Hawke's Bay

A Hastings street and a nearby shop have been closed to the public following a fire at an old asbestos-filled railway building this morning.

Tackling Napier's water woes are top of the agenda for the city's four mayoral candidates - and all are pledging to get rid of chlorine.

Ranapera Taumata, who had been charged with assaulting the Hastings woman, has now been charged with her murder.

David Hannay, who has for decades been trying to get a seat on the council, will not be taking part in a major debate this week because he is facing open heart surgery.

Rescue teams are scouring the Makorori Coast, north of Gisborne, after a man has gone missing in the water.

A Napier man's wedding ring has taken a miraculous 2000km return journey thanks to an eagle-eyed Dunedinite and a bit of plain old luck.

Wellington-based lawyer Peter Chemis has been appointed to conduct a review of Napier City Councillors' concerns about staff monitoring of their Facebook pages.

Questions are being asked about why it has taken more than a year for Hastings District Council to get advice on a lake identified as a "potential risk" to an aquifer that supplies thousands of…

Councillors say they are open to a settlement, after the group that called for a review of the $41 million Napier pool upgrade pulled their offer yesterday.

Part of a Hawke's Bay river could gain a status similar to a national park if a special tribunal's recommendation is followed.

The Mongrel Mob member behind an armed stand off with police in Napier had to be dragged from the dock by five security guards after being sentenced.

A Hawke's Bay wine producer wants a pro-genetically modified organism speaker to be banned from a national conference this week.

Four "renegade" Napier councillors who oppose a new pool complex had their Facebook pages monitored by senior council staff looking for code of conduct breaches.

Police are appealing for the public's help after an elderly man was pulled from his car and assaulted in Hastings.

A Napier couple's plans for their newly-purchased lifestyle block are in tatters after learning, just days before taking ownership, a large shopping complex could be built directly opposite them.

A company has been fined more than $200,000 after a worker had their hand trapped in a sausage casing machine for more than 20 minutes.

A councillor is ramping up a fight against a bottle store in Flaxmere by taking it to the High Court. Audio

A Hawke's Bay gang is using the ancient Māori tradition of massage and healing to help recover from a spate of suicides and prevent further deaths.

Ongoing problems with rubbish dumping, vandalism, stock theft and burnt-out cars have prompted Hawke's Bay Regional Council to close a popular river access point to vehicles.

The Hawke's Bay apple industry says investing tens of millions of dollars in housing for staff will also help the hundreds of people in the region needing emergency accommodation.