Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Click to view more editions of the Pohutukawa Coast Times

Beachlands chef takes on best with s.. From Budapest to Beachlands, Thomas Barta has travelled the world learning to cook from some of the great chefs. Thomas has been cooking for 15 years and left the familys seafood restaurant business in Budapest, Hungary, to travel Europe and Britain seeking out new challenges to make him a better chef. That included the biggest challenge of all: working for celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey at Claridg Page 3

Maraetai trio cycle to success A trio of teenage cyclists from Maraetai are highlighting the abundant talent rising in the Pohutukawa Coast Coast Bike Club. They are friends Charlotte Rayner and Kayla and Sarah Russell. Charlotte, 18, has spent most of this year training to try to make the New Zealand team for the World Mountain Bike Championships in Norway, racking up an impressive list of results along the way. But she was de Page 3

Time to take electorate candidates s.. Job done - all seven Hunua election candidates now interviewed as promised a couple of weeks ago. The final three appear in this issue of the PC Times. Its been an interesting exercise and one that has taken me to the suburbs of Pukekohe and inside the incredible security cordon of the Wiri Oil Services depot. Ive also struggled to find parking in Carbine Rd, and drank several litres of coffee a Page 2

At home with Judith! Back at the beach she calls home, Papakura MP and Maraetai resident Judith Collins took a quick breather with the PC Times this week as she refocuses on her campaign, after falling prey to the Dirty Politics scandal. Judith Collins who lives at Maraetai Beach with her husband David Wong Tung, stood down as Minister of Justice last Saturday after months of accusations, allegations, leaked communica Page 1

Trail of Tears at Te Puru Scout Hall The community is invited to The Trail of Tears fundraising exhibition and art sale at Te Puru Scout Hall this Saturday, August 30. Despite the name, the event is a happy one and is being hosted by Beachlands Mel Churton who has painted 200 artworks in the past few months to raise funds to support patient care at Totara Hospice. That is twice Mels original target of 100 paintings. The project whi Page 4

First female Crew Chief for Maraetai The crew at Coastguard Maraetai are falling into line for their first ever female Crew Chief. Kara Gribble, a keen boatie and fisherwoman, moved from Mt Albert to Maraetai with her partner, boat builder Izzy Saraiva, in 2012. The lifestyle change has exceeded Karas expectations as she was promoted to Crew Chief at Coastguard Maraetai in January this year. The only thing that hasnt quite come tog Page 3

The Pohutukawa Coast...facing the fu.. In the 15 years I have been part of the Beachlands community the Beachlands School roll has more than doubled and will continue to grow. As a community we need to see this development as an opportunity to enhance the learning experiences for our children. Beachlands and Maraetai are known as friendly and supportive communities in a wonderful environment that has not been caught up in the fast pace Page 3

Restless night dreaming of John Key... I tossed and turned a lot during what proved to be a restless sleep on Sunday. This was because I had images of a smiling John Key flashing past my eyes in a seemingly endless loop. Over the weekend Fran and I drove to Rotorua and back. At what seemed like every couple of hundred metres or so along the journey, he was there -- John Key, smiling at us from his big blue hoardings for kilometre after Page 2

Show me the money!... This is the final few days in which to make a submission on the Franklin Local Board Plan 2014. No, please, stop yawning. This stuff is important even if the natural inclination is for eyes to glaze over. Submissions close August 6. You can read the plan and make a submission online at shapeauckland.co.nz. Or call 09 301 0101 and get them to send you a submission form. Based on engagement with the Page 2

How to stop Mother Nature! Most of the time the Coast is a beautiful place to live next to. But on occasions it can be a real pain - such as when a storm hits. And so the debate continues in the wake of the storm a couple of weeks ago. Just how do we protect ourselves from the worst Mother Nature has to offer! The answer, of course, is that if Mother Nature is determined to do her worst, then there is not a lot we can do ex Page 2

Council Black Budget hardly comes .. It hardly comes as any surprise to learn that Auckland Council has to save $2.8 billion over the next 10 years to keep rates rises low. A few weeks back I suggested in this column that Aucklanders were naive to think they could have the "worlds most liveable" city and still pay rates increases around the 2.5% mark. (although, of course, some property owners pay a lot more than that). I suggested Page 2

Key to Beachlands School The poorly kept secret as to the identity of the VIP attending Beachlands school on Thursday was revealed when Prime Minister John Key arrived. Accompanied by retiring Hunua MP Dr Paul Hutchison and National candidate Andrew Bayly, Mr Key made a brief, well-received visit to the school hall, packed with kids, teachers and parents. After an introduction by the school choir including soloist Alex Ph Page 1