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16 Jul 2025

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Scandal, division and rumours - Gore District Council's tumultuous term
It's been a tumultuous three years at the Gore District Council with a heated 2022 election, youngest ever mayor, scandal, division, and murmurs of central government intervention.

Lachlan Jones probe: New team to reinvestigate toddler's death revealed
Two North Island detectives will lead a third "full and fresh" investigation into the death of Gore preschooler Lachlan Jones.

Midwife loses registration over medication fraud
A former Gore midwife has had her registration cancelled after using pain medication prescribed for patients.

Nearly 500 guns seized in Gore in one of NZ's largest firearms busts
The weapons stockpile included pistols, potentially prohibited and restricted weapons, significant quantities of ammunition, and parts.

Coroner to deliver findings on Lachlan Jones' death
The three-year-old Gore boy was found dead in a council sewage pond in January 2019.

This dual-power LED flashlight makes my Maglite feel like a relic
An iconic Maglite flashlight sat next to my front door for more than 20 years, but it’s been relegated to basement duty ever since the incredible Infinity X1 came into my life. When I first heard about the Infinity X1 flashlight ($40 on Amazon), I foolishly thought it was from Comcast (maker of the Xfinity X1 cable TV box). It’s not, of course. Infinity X1 manufactures portable lighting products, and its flagship product is the most impressive flashlight I’ve laid hands on. It’s an LED model, and it’s a powerful one, producing up to 5,000 lumens of brightness—equivalent to a 400-watt incandescent bulb—with a beam distance up to 180 meters (590.5 feet). Those specs are remarkable enough, but I can also run it on either the included rechargeable 4000mAh Lithium-ion battery or on dry-cell batteries. The Infinity X1 can run on either the included 4000mAh Lithium-ion battery or 9 user-provided AA dry-cells.Michael Brown/Foundry There is a trade-off, however; maximum brightness drops all the way to 1,200 lumens using dry-cells, and they cut the maximum beam distance in half. When the Li-on cartridge is in the flashlight, I can use its USB-C Out port to charge my smartphone (there’s a USB-C In port on the opposite side for charging the battery). The cartridge can be charged inside or out of the flashlight. I’m considering buying one of the spare Li-ion batteries Infinity sells for $25, so I’ll never be without light when I need it. Impatient to see the quality of its light when I first got it in January 2024, however, I loaded its removable cartridge with 9 AA alkaline batteries, and it’s been running on those ever since. The bottom end of the flashlight twists open to reveal a pair of USB-C ports: One for charging its Li-ion cartridge and a second to charge your smartphone or another small device.Michael Brown/Foundry A textured on/off button beneath the lens barrel controls three brightness settings, with the first press turning the flashlight on at maximum brightness, the second press setting it to medium brightness, the third to low, and the fourth turning it off. Twisting the lens end of the flashlight’s barrel adjusts the width of the flashlight’s beam. The 12-inch-long flashlight is fabricated entirely from aluminum, with 5.25 inches of knurling around its center to enhance my grip. The 1.65-pound instrument is probably too heavy to mount to the barrel of a rifle or shotgun—weapons I don’t own anyway—but its rugged heft will make a powerful club in close combat. Deep ridges around its lens housing will provide a non-slip grip should I ever need to swing it at zombie skulls, and all that knurling will channel the gore away from my hand. The flashlight’s IPX4 protection from liquids will make for easy cleanup, too. Get an Infinity X1 flashlight for $40View Deal

Scandal, division and rumours - Gore District Council's tumultuous term
Watch: RNZ checks in on what's been a tumultuous term and looks ahead to what October's election might hold.

Two North Island detectives to reinvestigate Lachie Jones’ death
The Gore toddler’s father says he is pleased that experienced, senior police have been appointed to the case.

Lachlan Jones: Coroner directs police to launch fresh investigation into death of Gore preschooler
The coroner says Lachlan Jones most likely ran away from his home in Gore to the sewage pond where he was found dead six years ago.

Coroner finds 'foul play unlikely' in death of Gore toddler
A coroner has found it unlikely there was foul play in the death of a Gore toddler, but is scathing of the police investigation and has ordered the death to be re-investigated for a third time.

How did Lachie Jones die?
The coroner is expected to report his findings on the death of a 3-year-old in Gore, found dead in oxidation ponds six years ago.

Former All Blacks captain Stu Wilson dies, aged 70
The Gore-born Wilson is considered among the greatest wingers to represent the All Blacks.

Australian Mining company gets lucrative Marlborough Sounds exploration permit
The five-year exploration permit covers almost 12,000 hectares of land around Endeavour Inlet, Te Anamahanga / Port Gore and Titirangi Bay.