The family of missing Rotorua man Kawhena Wiringi are desperately seeking the public's help to find him because he hasn't been seen for nearly three weeks.
Wiringi, 30, was last seen on November 15 at his whānau's Ngāpuna marae in Rotorua. He hasn't been seen since and his disappearance is being described as out of character.
Auckland Council dumped Lime and Wave scooters from its streets last week and gave licences to operate to two new Singapore-based companies instead.
However, Lime is having "ongoing conversations" with other councils such as the Rotorua Lakes and Tauranga City, general manager Ky Hacker confirmed this week.
There were 47 people on or near Whakaari/White Island at 2.11pm on December 9 when the volcano erupted, spewing gas and ash into the air.
Horrifying footage of how a popular tourist spot was turned into a place of tragedy has been released in a 12-minute video by a tourist who was on White Island minutes before the eruption.
White Island aerial view after the volcanic eruption. Photo / George Novak
December 12:
It was like a scene from Armageddon - grey, dusty and hard to breathe.
But heroic Rotorua pilot Tim Barrow from Volcanic Air says he would ignore the rules again in a heartbeat and land on a freshly erupted White Island if it meant saving lives.
It is thanks to the actions of Barrow and six other private helicopter company staff members that 10 people survived the horrific tragedy on Monday that killed at least six people.
Emma Aitchison, mother of Adrian Hutchings with her daughter Kayleigh Aithicson. Adrian Hutchings died in a car crash. Photo / Ben Fraser
December 18:
An intensive care nurse who worked tirelessly for days to help White Island burns victims has died in a road crash in the Bay of Plenty.
Sheila Cheng, 50, was killed after the vehicle she was a passenger in and another vehicle collided head-on on State Highway 30, Tikitere, just after 3.30pm last Saturday.
ICU nurse Sheila Cheng had been working long hours helping care for volcano victims. Photo / Supplied
December 21:
Methamphetamine is tearing Bay of Plenty families apart - and it's grandparents who are picking up the pieces.
The latest figures from Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, a New Zealand charitable trust, show more than 900 Bay of Plenty grandparents are raising more than 1700 grandchildren who no longer live with a parent.
John Wharekura was only 16 when he knocked on the door of Tanya Burr's Rotorua flat asking for a pen and paper in 2002.
When she turned to get it, he stabbed her to death with a carving knife. Last year he was freed from prison on parole. Journalist Kelly Makiha finds out why he's back behind bars.
More than $64,000 worth of food, presents and money was donated in this year's Rotorua Daily Post Christmas Appeal in conjunction with The Hits Rotorua and the Rotorua Weekender for the Salvation Army Foodbank.
A total of 22,403 items were given to stock the foodbank and fill Christmas parcels for those in need throughout the appeal. Coupled with cash donations the total amount donated was $64,145.20.
