Simon Bridges National Party MP simonbridges.co.nz As we start 2021 I am hoping for an exciting year. Our local business people and community volunteers will be gearing up and so too must our Labour Government. Prime Minister...... Read More

Daniel Hutchinson From The Hutch This week we are going to talk about loss. It’s a tricky subject but someone has to tackle it. Not so long ago, our family cat died. In his early years Thomas would fight every feline adversary...... Read More

Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz With the second half of the local club cricket season kicking-off last weekend, Sideline Sid's thoughts wandered to up-coming club rugby season in March. While...... Read More

Weather Eye with John Maunder Temperatures have been recorded in the Tauranga area at several sites during the last 100 years, including the current Tauranga Airport site from June 1990. The average afternoon temperature in December...... Read More

  Beer with me Matt Martin Either way, the path is hazy and at times difficult to find - mainly because this beer has been so popular it's often sold out. Originally brewed for the Burger Wellington festival in September...... Read More

Daniel Hutchinson From The Hutch Personally I like a relaxing, low-key summer break. If I can avoid becoming a news story for a bored and embittered journalist who has to work while others play, then it’s a success. However,...... Read More

  Winston Watusi Music Plus So we're now over a week into 2021. Hmmm... There was a vague sense that once we farewelled that savage Year Of Our Lord 2020 things would change. Unsurprisingly, that hasn't happened. It's...... Read More

Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz Cricket has had Sideline Sid's attention, left, right and centre, since the Boxing Day Test kicked-off at the Bay Oval. 'Build it and they will come'...... Read More

Jan Tinetti Labour MP This summer will be our first under COVID conditions. In the past year New Zealand has significantly lifted its ability to respond to COVID. But we know the pandemic is raging overseas and this is a tricky...... Read More

Weather Eye with John Maunder The graph below shows the range of Tauranga's December rainfalls, from an extreme high of 447 mm in 1962 to a low of only 4 mm in 1930. The second wettest December was 2018, when 278 mm was recorded The...... Read More

Winston Watusi Music Plus This is the last column of the year and it comes with traditions. There's a cocktail recipe coming up, and I'd like to offer a big swoop of the Bogie Fedora to the finalists of this year's...... Read More

Daniel Hutchinson From The Hutch It’s that time of the year when we pick the lint out of our belly buttons and gaze at our navels. But not us – this year our piercing gaze is firmly fixed on the font. In recent months...... Read More

Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz Desmond Joseph Ferrow passed away in early December 2020, aged 87 years of age, after a life well lived. While Des Ferrow was a very well known Western Bay of...... Read More

Weather Eye with John Maunder In the bleak mid-winter, Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone, Snow had fallen, Snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter, Long ago. These words, from...... Read More

Angie Warren-Clark Labour MP 2020 has been an epic year and one which will forever be recorded in history as both memorable and momentous for a number of reasons stemming from the covid-19 global pandemic. We learned so much in...... Read More

Winston Watusi Music Plus We're taking next week off, so this'll be the last column before Christmas. Traditionally for this one I try to include a bunch of recommendations for Christmas presents, involving local music. That's...... Read More

Daniel Hutchinson From The Hutch Meri Kirihimete fine folk of  the Bay of Plenty from all of us here at Sun Media. Christmas has come early to you in The Weekend Sun. Next Friday, our feet will be up and Santa will not be...... Read More

Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz Sideline Sid had a small grin on his dial after reading reports that Olympic-bound Kiwi heavyweight boxer David Nyika is scheduled to have a professional fight on...... Read More

Beer with me Matt Martin Sawmill Brewery, the best thing to come out of Matakana since...I have no idea. So I googled Matakana. There is a cool farmers' market and some sculptures of giant pink snails and elephants made...... Read More