Funk and blues band AhJeez, made up of four Tauranga Boys' College students, show off some of their skills which landed them in the top 8 of this year's Smokefreerockquest.

A Tauranga band made up of four boys from Tauranga Boys' College and Bethlehem College have played their way to the top, beating out 700 other contestants to make the top eight in this year's Smokefreerockquest. Check out one of their original songs.

Coolstores managing director Allan Dawson said the loss of the five men, whose car collided with a logging truck, had a devastating impact on a huge number of people.

Local woman Aneta Mitai spotted a pod of orcas off Papamoa Beach on Tuesday. She said they appeared to be swimming up and down the coast. A baby orca was stranded 20 days ago and was now temporarily recovering in a land-based pool.

Michael Collins' puppy Kyza happily greets postie Steve Hennum.

A man, believed to be in his 60s, was found after a four-wheel drive vehicle had rolled on the Welcome Bay property.

Variety: The Children's Charity has donated iPads and Chromebooks to Greerton Village School, Arataki School, Gate Pa School, Te Wharekura o Mauao and Merivale School.

De Visu, a group of 10 dancers aged 13 to 18 from Tauranga, Whakatane and Kawerau, is one of three dance crews from New Zealand that has qualified for the World Hip Hop Dance Championship.

A video of 9-month-old german shepherd pup Kyza greeting his postie buddy Steve Hennum has gone viral, with more than half a million views.

2 August 2016. Dylan Cossey and Dylan Guitink competed on The Block NZ in 2016. Video / George Novak

Carol Gordon speaks about the silver economy

Gary Robertson took his 1972 gold medal to Kaimai School for the pupils to check out.

Secondary school students and age-grade sport could be tested for drugs, according to a parliamentary document concerned about drugs used in amateur sports, with Tauranga principals questioning the possible move.

Following his instincts led a former Tauranga senior constable to risk his life for a young man who had plunged into icy waters after a car crash on the Maungatapu Causeway Bridge, and he will receive a New Zealand Bravery Medal for his actions.

On Saturday more than 100 sailors marched down The Strand in a ceremonial parade to show the HMNZS Te Mana's special bond with the city.

Strong winds have pummelled the Bay of Plenty today, contributing to the felling of at least one tree that blocked the road at Maungatapu.

The HMNZS Te Mana has returned to its adopted home port Tauranga to re-establish and strengthen its ties to the city.

Rescue teams last night searched through 40km of tunnels looking for a missing miner, whose body was later found.

Bay of Plenty locals fear someone will die at Omanawa Falls after three young New Zealand men spent the night lost and cold in the bush before turning up on a neighbour's door step in the morning.

A couple hundred people came to check out the first of three open days to be held throughout the wider Tauranga on the $520 million roading project between Tauranga and Waihi. New Zealand Transport Agency staff were at there to answer questions and receive feedback on the major project.

The $20 million dollar Papamoa Plaza re-development is ahead of schedule with a new food court due to open in October - centre manager David Hill tells us more.

Labour's Deputy Leader and Health Spokesperson Annette King talked to a roomful of local residents in Tauranga yesterday about her and her party's growing concerns about the lack of access to primary health services.

Gold Star Bakery in Bethlehem and 2nd Ave have been crowned the supreme winner of this year's Bakels Supreme Pie Awards for a bacon and egg entry. What do our reports/taste-testers think?

Claire Turnham, founder of Only With Love Foundation, talks about how powerful family-led home funerals can be in easing the grieving process.

Potential Tauranga mayoral candidate Larry Baldock says 500 submissions on the proposed redevelopment of Tauranga's civic heart is not enough when compared to the city's population.

Tauranga family firm Mossop's Honey have had 113 hives stolen in two separate raids. Duane Mossop explains the impact the thefts have and what they're doing to fight back.