Updates from Monday 9 to Sunday 15 November
BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester
Coffee machines and other equipment worth £18,000 have been stolen from a cafe in Worcester.
West Mercia Police said Francini's Columbian Cafe in Angel Place was targeted some time on Sunday.
Image source, GoogleBBC Radio Hereford and Worcester
Tributes are being paid to the man responsible for Kidderminster Harriers' famous cottage pies, who has died at the age of 81.
Brian Murdoch worked at Aggborough for 55 years and his pies found fame for being the most expensive in English football.
But while the price made the pies famous, BBC Hereford and Worcester's Kiddermister Harriers commentator, Steve Miller, said: "I think he was more proud of the quality of food that was actually in it."
And the football club's CEO, Neil Male, said: "I know how much Brian and his family’s food business meant to the fans here – for those coming to matches at Aggborough he was a constant for many, many years."
BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester
Worcester Warriors are aiming to give their full squad a workout on Friday afternoon, in a friendly against Northampton.
The game, at Franklin's Gardens, will be played in four 30-minute quarters, so the two teams can rotate their players.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Warriors will start the new Premiership season at home to London Irish on 21 November.
Birmingham's Nightingale Hospital is likely to open within the next month as regular hospitals deal with an increase in coronavirus cases, the city's director of public health says.
"What I see on our hospitals makes me very concerned," Dr Justin Varney said.
"We are seeing an increasing number of people going into hospital," he added, but while "we are seeing death numbers increase again, it's not as bad as it was last time."
Image source, NHS Nightingale BirminghamLatest figures show 3,712 people in the city tested positive for Covid-19 in the week ending 5 November, with 59 weekly deaths recorded - the most in England alongside Liverpool.
The Nightingale site - designed as a "step down" facility for patients recovering from the virus - is not currently in use, however Dr Varney says: "I suspect we may see it open in the next month."
As treatments improved, he said, people were staying in hospital longer, "rather than going in and dying quickly", putting pressure on the number of beds available.
University Hospitals Birmingham Trust has already postponed non-emergency procedures to free up more beds needed for Covid patients.
Dr Varney told BBC Radio WM that Birmingham hospitals were seeing more than 40 covid-positive patients a day. More than 90% of oxygen beds were in use and more than half of patients in intensive care had coronavirus, he added.
A bin lorry caught fire yesterday after unused fireworks dumped in rubbish were added to the load.
Firefighters were called, with this image shared of the efforts to extinguish a mound of waste on the street.
Image source, South Staffordshire CouncilSouth Staffordshire Council said "disaster was averted" because the lorry driver spotted the fire in time.
The authority added the fireworks ignited in the back of a vehicle filled with paper and card.
And it reminded people that unused fireworks should never be left in wheelie bins.
Image source, South Staffordshire CouncilThe council said the truck sustained fire and smoke damage, and a full load of recycling had been sent to landfill instead.
From the Worcester News today:
Local Democracy Reporting Service
A councillor has apologised for remarks on President Trump during a meeting about a bypass.
William Wilding, a member of the governing independent group on Herefordshire Council, was debating road-building plans when he referenced Mr Trump's chances of remaining President, and cheered too.
Image source, Getty ImagesMr Wilding said not considering the impact of climate change when discussing development plans would be the sort of thing Donald Trump would do.
"And I hear he is out of a job," he said.
Conservative group leader Jonathan Lester complained such outbursts were not acceptable and Mr Wilding apologised.
The owners of the Mirror and Express newspaper titles has confirmed plans to cut 150 jobs following planned closures of its Luton and Birmingham printers.
Bosses at Reach said production of national and regional titles, which include the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool Echo, Birmingham Mail and Bristol Post, would now be spread across its remaining print network.
Image source, Getty ImagesA Reach spokesperson said: "Having conducted a review over recent weeks and taking numerous factors into account, we are proposing to consolidate our print operations into fewer sites.
"Regrettably, this would involve a reduction in our workforce so we have begun a consultation process that will be both full and considered."
It could be at least six months before the West Midlands starts to see the impact of a coronavirus vaccine, Birmingham's director of public health has warned.
Dr Justin Varney welcomed the news that one of the vaccines in development had been shown to be effective, but said "It certainly doesn't mean this is all going to be over by Christmas".
Dr Varney said: "It is going to be a while before the vaccines are ready for people to use."
He added it could be another six months "before the level of vaccination across the community makes a huge amount of difference to our daily lives".
BBC Radio Stoke Sport
Getting to the third round of the FA Cup could help "soften the blow" of having no fans at games, Crewe vice chairman Charles Grant has said.
Crewe have been drawn away to Cheltenham in the second round and Grant said the competition is even more important for league teams now.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe prize money has been restructured this year, to give more money to the losing team.
Grant said that was the right thing to do, because "those who lose have had no recompense for the cup whatsoever".
Cheltenham FC beat South Shields to reach the second round while Crewe beat Bolton Wanderers.
Quote MessageNothing really replaces fans coming, but the prize money goes some way to softening the blow."
Charles Grant, Crewe Alexandra vice chairman
BBC Radio CWR
An old railway line in Coventry is set to become a two-mile heritage walk and cycle route.
The line closed as a railway in 1981 and is set to be transformed by the time Coventry starts its term as the City of Culture in May next year.
A first phase will connect Gosford Green to Humber Avenue, with a second planned to reach the Sherbourne Viaduct.
Image source, GoogleMost of us should have a dry day with some light cloud and temperatures up to 14C (57F).
But it's forecast to rain again tomorrow.
Image source, Ella Mentry
Andy Giddings
BBC News
Welcome to our live service for Tuesday.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates for the West Midlands.
You can let us know about stories in your area via email, Twitter , externaland Facebook, external.
Sophie Madden
BBC News
Thanks for joining us. We will be back from 08:00 on Tuesday with the latest news, sport, travel and weather for the West Midlands.
People are being urged to stick to lockdown rules to combat rising Covid-19 cases in Staffordshire.
Staffordshire County Council said the county’s rates per 100,000 of the population are now almost 60 per cent higher than the average England rate.
Alan White, leader of the authority, said everyone must continue to follow the new lockdown guidance to prevent the county facing further measures when the current restrictions expire.
Image source, GettMr White said: “It is still a little too early to say whether the restrictions are working, but we need to be clear that if they don’t, more lives will be put at risk and businesses face being closed for longer."
Dr Richard Harling, the county’s director of health and care, said: “Despite everyone’s best efforts, the numbers are continuing to rise at an alarming rate.
“Following the new rules and sticking to the basics of washing your hands regularly, covering your face on public transport and in shops, and keeping your distance of 2m, is our only chance currently to stop the rapid spread of infection.”
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of Kimberley Deakin.
Read More
BBC Radio Stoke
A support service offering help during the Covid-19 pandemic is being extended.
The StokeOnTrent Together initiative, which sees the city council working with volunteers to help vulnerable residents, will now operate seven days a week from 09:00 until 17:00.
From today, redeployed libraries staff will be making calls offering help with shopping, prescriptions, loneliness or dog-walking.
Image source, Getty ImagesBradwell Hospital turned away nurse Tracy Shenton and her daughter as she treats Covid patients.
Read MoreCCTV also shows him and a fellow murderer dumping blood-stained furniture before police catch them.
Read MoreA man has been arrested after a police officer was sprayed in the face with an aerosol.
West Midlands Police said it happened after being called to reports of disorder at a home on Park Road West, Wollaston, at 10:45.
The officer did not suffer any ill effects.
A 58-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and assaulting a police officer and remained in police custody for questioning, the force added.
