Coventry Live

The Coventry Live website's top stories today include:

• Two arrested after one-year-old dies in Nuneaton, external
• Clean-up begins after travellers are evicted from Coventry City Council land, external
• Model rail enthusiast gets help with final project after being given just weeks to live, external

The landlord of the Crown and Anchor says he "regrets" not taking a tougher stance with customers.

An art gallery is reopening this weekend with a new exhibition showcasing the stories of black nurses in the Midlands over the past decades.

Image source, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Wolverhampton City Council says , externalthe gallery on Lichfield Street will reopen under Covid-19 restrictions including compulsory wearing of face masks and health check questions on arrival.

The new exhibition is titled Here to Stay and is made up of 23 photographs of black nurses and healthcare workers including some who came to Britain as part of the Windrush generation.

Walsall make their first summer signing by bringing in Bristol City defender George Nurse on a season-long loan.

Abdul Rahman Abubaker, 24, died in hospital after he was shot in the chest in Birmingham.

BBC Radio Stoke

The future of a huge Argos distribution centre next to the M6 is being reviewed as owners Sainsbury's looks to cut costs.

Image source, Google

The supermarket giant bought Argos and Habitat in 2016 and, since a merger with Asda was blocked last year, said in January it needed to spend several months "streamlining its structure".

Now, Sainsbury's said it is reviewing work at the Acton Gate hub near Stafford, subject to consultation, and looking at whether current staff can continue their roles from home or another site in the future.

All-rounder Ed Barnard, fast bowler Josh Tongue and batsman Jack Haynes sign new deals with Worcestershire.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

These stories have been covered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service in Herefordshire this week:

• More than £4m is going to be borrowed by Herefordshire Council to help fund repairs to flood-damaged roads across the county. The local authority said it would allow it to fund the urgent work after government funding wasn't forthcoming.

• Temporary road closures are going to be discussed in Hereford over concerns they could turn shoppers away. Herefordshire Council is introducing the measures to help with social distancing and agreed to meet with councillors in the city to address the concerns.
• A village church is going to be turned into an artisan bakery and cafe after volunteers raised £215,000 to restore it. St Michael's in Brampton Abbotts, near Ross on Wye, has been shut since 2008 and the plans, which have been approved, allow it to also be used as a place of worship.

Birmingham Live

A few of the headlines from the Birmingham Live website today:

• The Priory Group to close five children's care homes in Birmingham, external
• BMW driver arrested after 'one-day-old car' crashes into bollard, external
• M42 junction closed by HS2 contractors from tonight to install highway bridge over weekend, external

Keeley Bunker, who was celebrating her 20th birthday, "trusted" Wesley Streete to walk her home.

Anmol Chana denies murdering his mother Jasbir Kaur and stepfather Rupinder Singh Bassan.

Allen Cook
BBC News

We are in for a hot day today as temperatures are forecast to get up around 28C.

It's not just us humans trying to keep cool and at Dudley Zoo they are using frozen peas in a paddling pool to help their chimpanzees:

While BBC Weather Watcher Cathyvee25 sent us this photo from Nuneaton where her cat appears to want to get her to turn the fan on:

Image source, Cathyvee25

If you've got a photo of how you, your family or your pets are coping or enjoying the hot weather, pop it over on an email to us.

Paramedics Deena Evans and Michael Hipgrave were injured during a welfare check in Wolverhampton.

BBC CWR

One of Coventry City Council' s top officials was paid a settlement of nearly £400,000 to leave the organisation, BBC CWR has learnt.

Martin Yardley, the former deputy chief executive, took early retirement this year after 12 years at the council and has since taken up a new role with the University of Warwick.

Conservative opposition leader councillor Gary Ridley said the money could have been better spent.

“It is very difficult to justify especially when the council is pleading poverty."

The city council said the settlement would result in long-term savings as his position has been made redundant and the local authority restructured.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

A house has been searched by police in Worcester over the death of a woman last year.

West Mercia Police said , externalit has a cordon around the home on Saddlers Walk and officers were trying to establish how and why she died.

They haven't confirmed the identity of the woman but did say they are not looking for a body in this search.

A 42-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday as part of their inquiry and released under investigation.

People in the West Midlands should be prepared for severe thunderstorms early next week, the Met Office said., external

Image source, Met Office

It has put out a yellow warning from 00:00 on Monday until 00:00 on Wednesday.

However, the alert covers the whole country as the Met Office said there was "significant uncertainty in location and timing".

The road network around Solihull is being remodelled as part of work to create an HS2 station.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A partial human skull found by a river in Warwickshire dates back to the Medieval period, police have said.

Image source, Warwickshire Police

Carbon dating tests have been carried out on the bone fragment which a member of the public discovered in Barford, near Warwick, in May.

Warwickshire Police said, external the results confirmed the skull dated back to 960-1150AD.

The force said families connected to ongoing investigations have been told and the skull will now be used for training in forensics.

Shropshire Star

The Shropshire Star has these headlines today:

• Pub landlord's concern about roof of homeless shelter next door, external
• People urged not to take risks in the rivers as hot weather hits, external
• Telford man caught carrying weapons avoids immediate jail term, external

The 67-metre-long bridge will carry the A452 over the M42 as part of works connected with HS2.