As predicted, the top seeds in the Bay of Islands Classic finished as predicted with Kane Radford the first man across, completing the 3.3km I'm Going Long swim in 37:13s, and Penny Hayes in 41:42 as the first woman home.

A successful year for the Northland College Military Academy officially ended last week with the 'walk out' at the college.

One of New Zealand's foremost exponents and teachers of weaving was recognised at Creative New Zealand's 2015 Te Waka Toi awards in Rotorua on Saturday night.

Help arrived too late for a juvenile kiwi, believed to be male, that was delivered to a Kaitaia veterinary clinic last week.

A young local angler who weighed in a record-breaking fish earlier this year was officially recognised at both domestic and national levels at the Doubtless Bay Line and Rod Fishing Club's end of year prizegiving recently.

A crucial rural fire brigade which closed down at Matauri Bay two years ago helped save a house from a rogue grass fire just days after it was reinstated.

A clean-up on 90 Mile Beach on Sunday brought hundreds of people together and succeeded well beyond organisers' expectations.

The future of scheduled flights to and from Kaitaia is looking brighter thanks to a bigger aircraft and lower fares boosting the once beleaguered service.

A mobile x-ray machine for scanning hand-baggage from cruise ship passengers was unveiled as the latest biosecurity tool of the Ministry for Primary Industries.

The Rugby League Northland Board has fired a broadside at Far North clubs planning to break away and form their own competition [League faultline splits wide open, November 12].

The conditions may have been gloomy in Okaihau on Saturday morning but the overcast sky and firm but cool tailwind made for perfect conditions for the 26th running of the ASB Kerikeri Half Marathon.

A group of mostly Northland women have strong-armed their way into the 2015 Maori Sports Awards after winning the tug-o-war at the World Indigenous Games in Brazil.

A Kaitaia man's mates have helped him fulfil his goal of completing the Kerikeri Half Marathon, eight months after his death at the age of 30.

A Northland family lost almost everything they owned in a major fire while they were at a tangi for a man who died in a crash just two days earlier.

A talented Kaitaia rugby and league player has become the latest export from the Far North to play in Australia after being signed by the Canterbury Bulldogs Under-20 development squad earlier this month.

The 2015 Christmas Pairs tournament held at Takahue Hall last Sunday proved as popular as ever in attracting 36 teams representing Whangarei, Bay of Islands, Northern Wairoa and Far North indoor bowling clubs.

In his letter to this paper (November 17) Geoff Parker points out some very scary facts of goings-on behind closed doors about New Zealand's future.

Lake Ngatu, inland from Waipapakauri Ramp, is widely regarded as one of the Far North's environmental jewels, but two local conservationists have warned that it is in big trouble.

Northland regional councillor Dover Samuels has warned that Northland is facing "crunch time" with the threatened demise of Kaitaia's daily commercial air service.

Totalspan Far North (Kaitaia) owner operators Yvonne and Andrew Eason have quite a reputation amongst the 29 franchises around the country.

Who ate all the pies might well become of interest in the fullness of time, but for the moment the police in Kaitaia want to know who stole them. And icecream, cakes, softdrinks and the cash register from The Bakerman in Awanui on Monday night.

Forty athletes between the ages of seven and 21 contested 10 different codes at the inaugural Northland Junior Disability Sports Day in Whangarei last Thursday.