Latest from Whakatane

Crater lake disappears: What's driving Whakaari/White Island?

Gas and steam was now exiting from an enlarged vent on the crater floor.

Smash-and-grab teen gets 'crushing' sentence as judge cites need for deterrence

Judge Thomas Ingram said a point had been reached where 'enough’s enough'.

Truck driver speaks after fatal SH2 crash: 'I had no time to react'

The speedway legend says his leg is 'munted' and he's 'lucky' to still have his foot.

Watch: Impressive plumes seen from Whakaari - but what's causing them?

Social media flooded with photos of the plumes taken from the Bay of Plenty coast.

Whakaari owners want to grant scientists access

'If they're not monitoring that risk, that's not fair. I don't care who owns it.'

'Beast has been well behaved': Mayor writes to ministers over volcano concerns

Lack of Whakaari/White Island monitoring increases ‘existential risk’.

Freezing! Region's temperatures dip below zero under clear skies

Central North Island and BoP feel the pinch.

'A Pandora’s box': Fears over toxic wood waste removal at harbour site

One councillor believes 'it’s quite a frightening situation'.

'Sad day': Michael Hill Jewellers' Whakatāne store to close due to high crime

The store added extra security aids including fog cannons and additional security cameras.

'I’m just stunned': Council concerned residents don’t know where to go in tsunami alert

Many submissions mentioned 2021 tsunami alert that resulted in jammed streets.

BoP residents wake to icy temps, Minister praises restraint amid grid crisis

The country’s grid operator Transpower issued a warning notice.

'Kick in the guts': Tradies 'poaching' work from locals 'rife' amid slowdown

'A high volume of tradies [are] jumping in the ute and trying to grab some of the work'

Homeless in Whakatāne: ‘We’ve got nowhere to go’

“We’ve got heaps of blankets, but it is getting cold at night.”

'Winter-like surge': Temperatures drop in region, -4.4C on Desert Rd

Weather remains sunny but chilly,

Watch: Dramatic smash and grab as jewellery store targeted in daylight raid

Two people have been arrested and police are looking for two more.

Seven crashes in three years at 100-year-old bridge

The real worry is that I’m going to ... find someone has died in a crash.'

No fast tracking but optimism for marina outcome

And jobs will follow, developer says.

They've never met him, but they're trying to save his young life

Where to now for Waarakihi Hooper Felise's push for a bone marrow donor.