Bay of Plenty’s unemployment landscape is shifting as businesses grapple with rising operational costs and economic uncertainty, according to Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen. While employment numbers grew by 9,200 year-on-year to reach 185,000, the region’s labor market is struggling to absorb an increasing number of job seekers. Economists and local business leaders attribute this … Read more
For many shoppers navigating the current cost-of-living crisis, online marketplaces have become a go-to destination for affordable goods. However, one family’s recent purchase of educational flashcards from Temu resulted in an unexpected lesson that had little to do with standard curriculum. Loren Cudd, who purchased the flashcards to help her three-year-old son, Izayah, learn about … Read more
Hawke’s Bay’s Pregnancy Help: Five Years of Community-Driven Support and a Vision for the Future A remarkable milestone has been reached in Hawke’s Bay, Recent Zealand, as Pregnancy Help Hastings & Napier celebrates five years of dedicated service to expectant mothers and families. What began as a humble initiative in a midwife’s laundry room has … Read more
Urgent action is needed to protect dotterel populations, with advocates calling for increased responsibility from cat owners and potential bylaws regulating pet ownership. The call comes as conservationists report declining breeding pairs and a risk of local extinction for the birds. Dotterel Decline and Predation A spokesperson, Barker, stated that “Whatever it takes is what … Read more
The Shrinking Sunday Roast: How Rising Meat Prices Are Reshaping Kiwi Dinner Tables For generations, the Sunday roast has been a cornerstone of Kiwi family life. But a quiet revolution is underway in kitchens across New Zealand, driven by a simple, stark reality: meat is becoming increasingly unaffordable. From families scaling back portion sizes to … Read more
The Long Haul: How a Changing Landscape is Shaping the Future of Trucking and Beyond Terry Hobart’s story, a life spent behind the wheel traversing the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Auckland, isn’t just a personal reflection – it’s a microcosm of a profession undergoing seismic shifts. His eventual departure, prompted by a life-altering crash … Read more
Hastings, New Zealand, is preparing for its New Year’s Eve celebrations, featuring a blend of established traditions and new entertainment. The festivities will culminate in a countdown to midnight, marked by Mayor Richard McGrath’s first ringing of the Veronica Bell to usher in 2026, and a second fireworks display. Musical Lineup and Fireworks This year’s … Read more
The Sunset of Timeshares: What’s Next for Holiday Ownership? For decades, timeshares promised the perfect annual getaway – a slice of paradise guaranteed, year after year. But a recent wave of legal challenges, coupled with shifting holiday preferences, is casting a long shadow over the industry. From winding up resorts like Bishop Selwyn in Paihia, … Read more
Padel’s Rapid Rise: From Boutique Sport to Mainstream Fitness Craze Pāpāmoa, New Zealand, is witnessing a microcosm of a global trend: the explosive growth of padel. More than just a tennis-adjacent sport, padel is rapidly gaining traction as a social, accessible, and surprisingly addictive activity. The story of Tony and Rachel Sweetman’s Padel Club NZ, … Read more
Beyond the Ballpark: Future Trends Shaping the MLB Fan Experience The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, the smell of hotdogs – these are the timeless elements of a baseball game. But the landscape of the MLB is constantly evolving. From how we consume the game to the very stadiums themselves, the … Read more