Another year over, one full of great stories in The Weekend Sun about local news, sports, events, gardening, pets, food, and business. Here's a run-down of your favourite stories on The Weekend Sun website for 2015.
10. Hunter Wells' story about rental homes contaminated by methamphetamine manufacture or use, and inhabited by unwitting tenants.
It's said the problem in Tauranga is second only to Auckland, and Hunter found a case where a local lawyer believed meth contamination was being used as a ‘scare tactic' to resolve a bitter tenancy dispute and drive a young Tauranga mother from her home.
9. Zoe Hunter's story about an enthusiastic group of Pasifika teachers forming a new Pasifika group in the Bay of Plenty to support and acknowledge Pasifika learners.
In partnership with 10 primary schools and two pre-schools in Tauranga, the group held its first Pasifika Festival in the Bay at Te Akau Ki Papamoa School in October.
8. Zoe's story about Kai Care, Naomi Cowland's version of a similar idea in Wellington.
People post on Facebook a food item to donate to someone in need, someone gets in touch, and they arrange a time and place in Tauranga for pick-up. It can be anything from a can of food to something homemade.
7. Letitia Atkinson's story about a group of Tauranga mums getting together to share the knowledge about safe babywearing practices.
Babywearing Tauranga holds monthly workshops to demonstrate the correct positioning of carrying a baby, either on your front or on your back.
6. Zoe's story about 14-year-old Olivia Moore's win as the 2015 regional recipient of the Rothbury Tauranga Regional Scholarship.
Olivia received $5,000 to help her journey to achieving her dream of dancing professionally in the Royal New Zealand Ballet.
5. Andrew Campbell's story about the first tall ship at the Tauranga waterfront since the harbour bridge stopped traffic.
The waka Hinemoana belongs to Hawaiki Rising, a trust offering 10-day youth voyages presenting experiential learning, personal growth and development.
4. Zoe Hunter's story about Olivia and her dancing sisters Arabella, 12, and Lucia, 7 marked Olivia's second appearance in our Top 10.
All three girls were invited by Paris opera ballet master Jacques Marsa to dance on the international stage in Brussels, Belgium. The trio danced in the Petipa International Ballet Competition.
3. Zoe's story about five-year-old Georgie Farrell, who lives with Autism Spectrum Disorder with Global Developmental Delay, and her ‘new best friend', assistance dog Lobo, a two-year-old black Labrador.
2. Hunter Wells' story about The Massive Cruise for modified car enthusiasts.
The group's aim was to put right a few misconceptions about car enthusiasts, and to show that only a few bad apples spoiled the barrel. The Cruise raised money for the Cancer Society.
1. Your favourite story for the year was about the Luminarium's Arboria, the massive inflatable sensory experience down on The Strand, looking like something out of a sci-fi movie on the inside, and lit entirely by natural light.