![[General view, Llangollen, Wales] (LOC)](/staticarchive/5f647a76bc38a3fe23b30fbf9810dfab31ccc191.jpg)
There's a collection of old images of Wales that give a glimpse as to what life was life in Llangollen, Denbigh and beyond 100 years ago - and, of all the places, the images turned up in the U.S, in the archives of the Library of Congress in Washington.
They've been made available to view online in a project to open up the library's archives . And this particular collection are from a series of 160 travel views of Wales taken in 1890-1900. The library has shared them via the photo sharing website, Flickr.com.
Blogging about the images, Jennifer Gavin from library, says: "The set is full of castles and waterfalls, pastoral scenes, and gorgeous color views of the Welsh landscape from more than 100 years ago."
The images are photochrom prints[coloured images of black and white photographic negatives] and, from a local point of view, among them is an image of a fisherman carrying a coracle on his back on the banks of the Dee at Llangollen with Castell Dinas Brân in distance as well as views of Denbigh Castle [top] and many other Welsh landmarks.
We've been asking for your pictures of Llangollen Canal because the 11-mile route [Chirk to Horseshoe Falls] is now an official World Heritage Site along with Pontcysyllte Aqueduct - and they have not disappointed!
We've started to look at the best way we can highlight the canal, its landmarks and the surrounding communities since the spotlight has been put on the waterway.
British Waterways' website, waterscape.com reports that a community meeting is being held on Monday to start a discussion about ways to widen awareness and understanding of the 11-mile corridor.
The site says initiatives will range from community arts projects through to heritage and biodiversity volunteer work, assisting in maintenance and restoration of sites and features along local sections of the canal corridor.
Community development officer Piers Warburton is the link between official partners like British Waterways and Wrexham Council with the community and he'll be liaising with the nine communities dotted along the canal to see how they might get involved.
They are: Chirk, Pentre, Froncysyllte, Trevor, Garth, Pontcysyllte, Llangollen, Pentrefelin and Llantysilio.
Albert Wiggins, 80, from Ruabon, Wrexham, is to receive a certificate for his "dedication to motorbike trials" at the Motorbike Show in Llangollen next month, after returning to the sport he gave up in is 40s.
He has spent the last 18 months building his own classic bike and and is now ready to compete in motorbike trials, he tells the Daily Post.
Albert's the latest in a line of people who have made the headlines recently proving age should be no barrier, just like Peter Hazel, 70, from Glyn Ceiriog who is currently taking a well earned rest after walking from John O'Groats to Land's End.
Throughout July, BBC Four has been running the series, Grey Expectations, which included so-called national treasure, actress Liz Smith, aka Nana from the Royle Family, taking her first 'proper' holiday at the age of 87.
Councillors on Wrexham Caia Park estate tell us of the clean up operation under way today after sewage pipe burst near the so-called Happy Valley children's play area sending several fountains of water into the air.
Meanwhile, the clean-up has started at nearby Maesgwyn playing fields after travellers moved on from the site overnight, says tonight's Evening Leader.
But over in Flint, the Flintshire Chronicle says Travellers return to Castle Park Industrial Estate.
During office hours we share stories and blogs we're reading and highlight them and other local issues of note via Twitter.
The 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards created a powerful impression on the crowd gathered on Llwyn Isaf green outside Wrexham's Guildhall this morning.
And they didn't do a thing - they just stood in silence. An awesome sight.
BBC Local News has more details and we have photos of the regiment on parade.
I hope you were lucky enough to see the regiment for yourself or via our Llwyn Isaf webcam which focussed on the soldiers before they paraded around Wrexham.
Rhyl blogger and local historian Colin Jones publishes today a fascinating photo showing the aftermath of the now infamous Kinmel Park Camp Riots.
The scene resembles something from a Wild West shoot-out with doors hanging off a wooden military store and debris scattered all around.
Over the years, lots of myths have sprung up regarding the story of the riots due, in part, to the numbers of soliders' graves at nearby the Marble Church at Bodelwyddan.
In fact, we've only recently closed a forum discussing the history of the riots.
Thanks to Colin for sharing.
Jubilee explained: If you're not from Buckley, chances are you'll know very little about the town's 152-year-old annual tradition.
Watch and listen as retiring Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom looks back on his career in North Wales - while here we take the opportunity to reflect on all those headlines he has grabbed.
The chief admits to alienating people with some of his policies. But he does not apologise, saying his job has been to make tough decisions - dealing with life and death situations.
"It's impossible to please everyone all of the time," he tells BBC Wales's Bethan Williams.
However, he does have regrets over the times he "became the story".
Just look at the headlines he has grabbed in this blog [20+] as well as all these other stories [80+] that have been written about him, his views and policies in the national press:
The mad Mullah, a Tasered sheep and a Bin Laden lookalike - Daily Mail columnist Richard Littlejohn, 26 June 2009
Top cop spends over £3k of police funds on chair for poetry competition - The Sun, 26 June 2009
Chief Constable on hunting - Times Online, 15 May 2009
'Blobbies on the beat' - Telegraph, 10 May 2009
Brunstom's retirement an opportunity for North Wales to 'move forward' - Evening Leader, 5 May 2009
Chief makes an arrest - BBC North East Wales Weblog, 6 January 2009
Even on his day off he books a motorist! - Chief Constable's blog - 5 May, 2008
Business bosses should lead like Brunstrom - Guardian, 1 May 2008
The shocking picture that shows police will do ANYTHING to hide speed cameras from unsuspecting motorists - Daily Mail, 31 March 2008
Richard and Judy back the Chief on drugs legalisation - Transform Drugs Policy Foundation, 25 January 2008
Police chief breaks into his HQ - BBC News Wales, 17 December 2007
Weird but true - New York Post, 18 December 2007
And then who could forget the day he volunteered to be tasered [watch below]?
One thing's for sure, it's certainly going to be a lot quieter around here without him.
Remember the Tango Man who was dreamed up by the same Ad people who coined the phrase, You've been tangoed?
Well, such an assault on the senses is Llangollen eisteddfod. Take, for example, the amazing, energetic and colourful Punjabi performers.
At one point yesterday there was an impromptu sound clash between them and a group of Samba drummers just a few feet away.
There were no winners or losers, but the crowds were left dazed by the amazing sensory bombardment as they sang, danced, clapped and played their instruments.
You can also find yourself bowled over in the most unlikely of places. In one of the quieter, more contemplative tents dotted around the pavilion field [by the so-called Tree of Hope] children - the theme of the festival's opening day - had been pinning messages.
Among them, Madeline of Dinas Brân, Llangollen, had written: "Peace is about making friends and living together in harmony". Meanwhile, Jasmine, of All Saints, Gresford, wrote: "Stop war and let peace spread around the world."
And then, minutes later, I was saying 'hi' to Terry Waite as he passing through the crowd.
Llangollen during eisteddfod week - those Ad people couldn't dream up anything more amazing.
Take a look at our group photo pool on Flickr where people visiting Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod are invited to share their photos. So far, 13 people, including Paul Brown from the eisteddfod webteam, have shared more than 140 photos.
Thanks to them all - and please add yours.
PS. Since our site relaunched we have been able to use a much improved photo gallery - I hope you agree!
Home-grown Mark Evans - the Denbigh sheep farmer's son - and Fron Choir - which was originally formed to compete in the very first Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod in 1947 - are taking part in a first for this year's world music festival.
And that's a new concert, the Opening Gala featuring, among others, Faryl Smith, the 13-year-old who shot to fame on ITV's Britain's Got Talent.
There's no word in the eisteddfod press literature as to whether Welsh speaker Mark has performed at Llan previously, unlike Faryl who won first prize for her vocal solo in the 10-15 age group three years ago.
Says Faryl: "I'm really looking forward to going back to Llangollen. I have great memories of competing at the eisteddfod, it was my first taste of performing on an international stage."
This week's confirmation that Air Products' factory is to close at Acrefair with the loss of 200 jobs, will add yet more people to the growing jobs queue in the region during the credit crunch.
We've been keeping a tally by bookmarking such stories on https://delicious.com.
[Tags: jobs - credit crunch]
Just read some of the stories and you'll see just how many jobs has been lost - the list goes on - and on.
Now these latest jobs cuts have prompted Wrexham Council leader Aled Roberts to say rising unemployment in north east Wales needs to be "urgently addressed".
He said: "Wrexham has been heavily reliant on manufacturing, more so than almost any area of the UK and the figures are giving rise to concern. Here in north east Wales we've always been referred to as the 'powerhouse' and left to get on with it, but there are now serious issues that need to be addressed urgently."
| 15:13 UK time, Monday, 27 July 2009
