Latest news with #MeridianMall
Otago Daily Times
7 days ago
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Sea lion resurgence celebrated
From one to many . . . New Zealand Sea Lion Trust co-chairman Shaun McConkey (with his dog Olive) admires the statue of ''Mum'' at St Clair Esplanade which honours the first sea lion to give birth on the mainland in many decades. PHOTO: SAM HENDERSON Three decades after a pioneering female sea lion settled on the Otago coast, pups are now a familiar sight along local beaches. The dramatic resurgence of pakake (sea lions) in Dunedin is a refreshingly positive story given the losses suffered by other species over those decades. The conservation story of sea lions will be highlighted in the exhibit ''30 Years of Pakake: All Our Stories'', opening at Meridian Mall as part of the New Zealand International Science Festival. New Zealand Sea Lion Trust cochairman Shaun McConkey said the tale began in late 1993 when pup Katya was born to the only breeding female then present, simply known as ''Mum''. ''Mum was from the subantarctic, from the Auckland Islands and normally they will breed where they are born.'' Males had travelled roughly 300 nautical miles, about 600km, to the Otago mainland, drawn by a plentiful food supply. ''They would come up here and fatten themselves up.'' Occasionally females turned up, but they disappeared again, and there were no signs any would start breeding on the mainland. ''As soon as they start breeding then they are stuck here . . . looking after that pup . . .for almost a full year.'' For whatever reason, Mum travelled to the mainland, stayed and began breeding. That was the beginning of what is now a remarkable legacy. ''You are looking at over 250 pups now descended from Mum,'' Mr McConkey said. He began researching sea lions in the 1990s at the University of Otago. In 2003 he teamed up with wildlife tour operator Brian Templeton, student Helen McConnell and a supportive lawyer to found the trust. The trust has since grown to about two dozen trustees and advisers and about 50 active volunteers. They carry out photographic identification, monitor pups and educate the public. Current counts suggest there are about 40-50 breeding females and about 150 animals overall, ranging from Warrington to Taieri Mouth. The definition of a breeding colony is 35 pups born per year for five years in a row, which Otago has been getting very close to. This success brings fresh pressures. About one or two sea lion pups a year are killed by vehicles, and sea lions have also been shot or stabbed. Accidental problems associated with human interaction, including sea lions becoming entangled in fishing gear or caught in debris, are also a challenge. While many people are mindful of sea lions and contact the trust to report sightings, some interactions are less pleasant. ''Particularly this last season where we have had sea lions close to roads and signs have been put up getting people to slow down, there has been a number of occasions where people have ignored the signs. Then when volunteers have asked them to slow down, they have been abusive.'' Looking ahead, the trust expects more pups, greater public interest and more potential conflict. ''It just requires us to adjust our behaviour slightly so that, you know, we can share the space.'' -
Otago Daily Times
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Lanterns take shape for carnival
REPORT: LAINE PRIESTLEY / PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Espen Lorenz, 10, of Dunedin, holds the lanterns he and his mother made at the Lantern Workshop in the Meridian Mall on Saturday. This past weekend was the last for lantern-making in the mall. The lanterns double as a ticket into the Dunedin Midwinter Carnival. Espen said his favourite part of making the lanterns was "finishing it", not because it took about one to two hours to make, but because he was happy to see the final results. "It was all really fun," he said.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lansing woman charged in connection with shooting in Meridian Mall parking lot
MERIDIAN TWP. — A Lansing woman faces assault with intent to murder and other charges in connection with a shooting in the Meridian Mall parking lot May 30 that wounded two people. Alexia Isabel Jimenez, 19, of Lansing was arrested May 30 and arraigned on June 1 on charges of assault with intent to murder, carrying a concealed weapon and felony firearm. Her bond was set at $1 million. Meridian Township police said they had identified one of two vehicles they had been looking for since the shooting at about 1:25 p.m. on May 30. The remaining vehicle they were looking for on June 1 is "described as a burgundy sedan, possibly a Chrysler 300 or Toyota Camry with dark tinted windows and dark colored rims." Meridian Township police had announced on the evening of May 30 that a 19-year-old Lansing woman had been taken into custody. Meridian Township Police Chief Rick Grillo on May 30 said multiple shots were fired in the parking lot on the Dick's Sporting Goods side of the mall. While everyone involved in the incident had left the scene by the time police arrived, police later said two people were shot and sought treatment at local medical centers. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the police department at (517) 853-4800. They can also contact Detective Sgt. Brian Canen at canen@ or submit an anonymous tip through the department's social media sites. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Lansing woman charged in Meridian Mall parking lot shooting
USA Today
31-05-2025
- USA Today
19-year-old woman arrested after shooting leaves 2 injured at Michigan mall
19-year-old woman arrested after shooting leaves 2 injured at Michigan mall Meridian Mall has since reopened for business following the shooting, local police said. Show Caption Hide Caption Two injured after mall shooting in Little Rock, Arkansas, police say A shooting at the Park Plaza Mall in Little Rock, Arkansas left two people injured, police say. A 19-year-old woman was arrested in connection with a shooting at a mall in Michigan that injured two people, according to police. The Meridian Township Police Department said the shooting occurred on Friday, May 30, at the Meridian Mall in Okemos, around 7 miles from Lansing. Officers responded to the area after receiving reports of gunfire in the parking lot near Dick's Sporting Goods. Those involved fled the area before the police arrived, according to the department. Two people suffered gunshot wounds as a result of the incident, the department said. Officers later identified and interviewed the involved individuals at a local hospital. Following the interviews, officers took the 19-year-old woman from Lansing into custody, police said. Police did not share what possible charges the unidentified woman could face. The conditions of the two injured individuals are unclear. USA TODAY contacted Meridian Township police on May 31 but has not received a response. Meridian Township police searching for vehicles involved in shooting Now the police are asking for the public's assistance in finding the vehicles believed to be involved in the shooting, including a burgundy sedan, possibly a Chrysler 300 or Toyota Camry with dark-tinted windows and dark colored rims, and a black sedan, possibly a Chevy Malibu with tinted windows. Once police secured the area, they said, "There is no threat to the public at this time." The mall has also since reopened for business, according to the department. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information regarding this incident can call the Meridian Township Police Department at 517-853-4800. Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@
CBS News
30-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Two people injured in shooting outside Michigan mall, police say
Two people injured in shooting outside Meridian Mall in Michigan, police say Two people injured in shooting outside Meridian Mall in Michigan, police say Two people injured in shooting outside Meridian Mall in Michigan, police say Police in Meridian Township, Michigan, are investigating after two people were injured in a shooting Friday at the Meridian Mall. At about 1:25 p.m., police were dispatched to the mall's parking lot near Dick's Sporting Goods. Police say the individuals involved fled the area. The conditions of the two people shot are unknown. Police say they conducted interviews at a local hospital and are now searching for two vehicles — a burgundy sedan, possibly a Chrysler 300 or Toyota Camry, with dark-tinted windows and dark-colored rims, and a black sedan, possibly a Chevy Malibu, with tinted windows. Police say there is no threat to the public, and the mall remains open. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact Meridian Township police at 517-853-4800 or Detective Sergeant Brian Canen at canen@ Anonymous tips can be submitted to the department's social media platforms.
