Independent viewsBy Brendan Horan The Development Contribution Amendment known as the affordable housing bill may work in larger regions, such as Auckland, but is not good for Tauranga. Tauranga is a developing and evolving city struggling to keep... Read More

Catherine StewartTauranga City Councillor It must be an April Fool's Day joke...surely? Media reported parking wardens will be checking cars' windscreen wiper blades and depth of tyres from April 1, 2014. I don't recall any discussion on this... Read More

Jane NeesBOP Regional Councillorwww.janenees.co.nz One of the responsibilities of local government is to plan infrastructure and services for future populations. This is the reason for spatial planning exercises like SmartGrowth here in the Western... Read More

Nikki ScottVirtually on Track Project LeaderSport Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty region is rich with beautiful parks, spaces and reserves - and locals are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to amazing scenery and getting outdoors. Within just... Read More

Nikki ScottVirtually on Track Project LeaderSport Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty region is rich with beautiful parks, spaces and reserves - and locals are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to amazing scenery and getting outdoors. Within just... Read More

Sideline SidSports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz This Saturday brings the changing of the guard in the Western Bay sporting codes, with the last day of the cricket season and the opening day of the club rugby season. It is a big day... Read More

The connection between solar activity and the earth's climate is an area of ongoing and sometimes controversial research. A sunspot is a relatively dark, sharply defined region on the solar disc - marked by an umbra (dark area), which is 2000 degrees... Read More

Weather Eyewith John Maunder The connection between solar activity and the earth's climate is an area of on-going and sometimes controversial research.A sunspot is a relatively dark, sharply defined region on the solar disc - marked by an umbra... Read More

Gerard CaseyEBOP Chamber of Commerce CEO At a recent meeting of stakeholders in the Eastern Bay of plenty we discussed the future of the region in the next 40 to 50 years. It was a fascinating chance to look out beyond and think about how our... Read More

Dazz SwitallaFlavour SecretsNo.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz There seems to be a lot of white butterfly around at the moment. They are a perennial gardener's curse, and seem to flap from plant to plant laying eggs for caterpillars to... Read More

NewshoundAdy & Flo www.sunlive.co.nz Dog-tastic news folks! There's an awesome event for all dogs and their owners at Mount Maunganui this weekend - with all kinds of canine fun planned.We're all invited to Showdogs' free Dog Fun Day on Sunday,... Read More

Brian RogersRogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz I really hope you can read fast. Because the End of the World is coming and I'd hate you to be half way through a Rabbits column when suddenly, whammo. The world ends, in a chaotic maelstrom of chaos... Read More