YOU surely didn't think I would wait until you could hear Santa cursing as he squeezed his podge down your hot, sooty chimney before I mentioned the 'C' word, did you? It's late. It's almost upon us. You can tell that by the tinsel on the telly and the
WHY John Kerry must win tonight's US election, reason 6,073: because George W Bush wants to stick some of his missiles on our turf. According to Fleet Street, London and Washington are busily discussing siting American interceptor missiles in Britain
THE spectre of Hallowe'en hung heavy in York last night - and Swedish comic Henrik Elmer hardly seemed a suitably chilling choice for such an eerie evening. A Swedish comic? Surely a man from a nation famed for its dour demeanour did not stand a ghost
COUNCILLORS allowances being reduced? (Why leading councillors in York are facing a cut in pay, October 30). Well no, actually. The leaders' allowances are being reduced by a couple of hundred pounds in more than £26,000 and the leader of the opposition
RACHEL Baldwin of Barton-le-Street may be happy with the service she receives from the Post Office (Letters, October 26). I certainly am not. My wife and I had dental appointments in York on October 20. We walked there in the pouring rain to find that
WE would like to comment on the remarks made by Holgate councillor Martin Bartlett (Fate of six Post Offices decided, October 20). We realise that people will be inconvenienced by having to travel further to visit a post office but would like to add that
THE closure to traffic of Walmgate Bar (Evening Press, October 28), one of four pivotal points in the city of York, will cause undue traffic delays and also damage business in the Walmgate area. Surely a better solution could be found? If drivers cannot
THE problem at Walmgate Bar seems to go on and on, surely a metal frame with a swinging gate across the top, set at about six inches below the height of the bar on the approach side, should solve the problem? In case a driver did not hear it catch the
NIGEL Ingrams of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation seems of the opinion that we, the objectors, do not understand the foundation's plans for the proposed Derwenthorpe development. Perhaps he would like to enlighten us in detail, especially with regard to
I AM seeking help in researching my family tree. My great great grandfather was Thomas Sharp, born in Cumberland in 1816. Thomas was a saddler, married to Ann (ne Brown) and living in York by the year 1841. Their son John, my great grandfather, was born
SELBY Warriors rediscovered top form as they demolished Pennine League division five leaders Park Amateurs 'A' with a dramatic 13-try blitz. Four of those tries went to in-form winger Colin Barker, with a hat-trick going to prop John Broadhurst. Coach
A FOCUS group made up of small and large York businesses is to be set up to investigate the best ways to make the city centre more attractive to shoppers. City of York Council Liberal Democrat leader Steve Galloway revealed details of the new group as
It is clear who this American voter is going to support. But who would you pick in the US presidential race if you had a choice? STEPHEN LEWIS asks around. AMERICANS go to the polls today in one of the closest US presidential races in memory - well, since
DID anyone else notice the horrible irony in a bloke called Rooney getting a late winner at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday? Or the irony of a bloke called Rooney diving over in the scoring zone to ire his opponents in the most irksome fashion
YORK MP Hugh Bayley today hit out at vandals, after his car windscreen was shattered in the city. It was an unhappy Hallowe'en for Mr Bayley, who returned from business in Westminster to find the front screen of his Volkswagen Golf estate badly damaged
A SEX offender traced through an Evening Press appeal has been jailed for 21 months for indecently attacking a man asleep by the River Ouse. Prosecutor Alan Mitcheson said that the victim was so furious after he awoke and realised what Alexander Murdo
CUEBALL'S Tracey Farmeary was crowned York John Smith's Ladies Darts League individual champion after an epic battle with Cygnet 'C''s Roz Kerr. Farmeary started with three tons to take the opener in 23, Kerr levelled with 25 and despite hitting a maximum
NEW Earswick All Blacks were not at their best but the 22-14 win at Ovenden 'A' kept them right in the Pennine League division two promotion race. Man of the match Jamie Rhodes excelled in the second-row and props Eddie Keeping and Jo Jo Hnesh were also
THE York school at the centre of a bus crash in which 20 people were injured is working with the city safety chiefs to cut out road hazards outside its gates. The head teacher at Archbishop Holgate's School John Harris has been working with City of York
TEEN striker Adam Arthur has emerged as a possible option for the right side of York City's midfield against Forest Green on Saturday. The 18-year-old came on in the FA Cup defeat at Carlisle after 63 minutes for Andy Bishop and switched to the right
A MAN at the centre of an armed siege today rang the Evening Press to declare: "I've done nothing wrong." In a series of extraordinary phone calls, David Roustoby, 29, explained to the newspaper why he would not give himself up to armed officers surrounding
JO HAYWOOD talks to Joanne Heywood (bizarre, but true), the panto principal boy who has found her own Prince Charming. WHEN is a boy not a boy? When she's a bride. Okay, it's not exactly a gag worthy of Dame Berwick Kaler, but it's not bad for starters
JO HAYWOOD meets an aesthetics nurse who believes the key to beauty is the appliance of science. IF only there were something that made fat melt away. If only cellulite could be rolled flat and smooth again. If only, if only, if only... The path to beauty
Tuesday, November 2, 2004 100 years ago: The death was reported of David Topham - the oldest Freeman of York, the oldest typographer, the oldest Congregationalist, and probably the oldest man in the city, at the venerable age of 96. Interviewed shortly
WRITER Roy Smiles had tried stand-up comedy and failed. "Well, not failed, but not done well," he says, setting himself the task of getting to the bottom of the comic psyche and thereby finding out about the Smiles behind the smiles. Ying Tong, his affectionate
WE TOTALLY agree with the York council planners (Arcade to hit shops, October 20). We are horrified and we knew nothing about the plans. Apparently neither does most of our street. The obligatory notices informing the public of change of use were placed
IN reply to Rachel Baldwin, I think the Post Office seriously needs to get its house in order. Someone not so long ago sent me a parcel with too few stamps on it. I sent additional postage costs to Birch Park, as instructed, and waited a week. When I
DURING the past two weeks, I have been to an evening performance at the Grand Opera House and I have parked in the Castle car park. Being a resident of York and with the appropriate badge visible in my windscreen, I tried to obtain my reduced rate parking
THE planning application for the further development of Connaught Court in Fulford is set to go before the planning committee on December 23. The application is in outline form only and involves establishing whether the principle of a 38-bed care home
I AM sorry to inform you that water fluoridation will not solve the dental health problem in Yorkshire. I come from Hamilton NZ which has been fluoridated for many years. The children's teeth are worse than ever. A recent survey conducted by the district
FORMER Brazil World Cup captain Socrates' debut for Garforth Town against Tadcaster Albion on November 20 is unlikely to last longer than 20 minutes. Socrates, 50, has announced that he is not fit enough to play any longer and he might not take any part
BREAKING up has never been harder to do. The pain and emotional stress of divorce are as intense as ever. But the financial cost of a split is getting worse. Spiralling house prices are nothing new. Yet, just as the property boom appears to be levelling
SHOULD York pubs ban smoking? That is the question being put to city drinkers today. The idea of the survey is to inform publicans what their customers want, but the results will be of far wider interest. New evidence about the dangers of passive smoking
NEW Earswick All Blacks were not at their best but the 22-14 win at Ovenden 'A' kept them right in the Pennine League division two promotion race. Man of the match Jamie Rhodes excelled in the second-row and props Eddie Keeping and Jo Jo Hnesh were also
HEWORTH 'A' enjoyed a superb 40-14 win at Featherstone Lions 'A' in the first round of the Yorkshire League Alliance Cup. A strong defence, fine handling and good support play was too much for the hosts as Heworth built up a 34-0 half-time lead with tries
A HIGH-FLYING legal eagle reached for the skies, after making a successful bid for a dream lot in a charity auction. Simon Hetherton, of York-based Hethertons Solicitors, tested his skills in a Tucano Trainer jet computer simulator during a VIP visit
A YORK councillor has welcomed the Government's indication that it will continue to extend the provision of its Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme. Coun Paul Blanchard, who is self-employed, outlined how this will help small businesses in the region. He
A VETERAN of the North Yorkshire hospitality trade has teamed up with a computer expert to launch a website specifically aimed at B&B owners. Chris Parkin, of the award-winning Carlton Lodge, at Helmsley, linked up with software designer Tom Cone
TIMES change. Traditional productions are the exception these days. Tim Albery's swinging, hip production of Cos seven years ago was not a success. Yet he has been brought back for a rethink. His superficially straightforward, but supremely subtle, 18th-century
It's no fun moving. Turfed out of the Barbican Centre, York Guildhall Orchestra (YGO) and its conductor, Simon Wright, have found temporary pasture at the university. It is a more courageous sojourn than it may sound. Central Hall may offer its audience
TEEN striker Adam Arthur has emerged as a possible option for the right side of York City's midfield against Forest Green on Saturday. The 18-year-old came on in the FA Cup defeat at Carlisle after 63 minutes for Andy Bishop and switched to the right
Winged d'Argent, who is looking every inch a high-class stayer in the making, can underline that impression by adding to his tally of wins at Musselburgh tomorrow. The Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old goes for the £40,000 totesport Willie Park Stakes
SHOCKED people watched in horror as a security van raced through their York village on two wheels - driven by a teenager who had managed to grab the keys. The keys to the ranger patrol vehicle fell from the driver's pocket after he confronted a gang of
ONE of York's most famous craftsmen is downing tools after nearly 40 years in the city. At the age of 70, famous wood and stone carver Dick Reid is hanging up his mallet and chisels at his workshop in Fishergate and calling it a day. Wherever you look
THE Jordan Tourism Board has called the bus crash that killed four York pilgrims a "freak accident". A spokesman from the board's London office said the regulations in Jordan were tough and only two tourist companies were licensed to carry overseas visitors
CITY of York Ladies resumed their North Hockley League programme with a 2-1 home win against Springfields. York started well and were rewarded with a goal on 15 minutes, Sally Sleightholme scored with a deflected shot from Paula Clough's pass. Soon after
York could be the first place in the country to test a new temporary flood defence scheme. Residents in Clementhorpe, which suffered flooding in 2000, could have their homes protected in future by a 1.5-metre high barrier, which would be placed along
YORK-BASED Darran Bilton won the second race in the West Yorkshire Country League at sticky Pudsey on Saturday. Although professing a dislike of muddy conditions, the Leeds City runner cruised to an easy win 38 seconds ahead of second placed John Henaghan
A NEW traffic system at a busy York junction had a relatively trouble-free "baptism". Yesterday was the first day of a year's trial measure at Walmgate Bar, which sees all traffic except pedal cycles prevented from entering Walmgate through the smaller
THE burning issue of whether smoking should be allowed in pubs is to be taken to a ballot in York. The initiative is being piloted by Atmosphere Improves Results (AIR), which aims to resolve the public smoking issue by promoting self-regulation in the
HOUSING rents have shot up by at least ten per cent in the York area - fuelled by a soaring divorce rate. And they are set to rocket by another eight per cent next year to record levels, predicts the country's largest lettings agency, Belvoir Lettings
"YOU'RE always mouthing off about things," one of my friends told me the other day as I launched an attack on the cost of school trips these days. "It's only a couple of miles down the road," I ranted. "I remember going on a school skiing trip to Austria
