The Isle of Wight Beacon – the Island's daily news sport and weather website

News Stories for October 2008


WIGHT MURDER WRAPS UP IN RYDE Ryde has been one of the MADCAP venues.
- A 4 day Island-wide murder mystery competition with a difference wraps up today, with a prize giving event. 
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EXTRA PRECAUTIONS FOR HALLOWE'EN
- Police patrols are being stepped up and shops have stopped selling flour and eggs to people aged under 18. 
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN
- Happy Hallowe’en from the IW Beacon. Check out our events diary to find the best places on the Island to have some ghoulish fun.
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LONER SQUIRRELS SPOTTED AT OSBORNE Osborne House is home to many native squirrels.
- They don’t like the rain and they’re happiest near the Swiss Cottage. The results of the red squirrel survey, carried out by visitors to Osborne House in East Cowes, have been revealed.
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DIVERSION IN PLACE ON NEWPORT CYCLE TRACK
- Part of the Newport to Cowes cycle track has been closed for essential maintenance until 5 December. 
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MEET THE LEADER IN BEMBRIDGE Get your questions ready for the IW Council Leader David Pugh.
- Bembridge Parish Council is inviting you to attend a public meeting with Isle of Wight Council Leader David Pugh, this evening.  It takes place at Bembridge Village Hall.  It takes place at 7pm, although you can take your seats from 6.45pm.
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WIGHTLINK'S WIGHT LIGHT REVEALED
- The cross-Solent operator Wightlink is unveiling its newest addition to its fleet with two open days. The Wight Light is the first of three much larger boats which the firm hopes will sail between Yarmouth and Lymington. 
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AUTHOR'S TRIBUTE TO ONE TIME ISLANDER Caroline Ross will be at Waterstones on Newport High Street.
- A former Islander will launch a book dedicated to her father - a one time MP for the Isle of Wight. 
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COMMUNITY EVENTS IN RYDE
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The Ryde Safer Neighbourhoods Team is holding community events in the town. They're taking place at Mayfield Middle School in St Vincent's Road, between 10am and 3pm today and at Oakfield Football Club in Slade Road, between 10am and 3pm on 29 October.

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FIRE SERVICE'S YOUTH TRAINING
- The Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service is to hold a second week of activities, aimed at turning potential young offenders into young fire-fighters. 
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PUB'S THE BEST FOR GRUB
- A pub has been named the Island’s Dining Pub of 2008, by the Good Pub Guide.  The Seaview, in Seaview High Street, has picked up the title for the second year running.
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POLITICS FOR THE YOUNG
- Could you be the Island’s next youth MP? 

Candidates for the national assembly and for the Isle of Wight's Youth Council are being sought
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ThWART TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING
- Campaigners fighting plans to introduce wind turbines to the Isle of Wight are holding two public meetings, this week.
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ARTWORK ASKS "WHAT IF"
- A new artwork’s being unveiled in Sandown, today.  The work by Nathan Holt will be on show at  Eastern Gardens.
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CABINET MEETING IN SEAVIEW
- The IW Council’s Cabinet will meet in Seaview, on 21 October, continuing its Island tour.
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MISSING ARTIST FOUND DEAD
- A woman found dead at cliffs in the Shanklin area has been identified as missing artist Ann Helen Faber. 
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GRANT COULD PROMOTE WOOD FUEL
- A £6,500 grant could lead to Island homes and businesses being heated by sustainable bio-fuels. 
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NEWPORT GETS A FACELIFT
- New seating and litter bins: Part of a series of improvements to Newport's St Thomas Square.  In Church Litten, the Valentine Grey Monument and Old Arch are being repaired and cleaned by a skilled craftsman. 
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GET DATING ON THREE DAY WALKING EVENT
- The Isle of Wight’s Walking Weekend will be marked with another speed dating walk.
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POPPY APPEAL LAUNCH IN RYDE
- The launch of this year’s Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal will take place later.
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LOOS FORMALLY OPENED
- Yaverland’s eco-friendly public toilets will be officially opened today.   They have solar panels, a wind powered micro-generator and a rainwater harvesting system. 
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MOUNT JOY HAS NEW COUNCILLOR
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Conservative Roger Dixcey has succeeded Melanie Swan as Councillor in Newport’s Mount Joy ward.  A

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MORE SPEED RESTRICTIONS PLANNED
- New data suggests flashing speed signs and 20 mile per hour markers on the Isle of Wight are a success.
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CABINET MEETS IN SEAVIEW
- The IW Council’s Cabinet will meet in Seaview on 21 October and you can submit a question.
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HONOUR FOR ISLAND BUSINESSMAN Mr Bland will join Dame Ellen MacArthur in accepting the honour.
- The Island’s former Lord Lieutenant Christopher Bland, will be awarded the freedom of the Isle of Wight, today.  He will attend a council meeting at County Hall in Newport. 
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IW ZOO'S SPIDER MONKEY BABY The newborn peeks out into the world.
- This baby spider monkey is the latest addition to the animals at the Isle of Wight Zoo, in Yaverland.
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MADCAP GETS AWAY WITH WIGHT MURDER
- This Halloween will be murder on the Isle of Wight. 
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SHOEBOX APPEAL FOR ROMANIAN CHILDREN
- The annual charity shoebox appeal is underway, organised by the Island’s Rotary Club.
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NURSE SWAPS FOUR WHEELS FOR TWO
- A Ryde based community nurses has opted to cycle to his appointments, instead of using his car. Brett Milliner is piloting the scheme, travelling from Ryde to Seaview. 
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CHILDREN TAUGHT TO STOP AND CROSS SAFELY
- Stop, look and listen! That’s the message to new school pupils, who are being taught how to cross the road safely.
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PARK PLAY IMPROVEMENTS IN NORTHWOOD
- Northwood’s Venner Avenue Play Park has new play facilities and a shelter for teenagers. 
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CHARITY CAR WASH FOR SQUARE TO SQUARE
- The fundraising hasn’t ended for the Island firefighters who cycled from St Thomas’ Square in Newport to The Vatican in Rome, last month.
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MAPPING THE ISLAND'S HISTORY
- Crucial areas for archaeology, historic landscapes and historic buildings are being mapped on the Isle of Wight, today.  
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IRISH SHOW HITS NEWPORT
- The spirit of the Emerald Isle dances into The Medina Theatre in Newport. Essence of Ireland is a show combining Irish musicians and dancers and takes place on 18 October.
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BY-ELECTION IN NEWPORT
- Polling gets underway in Mountjoy, today, at Nine Acres Primary School.  It follows the resignation of Cllr Melanie Swan earlier this year.
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READING'S A PASSION FOR SCHOOLS VISIT
- Author Sam Enthoven is visiting Isle of Wight schools this week, to help mark the National Year of Reading.  Sam, who has published The Black Tattoo and Tim, Defender of the Earth, is talking to school students about his passion for writing and reading.
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PCT WARNS AGAINST FRAUD
- The Island’s Primary Care Trust is setting out to show how the NHS is affected by fraud.
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COUNCIL'S PLAN FOR SAFER ISLAND DRIVING
- The Isle of Wight Council’s latest driving course got underway today.
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WALK ON WEST WIGHT WATER
- Young people in the West Wight will be walking on water this Saturday (4 October) at a Youth Sports Night at the West Wight Sports Centre. Organisers are introducing a giant inflatable ball, for an experience similar to zorbing.
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GET FIT AND HEALTHY ON IW COUNCIL
- Help with quitting smoking, first aid, accident prevention advice and all you need to know about immunisations.  A week of health related activities and workshops is being held at the Isle of Wight Council's SureStart Children's Centre, in George Street in Ryde, between 6 and 10 October. 
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IWCP CHOPPED IN HALF
- After 124 years, the writing is on the wall for the Isle of Wight weekly broadsheet, the County Press.  A new tabloid layout, overwhelmingly backed by the readers according to the newspaper, launches today.  It has taken a year of preparation and will also include changes to the newspaper's content. 
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COULD THERE BE CASH FOR YOU
- An Isle of Wight project is among those to benefit from The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation’s Grassroots Grants.  Cowes Concert Band was among those to apply for cash, and your organisation could follow suit.
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VOTE ISLAND FESTIVALS FOR UK AWARD!
- The Island's two major music festivals are again in the running for accolades at the UK Festival Awards 2008. 
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NHS CONSULTATION DUE TO END
- There are just a few more weeks to have your say on the proposed NHS Constitution, which is out for consultation.  You can read the document at GP Practices and Libraries.  Or you can read it on the Primary Care Trust website at www.iow.nhs.uk.  The closing date for comments is 17 October 2008.
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ISLE OF WIGHT GOES PINK The pink hovercraft launches charity month.
- Cross-Solent operator Hovertravel is marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month by transforming its largest and newest craft “Solent Express”, with a pink makeover.  This week, the hovercraft and staff are wearing pink to help raise awareness of breast cancer and encourage more people to take part in the charity’s fundraising initiative. 
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