Local News
Sunday Summer Sounds
Sunday Summer Sounds provides a stage for local musicians to perform live originals and cover songs. The aim is to support and grow the songwriting and live performing skills of musicians in preparation for larger concerts and festivals. Let’s get behind them!
January 15, 2021Rural health workforce could ‘implode’ as cry for help over MIQ costs goes ignored
The bill for managed isolation of overseas staff could be the final straw for many burnt-out rural GPs who say the costs have created a staffing crisis, the New Zealand Rural GP Network says.
January 12, 2021Top 10 places on Earth where gravity is broken
In these places, what goes up, doesn’t always come down. For this list, we’ll feature locales all over the globe where gravity either appears to or actually does function differently than is usual.
January 10, 2021Energy activist group critical of Todd Energy’s latest Taranaki drilling programme
A new onshore drilling program in North Taranaki that hopes to secure long-term natural gas supply for New Zealand has been criticised by energy activists.
January 8, 2021Quote of the Day
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”
– Lao Tzu
January 6, 2021Opunake Beach Carnivala
Run by the Opunake Beach Committee with fabulous support from local businesses, the carnival hosts a range of activities including the Miss Opunake, Miss Teen and Mr Muscle competitions, quick-fire raffles, craft and food stalls and the Big Dig – where children dig in the sand to find a winning popsicle stick.
January 5, 2021US town approves request from church to be for white people only
A church in Murdock, Minnesota was just granted a conditional use permit to operate a white-only church in the town.
December 28, 2020Quote of the Day
“The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.”
– Madeleine L’Engle
December 27, 2020Firefighters called to fumigant leak aboard ship at Port Taranaki
An investigation has been launched after firefighters were called to a potentially explosive chemical leak on board a ship docked at Port Taranaki.
December 23, 2020US Humane Society gets 250 guinea pigs from overwhelmed owner
A US humane society has taken in 250 guinea pigs from an inundated pet owner.
December 21, 2020Building new, a way out of competing for houses in a hot market
Taranaki’s booming property market is driving demand for new homes, but as many buyers look to build section prices are soaring too.
December 17, 2020Out-of-town buyers pushing Taranaki residents out of the market
An increasing number of out-of-town buyers are pushing up house prices in Taranaki and making it harder for the region’s residents to get into the market.
December 15, 2020TSB Festival of Lights
Located at Pukekura Park in the heart of New Plymouth, the TSB Festival of Lights is a six-week, free event made up of beautiful light features and epic events including music and daytime activities for kids and seniors.
December 13, 2020Quote of the Day
“There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.”
– Harry S Truman
December 10, 2020Another mysterious monolith appears in Pittsburgh, has yet to vanish
Yet another mysterious monolith has randomly appeared in another corner of the world, this time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
December 9, 2020Urenui still expected to be a summer hot spot despite pollution problems
A Taranaki summer spot will continue to contend with sewage problems in its river this season, but businesses say they are not expecting a dramatic loss in trade as a result.
December 8, 2020Taranaki’s 207,000-hectare horticultural potential
Taranaki is already famous for its dairy products and dominated by dairy herds, but a new report has claimed nearly one third of the region’s land could be used to grow fruit, vegetables and nuts.
December 3, 2020Oakura Makers Market
Come and enjoy a few hours of celebrating local makers whilst finishing that last bit of Xmas shopping!
December 1, 2020Covid-19: Playing video games during lockdowns can be good for mental health
When the pandemic put a stop to normal life, many people switched on their games consoles. Video-game internet traffic in America rose by 75 per cent within a week in March, as many states went into lockdown, according to Verizon, a telecoms firm.
November 30, 2020Potential for parking sensors to explode prompts repairs and deactivation
Fears parking sensors that could explode have led New Plymouth District Council to replace or deactivate more than 500 of its 1600 sensors.
November 27, 2020North Korean gymnast escapes to South Korea by vaulting over 3 metre border fence
A North Korean gymnast escaped to the South by swinging himself over the border barricades without triggering sensors, according to reports.
November 26, 2020Oakura Makers Market
Come and enjoy a few hours of celebrating local makers whilst finishing that last bit of Xmas shopping!
November 23, 2020Government reaches agreement to remove offshore storage vessel from Tui Oil Field
An agreement has been reached between the Government and offshore oil field operators to remove the Umuroa floating production and storage vessel from the Tui Oil Field with taxpayers picking up the tab.
November 20, 2020President of Turkmenistan unveils giant golden statue of his favourite dog
The president of Turkmenistan, one of the most reclusive countries in the world, has unveiled a giant gilded statue of his favourite dog breed in the capital Ashgabat.
November 18, 2020Quote of the Day
“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”
– Walt Disney
November 16, 2020Long established Taranaki taxi company goes into voluntary liquidation
One of Taranaki’s longest running taxi companies has gone into liquidation, but you may not notice much difference.
November 13, 2020Controversial nude sculpture celebrates ‘mother of feminism’ Mary Wollstonecraft
A sculpture celebrating Mary Wollstonecraft as the mother of feminism has attracted criticism even before it was unveiled.
November 12, 2020Egmont A&P Show 2020
The Egmont A&P Show is an annual event held on the third weekend in November one of South Taranaki’s major events.
November 10, 2020Coast to coast cycle route offers another option to visit Taranaki
Taranaki is set to become a popular destination point for off-trail cyclists completing a 1000km adventure through the North Island between the east and west coasts.
November 6, 2020Gorilla-size creature causes panic in Texas
What has five legs, moves like a sloth and is the size of a gorilla? That’s what police in Arlington, Texas, wanted to know after getting a barrage of calls about a mysterious monster in town.
November 4, 2020The Garden Market
Tick of your Christmas shopping list with an array of small local businesses, stocked and ready to shop while breathing in the garden goodness.
November 3, 2020VW opens worlds smallest car dealership
You might think that when it comes to brand new, cutting edge new car dealerships, bigger is usually seen as better. But Volkswagen Australia is going in a different direction.
October 30, 2020Taranaki Garden Festival 2020
A celebration of glorious gardens right around the Taranaki region!
October 28, 2020World’s fastest production car named after NZ’s tuatara
The world has a new fastest car. On October 10, the reptilian SSC Tuatara hypercar posted an average speed of 508.73km/h while driving on a stretch of a two-lane Highway 160 outside Las Vegas in the United States.
October 23, 2020Transport plan submitters call for free buses, frequent services, trains
Provide free buses, bring back passenger trains, and divert trucks off the main commuter routes were among submissions made to the regional council to improve public transport in Taranaki.
October 21, 2020Arts Fest South Taranaki 2020 – RESET 2020
Explore a range of exhibitions, pop-ups, events and workshops in galleries, theatres, artist studios, community halls, parks and gardens.
October 19, 2020Redundancies at Taranaki hotel management school as border remains closed to international students
As many as 25 employees at Taranaki’s international hotel management training school are facing redundancy because 60 per cent of its students have been unable to enter the country due to Covid-19 restrictions.
October 16, 2020These rocks glow when exposed to UV light
These Syenite rocks are rich in fluorescent Sodalite. Michigan is the only state known to have rocks that glow under UV light.
October 14, 2020Quote of the Day
“Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.”
– Blaise Pascal
October 14, 2020Top 10 creepiest disappearance stories
Creepy is an understatement. For this list, we’ll be looking at the scariest, most disturbing stories about people who disappeared.
October 8, 2020Bike supply shortage has Taranaki retailers scrambling to fill pre-Christmas wish list
Thinking of buying a bike for the summer? You might be in luck, just don’t expect to get one in your favourite colour, or even size.
October 6, 2020Your Farm Business Future – Taranaki
Tuesday, 27 October ASB and NZ CA Limited are proud to deliver this workshop focused on succession planning and preparing the next generation into farming and farm ownership.
October 5, 2020Man spends lockdown fleeing police, stealing cars and attacking a person
While much of the country hid away during the first coronavirus lockdown, Paora Henare Hine spent it stealing cars, dangerously evading Taranaki police and attacking a person.
October 2, 2020Quote of the Day
“A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.”
– Jack Dempsey
September 30, 2020Robotic-infant crawls for science
When babies crawl, their movement across floors, especially carpeted surfaces, kicks up high levels of dirt, skin cells, bacteria, pollen, and fungal spores, a study has found.
September 28, 2020$50k study into marina option at Port Taranaki could help secure govt funding, says New Plymouth mayor
A $50,000 feasibility study into a long talked about marina at Port Taranaki could put New Plymouth in line for future Government funding for the facility, Mayor Neil Holdom says.
September 24, 2020Monkey seen ‘flossing’ after eating
Macaques possess a repertoire of extractive foraging techniques that range from complex manipulation to tool-aided behaviors, to access food items that increase their foraging efficiency substantially.
September 22, 2020Annual Giant Plant Sale
Massive sale of plants for a fundraiser for Hospital Chaplaincy in Taranaki. Succulents, bulbs, vegetable plants, flowers, greenery, potted plants of all shapes and sizes.
September 21, 2020Risky intersection forces detour on pathway linking two South Taranaki towns
A new route has to be found for a walking and cycling path linking two South Taranaki towns or it can’t be built.
September 18, 2020Taranaki Baby & Toddler Expo 2020
This expo is for anybody who is planning to get pregnant, right through to those with little children. Come and meet businesses from around the region that specialise in all things baby and toddler.
September 16, 2020