It will be some time yet before an accurate cost of the storm of July 2014 can be calculated, but last week it was being put in the millions.

Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira has fired a broadside at the government over its immediate response the storms that wrought havoc from one end of the North to the other earlier this month.

The Taipa Stock and Saloon Car Club held its annual end-of season ceremony featuring prizegiving and dinner.

SO there he was, The Offsider, heading into the eye of one of the most powerful storms he'd ever experienced.

Tai Tokerau weavers continue to stage demonstrations of traditional weaving techniques and local resources in the atrium at Kaitaia's Te Ahu.

The real issues

Diana Thomson's seventh baby couldn't wait to enter the world. In fact, he was in such a hurry he wouldn't even let his mum get as far as the ambulance stretcher.

Pukenui Holiday Park owner Jo Kennedy was a little surprised to see a party of politicians arrive at on her doorstep on Tuesday.

For Okaihau mum Karen Edwards, the call for tougher penalties for those who breach protection orders has come too late.

Cometh the hour...

Real heroes

Northland's post-storm mop-up was making good progress yesterday, at least in terms of infrastructure, including roading, water and power, with a continuing emphasis on meeting the welfare needs of those worst affected.

Kaitaia woman Ivy Cramond lost her home and everything she owned on Tuesday afternoon, as the gale-force winds and driving rain that would last four days battered Kaitaia.

New Zealand's Pure South Sharp Blacks have won the Tri-Nations Butchers' Challenge against teams representing Australia and Great Britain, in Yorkshire, for the second year in a row.

Northlanders, especially those in flood-struck areas like Moerewa, continued to show remarkable resilience as the region worked to return to normality in the wake of last week's storm.

Organisers of the recently held Northland secondary school teams chess championships are planning to capitalise on the success of the event.

Football news

Cooper's Beach 'cake artist' Jessica Atkins already has a well-earned local reputation, but now her fame is spreading.

Houhora lost one of its links with the past on Tuesday afternoon when the hall built by Bill Evans early last century was flattened.

Woman spared major injury as tree hits house

Reader Tony Over sent in this video showing how windy conditions were yesterday.

Images sent in from The Northland Age readers of the storm that hit the Far North area on Tuesday July 8, 2014

There has been "widespread damage" across Northland overnight, with flooding, power outages, and wind damage caused by a storm which is still raging.

Football

Momentum is starting to build for the fundraising campaign to help Brooke Ah Sam get to California at the end of this month and compete at an international crossfit event.

Marine mammal expert has raised concerns that whales and dolphins may be endangered by sonar and seismic exploration for deep sea oil in Statoil's permit zone off Northland.

All together now

The royal treatment

The Houhora Riding Settlers' and Ratepayers' Association has launched another bid to spare Houhora Harbour from continued over-exploitation.