Stories for 28 August 2008

Abingdon

Youngsters drifting away, say coaches

ABINGDON Amateur Boxing Club, which has launched a £200,000 appeal for a new hall, is desperate for a place to train in the meantime.  more...

Furious cabbies say they are 'targeted'

A CAB rank for six taxis is at the centre of a dispute at Abingdon, with drivers complaining it can only fit five cars.  more...

Abingdon News

Cabbies fume over rank fines

A rank for six taxis is at the centre of a row in Abingdon with drivers complaining that only five cars can fit on it.  more...

Art

Shining a radical light — by Italy's avant-garde

THERESA THOMPSON sees a display of an unfamiliar school of European art - the Divisionists - at the National Gallery It took only a few steps into the Radical Light: Italy's Divisionist Painters 1891-1910 exhibition at the National Gallery to know something special was in store. This loosely knit group of avant-garde artists working in the late 19th century is mostly unknown in this country. But as with the exhibition of 18th-century Pompeo Batoni portraits that preceded it in the Sainsbury Wing, the National Gallery has again chosen to put on an exhibition that explores a less familiar aspect of European art.  more...

Bicester News

Court told of hammer attack

A former drug addict told a court her dealer locked her in his house and attacked her with a hammer.  more...

Books

Book of the month: The Road Home

ANDREW FFRENCH explores author Rose Tremain's take on the plight of a Polish immigrant in our latest BOOK OF THE MONTH.  more...

Father and son still racing ahead

Two years of ill health, which began with major heart surgery and ended in a leg amputation, have not deterred Dick Francis from racing ahead with another surefire best-seller - with the help of his son, Felix.  more...

Destruction of civilisation

Comanche Empire Pekka Hamalainen (Yale, £25) Books on the American West tend to overlook the immense contibution to the nation of the Indian tribes, except perhaps to focus on their ultimate tragedy (Dee Brown's Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is the epic of this genre). The Comanches, who roamed vast tracts of land from Louisiana and Mexico to the Rockies, were a gifted tribe who knew the value of nature. Three million bison and a million wild horses were their heritage, giving them a sound foundation in economic power. French withdrawal from North America and Spanish weakness gave them freedom of the grasslands and this would sustain them for more than a century. In a cultural sense, they ruled an empire. The Civil War was the catalyst of destruction along with the greed of ranchers, "an invasion they could not stop nor escape". The infamous reservations awaited. Hamalainen has done a great service with this fascinating saga of Comanche history and lifestyle.   more...

Paradise lost

Paradise Lost: Smyrna 1922 Giles Milton (Sceptre, £20) While British soldiers were losing their lives in Gallipoli, life in the Ottoman Empire was exceptionally good just a short distance away. The city of Smyrna - now Ismir in Turkey - had all the blessings of a peaceful history bestowed on it. Its cosmopolitan citizens, including fabulously rich Levantine families, Jews, Armenians and Greeks, enjoyed a social life of opera and yachting unrivalled anywhere in the world. In one of the greatest massacres in modern history, all this came to an end in 1922 when Turkish soldiers - reacting to occupation by the Greeks - wiped out the city with an orgy of looting, rape and arson.  more...

Follow the money

A SPLENDID EXCHANGE: HOW TRADE SHAPED THE WORLD William Bernstein (Atlantic Books, £22)My reading of A Splendid Exchange was interrupted by a breaking news e-mail from the BBC: Geneva talks to liberalise global trade collapse'. World trade, if you think about it, is extraordinary. Much to the British phonographic Industry's chagrin, I can personally import a CD or DVD from Hong Kong for less than the cost of buying the same from HMV or Zavvi.  more...

Light reading

THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF SCONES Alexander McCall Smith (Polygon, £14.99) A few years ago, this prolific author started writing a serial about the goings-on in a shared house in Edinburgh's Scotland Street, and the episodes were published in The Scotsman. The episodes were collected for the first book in the series, entitled 44, Scotland Street.  more...

Gritty story

MUSE Susan Irvine (Quercus, £14.99)Susan Irvine's début centres on the meltdown of a young stylist after a life-changing trip to Paris. Naomi Price spends a week with the beautiful Sylvie and Sergei, living her life to the full and letting her imagination lead her on. She meets Eric, a shy hotel porter, who starts to send her romantic letters and poems.  more...

Behind the scenes

Now that the Olympics have finished, it is a good time to search out the historic secrets of the vast land which hosted them.  more...

Business News

Deal spells growth for high-tech firm

A high-tech firm is enjoying major expansion after signing deals with major industry players.  more...

Bid to host Wikimania

AN ambitious attempt is being made to hold an Oxford-based high-tech conference for the Wikimedia Foundation, which runs the Wikipedia encyclopedia on the Internet.  more...

Cimena

THE STRANGERS (15)

Horror/Thriller. Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward, Kip Weeks, Laura Margolis, Glenn Howerton. Director: Bryan Bertino.  more...

BABYLON A.D. (12A)

Sci-Fi/Action/Thriller. Vin Diesel, Melanie Thierry, Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Rampling, Lambert Wilson, Mark Strong. Director: Mathieu Kassovitz.  more...

STEP BROTHERS (15)

Comedy. Will Ferrell, John C Reilly, Richard Jenkins, Mary Steenburgen, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn. Director: Adam McKay.  more...

Clubbing

Waxing lyrical

Ben McKechnie gets the ’andle on a brand new boozer in the city centre  more...

Columns

Cabbages and Kings

It was business as usual on Bank Holiday Monday. The city seemed the same as any other day - only the privileged in certain establishments benefiting from the statutory break.  more...

Commercial Property

Expansion at Milton Park

MAJOR multi-million pound development at Milton Park is continuing, despite the downturn in the economy.  more...

Country Matters

Young rally to project plea

A Government-backed initiative to attract young people to conservation work is showing signs of success in West Oxfordshire, writes PETER BARRINGTON Young people are giving up some of their spare time by rolling up their sleeves, getting their hands dirty and their boots muddy, all in the cause of conservation and the environment. They also challenge the stereotype that only the over-50s are interested in the future of the Oxfordshire countryside.  more...

Cricket

CRICKET: Banbury bid still on

Home Counties Premier League Benji Hector is not writing off Banbury's Division 1 title hopes just yet despite his side slipping to 11 points off top spot.  more...

CRICKET: Oxford want double

Bernard Tollett Oxfordshire Cup Oxford captain Jason Harrison says they will take Sunday's cup action at Bicester & North Oxford as seriously as tomorrow's league game.  more...

CRICKET: Oxon await venue

ECB 50+ Championship Oxfordshire are waiting on their semi-final opponents Cheshire to confirm a venue and date for the clash.  more...

CRICKET – Woods has faith in home comforts

Bicester & North Oxford hope to make the most of home support during Sunday's Bernard Tollet Oxfordshire Cup finals day.  more...

CRICKET: Super Rae shines again

Ben Rae hit 83 and captured 3-50 as Westbury maintained their OCA League Division 1 title challenge with a seven-wicket victory at Horley.  more...

Didcot

'Copter hunt for wanted man

A police helicopter has been scrambled to the village of Harwell after a "wanted man" was spotted.  more...

Chip fat challenge completed

Green pioneer Ben Mayo has completed a journey across Europe in a car powered by chip fat.  more...

Didcot News

Police hunt for 'wanted' man

A police helicopter has been scrambled to the village of Harwell near Didcot after a man described by police as "wanted" was spotted.  more...

Greasy traveller finishes journey

Green pioneer Ben Mayo has completed a hazardous journey across Europe in a car powered by chip fat.  more...

Editorial Comment

Silo is an eyesore

Some will no doubt be sad to see that iconic building - the grain silo at Gosford - disappear.  more...

Education

DNA debate still rages

Is it ethical to store innocent people's DNA? asks an expert in bioethics KATHARINE WRIGHT Over the past decade, the police of England and Wales have been given ever increasing powers to take and store DNA to help tackle crime. DNA can be taken without consent from anyone arrested for a recordable' offence - mostly offences that can lead to a prison sentence. The samples are then stored permanently on the National DNA Database and the UK now has the largest forensic DNA database in the world, per head of population, with more than four million samples.  more...

Entertainment

Exhibition of dyeing, Vale and Downland Museum, Wantage, Oct 1-Nov 8; Children's art exhibition, Mod

THE fascinating history of dyeing will be explored at the Vale and Downland Museum, Wantage, at an exhibition running from October 1 to November 8.  more...

Curtain up at the arts centre . . .

STARS will descend on Didcot this autumn for the opening season of the town's £7.4m arts centre, Cornerstone.  more...

Features

Wine by the half — and the 20

One of the most memorable things I ever saw on a visit to a historic building was the detail in the wine cellar of Queen Mary's magnificent dolls' house at Windsor Castle. I was particularly impressed (and astonished) to read that the tiny bottles - slighter than the nail of my smallest finger - actually contained real wine.  more...

Dress shop founder to quit

Oxford in the 1960s - a hotbed of sex, drugs, revolution and rock'n'roll. But all those young people needed something to wear. Who would supply flowery pinafores for all those festivals of love? Enter Annabelinda, the shop in Gloucester Green which for 37 years has remained a beacon for those in search of original fashion. Now its founder, Belinda O'Hanlon, is throwing in the towel. At the age of 62, she has decided not to renew her lease at the end of the year, and the business is up for sale as a going concern.  more...

Gardening

Flora's happy end?

VAL BOURNE laments mown flowers loved since Shakespeare's day The Japanese have a passion for Shakespeare as I'm sure you are aware. This year I witnessed a masterly troupe of actors singing The Rain it Raineth Every Day on an open-air stage during a monsoon in the Nagano mountains, a range commonly known as the Japanese Alps.  more...

Headlines

£85,000 needed for new roof

THANKS to the many Witney Gazette readers who responded so generously to last year's article on charity events at Bampton, held to top up funds required to repair the church roof that's in urgent need of attention, the money raised so far has reached £230,000.  more...

Batt reunion

FORMER pupils at Witney's Batt CE Primary School are being invited to a reunion and help raise money for a new kitchen.  more...

Lotto winner celebrates with village

When mother-of-two Michelle Drinkwater's numbers came up in the Lotto she thought she had won £1,000.  more...

Care staff to get bravery award

Staff who battled around-the-clock to rescue elderly residents from a nursing home during last year's floods have been recognised for their bravery.  more...

Horse Racing

HORSE RACING: Channon hurt in fatal crash

West Ilsley trainer Mick Channon (pictured) was seriously injured in a car crash in which his long-time friend, renowned bloodstock agent Tim Corby, died.  more...

Leader

Well done all

Once again our students have performed very well in their GCSE and A-level examinations. Congratulations to all, and here's to continued success.  more...

A milestone in rise of Didcot

It is tremendous to see the new Cornerstone arts centre opening in Didcot.  more...

Letters

Give them attention

I refer to your article, Estate joy at tearaway ban (Oxford Mail, August 22).  more...

Walk, jog, run cash flows in

As patron of Cancer Research UK's Race for Life 2008, I would like to send my personal and heartfelt thanks to each and every one of the 7,500 Oxford women who responded to this year's invitation to walk, jog or run 5k.  more...

Give them attention

I refer to your article, Estate joy at tearaway ban (Oxford Mail, August 22).  more...

Walk, jog, run cash flows in

As patron of Cancer Research UK's Race for Life 2008, I would like to send my personal and heartfelt thanks to each and every one of the 7,500 Oxford women who responded to this year's invitation to walk, jog or run 5k.  more...

Ruining town

Sir, What's going on with AbITS? Two weeks ago, in your letters page, following the recent publication of his report (following an immense amount of hard work), Mr Steve King informed us that "there are now over 120,000 fewer cars a year using the town's car parks since the new scheme. That's almost 2,500 cars of shoppers a week the town's tills have lost".  more...

Admit failings

Sir, The plans for revamped train services from Bicester to London, including an improved link to Oxford, are, of course, good news.  more...

We shall all miss Peacocke's Pubs

Sir, Oh dear, how sad I was to read Helen Peacocke's last review of Oxfordshire pubs (The Herald, August 21).  more...

Motors

Horch headlines London auction

MORE than 75 exquisite vintage automobiles are expected to roll into central London for a single-day auction being held by international auction house, RM Auctions, in association with Sotheby's.  more...

Roadtest: French and fancy

A colleague was baffled by Citroën's cheeky 'Unmistakeably' German television ad and thought the French carmaker had indeed switched production to Germany.  more...

Music

WIN A Bose SoundDock Digital Music System

To celebrate the forthcoming Nationwide Mercury Music Prize awards, The Guide is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a truly amazing prize - a Bose SoundDock Digital Music System, with Bose in-ear headphones, worth £300.  more...

All eyes are on the Mercury Prize

Excitement is building ahead of the announcement next month of the winner of the past year's most interesting new album.  more...

Gym Class take some exercise

Hailing from New York and famous for the hits Cupid's Chokehold and Clothes Off, hip-hop crossover act Gym Class Heroes have toured with the likes of Fall Out Boy, Cute Is What We Aim For, Plain White Ts and MC Lars.  more...

Gemma's long awaited return

Six years, two albums, the highs of critical accolades and the lows of doubt and exhaustion have given Irish singer Gemma Hayes the mantle of an experienced songwriter.  more...

Feast of mosh and rock

Remember Iron Maiden once, rather eloquently invited you to. "Bring your daughter to the Slaughter"?  more...

Doves to take flight

In a move sure to bring tears of joy to any true music-lover, Cheshire's finest, Doves, are heading to Oxford for one of only two gigs in the UK this year.  more...

Is this the best (fest)ival?

The countdown is well and truly on for the best festival of the summer - the appropriately-named Bestival.  more...

A cute angle

Engineer, mathematician and blissed-out singer-songwriter Juliana Meyer tells Tim Hughes about the nuts and bolts of making beautiful music  more...

A season's magical 15th year

Oxford Contemporary Music marks its 15th year of breaking boundaries with a Magic Hour, writes PAUL MEDLEY Oxford Contemporary Music marks its 15th anniversary this autumn with a series of concerts, in particular its Magic Hour event at the Oxford University Botanic Garden.  more...

News

Elderly man trapped in lift

An elderly man was rescued from a lift in a block of flats just hours after it was fixed by engineers.  more...

Death-fall man named

A 51-year-old man found dead at the foot of an Oxford car park has been named.  more...

Ivy celebrates in style

Ivy Morgan marked her century in style as family and friends gathered to celebrate her 100th birthday.  more...

Max on single-minded mission

Max Stevenson is attempting to travel around Europe's largest lake on one wheel.  more...

Non Leage

FOOTBALL: Merritt isues Merthyr warning

Oxford City player-boss Justin Merritt is warning against complacency when they host Merthyr Tydfil on Saturday, looking for their second successive home win.  more...

FOOTBALL: Wantage struck by Langford injury woe

Wantage Town midfielder Ellis Langford has been ruled out for six weeks with a broken foot.  more...

FOOTBALL: Peace lays down Powell challenge

Didcot Town boss Stuart Peace has urged Paul Powell to keep up the good work when they host Bournemouth in tomorrow's FA Cup preliminary round.  more...

Other News

Cadets inspired by camp fun

HUNDREDS of youngsters from Oxfordshire got fired up for life in the army at a military training camp.  more...

Art teachers display own work

Seventeen teachers from Oxfordshire are installing their own artwork for a special exhibition at OVADA Gallery, Gloucester Green.  more...

Creation handed a lifeline

Oxfordshire's largest theatre production company has received a major boost in its bid to stay afloat after receiving pledges worth £42,000.  more...

Waste plant set for A34 silo site

A giant waste recovery plant looks set to be built in Oxford's Green Belt, despite strong local opposition.  more...

OAP bus fares 'hard to bear'

The concessionary bus fare scheme has proved so popular with pensioners it could take Oxford City Council £400,000 over budget.  more...

Other Sport

PIGEON RACING: Latest results

Oxford Central (Newton Abbot, 5 sent 154): 1, 2, 3 M/M Ward 1526, 1520, 1511; 4, 5, 6 K Shipperley 1485, 1471, 1469; 7, 8, 9 Cosmin Talas 1465, 1461, 1459; 10, 13, 14 Merchant & Hall 1377, 1345, 1344; 11, 12, 16 Sherman & Wells 1365, 1365, 1279; 15 E Irving 1297.  more...

ATHLETICS: Kuester in the medals

Bicester's David Kuester had a weekend to remember.  more...

Oxford News

Artistic teachers go back to basics

Seventeen teachers from Oxfordshire are installing their own artworks for a special exhibition at the Ovada Gallery, in Gloucester Green, Oxford.  more...

Young group showcase its talent

Junior MCs, street dancers and budding chefs will showcase their talents at a youth group extravaganza in Oxford on Friday night.  more...

Rallying cry on Green Belt

New Henley MP John Howell is rallying south Oxfordshire residents to keep up the fight against moves to build 4,000 homes in Oxford's Green Belt.  more...

'No action' fear over bank data

An Oxford University IT manager who inadvertently bought a computer containing a million people's bank details from Internet auction site ebay fears the whole matter will be "swept under the carpet".  more...

Hospital infection rate drops

Hospitals in Oxfordshire have bucked the national trend - with the latest figures showing the number of deaths involving the C Difficile infection dropping.  more...

Con man targets householders

A con man targeted three homes in less than 45 minutes during a string of attempted distraction burglaries.  more...

Take a look at 'hidden' Oxford

Members of the public can get a behind-the-scenes look at interesting and unusual buildings all over Oxford next month.  more...

Learn some samba skills

A celebration of African-Brazilian culture is to be held at Oxford's Pegasus Theatre.  more...

Towpath erosion barrier replaced

An experimental £60,000 anti-erosion barrier which failed to properly protect the Thames towpath is being torn out after years of complaints.  more...

Lift rescue

A pensioner had to be rescued from a lift in a block of flats just hours after it was fixed by engineers.  more...

Car park fall man is named

A 51-year-old man found dead at the foot of an Oxford car park has been named.  more...

OAP bus fares hit council budget

The concessionary bus fare scheme has proved so popular with pensioners it could take Oxford City Council £400,000 over budget.  more...

Restaurant Reviews

Wok-it science

The Parasol, 28 Market Square, Bicester  more...

Results And Fixtures

FIXTURES: August 30-September 4

SATURDAY FOOTBALL BLUE SQUARE PREMIER Ebbsfleet Utd v Oxford Utd.  more...

Share Prices

Today's local share prices (PM)

AEA Technology 46.5 BMW 2254 Electrocomponents 172.5 Nationwide Accident Repair 135 Oxford Biomedica 11.25 Oxford Catalyst 168.5 Oxford Instruments 225.25 Reed Elsevier 618.75 RM 169.25 RPS Group 291.5   more...

Today's local share prices (AM)

AEA Technology 46.5 BMW 2191 Electrocomponents 172.25 Nationwide Accident Repair 135 Oxford Biomedica 11.5 Oxford Catalyst 168.5 Oxford Instruments 225.5 Reed Elsevier 610.75 RM 168.5 RPS Group 288.5   more...

Deals spell growth for high-tech firm

A high-tech firm is enjoying major expansion after signing deals with major industry players.  more...

Tennis

TENNIS: Cholsey set to beat drop

Men's Division 1 champions Cholsey look to have avoided the ignominy of being relegated a year after winning the Wilson OLTA League's 2-Pair League title.  more...

TENNIS: Oxon's finest at Wimbledon

Four of Oxfordshire's most promising players trod the hallowed turf at Wimbledon as part of the 'Road to Wimbledon' finals.  more...

Theatre

The hit-maker

If it wasn't for Jon Plowman, household names such as Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Matt Lucas, David Walliams, French And Saunders and Fry & Laurie might still be plying their wares on the comedy circuit.  more...

For whom the Bell tolls

Guess where I've just been," Martin Bell enthuses.  more...

A comedy of the American Dream

A.S.H. SMYTH talks to Loudon Wainwright III who has written the music for the stage version of Lucky You at the Oxford Playhouse "Two crazed rednecks, one long-legged waitress, A sexy veterinarian, $28m. People will believe anything (. . . and they did)"  more...

U'S News

New players 'must get used to expectation'

Goalkeeper Billy Turley says there is no need to panic, Oxford United will be all right when they get key players back and match sharp.  more...

Roll up your sleeves

Jake Cole says it's time for Oxford United's players to show some character to get back to winning ways.  more...

Voluntary Voice

Dialability is vital to clients and professionals

Dialability is a charity that is well known to people with disabilities in Oxfordshire. Healthcare professionals and relatives and carers are also familiar with this unique organisation.  more...

Wallingford

Conman strikes three times

A conman targeted three homes in less than 45 minutes during a string of attempted distraction burglaries.  more...

Wallingford News

'Waterboard' conman targets homes

A conman targeted three homes in less than 45 minutes during a string of attempted burglaries.  more...

Festival will bring £500k into town

Traders are set to hear cash tills ringing to the tune of half a million pounds as Wallingford braces itself for this weekend's BunkFest.  more...

Wantage And Grove

Family plea over stolen dog

A family is pleading for the return of a valuable pet dog which was stolen from a house in Grove.  more...

Wantage News

Family appeal over stolen dog

A family is pleading for the return of a valuable pet dog which was stolen from a house in Grove.  more...

Witney News

Star's home on sale

The west Oxfordshire home of the late comedian and actor Ronnie Barker is up for sale.  more...

Church repairs start a year after fire

Work to restore a west Oxfordshire church gutted by fire a year ago began in earnest this week.  more...

Store hosts party for Lotto winner

When mother-of-two Michelle Drinkwater's numbers came up in the Lotto she thought she had scooped £1,000.  more...

Care staff to get bravery award

Staff who battled around-the-clock to rescue elderly residents from a nursing home during last year's floods have been recognised for their bravery.  more...

  
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