Latest news with #McVicker
Otago Daily Times
10-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Clinton man growing more than veges
A South Otago organic farmer had cannabis growing on his rural property and a safe full of guns under his bed, a court has heard. Wairuna Organics owner Shaun James McVicker, 61, was before the Gore District Court last Wednesday for possessing the guns and ammunition without a licence, and growing and possessing cannabis on his 10-acre (0.4ha) Clinton farm. The police summary said a police search warrant was executed on the semi-rural property on March 4, discovering a Winchester shotgun, a .22 calibre Norinco bolt-action rifle, a .303 Lee Enfield bolt-action rifle, a .22 cali bolt-action rifle and ammunition locked in a safe in his bedroom. The ammunition in the safe consisted of 342 .22 calibre live rounds, 72 live shotgun rounds and 20 .303 calibre live rounds. McVicker said he used the firearms to protect his certified organic produce, the summary said. Also found were five mature cannabis plants growing in soil and a glass jar containing 43.32gm of cannabis head. In court, Judge Duncan Harvey said he was unsure at first which crops the defendant said he was protecting — his vegetables or his cannabis. "After I found out a bit more about you, I now understand what you meant by that," the judge said. "You are an organic farmer, you've been growing vegetables for many, many years, and I accept that that is what you were referring to." Judge Harvey said the man's response was essentially "so what" to the cannabis. The judge also said the case was unusual as the firearms were locked in a safe, as opposed to being left strewn about the place. "He behaves as if he has a firearms licence, but unfortunately he has not." Defence counsel John Fraser said his client led a relatively reclusive life on his organic farm. McVicker said he no longer held firearms and now had other community members come to shoot the rabbits on his property. The court heard the man had health issues and was self-medicating with the cannabis, but had since got a legal prescription for the drug. "I am satisfied that your use of cannabis has been solely for your own purposes," the judge said. "There is no suggestion that you have been selling that cannabis or supplying that cannabis to anybody else." It was "quite clear" the vegetable-grower had a history of cannabis use due to his prior convictions, the judge said, but he had no previous firearms convictions. The man had letters from the the community speaking highly of his character, the judge said. "It is clear that you have done an enormous amount of good in your community, and I suspect you continue to do so," Judge Harvey said. For the possession of firearms, ammunition, cultivating and possessing the cannabis, the judge sentenced McVicker to 150 hours' community service. The judge said that so Corrections could "keep an eye on his health", the defendant was sentenced to 12 months' supervision.
Otago Daily Times
04-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Organic farmer says illegal guns 'to protect his veggies'
A South Otago organic farmer had cannabis growing on his rural property and a safe full of guns under his bed, a court has heard. Wairuna Organics owner Shaun James McVicker, 61, was before the Gore District Court yesterday for possessing the guns and ammunition without a licence, and growing and possessing cannabis on his 10-acre Clinton farm. The police summary said a police search warrant was executed on the semi-rural property on March 4, discovering a Winchester shotgun, a .22 calibre Norinco bolt-action rifle, a .303 Lee Enfield bolt-action rifle, a .22 cali bolt-action rifle and ammunition locked in a safe in his bedroom. The ammunition in the safe consisted of 342 .22 calibre live rounds, 72 live shotgun rounds and 20 .303 calibre live rounds. McVicker said he used the firearms to protect his certified organic produce, the summary said. Also found were five mature cannabis plants growing in soil and a glass jar containing 43.32gm of cannabis head. In court, Judge Duncan Harvey said he was unsure at first which crops the defendant said he was protecting — his vegetables or his cannabis. "After I found out a bit more about you, I now understand what you meant by that," the judge said. "You are an organic farmer, you've been growing vegetables for many, many years, and I accept that that is what you were referring to." Judge Harvey said the man's response was essentially "so what" to the cannabis. The judge also said the case was unusual as the firearms were locked in a safe, as opposed to being left strewn about the place. "He behaves as if he has a firearms licence, but unfortunately he has not." Defence counsel John Fraser said his client led a relatively reclusive life on his organic farm. McVicker said he no longer held firearms and now had other community members come to shoot the rabbits on his property. The court heard the man had health issues and was self-medicating with the cannabis, but had since got a legal prescription for the drug. "I am satisfied that your use of cannabis has been solely for your own purposes," the judge said. "There is no suggestion that you have been selling that cannabis or supplying that cannabis to anybody else." It was "quite clear" the vegetable-grower had a history of cannabis use due to his prior convictions, the judge said, but he had no previous firearms convictions. The man had letters from the the community speaking highly of his character, the judge said. "It is clear that you have done an enormous amount of good in your community, and I suspect you continue to do so," Judge Harvey said. For the possession of firearms, ammunition, cultivating and possessing the cannabis, the judge sentenced McVicker to 150 hours' community service. The judge said that so Corrections could "keep an eye on his health", the defendant was sentenced to 12 months' supervision.
Otago Daily Times
04-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Cannabis-growing organic farmer says illegal guns 'to protect his veggies'
A South Otago organic farmer had cannabis growing on his rural property and a safe full of guns under his bed, a court has heard. Wairuna Organics owner Shaun James McVicker, 61, was before the Gore District Court yesterday for possessing the guns and ammunition without a licence, and growing and possessing cannabis on his 10-acre Clinton farm. The police summary said a police search warrant was executed on the semi-rural property on March 4, discovering a Winchester shotgun, a .22 calibre Norinco bolt-action rifle, a .303 Lee Enfield bolt-action rifle, a .22 cali bolt-action rifle and ammunition locked in a safe in his bedroom. The ammunition in the safe consisted of 342 .22 calibre live rounds, 72 live shotgun rounds and 20 .303 calibre live rounds. McVicker said he used the firearms to protect his certified organic produce, the summary said. Also found were five mature cannabis plants growing in soil and a glass jar containing 43.32gm of cannabis head. In court, Judge Duncan Harvey said he was unsure at first which crops the defendant said he was protecting — his vegetables or his cannabis. "After I found out a bit more about you, I now understand what you meant by that," the judge said. "You are an organic farmer, you've been growing vegetables for many, many years, and I accept that that is what you were referring to." Judge Harvey said the man's response was essentially "so what" to the cannabis. The judge also said the case was unusual as the firearms were locked in a safe, as opposed to being left strewn about the place. "He behaves as if he has a firearms licence, but unfortunately he has not." Defence counsel John Fraser said his client led a relatively reclusive life on his organic farm. McVicker said he no longer held firearms and now had other community members come to shoot the rabbits on his property. The court heard the man had health issues and was self-medicating with the cannabis, but had since got a legal prescription for the drug. "I am satisfied that your use of cannabis has been solely for your own purposes," the judge said. "There is no suggestion that you have been selling that cannabis or supplying that cannabis to anybody else." It was "quite clear" the vegetable-grower had a history of cannabis use due to his prior convictions, the judge said, but he had no previous firearms convictions. The man had letters from the the community speaking highly of his character, the judge said. "It is clear that you have done an enormous amount of good in your community, and I suspect you continue to do so," Judge Harvey said. For the possession of firearms, ammunition, cultivating and possessing the cannabis, the judge sentenced McVicker to 150 hours' community service. The judge said that so Corrections could "keep an eye on his health", the defendant was sentenced to 12 months' supervision.
Otago Daily Times
04-06-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Growing more than veggies
A South Otago organic farmer had cannabis growing on his rural property and a safe full of guns under his bed, a court has heard. Wairuna Organics owner Shaun James McVicker, 61, was before the Gore District Court yesterday for possessing the guns and ammunition without a licence, and growing and possessing cannabis on his 10-acre Clinton farm. The police summary said a police search warrant was executed on the semi-rural property on March 4, discovering a Winchester shotgun, a .22 calibre Norinco bolt-action rifle, a .303 Lee Enfield bolt-action rifle, a .22 cali bolt-action rifle and ammunition locked in a safe in his bedroom. The ammunition in the safe consisted of 342 .22 calibre live rounds, 72 live shotgun rounds and 20 .303 calibre live rounds. McVicker said he used the firearms to protect his certified organic produce, the summary said. Also found were five mature cannabis plants growing in soil and a glass jar containing 43.32gm of cannabis head. In court, Judge Duncan Harvey said he was unsure at first which crops the defendant said he was protecting — his vegetables or his cannabis. "After I found out a bit more about you, I now understand what you meant by that," the judge said. "You are an organic farmer, you've been growing vegetables for many, many years, and I accept that that is what you were referring to." Judge Harvey said the man's response was essentially "so what" to the cannabis. The judge also said the case was unusual as the firearms were locked in a safe, as opposed to being left strewn about the place. "He behaves as if he has a firearms licence, but unfortunately he has not." Defence counsel John Fraser said his client led a relatively reclusive life on his organic farm. McVicker said he no longer held firearms and now had other community members come to shoot the rabbits on his property. The court heard the man had health issues and was self-medicating with the cannabis, but had since got a legal prescription for the drug. "I am satisfied that your use of cannabis has been solely for your own purposes," the judge said. "There is no suggestion that you have been selling that cannabis or supplying that cannabis to anybody else." It was "quite clear" the vegetable-grower had a history of cannabis use due to his prior convictions, the judge said, but he had no previous firearms convictions. The man had letters from the the community speaking highly of his character, the judge said. "It is clear that you have done an enormous amount of good in your community, and I suspect you continue to do so," Judge Harvey said. For the possession of firearms, ammunition, cultivating and possessing the cannabis, the judge sentenced McVicker to 150 hours' community service. The judge said that so Corrections could "keep an eye on his health", the defendant was sentenced to 12 months' supervision.
Geek Culture
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'Half-Life 3' Leaks Suggest Unannounced Sequel Is Already In A Completely Playable State
Valve, a studio well-known for its aversion to making part three of its games, might finally be breaking the pattern, according to recent leaks suggesting that Half-Life 3 , the eagerly anticipated sequel to its classic shooter franchise, is not only in development but also in a completely playable state. These leaks come from Valve insider Tyler McVicker, who hosted a live-stream Ask Me Anything (AMA) session regarding the unannounced Half-Life sequel, codenamed HLX , which he previously uncovered via datamining and further evidence from the resume of Natasha Chandel, a voice actor who was supposedly working on the project. Half-Life 2 (2004) In his AMA session, McVicker claims that the upcoming game will not be a VR title like 2020's Half-Life: Alyx , but a full-fledged sequel. 'This is the furthest ( HLX ) has ever been. Period,' he said, 'The game is playable – end to end. Period. [Other Half-Life 3 projects have] never been that far. And they're optimising, polishing, and they're probably content-locked, and if they're not, then they're mechanic locked.' As for specific details of the game, McVicker avoided potentially spoiling the game, but did give some information regarding previous rumours that the game would use a procedural generation system. 'The way that Valve is going about doing that is akin to the [AI Director] in Left 4 Dead 2 and making it significantly more powerful. It's not changing geometry. It's instead changing entity placement [like] doors, physics props, enemies, items or NPCs of any kind.' He also added that he doesn't think this procedural generation technology will extend to the game's story. Finally, McVicker guessed that Half-Life 3 would be announced in the Summer of this year, followed by a Winter release, but as with all game leaks, especially for ones regarding major franchises like Half-Life, these rumours should be taken with a grain of salt, and fans should refrain from getting their hopes up until official confirmation comes from Valve itself. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Half-Life Half-Life 3 Valve
