a woman who had 29 convictions. "It's pretty much saying it's okay to drink drive, be on meth, be on the wrong side of the road speeding... take a young girl's life and you're only going to get four and a half years," she said. Emma-Jane Kupa was killed on the Chatham Rd crossing in Flaxmere. Photo: SUPPLIED A victim's family can not appeal a sentence, but the Crown can, and the petition was calling for action. "We ask the Crown to appeal this sentence. Emma-Jane's life mattered. Her family is broken, and our community deserves justice. "Please stand with us and demand the sentence be increased to better reflect the seriousness of the crime and protect future tamariki," the petition said. The petition had already gathered more than 2000 signatures. Emma-Jane Kupa's parents, Shannon Davis and George Kupa with photographs of their daughter. Photo: SUPPLIED Davis said they were hopeful there was a case for Pineaha's sentence to be increased. "We want anyone to re-look at it and fight for us. My baby didn't have a voice so I have to be hers. "It should be life for life. Four years is nothing." Davis said the whānau's fight for a higher prison sentence was also for others who had lost loved ones at the hands of a drunk driver. "It's not just for my daughter, it's for all the other young kids that have lost their lives to unreliable people who want to drink and drive. "Hopefully Aotearoa listens, help by signing this petition and raise awareness that it is serious." In May, the court heard how on 30 January, Pineaha was driving to the home of the woman she was convinced was sleeping with her partner when she fatally ploughed into the young girl, who was biking with her sister to the dairy. Just before the crash, Pineaha's car reached estimated speeds of up to 105 kph in a 50 kph zone. Shortly after the car's speed was recorded, she struck the 11-year-old on the Chatham Rd crossing in Flaxmere. Emma-Jane was cycling behind her 15-year-old sister, who was on a scooter, on their way to the dairy on Scott Drive. The impact threw Emma-Jane into the air, before she landed 25 metres away on a grass verge, beside Ron Giorgi Park. Pineaha's borrowed Holden Vectra slid on the wet road over the footpath and grass verge, striking 10 wooden posts on a chain fence before coming to a stop. A pedestrian approaching the crossing just before the crash felt the wind from Pineaha's car as it passed him. Members of the public rushed to Emma-Jane's aid, performing CPR until emergency services arrived. But she could not be revived, and died at the scene from head injuries. Emma-Jane Kupa died from head injuries after being hit by a car. Photo: SUPPLIED Emma-Jane's mother told the court on Friday how the traumatic event would live with them forever, especially her older daughter Saige, who witnessed the whole thing. "The sight and sound of your car striking her sister and watching her body get thrown into the air will be forever etched into her memory. "What gives you the right to take my baby's life? And further, inflict trauma on my other baby Saige?" Shannon Davis said to Pineaha in court. The court heard at the time of the incident, Pineaha was serving a one-year sentence of supervision for possessing methamphetamine and other charges. She was also convicted of possessing methamphetamine in 2018. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Work begins on Napier's $110m civic centre redevelopment
Napier City's civic centre redevelopment. Photo: NCC (supplied) Construction is underway on a $110 million re-development of Napier's civic centre. Eight years ago, the entire civic centre was damaged in an earthquake and deemed unusable. Council staff have been working from three different temporary and leased buildings since then, and Deputy Mayor Annette Brosnan told Nine to Noon that Napier City Council looked at 30 alternative sites to relocate to and underwent public consultation on whether to rebuild or move. She said 90 percent of the public was in favour of using the existing site, and they worked through a range of business cases on what would be the best value for ratepayers. The new project will include a library, council offices and public spaces. "So, what we've ended up with off the back of that analysis is re-strengthening the old library tower for our council staff, and then building a new library adjacent to that," Brosnan said. Napier City Council strategic programmes manager Darran Gillies said it's a massive undertaking with 10,500 square metres of public land to re-develop. "It's a big, big project that will take us about two years to complete," he said. Hawke's Bay consortium MCL Stead won the tender for the project, and 80 percent of the work is being done by local contractors "We've got up to five local apprenticeships being created and the modelling was that for every $1 million we spend locally on this product, we are adding $3.4 million to our local economy. So, it's going to be a really big boost to Napier," Brosnan said. The new civic centre is in the heart of Napier, and Brosnan said it's been hard for residents not having that space. "What we've lost in Napier is our city hub. We have our main streets and retail sector but our space where our community could come see us ... has really been dispersed," she said. "Bringing that back together we are going to see new businesses open up, especially in that hospitality sector, we are already seeing that especially with construction starting on site." The council is hoping to cut the ribbon on the new civic centre around May 2027. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Wool meets rugby: Norsewear open letter sparks talks with NZ Rugby
A playful jab on social media has led to talks of collaboration between New Zealand Rugby and Norsewear. Photo: Supplied / Norsewear A playful jab on social media has led to a serious yarn between New Zealand Rugby and Norsewear, after the wool clothing company called out the use of offshore-made synthetic beanies in official All Blacks merchandise. Now, the Hawke's Bay-based manufacturer is in discussions with the sporting body on a potential collaboration that could see Kiwi wool proudly adorning Kiwi rugby fans. Owner Tim Deane RNZ's told Checkpoint the open letter posted to Facebook on Thursday was prompted after feedback from rugby fans, annoyed to discover their official headwear was acrylic. "Earlier this week, we were contacted by some die-hard All Blacks fans upset that their All Blacks beanies are synthetic, offshore imports," the post read. "They told us some synthetic beanies are being used as fire starters instead of head warmers. "Doesn't it follow that our sporting legends might wear the very fabric our Kiwi identity is wrapped up in? "Wool and rugby? It's a combo that makes a whole lot of sense. "We want those cauliflower ears protected from the cold." A day later, Deane said he received a call from NZ Rugby. "They were very good-natured about it… and said the post had a number of them smiling in the New Zealand Rugby offices." "They said, look, we'd love to chat in the next couple of weeks just to see if there's anything we could work together on." Deane said the post was meant to highlight a broader issue: New Zealanders talk about supporting local wool but often buy synthetic imports. "In the case of our company, our core business is socks. Eighty percent of the socks in this country are imported, and most of them are not made of wool," he said. Deane argues that New Zealand wool products can be competitively priced. "You can buy a Norsewear Hudson beanie for $29.95," he said, noting it's cheaper than some of the official synthetic alternatives. At the time of the interview, the official All Blacks acrylic beanie retailed at $45. Beyond beanies, Norsewear has already scored a major supply contract with the New Zealand Defence Force. "All of the soldiers, sailors, and aviators will be wearing our socks," Deane said. "We supply a number of other big organisations as well." That's because, said Deane, wool's benefits go beyond national pride. "It's antimicrobial, thermoregulating, durable, and biodegradable. And it doesn't need to be more expensive than synthetics." With talks now on the table, Deane said he's optimistic. "We'll be sitting down with [New Zealand Rugby] in the next couple of weeks to see if we can cook something up." In a written statement, NZ Rugby acknowledged Norsewear's outreach: "We work with a range of amazing Kiwi-based and global businesses… but we're always up for a conversation. In keeping with the theme, NZ Rugby commercial manager Yanie Guthrie tied off the correspondence with a playful pun: "So thank ewe to Norsewear for reaching out." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
Terina Pineaha, who killed young cyclist while driving drunk and high, jailed
Terina Pineaha at Napier High Court. Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook A woman who hit and killed a young girl while drunk and high on methamphetamine has been sentenced to four years and five months in prison. Terina Pineaha fatally hit 11-year-old Emma-Jane Kupa with her car while the girl was biking to a dairy in Flaxmere, Hawke's Bay, in January. In May, the 34-year-old mother of five admitted to a raft of charges , including manslaughter, and was on Friday was sentenced in the Napier High Court. More to come… Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
