I’ve now finished for the year, which means I’m still working. Kind of.
So this week’s newsletter is my last for a few weeks, thanks to all who subscribed.
I’m looking forward to spending time with my family. Kind of. And not having my phone beep every few seconds with a notification. Kind of.
I’m going to give a quick recap of The Mish year-that-was, and then hand out some awards.
My newsletter began the year with a yarn about the murder of Nurse Peggy, a nurse at Seacliff, who was killed by an ex-lover.
I had written a few stories about Seacliff (as an aside it has been 80 years since the devastating fire) and received an email that read like the opener of a Ronald Hugh Morrieson novel).
‘‘As we were approaching Dunedin, my mother asked me to divert onto the back road so we could pass through Seacliff, as she wanted to see the site where her aunt was murdered.’’
February was a memorable time because that is when I met Little John, the almost mythical cave dweller of Outram who I had been trying to track for several years.
I think that series of stories were some of my favourites for the year, and led to Little John being reunited with his dad and his sister. It hasn’t all gone to plan though, he is self-representing himself on an arson charge next year.
I think that will be a must watch, so I’ll keep you posted.
In March I did a couple of posts on Cr Lee Vandervis, who was then known as ‘Dunedin’s highest polling candidate’. It led to an email exchange which became a bit terse. Including this:
Do you sleep at night, and if so how? You lying fiction-writing creep.
Lee Vandervis to Hamish aka ‘lying fiction-writing creep’ McNeilly
Always nice to get a new nickname. And thanks to all those who remind me about it.
Another favourite newsletter was finally exposing the scams of Kelly Smith, who is also known as Kelly Vie and Cali Kirkcaldie, who has ripped-off people across the South Island. I expect I’ll be hearing about her for years. But good to have her photo made public and revealing some of her names.
Smile!
It is not all tallking to baddies, I know many journalists who like to do the light-hearted stuff as well. This newsletter gives me the opportunity to try something different from crime/court/council, including taking a 126km public bus ride for a couple of bucks. That was better than expected. A+.
I’ve never heard emotion in a courtroom quite like it. And I’ve never talked to a more dedicated and loving couple than these two.
“We have such a history, we can never be apart,’’ Parata told me.
I wish Hemi all the best for his recovery.
As I do Jay Dixon, who has terminal cancer, and who I featured in a July newsletter.
I caught-up with Jay the other day, and he is looking good and feeling pretty good. We had a good chat about the cancer treatments he is on, and that he is waiting for April when some of those drugs are fully funded.
On Tuesday he sent me a message, it was a just a picture that came-up in his online memories. It was of my youngest son who was at his cafe not long after it opened. I love this picture.
During August, deep in the depths of a Dunedin winter, I wrote about mayoral campaigner Pamela Taylor.
Spoiler alert: She didn’t get elected. That newsletter was one of many featuring comments from fellow mayoral candidate Richard Seager. You may have seen this recent tweet about his campaign expenses.
But that’s enough of him. Probably.
In September I highlighted allegations of bullying at UBS, the person named has since left, and also featured a story involving the cop who cheated death.
‘‘The level of violence that happens to a human body is pretty horrific,’’ Karl Hemmingsen told me. And he should know, you can read about his tale here.
Riding in his police car with the lights on chasing a speeding motorist was a very cool experience. A+ would deffo pursue a speeding motorist again.
One of the most read stories was regarding outgoing mayor Aaron Hawkins, that piece was entitled A Very Public Divorce.
I’m no stranger to getting abusive emails/calls etc but can live a relatively normal life, but that is not always the case for our elected officials, and particularly those serving as mayor.
As an aside I notice some Dunedin FB groups are becoming increasingly vitriolic about the new mayor Jules Radich. Sure, you pay rates, it doesn’t mean you get to be abusive. Try attending a meeting, or maybe writing a submission . . .
Someone who knows how to write a submission is award-winning author Dr Lynley Hood, and who had lost, and regained, her vision in recent years.
“It was a mystery, and it continued to be a mystery.”
Another newsletter included the bizarre goings-on at Ōcasa, which stands for Ōtepoti Collective Against Sexual Abuse, although it is more widely known as Rape Crisis Dunedin. Since that newsletter came out in November, I have received an avalanche of information. One to wait for.
Recent paid subscriber stories included the bizarre kidnapping of Motley the cat, and my final one of the year, the chef who is taking me to court. That story is going to keep on giving.
Time for the awards:
Best slogan
Totally Georgeous. It was ambitious work, it may even have contributed to a change at the council table. But the George St makeover work has looked incredible and has the best slogan. Brilliant stuff. The work even welcomed its first new food joint, humble pie, delivered straight to Brent Weatherall.
Best city addition
The upgrade on our city’s parks. Make a city family friendly and people want to stay, and have families . . . It is just good policy. And the best is yet to come with the proposed destination park coming soon.
And those adjustable basketball hoops means I can finally dunk a basketball like Air Jordan.
Favourite FB message of the year award
It goes to this gem from Mr Dick, angry that anti-abortion campaigner, Sam Sharpe was holding a sign saying ‘dicks’.
I’m hoping he takes me to the Press Council.
Fave business of the year
The community minded Dunedin Bowling Club, incredible idea and growing fast.
Local politician of the year
This is easy. Sophie Barker. Seemingly liked on the left and right, Barker didn’t spend as much on her campaign as many others. She returned high polling numbers, while Mayor Jules Radich went outside Team Dunedin to appoint her deputy mayor. She is now perfectly positioned to run for the top job in the future. One to watch.
Dunedinite and pet of the year
Vishal Pabby who went viral after doing exercises on parked buses, and his amazing Pomeranian puppy DJ.
And now it is time for Tweet of the Week. This is amazing footage of 1961 Dunedin.
And here is a classic tune, Netherworld Dancing Toys with Trusted Ones live on Shazam in 1983. Spot the host who is a household name in the U.K.
Have a great Xmas.
The amazing recovery of my sight is now slightly less than a mystery. Thanks to neurosurgeon Prof. Dirk De Ridder's excellent equipment, his team was able to review the electrical currents that nobody felt, regardless of whether they were in the placebo group or the test group. For the placebo group the current went across the scalp. For the test group the current went into the brain. In my case, the current went across my scalp and into my eyes, whereupon the cells in my retina sent excited messages along my optic nerve to the parts of my brain involved in making pictures and words from electrical messages. They all sprung into action - and lo, I could see! I'm pleased to report that the research team has complied with the university requirement that unexpected research findings with potentially commercial consequences have to be reported to the asap.
Sophie Barker is the female version of Aaron Hawkins and Dunedin will regret electing her. I also didn't think that some of her counts were kosher but I suspect that's pretty typical for this green (brown?) and corrupt land.