Palmerston North Pitopito Kōrero: News in brief

Snippets to help you make the most of living in Mawawatū.

Marla Kavanaugh part of All Blacks test

An international artist with a strong connection to Palmerston North will sing the national anthem at the start of the All Blacks vs Fiji test in San Diego on July 19.

Marla Kavanaugh, daughter of Palmerston North residents Kathi Craig and Malcolm Hopwood, will sing God Defend New Zealand in teo reo Māori and English before the game, which screens in New Zealand on Saturday afternoon, July 20.

Kavanaugh has always regarded Palmerston North as her New Zealand home and her daughter, Lexi, was born here.

Kavanaugh, her husband Daniel Rodriguez, Craig and local artists have presented several concerts at the Regent on Broadway, Globe Theatre, Te Manawa and Caccia Birch.

She performed at the 2022 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and this year’s Tartan Week in New York.

Kavanaugh, who’s based in Los Angeles, says she’s honoured to be invited to sing the national anthem.

Soprano Marla Kavanaugh has strong Palmerston North ties.

Palmy is in the running for Six60 gig

Six60 has announced the top five locations for One More Show, the finale of its Grassroots Tour.

Now, it’s up to fans to decide where the show will take place.

The top five locations in the running are Whangārei, Rotorua, Palmerston North, Raglan and Balclutha.

Head to onemoreshow.co.nz to cast your vote. Voting closes at midnight on July 21, with the winning region announced on July 23.

Community asked for ideas on Tōtara Reserve

Horizons Regional Council is asking the community for ideas to help shape the management of Tōtara Reserve for the next decade.

Horizons was given stewardship of the Pohangina reserve in 2012. An asset management plan developed in 2014 provided direction on how the reserve would be managed, Tōtara Reserve Advisory Board chairwoman Fiona Gordon said.

“Under the Reserves Act 1977 we are required to continually review the plan and we would like to hear the community’s ideas to help us do this.

“We are asking the community, whether they are campers or day visitors, to let us know what Tōtara Reserve means to them, where they think we should focus our efforts, what new developments they would like to see, or if they don’t visit Tōtara Reserve, what’s been holding them back.”

The engagement survey is the first step of a two-part process. Feedback will help Horizons draft a new reserve management plan, which the community can then comment on.

The survey at haveyoursay.horizons.govt.nz closes on August 4.