Stories by Diane McCarthy

Retired businessman Clive Wickham says his rates have jumped more than 20 percent.

Councillor Nandor Tanczos has denounced new Māori wards legislation and wants the council to seek legal advice.

The subject of risks to the safety of both horses and people caused by stallions in the town was discussed at an Ōpōtiki District Council meeting on Tuesday.

The family wants to allow monitoring of the volcano, but feels stymied by the court case over the explosion, lawyer says.

Dumped roosters are roaming Whakatāne, but residents concerned for their welfare say it's hard to get anyone to take responsibility.

Alan 'Bill' Whiteman spent his last years in Motueka, but was independent till the end and loved to have a good yarn, his daughter says.

A management plan to dig up contaminated wood waste from a boat harbour development site on Keepa Road in Whakatāne has been signed off by council.

A disgruntled ratepayer who police believe may be behind a bomb scare that saw a council's offices evacuated has appeared in court.

Whakatāne needs to prepare for an earthquake and tsunami similar to the 2011 Japan event which killed 20,000, scientist says.

Ripeka Lessels says a 15.1 percent rates rise on top of increases in the costs of living would be "a double whammy for people already struggling".

He wants to know how police are adequately staffed, when they're telling a man's family they don't have resources to investigate his disappearance.

Tracy Watson has repaired the same fence over and over times.

Dead birds and fish, and "out of control" lillies are pushing residents along a lake in Whakatāne over the edge.

Kawerau is one of 14 councils that has been directed to add fluoride to its water supply by the Director General of Health.

Boaties using the Whakatāne River entrance will be relieved that dredging has started on the narrows, where the shallow water has been causing concern.

A Bay of Plenty woman spent 16 months to try and get a tiny home built on her daughter's property.

"We don't have, as a council, the financial capability and capacity," a Whakatāne District Council meeting has heard.

A new agreement between a disability advocacy group and Whakatāne's council aims to make the district safer and more accessible.

"Best beach three years in a row - that's got to mean something," the deputy mayor says.

A Kawerau resident has described the smell wafting over the town from a nearby worm farm as like "pungent, raw sewage".

Graffiti artists appear to be the only Te Teko residents happy with the boat being put in the centre of town.

Whakatāne District Council has improved relationships with Māori but more work needs to be done just to keep up with legislative requirements and population growth.

Three cherished family pets have died over the holiday period after being reportedly killed by roaming dogs in Whakatāne.

A second river crossing for Whakatāne has made it onto a list of potential future growth projects for the region.

Edgecumbe farmers say large-scale solar farms on some of the Rangitaiki Plains' most elite soil is short-sighted.