Joy Marbeck turns 101 today and still has plenty of zest for life, and Hastings council has approved as many as 140 new sections in an effort to combat housing and growth issues. These are just two of the stories making headlines around the regions today.

Joy Marbeck has lived through two world wars, the Spanish flu epidemic and the Great Depression and says it is her "never give up" attitude that has carried her to her 101st birthday.

In a bid to address Hastings growth issues, the district's council has approved as many as 140 new sections along Howard Rd.

Residents of Rotorua's eastern suburbs say there is no cause for celebration after the shock closure of the Lumbercube mill.

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Whangarei hairdresser Daniel Matene, 23, will be one of the youngest contestants to take the stage in this year's International Goldwell Zoom Challenge as he returns for another shot at the title.

The plot thickens over the actual spelling and pronunciation of the name Kahutara and whether it should be Kahautara instead.