Independent viewsBy Brendan Horan It's hardly surprising our county's media have become captivated by Kim Dotcom. For many, success today is no longer measured by one's altruistic works nor community spirit and values, but rather by a celebrity-like... Read More

Art Beatwith Rosalie Crawford Tauranga's Mighty Wurlitzer - a 2/10 Wurlitzer Model H Opus 1482 - rose dramatically from beneath the stage at Baycourt Theatre to where a packed audience gathered to listen to Chris Powell perform.What we heard though... Read More

Paul PouYouth Team LeaderSport Bay of Plenty Sport Bay of Plenty facilitates a Youth Engagement Programme called Pathway 16/20 and recently took a group of 17 youths in the programme on a Leadership Camp on Mayor Island. Pathway 16/20 team leader... Read More

Paul PouYouth Team LeaderSport Bay of Plenty Sport Bay of Plenty facilitates a Youth Engagement Programme called Pathway 16/20 and recently took a group of 17 youths in the programme on a Leadership Camp on Mayor Island. Pathway 16/20 team leader... Read More

Sideline SidSports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz This edition of Sideline Sid's blog was supposed to begin focus on the Western Bay club rugby season, but the Northern Knights has won and is through to the NZ Cricket Ford Trophy Final,... Read More

Wendy MacphailEmployment Law Services Alpine Energy Ltd was ordered to hand over the names, CVs, qualifications and reference information attached to job applicants to an unsuccessful applicant who claimed he'd been discriminated against. (Waters... Read More

Art Beatwith Rosalie Crawford How does an innovative, well-written and performed original New Zealand play begin life? Angela Newell, Jade Gillies and Lizzie Dawson, from the Invers Theatre Company, were sitting back on a veranda in Southland talking... Read More

Weather Eyewith John Maunder Rainfalls for the month of March have been recorded in Tauranga since 1898 - except for 1904, 1908 and 1909. This graph below shows the range of rainfalls from a high of 504mm in 1979, to a low of five mm in 1943. The... Read More

Simon BridgesNational MP simonbridges.co.nz It's been a busy couple of weeks in the Bridges' household with the arrival of wee Harry. Although I'm not sure exactly how helpful he is, but Emlyn is always keen to get involved and take care of his... Read More

Dazz SwitallaFlavour SecretsNo.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz There is some wonderful seasonal produce around the moment - avocados, feijoa, nashi pears, corn - so there are plenty of reasons to eat fresh local produce. Like our knowledge... Read More

Brian RogersRogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz This week's column is short, and a bit of a rush job. I was told the world was ending so I didn't see the need to write one.Next thing you know, we are all still here and civilisation is still fairly... Read More

Matt CowleyTauranga City Councillor I love the quote which popped out in the council chambers this week: 'Planning in a vacuum”. It refers to communities developing a strategy to address an issue it's concerned about, but it fails to get... Read More