The Rotorua Daily Post is taking a look back at the stories of 2019. Here's what made headlines in May.
May 4:
A Rotorua hapū has been left reeling after graves in its urupa were damaged overnight, a little more than a week after graves were damaged at Kauae Cemetery.
Ngāti Ngararanui Hapu Trust trustee Guy Ngatai went to visit his whānau buried in Pukerimu Urupa at Waiteti around 8am this morning to discover the damage.
"The urupa was desecrated last night. The hapū is in enormous pain and distress.
The damage is the second to Rotorua urupa in a little more than a week. Photo / Supplied
May 9:
A new concept design of an expansive playground inspired by the ideas of local children is part of the new details revealed for the almost $40 million Lakefront redevelopment.
An update on the project was provided at the council's Operations and Monitoring Committee meeting today and details and concept designs were given on a new playground planned and about the future of Memorial Dr.
A concept image of the new playground at the Rotorua Lakefront. Image / Supplied
May 13:
A former hard-nosed criminal helping offenders go straight doesn't have the skills for the job and his course could be used for gang prospecting, Corrections staff have claimed.
Billy Macfarlane's Pūwhakamua programme - which involves rehabilitation including te reo classes, kapa haka, and fitness - has received wide support from Rotorua police, judges, Te Arawa kaumātua and community groups.
The suburb said to have inspired the book and film Once Were Warriors has New Zealand's fastest-growing house value rises - while a million-dollar-plus Auckland waterfront area is the worst performer.
CoreLogic has released a list of 50 suburbs with the fastest-rising and 50 fastest-falling house values throughout New Zealand.
The forestry sector has been given a $58 million injection with Rotorua to reap the benefits.
Forestry Minister Shane Jones made the pre-Budget announcement yesterday and said the extra funding would create about 80 jobs at a new Rotorua premises.
A new Forestry New Zealand premises will be built in Rotorua, a town Jones coined "the heart of the forestry sector".
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones in Rotorua. Photo / Stephen Parker
A Rotorua man saved three people from a burning car just seconds before it went up in flames with a "boom".
Acting on instinct, Fa'atoaga "Fatu" Tuifaasisina Pelurale Aupeipeigamalie jumped out of his car and rushed to help without pausing to think of the risks involved.
Fa'atoaga Tuifaasisina Pelurale Aupeipeigamalie pulled three injured people from a car crash scene. Photo / Ben Fraser
May 24:
Shaping Rotorua's future" is the focus of a new city advocacy group called Evolve Rotorua. Its founders range from lawyers to businesspeople and tourism venture managers. Evolve's main goal is to spread the word about local projects it thinks will make Rotorua a better place
Evolve Rotorua founders Anna Steele, Ben Sandford, Claire Mahon, Kelly Shrimpton, Ryan Gray, Matt O'Meeghan and Tu Mutu. Photo / Stephen Parker
May 26:
A chronic shortage of appropriate housing in Rotorua is dangerously affecting residents' health - to a point where people are being hospitalised for illnesses such as sepsis, pneumonia, respiratory infections and rheumatic fever. All because of unhealthy homes. Mould on walls, windows, curtains and ceilings, mildew, leaky roofs, too many people in one home, broken windows and poor insulation are all contributing factors to these illnesses.
Rotorua primary and secondary school teachers are lining the footpaths this morning as part of an unprecedented joint strike.
About 150 chanting teachers are armed with placards on Te Ngae Rd, while about 200 people are protesting on the Old Taupo Rd/Pukuatua St intersection. Cars are tooting as they pass.
