Stories by Checkpoint

After 40 years and a million trees and shrubs planted, a dedicated parks supervisor has retired, leaving Nelson a veritable feast of flora - literally. Audio

The dog owner's family said the animals were stolen while they were in Auckland getting cancer treatment. Audio

Ditching cellphones at school has led to new real-world connections, according to one of the country's largest secondary schools. Audio

John Entwisle, 79, can be found abseiling Barnett Park in a bid to help regenerating bush. Audio

Wayne Brown is proposing to build a causeway across the Waitematā Harbour - and says he promised the prime minister he would "sink" the idea of an expensive tunnel. Audio

Winstone Pulp International has announced it is closing its two mills, blaming unsustainable energy prices. Audio

The shortage is putting too much pressure on staff and students and it is only going to get worse, unless there is a nationwide solution found, the principal says. Audio

As we hit the Spring breeding boom, the SPCA is expecting room to fill up fast, so the hunt is on for foster parents.

New Zealand is littered with cellphone coverage black holes, with one so large it covers a whole town. Audio

Webb's Auction House is preparing to auction New Zealand's largest-ever Hermes handbag collection this weekend, including seven Birkins. Audio

A Christchurch couple want to lay claim to $232k cash they found tucked away in their ceiling in five dusty, vacuum sealed plastic bricks. Audio

These days, babysitters have qualifications - and aren't just the 15-year-old neighbour, an agency says. Audio

Cases appear to be rising, with subsidised treatment prescriptions up 30 percent, but there's no real way to know how many cases there are - or where. Audio

One pair of boots languished at Greg Fox's shop for four years before the owner came to collect. Audio

The national carrier's net profit for the financial year is down 65 percent to $146 million. Audio

Flowers in public gardens are for everyone to enjoy and picking them just spoils it for others, the Christchurch Botanical Gardens director says. Audio

The extra pressure could see teachers leaving the profession, Brent Godfery warns. Audio

The concern about health is increasing, but people feel their access to health is decreasing, a chief medical officer says. Audio

Heath Ling planted out a barren strip at an intersection in Woolston, but Christchurch City Council banned him from tending it - saying it is a distraction to drivers. Audio

Manukau ward councillor Alf Filipaina says there needs to be accountability, while another has questioned if the barriers were fit for purpose. Audio

Christchurch's Joe Nation rode to victory after battling lightning storms, freezing conditions and avoiding being eaten by wolves in the Silk Road Mountain Race. Audio

Wastewater from 341 households in the Cardinal West development is being pumped to temporary tanks before being trucked away. Audio

The Environmental Protection Authority admits it does not know the extent to which a weed killer linked to birth defects is used in New Zealand. Audio

Irreplaceable treasures valued at $20 million are a few sandbags and plastic sheets away from ruin. Audio

Tomatoes NZ is calling for a ban on all tomatoes from Australia, to stop a virus entering the country and decimating Aotearoa's crops. Audio