From awesome sand art that was spotted at the Mount to learning about teen texting, here are the stories that went big this week.
Read more: Papamoa set for growth boom
- Population growth in Papamoa is expected to outstrip all of Tauranga City by 50 per cent by the year 2028 and Bay business leaders say it's also poised for a commercial development boom.
Read more: Kmart's arrival signals major Bethlehem changes
- The arrival of Kmart at Tauranga's Bethlehem Town Centre will result in the demolition of an existing food and liquor retail block to accommodate a new roading network
Read more: OMG - what did my daughter just say?
- Do you know what POS means? Or MOS? How about CD9? Or KPC? Because if you don't - and chances are you don't based on parents Bay of Plenty Times Weekend spoke - you might be wise to learn.
Read more: Coucnil identifies 10 dangerous intersections
- Half of the serious crashes at inner-city intersections in the past five years were at traffic lights, figures from the city council have revealed.
Read more: Steamers ITM cup squad named
- Steamers coaches Clayton McMillan and Rodney Gibbs have named their 2015 ITM Cup squad.
Read more: Two men's passion for plush man caves
- Adam Dromgool is scared to add up how much his man cave cost, but thinks it's about $100,000.
Read more: Sand art spotted at Mount
- A Tauranga couple came across a giant guitar drawn in the sand during their walk around Mauao's base track.
Read more: First-home buyers return to market
- Buying a first home is increasingly affordable in the Bay of Plenty, says the boss of two local real estate companies.
Read more: Council blunder causes punctuality
- A key link in Papamoa's new roading outlet to State Highway 2 will open on time thanks to a council blunder.
Read more: Expressway opens August 3
- After five years of construction, Tauranga's new expressway will open to traffic on August 3 - five months earlier than originally planned.