Anzac Day had personal significance for many of the hundreds of people who attended the dawn service in Kaitaia and the civic commemoration later in the morning.

A 47-year-old man was remanded on bail when he appeared in court today charged with wounding and using a firearm, both with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The annual Doubtless Bay Mixed Fours Tournament which ran at Cooper's Beach over three days earlier this month attracted 24 teams with players from as far away as Bulls.

The Doubtless Bay Croquet Club hosted 32 young students from Herekino in the west to Oruaiti in the east, in an intermediate aged tournament last Thursday, with local commentator Peter Hartnall describing the turnout as a joy to see.

I add my name to those who are astounded at the intent of the Far North District Council to put a fence along the Mangonui boardwalk.

A scholarship established in memory of a young Far North man who was killed while cycling to fire brigade training has been awarded to two teenagers who are keen to make a mark in the world of boxing.

Kaikohe couple Garry and Cynthia Moran say they have seen first-hand the human carnage created by vicious dog attacks in their street, Harold Ave, and are once again calling for tougher action on wandering dogs and their owners.

Cassidy Foster has a soft spot for the SPCA, so when she set out to earn some points towards a 'duties and services' honour at Kaitaia Intermediate School the beneficiary of her efforts was never in question.

Northland Coroner Brandt Shortland has described the death, "probably" by drowning, of Roydon Rangituatea Tapu at Cable Bay on January 8, as a real tragedy for his partner, his son and whanau.

The Far North lost a remarkable man when Thomas Richard (Tom) Young passed away suddenly at his home at Cooper's Beach early on Easter Sunday.

ANYONE who ever heard or read the late lamented Celia Lashlie probably has a reasonable idea of what she would think about the new workplace safety rules, at least as they apply to children.

You're a prick. For six months you've owned us. You've smashed us as one bad piece of medical diagnosis was delivered after the other.

Dr Richard Sullivan didn't share Deanna Trevarthen's hope that Keytruda would help her win her battle against malignant pleural mesothelioma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer. Now they're not so sure.

An old soldier has joined the chorus of voices calling for tighter dog control laws after he and his best mate, eight-year-old terrier/chihuahua cross Sandy, were mauled by a dog in Kaikohe on Saturday.

The Doubtless Bay Croquet Club reported The Little Kitchen Tournament last Friday was well supported where, in ideal conditions, some of the most talented players in the province were in action showing off their skills with some long range croquet strokes

A 35-year-old man been charged with attempted murder in relation to an alleged shooting in Kaitaia in February.

Since the boardwalk was put in place there have been five Mangonui festivals, with thousands of people using the boardwalk, many of them partly inebriated, yet nobody has needed a fence to save them.

Far Northerners frequently head for the tropics as winter sets in, and Kaitaia man Joe Carter has a plea for those who might be thinking of Fiji.

It's no longer a question of whether or not a safety rail will be added to Mangonui's Neva Clarke McKenna boardwalk but when, and what it will look like.

A Tribesman gang member wanted in connection with the disappearance of Far North man Kimble Taipo Moore has been arrested.

Far North surfers in Ahipara were reportedly relieved to find Surf2Surf had discontinued the controversial live stream of conditions at their local break last week.

HOW comforting it is to know that crime rates have fallen in this country to levels not seen for decades. And they will no doubt continue to fall.

Up to 300 Far North beehives are believed to have been poisoned as soaring numbers of beekeepers chasing "liquid gold" - manuka honey - ratchet up tensions in the industry.

Ahipara School principal Jackie Osborne has paid tribute to her former colleague and predecessor, Shaun Stevenson following his sudden death in Auckland.

A Kaitaia teenager who has breached bail 16 times was granted bail again, with a final final warning, in the Kaitaia District Court last week, albeit with a plea from Judge Greg Davis for the police to arrest him should he breach again.

Twenty-five students were recognised for academic and sporting excellence at Okaihau College's first Celebration of Excellence assembly for the year last week.

The Kaitaia-based Nga Papahu Swim Club gave the major plaudits for having four of its swimmers qualify for a major swimming meet to inspirational coach Jim Larkin.