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Rumbles hold no terror for perky soccer stalwart

Louise Risk talks to a loyal Cantabrian, forced to relocate last year after his rest home was damaged.

WRC hearings begin

Waikato Regional Council has kicked off a public hearing on its key policy document, the regional policy statement.

Legal aid funding changes drive lawyers away

Legal aid charges are expected to reduce access to quality legal advice.

Job fears take toll on public servants

Concerns among Waikato civil servants are growing after a suggestion by Prime Minister John Key that frontline staff could be replaced by technology.

Rahui placed on unforgiving river

A six-week rahui was placed on the Waikato River last night

The rahui (temporary closure) was placed to prevent people from swimming in the stretch of water that claimed the life of Huntly student Zharian Watkins.

Attacker avoids jail

A Hamilton man who punched a 70-year-old in the head more than 20 times has narrowly avoided prison.

Cash stolen from ATMs

An ATM machine was ripped out of a wall, while another was "jemmied" and sizeable amounts of cash stolen in two separate burglaries in Waihi last week.

Tertiary imports among biggest exports

Sector worth a $1b annually

LOUISE RISK - © Fairfax NZ News

The tertiary education sector contributes more than a billion dollars to the Waikato economy annually, and international students represent a growing market potential.

East-West fusion dish aiming to woo judges

Grant Cowie is limbering up for a culinary pressure test to find Waikato's best home cook.

Corrections official admits accepting bribes

A former Tokoroa Corrections Department official has admitted accepting bribes in return for wiping out offenders' community work hours.

Wendy's coming to Hamilton

Fast food chains have Hamilton wallets in their sights with Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers hoping to open its first restaurant in the city in July.

Family loses 'nature's gentleman'

LOST: Grahamm Wells who died when his scooter crashed the day before Valentine Day.

Bad weather is believed to be the cause of motorcycle smash that killed a man days before marriage milestone.

Riled residents arm themselves against crime

An attack on an elderly woman has the Thames community ready to fight back.

Dumped Morgan court-bound

Controversial Tainui leader Tukoroirangi Morgan has gone to court in a bid to get back on the tribe's executive committee after he was dumped at the weekend.

Fonterra says recalls not related

Fonterra Brands says two voluntary recalls of its products in the space of five months because of metal contamination are not related in any way.

Lilo journey nears end

The journey of the man who has floated the length of the Waikato River on a $4.95 lilo will end tomorrow when he arrives at Port Waikato.

Big catch at Kawhia

A fisherman spent seven hours hauling in a big eye tuna during the15th Kawhia One Base Tournament.

Ultrafast broadband in Hamilton from July

Ultrafast Fibre's new network will be within reach of 4,450 Hamilton homes come July 1.

Family moved north to find a shake-free haven

Christchurch resident moved to make a new life

Merv Arnesen's eyes well up as he looks at a photo of his old business in Christchurch.

Rates hearing resumes

Waikato District Council's rating review hearing is due to resume today at 1pm.

Man flees after punching elderly woman

Thames police are hunting a man who punched an elderly woman as she closed her back door on Sunday night.

River returns Zharian to grieving family

Family and friends of Zharian Watkins held a vigil on the bank of the Waikato River last night after his body was pulled from the water.

Mum cops $200 fine for truant daughter

HARD TIME: Tui Edmonds said she often preferred to keep her rebellious daughter at home rather than send her to school.

A Hamilton mum has been fined $200 after failing to send her child to school - for four years.

Passenger tells of 'awful' flu scare ordeal at airport

A Te Kuiti teacher described passengers "freaking out" on a flight after it was grounded and put into isolation.

Contamination of subdivision raised before residents notified

Concerns about possible soil contamination in a Thames subdivision were raised in a Ministry for the Environment report five years before residents were warned.

Complications no barrier to romance

Message of love simple

LOUISE RISK AND CHRIS GARDNER - © Fairfax NZ News

There will be no breakfast in bed this morning, nor romantic candle-lit dinner tonight for the Hamilton winner of a Valentine's Day billboard competition.

Rabbit to run riot in garden theatre

The annual Waikato Times Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival kicks off on Friday

A naughty little rabbit with eating on his mind will enchant children and adults alike as he hops around in the Hamilton Gardens this weekend.

Body found in river

The body of a 13-year-old Huntly boy who went missing after he jumped into the Waikato River has been found, police say.

'Neighbour of the year' sought

The Waikato Times is looking for the Waikato's neighbour of the year.

Council charges for property info

Waikato District Council has introduced a $34 fee for people wanting to view property files at its Tuakau office.

Man dies in scooter crash

A Waihou man is dead after crashing his scooter into a fence near Te Aroha this afternoon.

Frankton school brings in zones

Frankton Primary School has implemented a zoning policy.

Pageantry comes to Paeroa

A lingering "Scottish mist" greeted pipers

The solo piping event marked the start of a day-long programme which concluded with an evening tattoo.

Club thrilled with second bumper crowd of the season

A bumper crowd turned up for International Day, with numbers surpassing expectations for a Te Rapa meeting considered more an attraction for racing purists.

Tainui leader ousted from board

Controversial Tainui leader Tukoroirangi Morgan has failed to get back on the tribe’s new executive board.

Sex, drugs, violence - and that's the teachers

Hundreds of educators have criminal convictions and many are not fit to teach, new figures show.

Logging truck crash closes SH2

Delays are expected for most of the morning on State Highway Two in the western Bay of Plenty after a fully-laden logging truck crashed.

Fraudster fails in bid to appeal conviction

Ken Ross has failed in his latest bid to overturn his fraud conviction.

Two patients left paralysed after medical mishaps

Two people who ended up as paraplegics after medical treatment have received more than $200,000 each in compensation.

Childfree Kiwis often cruelly judged - researcher

CHILDFREE: Former Waikato University masters student Theresa Riley.

Just because a woman has a womb, doesn't mean she should have to use it, says researcher Theresa Riley.

Search scaled down for Huntly boy

ANXIOUS WAIT: Zharian Watkins' family keeps a vigil on the banks of the Waikato River. From left are Vanessa Patea-Watkins, Arkayhne Buxton, John Watkins and Tyrone Watkins.

A Huntly woman, who is about to give birth, remains positive about finding her son who disappeared after jumping in the Waikato River on Friday.

Niwa asks boaties to look out for 'praying mantis of sea'

CREEPY CREATURE: The skeleton shrimp, aka, the spiny red Caprellid amphipod, may already be in Waikato waters.

Alien skeleton shrimps may have already invaded Waikato's coast.

Family's new life eases sorrow

Quake anniversary to be marked in Waikato

A year ago Christchurch mother-of-one Karen Mullaly would never have contemplated shifting away from the Garden City.

Man critically injured in Hauraki crash

A man has been critically injured in a crash on State Highway 2 in Hauraki district tonight.

Drugs in mum's handbag

The mother of the Fairfield College student who took party pills to school and gave them to her friends was admonished for poor parenting decisions in Hamilton District Court yesterday.