Bay Of Plenty
Homicide probe launched after man dies in suspicious crash
Injuries sustained by a person in a vehicle "are not consistent with a crash", police say.
The trainer turning animal tricks into teen confidence
Chickens play football and sheep wave their hooves at Bex Tasker's place. She used to be a dog handler with customs and now uses her expertise in animal training and positive reinforcement methods to… Audio
Gardeners' close calls with traffic prompt flower bed shake-up
Rotorua council will replant high-risk city garden beds after a surge in near-miss incidents.
Shellfish warning in eastern Bay of Plenty
Tests on mussels from Te Kaha had shown the level of paralytic toxins were more than double the safe limit.
'Nowhere near enough': A 780-tonne lake weed disaster
A funding battle is brewing over lake weed control in Rotorua as the three-week, 780-tonne clean-up of the latest stinky stranding in Lake Rotorua wraps up.
Relief and excitement for new Pekatahi Bridge on SH2
Whakatāne Mayor Nandor Tanczos says the government's plan to replace the ageing Pekatahi Bridge shows "a collective push around a unified purpose can really make a difference".
'Anomalies' lead Customs to $15m cocaine bust
Hidden among legitimate goods were two plastic-wrapped bags containing 45 cocaine bricks, each weighing 1kg.
'Ripped... trust to shreds': Man imprisoned for rape of his 8-year-old cousin
He would sneak into her room, telling her he was "scared to sleep on [his] own".
Te Pāti Māori tensions expected to loom as party AGM goes ahead
Te Pāti Māori gathers for its long-awaited AGM today, after months of turmoil that led to the expulsion of two of their six MPs.
Concerns over Rotorua Night Market trial as sales plummet
The council began the trial in October to save in costs, enable earlier summer trading and address health and safety concerns.
Highway closed after two-vehicle crash
Three people suffered serious injuries in the incident.
Rotokākahi pipeline planning grievances aired in High Court
The Rotokākahi Board of Control has aired its grievances at the High Court in Rotorua about the process to install a sewerage pipeline near a sacred lake. Rotorua Lakes Council's...
One dead, another seriously injured after crash near Whakatāne
It's believed the car crashed into a river off State Highway 2.
Lifeguards start summer patrols early after spike in serious accidents
Surf Life Saving warns that the warm weather has created a perfect storm of hidden hazards, such as rips.
Man arrested after gunshot fired near Thames swimming hole
A 20-year-old man is alleged to have threatened members of the public and fired a shot into the air.
Spreading the word about avocados
Tour groups gather under the huge avocado trees belonging to orchardists Tim Rosamond and Michele Ricou to learn about the fruit and how its grown. The IT pros are relatively new growers and see… Audio
Dog attack on child prompts call for on-leash areas in Kawerau
Several incidents with unleashed dogs have led a Kawerau woman to request the council create an on-leash area.
