South Wales Evening Post back issues from February 2008:
Gene hunt to rise from the ashes
Feb 01, 2008 ... One of the beauties of digital TV is having all those oldprogrammes from your childhood at the touch of a button. However, pretty much without exception, they are disappointingsecond time round. Seeing The Professionals again through more jadedeyes made me realise it was all a bit ...
Cops winning yob battle
Feb 01, 2008 ... A Zero tolerance crackdown by police in Pontarddulais could bedriving the town's yobs into surrounding communities, residentsfear. Six months after a man was beaten unconscious by vicious thugs inPontarddulais, officers have been blitzing crime in the town.They've hit ...
Youngsters invited to run club
Feb 01, 2008 ... Llangyfelach youngsters who want to get involved in running theirown youth club are being urged to attend a special meeting nextweek. Organisers of the fledgling group want a committee of teens totake charge of the project. They are inviting anyone who wants totake part to go to ...
More time to re-engage
Feb 01, 2008 ... A New course is proving so popular that its organisers areallowing extra time for people to sign up for it. Now those who want to join the nine-week re-engage course havebeen given an extra week from today's original closing date. The course focuses on getting people who are ...
New moves to get you fit
Feb 01, 2008 ... Fitness fans in Swansea will be some of the first in Wales to trya new activity with origins in Africa and Brazil. Bishopston Sports Centre is hosting Capoeira sessions as part ofa drive to get more people interested in taking exercise. Capoeira combines dance, self-defence, ...
Woman to do unpaid work
Feb 01, 2008 ... A Killay woman who claimed benefits while working receivedpounds15,580 which she was not entitled to, Swansea magistratesheard. She had been receiving incapacity benefit, housing benefit andcouncil tax benefit. But on dates between June 2004 and April 2007 she had a series ...
Keeping things safe as houses
Feb 01, 2008 ... Police have been offering homeowners in Pontyates free advice oncrime prevention. Scores of residents in Maesglas have benefited from advice oncold selling and cold calling. Kidwelly constable Sam Dawson said: "It was ...
Four m&s workersspared jail terms
Feb 01, 2008 ... Four workers from Marks & Spencer in Carmarthen who stole cashand clothing worth more than pounds2,400 have been spared jail. But the court heard how the women's lives had been turned upsidedown by the experience. Between February 1 and May 24 last year, the four staff ...
Chef's sausage night sizzles
Feb 01, 2008 ... When it comes to traditional bangers and mash, who can refuse -especially when they are produced just down the road. Llanelli's Fairyhill Brasserie at Machynys has been showing offthe best local sizzlers at a special sausage evening. Four varieties were on offer, including ...
Stink over toilets
Feb 01, 2008 ... Public toilets at a Swansea hospital are not even bog standard, ahealth watchdog member has claimed. Gordon Fletcher, who is on Swansea Community Health Council(CHC), labelled the loos near Morriston Hospital's physiotherapydepartment deplorable. It is claimed that not ...
Sweet smell of success for sewerage campaign
Feb 01, 2008 ... Swiss Valley residents are celebrating an end to costly sewerrepairs. For decades, householders were served by sewers which had notbeen adopted - meaning they had to pay to sort out any problems withthe pipes. But Welsh Water has announced it will now take responsibility ...
Town traffic chaos
Feb 01, 2008 ... Traffic mayhem is expected in Carmarthen from next week when themart car park is closed ahead of the pounds74 million town centreredevelopment. Traders fear the situation could get so bad it starts to driveshoppers away from the town. Gareth Scourfield, vice chairman of the ...
Pupils run to town race title
Feb 01, 2008 ... Big-lunged Llanelli pupils have powered their school to the topin the town's cross country championship. Coedcae Comprehensive School finished first in the running eventat Pembrey Country Park, which showcased the talents of around 450runners. The first 10 finishers in each ...
History group to meet
Feb 01, 2008 ... The next meeting of Glynneath and District Historical Societywill take place on Thursday. It is in the ...
New paper bank
Feb 01, 2008 ... A School in the Afan Valley is doing its bit to help theenvironment. Glyncorrwg primary has a ...
Cops 'winning' yobs war
Feb 01, 2008 ... Tough-talking town bobbies say they are winning the war on yobs. Six months after a man was beaten unconscious by vicious thugs,officers say they have been taking a zero- tolerance approach tocrime in Pontarddulais. They've hit troublemakers with Asbos, made scores of arrests ...
Hospital toilets cause a stink
Feb 01, 2008 ... Public toilets at a Swansea hospital are not even bog standard, ahealth watchdog member has claimed. Gordon Fletcher, who is on Swansea Community Health Council(CHC), labelled the loos near Morriston Hospital's physiotherapydepartment deplorable. Mr Fletcher, speaking at a ...
Trader hit for unsafe toy sales
Feb 01, 2008 ... Lethal toys seized from a market stall in the Neath Valley couldhave strangled children playing with them or even blown up in theirfaces. Trading standards officers have warned parents to be on guardafter a box of Yo Yo balls were found on sale. The toys - colourful balls on ...
Village hero's brave act
Feb 01, 2008 ... A Have-a-go hero has told how he bravely snared a burglar after abreak-in at his home. Robert Hunter-Black trapped Stephen Michael Gibbs in his garageafter spotting him lurking on his CCTV security system. Then, as he calmly waited for police to arrive, he took a fewsnaps of ...
Charity's dream plan hits pounds40k obstacle
Feb 01, 2008 ... Charity champions in Port Talbot are hoping Harry Potter can casta spell and send nearly 30 special needs children on a truly magicalholiday. But it's not broomsticks they need to fly to Florida - insteadthey desperately want to find around pounds40,000 after the cost oftheir ...
Car share staff spark road chaos
Feb 01, 2008 ... Car sharing is causing traffic chaos, say angry villagers. They are fuming because motorists are dumping their vehiclesoutside their homes before getting lifts to the office withworkmates. Locals said although the move may mean fewer cars on the road,it's clogging up the ...
Homes plan on hold
Feb 01, 2008 ... Plans to redevelop a site in the heart of Baglan for housinghave been put on hold. Neath Port Talbot councillors ...
Children chart their growth against new trees
Feb 01, 2008 ... Children from a Neath school will be able to chart their growthagainst their very own personalised tree. The youngsters from Blaenhonddan primary took part in a two-daytree planting event and now have a sapling named after each of them. Head teacher Gillian Lloyd said the ...
Man bottled in row over partner
Feb 01, 2008 ... A Port Talbot man could be facing jail for a bottle attack on anacquaintance whose girlfriend he fancied. Rhys Passmore injured Andrew Jenkins in a late-night ChristmasDay confrontation in Cwmavon. Trouble flared when the two men came across each other in astreet following a ...
Family fury at sicknote demand
Feb 01, 2008 ... A Furious family have demanded answers as to why their seriouslyill son was asked for a sicknote for PE. Dad-of-two Martin Pritchard said he was shocked when his sonCallum came home from Plasmarl primary in tears. The 10-year-old, who has a congenital heart defect - ...
Police day surgery
Feb 01, 2008 ... Residents of Mynyddbach, Swansea, are being invited to raisecommunity issues at a day surgery on Monday. Police community support officers will be at North ...
Station duo on top of charts
Feb 01, 2008 ... Swansea radio stations the Wave and Swansea Sound are celebratingafter audience figures put the stations on top - beating popular BBC radio stations, One and Two. The news means the two Swansea-based stations are favourites inSouth West Wales. Official radio audience ...
City graduates' bid for national award
Feb 01, 2008 ... Two graduates from the school of digital media at SwanseaMetropolitan University have had their work shortlisted for anational competition. The pair have been put forward for a gong in the moving imagefestival of Wales competition, Ffresh. The festival is designed to ...
Revealed: The most dangerous road time
Feb 01, 2008 ... Nervous drivers should check their watches before getting behindthe wheel. New figures have shown exactly which times to avoid, with Mondayrush hour the most dangerous time of day to take to Swansea's roads. The Department of Transport (DfT) statistics show that mostaccidents ...
Campaigners' new law calls
Feb 01, 2008 ... Welsh language campaigners are calling for new laws to forcecompanies to improve the Welsh services they offer. The call comes after a survey revealed very few Welsh speakersuse Welsh language services in the public and private sector. But Welsh language society Cymdeithas yr ...
High praise for recycling group
Feb 01, 2008 ... A Recycling group has earned politicians' praise for dealing withthousands of tonnes of waste. Wales Community Recycling Network (Cylch) has been congratulatedby Swansea East AM Val Lloyd, among others, for recycling,composting or reusing 36,373 tonnes of waste between April 2006 ...
Court in road ban on driver
Feb 01, 2008 ... A pounds315 PENALTY has been imposed by Swansea magistrates on a33-year-old city man for driving offences. Simon Crocombe, of Bethesda Court, High Street, admitted drivingwithout a ...
Fire drama at city flats
Feb 01, 2008 ... A Block of flats in Blaenymaes, Swansea, had to be partlyevacuated following a fire on Wednesday afternoon. Fire crews were ...
Councillors set to meet
Feb 01, 2008 ... Upper Killay Community Council is holding its next meeting onMonday, in the village's ...
Trying patience
Feb 01, 2008 ... Recent figures make clear that the number of patients cancellingoperations at the last minute - or not turning up at all - outweighs the number called off by Swansea NHS Trust. This will surprise many Post readers. They are more used toreading tales of woe about unhappy patients - ...
Perfect timing
Feb 01, 2008 ... Comedy isn't the only thing that hinges on timing. It seems that the fact that the Six Nations rugby tournament kicks off at the beginning of February is one reason why it's sopopular - it's even a hit with people who wouldn't open theircurtains if ...
Teachers to gather for healthy eating lesson
Feb 01, 2008 ... Schoolteachers in Swansea are to get a lesson in healthy eating. Staff from more than 60 schools will be taking part in theSwansea Food In Schools event, at the city's Liberty Stadium, nextThursday The event is aimed at offering tips on nutrition and healthyeating for ...
Park is for everyone
Feb 01, 2008 ... As a dog owner, I had to write with regard to an article on page10 of last Saturday's Post (Teams call foul on dirty pitch). I walk my dog in this field most mornings and can honestly say itis very rare to see any dog mess left behind by dog owners. The idea of fencing off ...
Calls made to honour brave tawe jump hero
Feb 01, 2008 ... Calls are growing to honour a fearless father-of-four for hisbravery after he jumped into The Tawe in a bid to save a manstruggling in the water. Shaun Bowen, from Blaenymaes, died after plunging into the rivernear Quay Parade bridge on Sunday night. But his death was almost ...
Formula is all wrong
Feb 01, 2008 ... Many times before and since New Labour took office in 1997, Ihave written to the Government about the so-called Barnett Formula,saying the then pounds7 billion allotted to Wales was a shortfallof pounds7 billion to pounds8 billion on the grounds the formula wasintroduced when Wales was ...
Marina publicity negative
Feb 01, 2008 ... Whenever a death occurs anywhere near the marina, not only is ita sad occasion for family and friends, it is also sad for the area. All publicity is negative, and extremely biased against SwanseaCouncil. Should anyone be just slightly interested in the truth, and ...
Help from the church
Feb 01, 2008 ... It was truly shocking to read the headlines in Monday's EveningPost stating that a vagrant or homeless person had been found deadon the steps of the Methodist Church in St Helens Road, Swansea. Had the Rev Leon Atkin been alive today, this ...
Big guns prepare spring offensive
Feb 01, 2008 ... Bang. Bang. Bang-bang. The first shots are being fired in Swansea in what promises to bea hard-fought campaign for control of the council chamber,culminating in the spring offensive, or May election. Reconnaissance tells us the battleground will be a familiar one -the leisure ...
Country to cash-in on rugby success
Feb 01, 2008 ... First Minister Rhodri Morgan has joined millions of Welsh men andwomen in looking forward to the start of this year's Six Nationstournament. And while most are hoping for a resurgent Wales team to repeattheir Grand Slam success of 2005, Mr Morgan is also looking forwardto the ...
Thanks for helping us
Feb 01, 2008 ... On Sunday, January 27, I was at the Bhs store in Swansea with myhusband when I fell on the escalator. My husband and I were overwhelmed by the kind help we receivedfrom the staff, security man, a young lady named Sarah, her husbandand their little girl who was understandably ...
Seeing red
Feb 01, 2008 ... The future is red . . . At least that is what Wales will behoping in the Six Nations rugby tournament over the coming weeks. Tomark ...
Walking through language barriers
Feb 01, 2008 ... Welsh learners are stepping out in a bid to improve theirlanguage skills. A series of guided walks are being held for people learning Welshin Swansea to help them get a grip on the language. Organised by Ty Tawe in Christina Street, the first walk tookplace last Saturday, ...
First minister under fire on post offices
Feb 01, 2008 ... First Minister Rhodri Morgan has been urged by AMs to do more tosave Wales's post offices. The First Minister clashed with opposition leaders, who said athird of the network was on course to shut under Labour. Tory leader Nick Bourne said about 250 post offices were ...
Bagging some handy shopping tips
Feb 01, 2008 ... Do go shopping with a plan in mind of where you want to go andwhat you need to buy. You may come across other things as you look,but it's when you wander around the shops aimlessly that you gettired and fed up and come away with nothing but a headache and tiredfeet. Try to stick to your ...
Family firm that's a prime cut above
Feb 01, 2008 ... Have a butcher's at this. Ralph Williams and son have been supplying steak and bangers tothe people of Morriston for 50 years. The Woodfield Street butcher's shop has certainly proved it hasstaying power after seeing off the challenge of big supermarkets andout-of-town ...
A&e target a tough task
Feb 01, 2008 ... Health bosses fear a new 15-minute target for A&Es to transferpatients from ambulances into hospital will be difficult to hit. They say the fact that Morriston Hospital is one of the busiestin the region will make the target harder to reach. There are also concerns that the ...
Arrest warrant
Feb 01, 2008 ... A Warrant has been issued by Swansea magistrates for the arrestof 38-year-old James Roper, of ...
Cam course
Feb 01, 2008 ... Getting the most from a digital camera is the subject of a course starting in Skewen today. The eight-week course at Carnegie Hall gets underway 6pm. The centre is ...
New boy gardiner ready for cwmbran
Feb 01, 2008 ... Leaders Goytre United have signed Dale Gardiner from Dinas Powysahead of tomorrow's trip to Cwmbran. The former Maesteg Park and Neath Athletic midfield player goesstraight into the squad along with Ryan Penny and Ryan Durham. Ian Turner, who had been linked with both Afan Lido ...
Is twickers scalp there for taking?
Feb 01, 2008 ... The last time Wales visited the Barbours they left withconfidence shorn, pride scalped and their credibility razored away. So it will hardly have eased Warren Gatland's mind that the newfilm version of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street isshowing in Richmond Odeon this ...
Defensive strength will be key to Welsh hopes
Feb 01, 2008 ... For me, the one thing that is clear from Warren Gatland's firstselection is that the major priority for Wales this season will begrowing and building a defence. Thirteen players from the Ospreys tells its own story, becauseout of the four Welsh regions they are the best defensively ...
Williams: It's all in the mind
Feb 01, 2008 ... Martyn Williams has revealed how Warren Gatland is trying toinstil a no-fear attitude into the mindset of the Welsh squad. A lack of mental toughness has been a regular criticism of Walesteams of recent years. It was levelled at them during the troubles of the World Cup ...
Wales should not fear HQ
Feb 01, 2008 ... May I suggest that tomorrow could be a very good time for Walesto be visiting a certain part of south west London. I know, Wales's Twickenham record in recent years is woeful, butlooking at the English side that will greet them, I don't thinkWales have anything to fear. On ...
Williams vows to quell the bubbling volcano
Feb 01, 2008 ... It's been billed as clash of David v Goliath proportions, butShane Williams is determined to strike a blow for the little manwhen Lesley Vainikolo erupts onto Twickenham's hallowed turftomorrow. The prospect of trying to stop a man who stands seven inchestaller and weighs in at ...
Reds looking to bounce back in cup
Feb 01, 2008 ... Llanelli will look to cast aside the disappointment of theirmidweek Loosemores Cup defeat at Aberystwyth when they travel toNewtown in the Welsh Cup fourth round tomorrow. As the region's only remaining representatives in thecompetition, the Reds will be favourites to proceed to ...
Lead on to show the way
Feb 01, 2008 ... A Potentially in-formative weekend sees some top-class action upand down the country, with the highlight of the day coming in theshape of the totesport.com Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown. Some very decent animals have won this since its inception in1964, including a certain ...
Clem: Omens good to end 20 years of hurt
Feb 01, 2008 ... Mickey Skinner pushed a gateau in Rowland Phillips's face afterWales defeated England at Twickenham in 1988, only for the thenWales flanker to instantly return the compliment. It wasn'tSkinner's day. Jonathan Davies had earlier exposed his lack of pace by leavinghim for dead in ...
Phillips backing case for the defence
Feb 01, 2008 ... Rowland Phillips is confident there will be no case for the Welshdefence to answer after the game at Twickenham tomorrow. Shaun Edwards's predecessor in charge of the national team'srearguard believes the selection of 13 Ospreys will ensure Walessuccessfully blitz England with ...
Captain Vickery anticipates bruising encounter
Feb 01, 2008 ... Phil Vickery has predicted "a massively physical game" whenEngland launch their RBS 6 Nations campaign against Wales. England captain Vickery believes it will be a contest played "onthe very edge" as his team prepare to defend a 20-year unbeatenTwickenham record at Wales' ...
Irish out to get over World Cup nightmare
Feb 01, 2008 ... Eoin Reddan has urged his Ireland team-mates to prove theirtortuous World Cup was just an aberration by overwhelming Italy onSaturday. Ireland were humiliated in France last September as theirtournament ambitions quickly unravelled amid a succession of ...