Weather Eyewith John Maunder Rainfalls in Tauranga in the month of April were the third wettest since records began in 1898. The graph shows the range of rainfalls from a high of 383mm in 1911 to a low of 10mm in 1958. The rainfall for April 2013... Read More

Brian RogersRogers Rabbits www.sunlive.co.nz Animals have for centuries been used by the human race to assist society's less able members. Such as guide dogs for the blind, horses to pull carts and ploughs, canaries in mineshafts to warn of gas... Read More

Cr Bill FaulknerFaulkners Corner www.sunlive.co.nz Staff have advised elected members that there will likely be another rates surplus this financial year. At the Projects and Monitoring Committee, accounts were presented to the end of March which... Read More

John ArtsAbundant Living www.johnarts.co.nz Stop reading now and do a 10 minute health check. Think of every part of your body and write a list of the body parts and systems that are not doing so well in order of priority. Some of the problems... Read More

Dazz SwitallaFlavour SecretsNo.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz Last weekend I was staying in Taumarunui playing in a disc golf tournament - and for me it was like travelling back in time. There are the old buildings, the slower pace of... Read More

Josh HoskinSmart Money jhoskin@goldridge.co.nz Do you really think that comparing one insurance quote with another gives you the whole picture? The reality is that two quotes from different advisers or providers can be very different and that is... Read More

Andrew von DadelszenFormer Regional Councillor I read with concern on the Sunlive website (29/04/13) that Tauranga City Council is considering helping to fund a Mauao Cultural Centre that will take advantage of the cruise ship visitors to our wonderful... Read More

Independent viewsBy Brendan Horan Concerns about above average power price rises in Tauranga and foul smelling reforms for trades' registrations have been attracting my attention. Recently, during ministerial question time in the House I asked... Read More

Ian McLeanSpokesperson for the Green Party Mining and drilling are messy activities and routinely involve serious environmental effects such as in Waihi. That mining might take place in any back yard, including yours. The Canadian company, Glass... Read More

Jane NeesBOP Regional Councillorwww.janenees.co.nz Last week the Bay of Plenty Regional Council signed off a draft Regional Coastal Environment Plan for public feedback. The plan has been updated to give effect to the New Zealand Coastal Policy... Read More

Simon BridgesNational MP simonbridges.co.nz Parliament has been in recess for the last fortnight and so work has taken me all over New Zealand rather than just to Tauranga and Wellington and back. One of the most interesting trips has been to Christchurch,... Read More

Brian AndersonThe Western Frontwww.sunlive.co.nz I have many memories of important people driving pegs in the sand and declaring some new project for the Bay of Plenty. The pegs disappear quickly, lost in the sand. The plans still hang round and... Read More