Latest from New Plymouth

Taupō businessman to face trial on rape, bribery charges
The man is one of three accused of trying to bribe the complainant.

First XV wrap: Scoreboard drama as Sacred Heart clinch last-gasp victory
Palmerston North edged Hamilton 21-19, their first win since 2011.

Wellington leads in income, South Island shines in low unemployment
Wellington now ranks high in housing affordability due to falling prices.

New self-service petrol station targets Whangārei's high prices
The Porowini Ave U-GO opening Tuesday will be the first outside of Auckland.

Ryan Bridge: NZ is littered with well-intentioned actions that ended in a balls-up
OPINION: New Plymouth's $3.8m cycleway features blocks dubbed 'Tim Tams' by locals.

Road cone hotline receives 236 reports in four days, Auckland gets the most
WorkSafe dealt with a flurry of reports on the first day before numbers plateaued.

Q&A: Ockham award-winner on her hometown, social media and making dreams happen
Rotorua-raised Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku won the Non-Fiction Award for her memoir, Hine Toa.

'It's all made up': Man in BDSM relationship shuts down rape claims
A judge said the couple’s relationship could be considered 'outside the norm or even odd'.

School's shearing and woolhandling contest a hit
The school held its own version of the iconic Golden Shears championships.

Opinion: Scots College rugby default raises serious concerns
OPINION: St Peter's Cambridge seek first Central North Island title since 2020.

Warm, wet weather to hit NZ before cold snap brings freezing temps
MetService has issued heavy rain watches for parts of the South Island.

Jailed 'cold-blooded' killer still denies stabbing German hitchhiker 20 years ago
Michael Scott Wallace is now eligible for parole after murdering Birgit Brauer in 2005.

'Get out of my house and out of my life': Landlord to tenant after bad haircut
A bad haircut sparked violence and furious text messages, landing a landlord in court.

New retailer The Outlet set to open next week
The Outlet opens on June 3 online and in store, offering off-price retail.

School farm course sees 120 students flock to agriculture
The farm has 30 sheep and includes a two-stand shearing shed.

Genetic condition meant she was not meant to live past two, now Milly Marshall-Kirkwood eyes Paralympics
Milly Marshall-Kirkwood has already broken many records and has her eye on LA 2028.

St Kentigern edge Grammar; Nelson fall; Lindisfarne strike form
St Kentigern have continued their winning start to the season.

Neighbour beaten 'black and blue' at wake over property dispute
The men were drinking together, mourning the loss of their neighbour, when matters soured.

'Confidence boost': Velocious stakes claim for Aussie winter carnival
Velocious has six wins from 12 starts, earning $980,550 in stakes.

'Deep sadness': Dai Henwood cancels shows amid ongoing cancer battle
The 'gutted' comedian says he 'thought things were going to be okay'.

'Please God, not my son': Family's pain remains as killer confesses 20 years on
Michael Slade died in a house bus fire that police thought was accidental.