Mamma Rosa Pizzeria & Restaurant head chef Veena was ready to serve Uber Eats customers. Photo / File
Mamma Rosa Pizzeria & Restaurant head chef Veena was ready to serve Uber Eats customers. Photo / File
The Rotorua Daily Post is looking back at the stories of 2020. Here's what made headlines in July.
July 2
The start of June saw Uber Eats roll into town with almost 30 restaurants signing up.
Giovanni's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria and Mamma Rosa Pizzeria & Restaurant owner Deep Kumar signed up to the app describing it as a "gamechanger".
Kumar owned restaurants across the country that had already got on board with the delivery service and said it had made a "huge difference" to his takeaway percentage.
a $55 million investment into a project that would see more than 1000 new homes built on Māori land and generate about 300 jobs.
The funding was announced jointly by Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones as part of a new package of infrastructure investments, with $3 billion from the Covid Response and Recovery Fund being allocated across the country's regions.
The urban development project, a partnership between Rotorua Lakes Council, Ngāti Whakaue and NZTA was the first shovel-ready project in the Bay of Plenty to be granted funding.
Police Dog Handler Dave Balck with Police dog McCaw who was stabbed in the neck while on duty. Photo / File
In a dramatic chase of a teen burglar, police dog McCaw - named after Richie McCaw - had a large filleting knife plunged 10cm into the back of his neck.
In June, the 14-year-old offender was called in the Rotorua Youth Court when, through his lawyer, he entered a plea of non-denial to two charges, including burglary and injuring a police dog.
The teen was armed with a large knife when he broke into a car at a house on Ford Rd at 3am on April 17 - at the time New Zealand was in alert level 4 lockdown.
When disturbed by the owner, police were called and the youth fled.
During the chase the teen plunged a filleting knife into the dog's neck. He made a full recovery.
July 11
Tangaroa Yorke. Photo / Supplied
A Rotorua man, who was about to become a dad for the first time, was admitted to hospital after a freak accident with a fish smoker left him covered in methylated spirits and on fire.
Tangaroa Yorke, a 20-year-old teacher-aide from Rotorua, was burned when his brother pulled the lid off the fish smoker and the fire "blazed out of it".
He spent two weeks in Waikato Hospital and a Givealittle page was set up for him as he was the sole earner for him and his pregnant partner.
July 12
A car is pulled from Lake Rotoma after a fatal car crash. Photo / File
Two people died after their car left the road and plunged into Lake Rotoma, near Rotorua.
Emergency services were called to the scene at 12.40pm on July 11 after the car left State Highway 30, east of Rotorua.
"Two people were recovered deceased from the lake by the dive squad," police said in a statement. "Police are working to support the family of those who have died."
July 18
Good Vibes Festival in Rotorua. Photo / File
Just shy of 3000 people attended the Good Vibes festival in Rotorua featuring Sons of Zion, L.A.B and others.
Rotorua's show - which was part of a nine-date tour - sold out months prior, proof of the anticipation of getting back to normality and enjoying being at a gig without having to social-distance.
July 25
Ngawiki Raupita. Photo / File
As a coroner's ruling into Riko Porter's death was released, his sister shared a strong message about the dangers of alcohol.
A coroner found that Porter died from a traumatic brain injury while intoxicated, after being hit by a car after 11.30pm on November 28, 2018.
Ngawiki Raupita missed a phone call from her brother the night he was killed and always wonders what would have happened if she had answered.
She said her brother was a loving and "godly" man who despite being "mischief" at times, had a big heart and would help feed the city's homeless most days.
