Bay Of Plenty

Don Meads is heartbroken a kōwhai tree he scattered his wife's ashes under is to be torn out as part of flood protection works in Whakatāne.

Police are blaming gangs for a spate of shootings in the Bay of Plenty town of Ōpōtiki where three houses and a vehicle were targeted.

A Rotorua councillor questioned the seriousness of bus-stop bashings in a council meeting but later says he conflated incidents.

A mail thief is causing strife in small towns near Whakatāne.

A Tauranga teenager with a bleeding tumour on his lip is facing up to eight months wait for treatment through the health system.

The reserve on Tarewa Street was part of Rotorua Lakes Council's Heads of Agreement to transfer land back to the iwi.

A new code addressing the power imbalance between major grocery retailers and their suppliers comes into force on Thursday.

Black mould. Lights loose and dangling from the ceiling. An entire courtroom flooded. Another "an absolute disgrace, quite frankly".

Heavy rain warnings are in place for the Gisborne and Eastern Bay of Plenty region with the worst of the downpour expected this morning. Audio

Flood-weary Gisborne and the Eastern Bay of Plenty are next in line for heavy rain - after the lower South Island was battered last week.

A homicide investigation has been launched after a man died from a serious assault in the Bay of Plenty town of Ōpōtiki on Friday.

Police are looking for more people who might have been involved in the incident.

The company managing the volcano said it had no presence on the volcanic island, so was not liable for operations that put the public at risk.

A Rotorua woman who once took a weedeater to overgrown council grass is now tackling the city's "massive" litter problem,

It was an "absolutely ridiculous" situation, the boss of Whakatāne's Ngāti Awa Social and Health Services admitted.

Concerns about crime in Rotorua have sparked plans for a new community hub, which looks set to open in November.

Police in Whakatāne have seized a knife and charged a woman with shoplifting.

Man convicted as part of a criminal syndicate ordered to give up 'inheritance' over outstanding $1.5m debt to the Crown.

Geoff Williams has led the council for 10 years.

The Whakaari / White Island trial is now down to one defendant - the rest have either been found guilty or had their charges dismissed. Audio