In the papers: Alcohol plan approved despite concernspublished at 13:58 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Staffordshire Live
The Staffordshire Live website's headlines today include:
Summary
Updates from Monday 8 July to Sunday 14 July
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In the papers: Alcohol plan approved despite concernspublished at 13:58 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Huge Black Country flag unfurledpublished at 13:45 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
BBC Midlands TodayThe biggest ever Black Country flag has been unveiled as part of a festival celebrating the area.
It is the sixth year the Black Country Festival will be taking place, recognising the history and the local people.
The 40ft by 26ft flag will be on show at Himley Hall, in Dudley, which is hosting the Black Country Musicom Festival, on Sunday.
Car free streets hope to solve school traffic problemspublished at 13:33 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Sophie Madden
BBC NewsA teacher has said parking problems outside their Birmingham school led to them applying for a pilot scheme which bans cars from the school gates.
St Francis Church of England Aided Primary School and Nursery is one of six city schools where the ban will be put in place from September. , external
Image source, GoogleJo Pickup, acting head of school, said its position at the end of a cul-de-sac means it has had longstanding issues with traffic and problem parking.
She said the school hopes the move will improve "safety" for its pupils.
'Grade inflation' means more top degree gradespublished at 13:23 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Sean Coughlan
BBC News, education correspondentThe proportion of students in England awarded first-class degrees continues to increase - rising by 80% since 2010-11, the university watchdog says.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Office for Students, warning of grade inflation, says for almost three-quarters of universities such increases in top grades are "unexplained".
Staffordshire University, based in Stoke-on-Trent, increased its proportion awarded first-class degrees from 14% to 34% students.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds warned against "unfair practices".
"Worries about grade inflation threaten to devalue a university education in the eyes of employers and potential students," said Susan Lapworth, director of competition for the Office for Students.
U21 sides discover EFL Trophy opponentspublished at 13:12 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
The 16 invited under-21 sides - including Manchester United and Liverpool - find out who they will play in the EFL Trophy.
Read MoreFirefighters 'could strike' in contracts rowpublished at 13:06 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Firefighters in Herefordshire and Worcestershire are threatening to strike over their new working conditions.
Image source, GoogleThe row centres on the introduction of a new 10-hour-day shift system.
The Fire Brigade Union (FBU) claims Hereford and Worcester Fire Service has forced crews to do duties outside of their contract.
They also say new recruits have been put on new contracts without discussions with the union.
The FBU says it'll consider industrial action unless there's an immediate return to the old contracts, shift systems and employment conditions.
The fire service has been approached for its response.
Mayor admits ‘underestimating’ challenge of homelessness crisispublished at 12:56 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Tom DaerThe mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street has admitted that he may have "underestimated" the challenge of solving the homelessness crisis.
Image source, WMCAHe said seeing the number of rough sleepers increasing over the past few years, despite making the issue a priority, had been one of his biggest disappointments during his first term in office.
In 2017 he visited Finland to see how homelessness was dealt with as part of a drive to tackle the problem nearer to home.
Homelessness has been on the rise across the West Midlands in recent years, with the number of rough sleepers in Birmingham alone increasing from 55 to 91 between 2017 and 2019.
Quote MessageThe bigger part of it is this ‘what are the underlying causes?’ And that is incredibly complicated, and it’s proving more challenging than you would have expected."
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands
In the papers: Rent plan to speed up road repairspublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
The Worcester News is covering these stories today:
'Very low' chance avian flu caused bird deathspublished at 12:31 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Breaking
Allen Cook
BBC NewsThe chance of bird flu being responsible for the deaths of several birds at a park is "very low", the government has said.
Image source, Mandy HallAn eyewitness suggested up to nine geese may have died over 10 days at Smethwick Hall Park, with a further two ill birds being taken away by RSPCA inspectors for treatment.
Yesterday, an Environment Agency spokesperson said visible evidence of sewage had been seen in the water when staff visited two months ago and again a month ago "as a result of a blockage".
Severn Trent said it had been working to improve the quality of water at the pool by pumping clean water into it, and was "confident the quality of the pool is much improved as a result and that these bird deaths are unconnected".
Today, Defra said there was currently a very low risk of bird flu in the UK's poultry sector and said routine monitoring in the Birmingham area had "not yielded any findings of avian flu".
Man convicted of wife's murderpublished at 12:20 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
BreakingA man's been found guilty of murdering his wife.
Image source, Staffordshire PolicePhillip Gyde, of Burton-upon-Trent, was convicted today at Stafford Crown Court of killing 52-year-old Susan Gyde.
In September, officers said they were called to St Chads Road following reports of an assault and Mrs Gyde died in hospital.
Gyde, 59, of St Chads Road, will be sentenced this afternoon.
Burglary forces temporary closure of community hubpublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsA community hub has been forced to close for repairs after it was broken into this morning.
Image source, South Staffordshire WaterSouth Staffordshire Water runs the building on Union Street, Wednesbury, to hear users' concerns.
But it tweeted that it was burgled today, external with doors being damaged and several iPads stolen.
The firm added that the hub would be shut today but hoped it would open again on Monday., external
Teenager denies murder of football coachpublished at 12:04 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Joseph Trevor is remanded in custody until his next court appearance in October.
Read MoreThe sisters who became weightlifting championspublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Three sisters from Kenilworth have become British weightlifting champions in their own age groups.
Read MoreWhat you have to say about Primark 'tourist' tripspublished at 12:00 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
People have been having their say on the BBC Midlands Facebook page about the news travel companies are organising coach trips, from as far as Scotland, to Birmingham's Primark, external, the largest of the firm's stores anywhere in the world.
Christine Slade wrote: "Very sensible! Spending money on coach fares in order to buy cheap clothes, that they could probably have bought much closer to home!"
Stephen Simpkins said: "How sad these punters must be... try the great outdoors!"
Maz Rhodes wrote: "Brum has always struggled to be recognised as a city worth visiting. Can’t believe it’s a PRIMARK store that has now put us on the map!"
LuLu Gould said: "We are going there in august my daughter cant wait bless her xD"
Man seriously hurt in head-on crashpublished at 11:49 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Allen Cook
BBC NewsA driver's been seriously hurt in a head-on crash this morning.
Image source, West Mercia PoliceWest Mercia Police said it happened on the B4386 near Marton, south of Shrewsbury, just after 07:00.
Both cars had been badly damaged and one driver needed to be cut free by the fire service.
The ambulance service said that man had suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital.
The man driving the other car was treated for potentially serious injuries and then taken to hospital by ambulance.
In the papers: Student accommodation scheme approvedpublished at 11:41 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Coventry LiveA few of the stories making the headlines on Coventry Live today:
Villa agree Luiz deal and target Engelspublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
Aston Villa agree to sign Manchester City midfielder Douglas Luiz and are also in pursuit of Reims defender Bjorn Engels.
Read MorePile-up shuts A435published at 11:28 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
BBC News TravelThe A435 near Wythall, south of Birmingham has been closed after several vehicles have been involved in a crash, Highways England has said:
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End of twitter postFormer Stoke and Villa striker Peter Crouch retirespublished at 11:19 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
BreakingAllen Cook
BBC NewsFormer England and Stoke City striker Peter Crouch has announced his retirement from football at the age of 38.
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End of twitter postCrouch was handed his Premier League debut at Aston Villa by Graham Taylor - at the age of 21.
He cost the Potters £10m in 2011 when he joined from Liverpool and went on to score 46 goals for them before joining Burnley in January.
Image source, Getty ImagesDriver arrested over fatal A38 crashpublished at 11:09 British Summer Time 12 July 2019
David Pittam
BBC News OnlineA van driver has been arrested following the death of a 66-year-old man who was killed in a crash on a Derby road.
Derbyshire Police said the crash - between a blue VW Transporter van and a white VW Crafter van - occurred at 11:10 on Wednesday on the northbound side of the A38 prior to the Kingsway island.
The force said the blue van left the carriageway after colliding with the white van.
Image source, GoogleThe driver of the blue van, from Walsall, was pronounced dead at the scene. His family has been informed.
The white van driver, a 56-year-old from Somercotes, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and has since been released under investigation.
Police are appealing for witnesses.
