Archives for August 2009

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Spare a thought for Eric Lake who, says the Evening Leader, landed himself in trouble with landlord, Wrexham Council, after painting his Ruabon council home Mediterranean blue. He has to repaint it - grey!

Meanwhile, the Wrexham Chronicle reports the council - looking at ways of easing the struggle for home seekers on lower incomes - is considering building its first council homes in 40 years.

In Llangollen, the Denbighshire Free Press says questionnaires are being delivered to every home asking people how they want to improve their town.

All the local news providers picked up on the story from the Welsh Assembly Government that the 40 homes bought for the failed A494 road widening bid at Aston Hill, Deeside, are to be knocked down.

In Rhyl, town blogger Colin Jones has been taking issue with the Daily Mirror's story about the state of the town and its unemployment under the headline, 'Welcome to Costa del Dole' [10 August].

Away from homes-related stories, bikers' magazine Motorcycle News is leading a protest - starting at the Ponderosa Cafe, Horseshoe Pass, 13 September - to highlight what it calls is the unfair treatment of motorcyclists by North Wales Police.

And following on from our report on last Thursday's armed raid on Lloyds TSB branch in Flint, the Daily Post interviewed the guard who told how he was punched and kicked after four men burst into the bank.

And whilst teenagers are today celebrating another good year for GCSE results, the Evening Leader introduced us to 92-year-old Alf Davies, from Mancot, who has been quitely celebrating after being awarded AS-level photography at Deeside College.

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This morning I came across Kevin Branchett's stunning photo taken on Llangollen Canal and I just had to share it with you.

PS. Make sure you've got your brolly for later as the forecasters predict a downpour.

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That's what Wrexham FC supporters are calling a minority of fans creating some bad feeling on the terraces during match day - and they're asking people to report them.

The debate has been started on the Wrexham FC fans' forum, part of the BBC 606 messageboard - and fans want a clampdown.

"It doesn't do much for the image of the club," says Mikeywale, while Wrexjen adds: "I sit in the Paddock and there are a group of muppets in there who bring shame on decent Wxm fans."

Wxmwxm says: "...hurling abuse at our players is NEVER gonna get them to play better! I felt embarrassed to be a Wrexham fan yesterday."

The comments were made after Saturday's Wrexham-Kettering home game.

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Two separate projects in Denbighshire are asking for home movie footage: Denbigh Film Club are holding the town's first ever film festival and want residents to share footage of the town for an archive session. Meanwhile Rhyl author Ambrose Conway is working with young people in the town to make a film and wants images of Rhyl in the sixties and seventies which people captured on home movie camera to intercut with contemporary footage. If you can help, get in touch!

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I spotted an old photo of Rhyl's beach and pier in a recent article in the Daily Mail online.

What also caught my eye was the use of the word 'staycation' (horrible word!). It seems that more and more of us are choosing to holiday in Britain or make the most of what's on our own doorstep rather than jetting off abroad for our holidays.

Are you holidaying abroad this year or staying at home and making the most of the north Wales countryside?

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Two friends from Flintshire will be taking their places on Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth this month, reports the Evening Leader. The project, based on sculptor Antony Gormley's vision of creating a 'living monument', allows different people to 'make the plinth their own'.

Rick Smythe from Gwernymynydd will be playing his guitar on the plinth this Thursday (August 13) while his friend Sean Williams from Buckley will appear there later this month and plans to recite short stories.

Good luck to them both!

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Well done to two performing arts students from Yale College in Wrexham who came first in a national competition to find young acting talent.

Charlotte Knowles and Pip Johnson won gold and silver respectively in the Worldskills UK Acting Finals and are set to start their careers in the performing arts - Pip starts a three year course at Cambridge Performing Arts College in September while Charlotte has applied to two well known theatre companies for next year: the Bristol Old Vic and Rose Broomford in London.

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It's about time we found some good news to report on, don't you think?!

So, what have we got to be happy about it?

Over to you to use this page to raise a smile and to cheer everyone up.

In the meantime, here's a few things to be going on:

- Campaign launched to find Wrexham's heroes

- Permanent 'ghost' for lighthouse: There are plans to erect a life-size sculpture on Talacre lighthouse where there have been numerous sightings of a ghostly figure.

- Not quite an 'ah, isn't it cute' story, but the Daily Post reports Snakes Alive! Can anyone find a home for our slithering friend? - it's a story of a 3ft snake spotted in a Wrexham hedgerow. Can you imagine coming across such a thing?

If you see or hear anything else, let us know.

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