The last few days have seen two unrelated house fires occur in North Otago.

The Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand is educating rural health practitioners about suicide prevention.

Last year, the Rural health alliance hosted 50 workshops across regional communities advising them how to talk directly about suicide with people they love and care for.

Between April and June this year, the organisation ran 11 Safe Hands, Safe Plans workshops.

Rural health says 251 people participated including 127 nurses and 16 doctors across the nationwide.

Otago Regional Council is hosting a series of public discussion sessions throughout Otago on the development of a plan change, which is designed to provide certainty and flexibility when residual flows are set on surface water permits.

The ORC director of policy, planning, and resource management Fraser McRae says the ORC has listened to public feedback, and is hosting sessions around the region to provide clarity about the purpose of developing this plan change and who may be affected.

The ten sessions begin in Tapanui at the West Otago Community Centre on Friday August the 4th, and conclude in Middlemarch on Friday August the 11th.

Former All Black Aaron Mauger will be the Highlanders’ Head Coach from 2018 after signing a three-year deal with the southern club.

CEO Roger Clark made the announcement this morning.

He says the franchise is very excited to welcome Aaron Mauger as our Head Coach for the next three Super Rugby campaigns.

He is a high calibre coach and Clark says they are 'stoked' to share this news with Highlanders fans.

Mauger’s appointment locks in an experienced coaching team for 2018, with Mark Hammett, Clarke Dermody, and Jon Preston all confirmed to remain with the club.

Ice was a serious issue for Otago motorists over the weekend.

Sunday morning saw heavy frosts over much of the region, but luckily most roads were dry with black ice absent.

With clear skies forecast for the much of the week, motorists on inland roads should look out for icy conditions.

As always, winter driving conditions means care needs to be taken on roads.

This is especially true in places that can remain frosty all day, such shaded areas and approaches to bridges.

The Ministry for Primary Industries is working with a South Canterbury dairy farmer to contain a cattle disease which has been detected for the first time in New Zealand.

Mycoplasma bovis, which has been commonly found in cattle globally, including Australia, doesn't infect humans and presents no food safety risk.

Ministry response director Geoff Gwyn says there is no concern about consuming milk and milk products.

However, the bacterial disease can have serious effects on cattle, including udder infection, abortion, pneumonia and arthritis.

Mr Gwyn says MPI is working with the farmer to contain the disease and treat animals showing symptoms.

The Dunedin City Council says information centres have been set up at the Mercy Room in Catholic Social Services in South Dunedin, and at the Fire Station Theatre in Mosgiel

The DCC has activated the Civil Defence Bunker

The NZTransport Agency is asking people to avoid all travel between Dunsandel and Oamaru, and further north, a state of emergency has been declared in Timaru.