Members of the Muslim community are unhappy about a planned service to mark one year since the Christchurch terror attack.

But the anniversary event is set to go ahead with their reluctant blessing.

The release of 25 critically endangered yellow-eyed penguin chicks this week marked a special occasion for Penguin Rescue.

The organisation has cared for two penguin colonies at Moeraki, where 38 nests have produced 49 living chicks.

More than 100 ultra athletes crossed the finish line of the fourth of seven stages in the Alps 2 Ocean Ultra marathon on Thursday.

Being held for the last ever time, the event takes runners from Mount Cook to the sea coast at Oamaru.

Visual Impairment Charitable Trust Aotearoa, or VICTA, is running a series of workshops following recent, and ongoing, changes to Dunedin's traffic system.

Author Lynley Hood is a spokesperson for people with visual impairments, and says being without a car can be a shock for some people.

The first of three new recycling hubs in Dunedin was officially opened this morning.

The $80,000 hub has been installed in Moray Place and its official unveiling was marked with a ribbon pulling ceremony.

A scheme to cut back on wasted food in cafes was launched in Dunedin this week.

The new approach uses a mobile app which connects the public to food retailers and eateries with discounted surplus food.

Plenty of people across the South are dreaming of winning big tonight with Lotto's $42 million Powerball set to be drawn in a few hours.

Business has been brisk for one of Otago's luckiest Lotto outlets, with some customers hoping the store's past success will increase their chances.

After losing against the Crusaders last week, the Highlanders rugby team are hoping to apply lessons learned when they face the Melbourne Rebels on Friday night.

The match will be the first since the start of the University year and players are hoping for some extra motivation from a crowd of cheering students.

A well-travelled ladies hand warmer from the 19th century, which is now on display in the Otago Museum, has been visited by a descendant of the original owner

Canadian donor Laurie Hardy travelled to Dunedin to see the rare 19th century emperor penguin skin muff, which had earlier made 'the long journey home' back to Dunedin from North America.

The site of the Dunedin hospital build was blessed on Tuesday afternoon, ahead of the demolition phase which is set to begin this week.

Health Minister David Clark says the Government is living up to its promise to begin the earth-working phase by September's general election.

The Dunedin City Council voted unanimously for proposed changes to the bylaws governing footpath use to go to public consultation.

A report from staff on changes to the Mobile Trading bylaw was presented to councillors on Monday afternoon's council meeting.

The colour, the sights, and - above all else - the sounds, made Bland Park anything BUT, during the Waitati Music Festival on Saturday.

More than 1,000 people made the most of 12 hours of nonstop music across three stages -- in a genre-bending line-up, that included everything from poetry and folk, to dance music, punk rock and reggae.

Memorial Park in Mosgiel was the place to be on Sunday with the annual Party in The Park entertaining a crowd of hundreds.

Organisers say, after their experiment to hold the event at a nearby sports field, they're happy to have returned to their original location.

A Italian tourist whose van broke down near Tapanui has now got a farming job and become part of the local community.

Alberto Candido found himself on an unexpected adventure, helping out with the community’s response when flood hit two weeks ago.

One of Dunedin's major furniture stores says the Covid-19 virus is delaying its orders from China.

My Mate John’s Furniture Warehouse imports most of its stock from China, and the company's director says they're already experiencing delays.