CATCHING UP: We revisit news stories from around the Bay

Bystander-biting police dog back on beat
A police dog stood down from duty after mistakenly biting an innocent Tauranga bystander is back on the beat.
The experienced canine crimefighter and handler were withdrawn from duty in February after an accidental attack left a man requiring more than 20 stitches to his leg.
Police investigated the incident, which happened in 5th Avenue when home owner Rob Terry crossed the path of the police dog while it was tracking offenders.
The police dog knocked Mr Terry to the ground and bit him on the leg. He had to use his hands to pry the dog's jaw open.
The head of the Tauranga and Whakatane dog unit, Sergeant Paul Selby, said a trainer from the national headquarters had tested the dog last week, especially on control, and had cleared the combination for work. Kristin Edge
Fairy godmother steps in
A fairy godmother is offering a weekend of pampering to someone who helps make a small Tauranga boy's dreams come true.
Rhys Macpherson suffers from a rare growth disorder which means he only weighs 15kg, despite being six years old.
In July he will have the chance to travel to the United States with his family to attend an international conference where experts might be able to help diagnose and treat his condition.
He will also get to meet dozens of other children who are just like him.
But the Macphersons, who featured in the Bay of Plenty Times last month, need to raise $5000 to get to Chicago - and Mount Maunganui's Chris Bishell has organised a raffle for Rhys after reading about his story.
For a $2 donation, people have the chance to win a weekend's accommodation at Seachange in Pilot Bay, dinner at Latitude 37 Restaurant and Bar, breakfast at the cafe of their choice, a swim at Mount Hot Saltwater Pools, a picnic lunch at Pilot Bay, a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of bubbly, chocolates and a basket of luxury toiletries.
Mrs Bishell said the raffle would be drawn at the end of June. "I could empathise with the family because I have twin grandsons that were born premature. I just wanted to do something to help," she said.
Tickets could be bought at Bayfair ChiroCare at 648 Maunganui Rd.
Rhys' mother, Megan Macpherson, would also sell tickets around the city and would hold a sausage sizzle soon at Mitre 10 Mega on Cameron Rd. Jo-Marie Brown
HazMobile cleans up
More than 1000 people have cleared potentially dangerous waste from their homes in this year's HazMobile collection.
Environment Bay of Plenty reported a stream of vehicles, including motorbikes, motorhomes and a mobility scooter, as their owners disposed of household chemicals.
The HazMobile processed 750 loads in Tauranga this month - up from 500 last year - and a further 280 in Te Puke last weekend.
The initiative, co-ordinated by Environment BOP, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council, collected materials like paint stripper, glues, garden chemicals, cleaners and batteries.
"When these products are stored in people's garages, sheds and cupboards, they're accidents just waiting to happen," Environment BOP's senior project implementation officer Paul Futter said.
He commented that fewer toxic products had been collected this year and hoped this meant the worst items had been cleared.
The HazMobile would visit the Eastern Bay of Plenty in April and May.Anna Bowden
Burned bar back in business
A Mount Maunganui bar and restaurant was open for business as usual after a fire started by a candle this week.
Astrolabe general manager Joseph Goddard said a wall was fire-damaged, but a coat of paint had fixed it.
"It's business as usual and we opened for breakfast in the morning," Mr Goddard said.
The quick actions of a passer-by at 12.30am on Wednesday - who rang the fire service - saved the business from extensive damage, according to senior firefighters.
Mount Maunganui station officer Jim Hoskins said the fire started in a plastic water trough after a small tea-light candle had been left burning.
Mr Goddard said the business had reviewed its use of the candles. Kristin Edge
Fundraising curries favour
A Tauranga college is $3000 closer to its dream of a performing arts centre after dabbling in international culture and cuisine.
Otumoetai College reaped close to that amount last week after it held the school's first International Food Festival - an event it plans to repeat.
Event organiser and PTA member Sharon Hitchcock said the festival, which attracted an estimated 2000 people, was a success.
"It was a really great night," she said.
The festival, which encouraged crowds to savour a range of ethnic foods including Mexican, Indian and Brazilian, started at 4.30pm and ran for about four hours.
"Everything went down really well," Mrs Hitchcock said.
She said the Indian dishes proved to be the most popular and were all snapped up during the festival.
The great response was all the school needed to decide the event would become a regular on Tauranga's social calendar.
"Next year's festival will be along the same lines, but there will be more stalls and a greater variety of food."
The event would also have more music, to ensure the crowds were entertained continuously throughout the evening. Yvette Wakelin