Latest from Whakatane

'Made my week': Cystic fibrosis sufferer gifted money by stranger

The donor wanted Troy Watson to 'go and have fun' with his friends or family.

'Fearless': Former All Black 'Red' Conway remembered

Richard 'Red' Conway notably had a broken finger amputated to play for the All Blacks.

'Red' Conway: Rugby star who had finger amputated to make the All Blacks dies

Rugby icon had no regrets having finger amputated to make the All Blacks.

Plastic discharged into water was 'carelessness to a high degree' - lawyer

The plastic discharged into the water was found 1.5km downstream.

Bitten, spat at, hit with axes: Top cop says assaults on police becoming more violent

'We are seeing is a propensity of offenders to increasingly use violence toward police'.

Impounded car, arrest and fines at gang funeral procession

The procession followed a tangi for a senior member.

Bit, spat at, hit with axes: Top cop says assaults on police becoming more violent

Revealed: The number of assaults on police officers over the past five years.

Gang funeral procession: Witness 'scared' and 'angry', police issue fines

Police were monitoring the procession.

Names of four dead in Tāneatua crash released

Three adults and one infant were killed after a crash in a small town south of Whakatāne.

Missing fisherman: Relative clings to hope man with 'massive heart' will be found

Police reassess plans as bad weather looks set to continue to hamper the search.

'They took my son', mother's heartache after accused appear in court over alleged historic kidnapping

The accused all entered not guilty pleas before Judge Robert Spear.

Two brothers have the same condition. But only one can get $330k 'miracle' drug

One brother says it's a 'kick in the guts' knowing he could not get the drug.

How a man's lonely death led to housing for the elderly homeless

Elderly man found four days after he died.

Exclusive: 'When I woke she was gone' - her newborn girl was taken 57 years ago; finally, an apology

Maggie Wilkinson has received an historic settlement and in-person apology.

Jewellery store owner says burglary is more grief on top of hard times

Whakatāne business owner is "absolutely gutted" by break-in.

'We're open. We're safe. Keep coming': Sector's message as restrictions ease

Meanwhile, accommodation providers believe there is still a hard slog ahead of them.

Cooking drunk and high on meth cost 'adored father' his life

Sky Carson adored her father despite his addictions and 'ratbag ways'.

New Zealand's sexiest - and least sexy - cities revealed

Where are the kinkiest Kiwis? New research reveals New Zealand's sexiest cities.