Kaitaia Rotary Club president Charmaine Foster didn't need to do a great deal of research before she presented a Paul Harris Fellowship to Raewyn Jackson last week.

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Rangiawhia, at Whatuwhiwhi, entered the Maranga Mai e te Iwi primary/intermediate school kapa haka regional competition for the first time this year.

The fluctuating fortunes of basketball in the Far North over the past few years have been well documented.

Four primary schools descended upon Arnold Rae Park in Kaitaia last Wednesday to take part in the final week of the Kaitaia Mini/ Mod After-School competition.

Today's (December 9) editorial is an excellent analysis to a sad aspect of our current societal behaviour, to which I have a cynical response.

A number of Far North organisations were honoured for their contribution to social well-being in Te Hiku at the presentation of the inaugural Social Innovation Awards in Whangarei recently.

Tony Makiha and his family would love to do something with the old Hokianga County road on Waima Hill. It gave way to SH12 long ago, but still offers some glorious views of the river far below.

An Army sergeant has been convicted of failing to comply with written orders, following the September 2012 death of 29-year-old Rifleman Private Michael Ross.

The fire that gutted a home in Matilda Place, Kaitaia last week added to a year that at times has stretched the Kaitaia Fire Brigade to its limits.

I am not normally one to respond to letters to the editor that throw bricks at people without having the courage of their convictions to publish their name.

KAITAIA librarian John Haines wrote in this newspaper last week about learning from our elders.

"We'll try it for two years," Dave Panckhurst was heard to say as he arrived at Cooper's Beach in 1992, but he brought with him his lifelong commitment to the environment..."

Many of those who turned out at Te Kohanga (Shipwreck Bay) for Saturday's StopStatoil protest/festival would have been there for the music..

The gutting of a house in Matilda Place Kaitaia on Thursday afternoon prompted another reminder from the town's senior firefighter that children and matches do not mix.

Authorities have erected a sign at Waiharara's Lake Waiparera, warning that potentially toxic cyanobacteria in the water may be harmful to people and animals who come into contact with it.

The first goal for the recently established Sport Muriwhenua, a group made up of local multisport enthusiasts, was to ensure Far North representation at the Iron Maori in Napier.

Overcast skies, drizzly showers and even a very uneven and bumpy green could not spoil a great day of croquet at the Bay Audio Handicapped Singles tournament held in Kaitaia.

Christmas bonus! A $100 reward is now offered for information leading to the conviction of the thieves who smashed the back window of van and stole my stuff?

Police in the Far North are keen to hear from anyone who can point them in the direction of a cannabis crop, and are encouraging people, particularly in rural areas, to keep their eyes peeled.

Fire restrictions will come into force across the Far North at noon on Monday, as the district dries out and the risk of wildfires continues to climb.

The Bowls Far North Centre national club pairs titles were sorted over a weekend in late November and a run-down of the four section winners is as follows.

The success of the Te Hiku Sports Hub Fundraising Boxing Event at the Te Ahu Centre in Kaitaia on Saturday night has made it the talk of the town.

The Far North District Council's new philosophy for dealing with rates on land in multiple Maori ownership is ironing out the district's $28 million accumulated unpaid rates debt.

Who's confused?

The Far North District Council's plan to gauge the entire community's attitude towards the addition of Maori-only seats to the council table is a valid one.

Burying ebola victims in West Africa would, for most people, be as far from a dream job as possible. But not for Houhora's resident police officer, Senior Constable Tracee Knowler.

The time for giving has arrived once again, and the Northland Age invites readers to think of others as the Christmas season begins.

Of all the challenges facing Far North oyster farmers, it is thieves who are driving them to distraction.

The Far North RSA completed its domestic championships titles earlier this month.

The latest report from the Doubtless Bay Croquet Club noted the weather for last Thursday's business house tournament was a marked improvement on that experienced the previous week.