Andy Kirk knows all about the devastating impact of pancreatic cancer. He has lost both of his parents and his brother to the disease.   “It's virtually unheard of that so many members of a family get pancreatic cancer,”...

  A Tauranga woman who has been abused for not wearing a mask is asking people to be more understanding.   Danielle Sullivan has a mask exemption for respiratory reasons, but claims she has faced verbal abuse and bullying from members of...

  She might live overseas now, but art-loving ten-year-old Helaina Hawthorne is using her talent as a way of keeping in touch with New Zealand – and our police dogs.   Helaina, who now lives in Sydney but formerly of Tauranga, saw...

  Covid-19 vaccines have become airborne to reach residents of Mōtītī Island.   The Bay of Plenty District Health Board collaborated with vaccination providers and the residents of Mōtītī Island to deliver a “fly-in, drive-through”...

  What do a paper clip and the tasty treat Pods have in common?   Both are being used as a trading tool to get a house. Michael Gibbon is using a packet of Snickers-flavoured Pods as his first trade, in an attempt to trade them all the...

  An accumulation of data on kererū – the New Zealand pigeon – is now in its final year, and experts are asking for the community’s help one last time.   Tony Stoddard of Kererū Discovery says this is the last year of...

  If there’s a volunteer or community group that you think is making an impact in the Western Bay of Plenty, now is the time to nominate them for a TECT Community Award.   TECT Chairperson Bill Holland says the awards recognise and...

Vivien Knap was heading to her favourite coffee spot this week when she noticed that a bird has set up home inside a red traffic light at the Greerton roundabout pedestrian crossing. Last year a blackbird was nicknamed Whero by Jannine Spiers, who...

  A Tauranga teen’s tenacity won him an award at a recent Blue Light Life Skills programme.   Caleb Evans won the Overall Merit Award ahead of 22 others, at the Blue Light camp held at Whenuapai Airforce base. Young people from across...

St John is one of 194 charities and community organisations benefiting from this year’s record Acorn Foundation distributions across the Western Bay of Plenty community. Acorn Foundation CEO Lori Luke says this year’s record distributions...

A $1.4 billion investment in the Bay of Plenty’s transport system has been announced – and has prompted a mixed response from some of the region’s leading figures. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency officials confirmed the amount earlier...

  The possibility of another liquor store in Brookfield has spurred the community into action, with a local school filing a petition to oppose it.   An application has been made to Tauranga City Council’s environmental health and...

  The dragon boating team Bay Dragons are looking for new members, so if you’re keen to try a new sport and meet some great people, then now is the time to give it a go.   Dragon boating is a sport that combines teamwork, technique,...

  Almost everyone loves butter chicken, and one Tauranga restaurant has been offering the tasty curry free of charge to people who are struggling financially.   Punjab Express gave out more than 100 meals to those in need during level three...

  Water skills for life is something Moss Burmester gained as a young boy.   With two parents who showed him the skills needed to live a fulfilling life on the water’s edge, it opened vast opportunities for him to thrive both under...

The mundane task of core drilling isn’t something many tradies jump at, but Ethan Harris is quite happy to get behind the tools. He is currently carrying out a plumbing apprenticeship and gets excited about work each morning. Even core drilling,...

  Pet owners are having to make heart-breaking decisions and choose between having somewhere to live and keeping their furry friend.   In some cases, pets are having to be euthanised because their owners have no other option. “Dogs...

  It was supposed to be just a fill-in job, to keep the pennies rolling in until something else came along.   But, 25 years later, Peter Shoebridge is celebrating a milestone of employment as a Tauranga City Council parking officer. Peter...

  Mount Maunganui tourism operators and attractions have been recognised as 2021 Travellers’ Choice award winners by Tripadvisor.     The Mount Hot Pools, Hibiscus Surf School, Mount Maunganui Main Beach, Mount Maunganui Base...

  The newest kiwi chick in the Bay of Plenty is already breaking records after hatching a day earlier than usual.   After four days of hatching, a kiwi chick emerged out of its eggshell at the National Kiwi Hatchery in Rotorua early on...

The catalyst for Bay of Plenty director Micah Winiata’s new film Taiao was finding himself stuck in an urban jungle in Chicago during last year’s pandemic. “I was definitely craving to be back in nature,” says Micah, who is...

  “There’s things in the book that definitely should be embarrassing, but I’m not actually embarrassed by them.”   Simon Bridges is talking about his new novel National Identity: Confessions of an Outsider. The...

  Anne McLeod has resided by the Tauranga coastline for more than 60 years.   Throughout this time, she has created a life within water safety; learning, educating and practicing not only how to swim, but how to survive in our waters. Growing...

  A handful of Pāpāmoa College students have found an outlet for their emotions through writing songs - but they didn’t expect those songs to be shortlisted in a national competition.   Four students, who have composed three songs,...

  Unearthing Tauranga’s past is revealing both early Māori and European settlement at an archaeological site on the Te Papa peninsula.   I’ve been asked not to call it a ‘dig’, which I guess is akin to not calling...

  A number of port workers in Tauranga are prepared to lose their jobs rather than receive the Covid-19 vaccination, according to one port employee and the Maritime Union.   A port worker, who is not directly employed by Port of Tauranga,...

  Leonie Trubshoe’s efforts to market an international school is a remarkable testament to overcoming the hurdles of the Covid pandemic.   Since her return from Arusha, Tanzania, Leonie has been working remotely from Tauranga in her...

  The Bay had plenty to celebrate at the recently concluded Olympic Games in Tokyo.   The stellar sisterhood of the Rugby Sevens side was just one of those success stories. Whilst the team is made up of women from all over New Zealand,...

  A wāhine-driven acoustic show is being promised when a 2021 Silver Scroll nominee hits the stage in Mount Maunganui.   Deva Mahal is playing at Totara Street this month as part of her seven-date nationwide ‘Kinship’ tour,...