Write Space Literary news, views and reviews http://taurangawriters.org.nz When We Were Small And Christmas Trees Were Tall Christmas time brings a host of childhood memories which linger in drifts, pure and soft like cotton wool. In the middle... Read More

News Hound Ady & Flo Hit and run on the Santa hat: While everyone at No. 1 The Strand was in a festive mood of giving, Flo was in for the take. Spotting Ady wearing the Santa hat, minus the fluffy ball on the end, Flo eyes up; moves in for the... Read More

Claire Rogers All about wine www.sunlive.co.nz If you are looking for good Champagne for Christmas at an excellent price (only $59 a bottle), then make sure you get to Liquorland and pick up a bottle of Piper Champagne. You'll find Liquorland at... Read More

Paula Thompson BOP Regional Councillor www.envbop.govt.nz As 2011 draws to a close, we can reflect on a year of catastrophic events. While many of us will be ‘winding down' and getting set to enjoy summer ‘down time' with family and... Read More

Cr Bill Faulkner Faulkners Corner www.sunlive.co.nz Council had a secret meeting last week. Elected members didn't plan it that way, but that's how it turned out. A joint meeting of TCC, Western BOP District Council and the BOP Regional Council... Read More

Brian Anderson The Western Front www.sunlive.co.nz Merry Christmas everybody and a Happy New Year. This column lately hasn't been an ideal platform for adding the word merry to Christmas, but three items of news this week are probably our best... Read More

Jane Nees BOP Regional Councillor www.janenees.co.nz Dear Santa, This year's been a hard one, but we've tried to be good. We were given the Rena and we've done what we could. Progress was made on lakes, harbours and streams, but floods damaged... Read More

Andrew von Dadelszen Former Regional Councillor Local Government politics has played second fiddle to Central Government politics in recent times. Political junkies like me have remained glued to the media - awaiting decisions outside my control.... Read More

John Cronin BOP Regional Council Chairman www.envbop.govt.nz It has been a very demanding year. The Global Financial Crisis is having an impact on the world stage and we in New Zealand cannot escape the effects of it. And on the local scene,... Read More

Ian McLean Green candidate for Tauranga Climate change talks are going the way of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The IWC started out in 1946 as a short meeting of a few countries who got together to regulate the mining (=hunting) of... Read More

Daz Switalla Flavour SecretsNo.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz Let's face it, the whole world economy is in a nose dive and for many, this will be a lean Christmas. The green economy, however, is one thing that continues with some growth... Read More

Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz The past couple of weeks have brought some really good news and some sad tidings. The real good news, concerns two major events that the will be hosted at the TECT Arena at Baypark. Davis... Read More