Stories by Diane McCarthy

All the Bay of Plenty couple want for Christmas is for the rain to stop, and with it the gradually-rising water under their home.

Families of some of the Australian victims of the Whakaari eruption were welcomed to Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae for the memorial.

Whakatāne has been known as the Kiwi Capital of the World for over a decade, and now it has its own walk of fame.

Former Kawerau mayor Malcolm Campbell says military-style interventions with youth offenders did work, but did not go far enough - they needed to be followed up with pastoral care.

Waka Kotahi has told Ōpōtiki District Council it is aware two state highways in the area have 'significant issues' and it is assessing whether the alternative routes relied on in emergencies are fit…

Whakatāne Police have spoken out against median barriers between Whakatāne and Awakeri and say Waka Kotahi is listening, however, others feel they are not.

A software tool that revolutionises how the Bay of Plenty Regional Council records its pest data and one of its developers are both finalists in the Biosecurity New Zealand Awards.

Three local government candidates in Whakatāne district have the support of anti-vaccination mandate organisation Voices for Freedom.

More than 61 percent of voters have said 'no' to Te Ūpokorehe being removed from the Whakatōhea Treaty settlement.

Kawerau District Council has received legal advice against allowing alcohol at private events at its swimming pool complex.

Whakatāne mayoral candidate Nándor Tánczos has asked people to stop making alterations to opposing candidates' election signs on his behalf.

The expense of a by-election for the Tāneatua Community Board could have been avoided if prospective candidates had followed advice not to leave their applications to the last day.

Whakatāne District Council has its first Māori ward councillor in Toni Boynton, who has been elected unopposed in the Kāpū Te Rangi Māori ward.

Differences representing an increase of more than 40 percent have been calculated for some ratepayers, while the regional council says others will be paying less.

Murupara GP Dr Bernard Conlon has likened treating his patients without access to ivermectin to entering a boxing ring with one hand tied behind his back.

While Whakatāne District Council plans to lower the decibel levels allowable for bird scaring cannons the new regulation will not apply to orchardists currently using them.

The The Volkner Island Reserve in Ōpōtiki was turned into a lake when the pump station lost power yesterday.

Whakatāne District Council is lobbying for a more balanced, collaborative and equitable relationship between different levels of government.

Excitement is growing for the future of Whakatāne as resource consent is granted for the proposed $29 million boat harbour, Te Rāhui Herenga Waka Whakatāne.

The chronically ill pensioner is seeking arbitration with Kāinga Ora over plans to develop the section he is living on.

GP Dr Bernard Conlon was suspended by the Medical Council of New Zealand four months ago.

Ōpōtiki District Council staff are querying whether they should be mowing berms after receiving social media abuse.

After fighting so hard to have Māori wards established, both locally and nationally, standing in Whakatāne District Council's first election to include them may seem to be a given for Toni Boynton.

Whakatāne District Council's hunt for suitable land to establish a new cemetery has been unsuccessful so far.

It has been almost five years since the Whakatāne Homeless Action Group was formed in response to growing numbers of rough sleepers.