• An Afternoon of Crime Writing – Mark Billingham & Val McDermid (20 May 2012)
  Antony N Britt 25 May 12
  Walsall Library was the setting for two hours of entertainment last Sunday by top crime writers, Mark Billingham and Val McDermid . Both authors were on hand to give an interesting insight into the world of crime writing, explaining the processes involved and taking on questions from the audience. Mark…
• Witch Hunt
  The Plastic Hippo 24 May 12
  There was a time, long ago now, when honour and responsibility seemed somehow important to politicians. Once upon a time, ministers caught with fingers in tills, body parts in other people or telling porkie pies would resign and enjoy a comfortable retirement state pension and membership of various…
• THE IDLE LIFE
  Derek Bennett: The EU-Sceptic 24 May 12
  A David Austin rose ready to be planted. In years gone by there was a standing family joke, ‘don’t take your holidays at the same time as Derek and linda as it always rains. This week is my first holiday week of the year and what a week we chose – the warmth and sunshine has been glorious. Here in wonderful…
• It’s lovely Jub-i-lee in Bloxwich!
  The Bloxwich Telegraph 24 May 12
  It’s all systems go in Bloxwich for the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the beginning of June!  And there’ll be loads to see and do for all ages! Exciting and fun events have been lined up by various community organisations, Bloxwich Business Partnership, Bloxwich Carnival…
• Council revamps registration website for reliable tradesmen
  The Bloxwich Telegraph 24 May 12
  With thousands of people expected to carry out DIY and home improvements over the coming months, residents are being encouraged by Walsall Council to make sure that if they do work themselves that it complies to safety standards, and if they employ a trader to make sure they are honest and reliable…
• Street parties galore in Blakenall, Bloxwich and Borough
  The Bloxwich Telegraph 24 May 12
  Coronation Party, Abbotts St, Bloxwich, 1953. Walsall will be a sea of red, white and blue, say Walsall Council, as residents celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in style over the Bank Holiday weekend – with twenty street parties taking place all over the borough. This is double the amount…
• ‘Walsall’s new administration’ by Cllr Ian Shires
  Cllr Daniel Barker 24 May 12
  Posted May 24, 2012 Walsall has a new Lib Dem/Tory administration to take it forward over the next two years. Politics is never dull in Walsall and certainly the aftermath of this year’s local elections has been a nail biting experience for all those involved. May 3rd saw Walsall once again with no…
• What’s on in Wednesfield – May 2012
  WV11 24 May 12
  With summer around the corner our What’s On calendar is beginning to fill up with local activities! There are a number of Diamond Jubilee events taking place over the next couple of weekends, along with some other summer themed events which will be all the better now the sunshine has arrived…
• Born and bred
  BrownhillsBob 24 May 12
  Just a brief note to flag up a new blog on the local history block, which I’m feeling a bit smug about, really. Susan Marie Ward has put a lot of time into local history – she’s been active in the Stonnall History Group on Facebook, has started the Aldridge Local History Group in the [...]
• Return to the Forbidden Planet – Aldridge Musical Comedy Society (May 18 2012)
  Antony N Britt 23 May 12
  Great Wyrley Performing Arts School was the setting last week for a rock and roll trip into outer space and journey to the planet D’Illyria . Return to the Forbidden Planet is a show I had never seen, therefore something I was keen to redress. Performed by the Aldridge Musical Comedy Society…

• Independents allow Walsall to be in Condem control
  Pheasey Park Farm Labour 23 May 12
  News from Walsall Council tonight that the three independent councillors refused to vote against the vote of confidence in Walsall Council’s current leadership. Walsall Council tweeted Cllrs Chris and Paul Bott have both said “not voting” as has Cllr Pete Smith The result is 28 for the motion, 29 against…
• Road to nowhere
  BrownhillsBob 23 May 12
  In a week when our local rag is trying to convince us that it’s still indispensable and the most trusted source for news in the area, this fine example of the local newshound’s art caught my eye. Yet again, the Express & Star fills space with poorly researched, inaccurate copy that could have been…
• Jumping the shark
  The Plastic Hippo 23 May 12
  Whoever is writing this unbelievable script is obviously becoming more desperate for ratings by introducing plot lines that are quite ridiculous. We might be inured to rubbish television, but a loan shark dictating government policy? Oh come on, do they think we are that stupid? Sadly, they think we…
• Checking Out – My Winning Short Story. Now Online.
  Antony N Britt 22 May 12
  Finally, a year after it was first published in Writing Magazine , my short story – Checking Out has been added to the competition showcase on Writers’ Online. Checking Out, won first prize in Writing Magazine’s monthly competition and below, is a link to the site so you can read my…
• Photography: One Step Lantern.
  TheFabMrJ 22 May 12
  A friend of mine recently completed the recording, mixing and mastering of his debut album 5+2 under the name of One Step Lantern . In addition to playing bass guitar on a couple of the songs, I was asked to provide a photograph for the front cover. The idea was to use a photograph of one of the stained…
• GUEST POST: Live tweeting to tell a human frontline story
  The Dan Slee Blog 22 May 12
  Sometimes a press release just isn’t enough to tell a story. Living day-to-day as a carer can be tough. To give a flavour of just how tough Walsall Council comms team members Tina Faulkner and Becky Robinson live tweeted four hours to show – with sensitivity – how dementia affects…
• Porridge
  The Plastic Hippo 22 May 12
  When the nearest approximation to a voice of reason in a cacophony of braying millionaire schoolboys comes in the unlikely form of Vince Cable, you know that the nation is politically and morally bankrupt…
• A helpful code of conduct for volunteers has just been released
  Walsall Voluntary Action 21 May 12
  Volunteer England and the Association of British Insurers have just released a code of conduct that many volunteers and volunteer involving organisations may find of interest. For more informatrion about the code please visit the following link. Volunteer code of conduct.
• Shire Oak to Chasewater in 4 minutes 27 seconds
  BrownhillsBob 21 May 12
  Former Brownhills resident Porktora, now living in San Antonio, Texas where he works as a graphics designer, sometimes misses his hometown. Last weekend, when I posted some ride video, he commented how good it was to see the short canal section of the ride. Seeing as Mr. Torta worked so hard to identify…
• Valerie nominates Golden Moments to represent Walsall South in the Tiffin Cup 2012 Competition
  Valerie Vaz MP 20 May 12
  Valerie has nominated Golden Moments on Ablewell Street to represent Walsall South in the Tiffin Cup 2012 South Asian Restaurant Competition. Valerie said: “I am pleased to nominate Golden Moments to represent Walsall South in the Tiffin Cup 2012  Competition.  Eight restaurants were nominated by constituents…
• Wesley Day Service at Fishley Rock tomorrow
  Common People: Pelsall 19 May 12
  A special Wesley Day service is to take place at the so-called Fishley Rock, on Pelsall North Common, tomorrow (Sunday, May 19). See poster below for details.
• One word, five letters and a whole new outlook
  Mad old baggage 17 May 12
  ‘Sorry’; it’s such a tiny word when you look at it but sometimes it’s an enormous word to say. On a personal level it can be difficult to say because pride gets in the way. On a professional level uttering such a word can leave you open to doubts over competency, even disciplinary proceedings and at…
• Valerie questions Minister about the failings of outsourced court interpreters
  Valerie Vaz MP 17 May 12
  On Tuesday 15 May 2012, at Justice Oral Questions, Valerie Vaz, MP for Walsall South, asked the Justice Minister, Crispin Blunt MP, about the performance of the outsourced court interpreters, Applied Language Solutions (ALS). Valerie Vaz MP said:  “Previously, courts were able to select interpreters…
• Open Letter to Councillors
  Walsall Labour Party News 17 May 12
  On May 23rd Walsall’s councillors will decide which path the council will take in over the next two years. As I write this the latest unemployment figures show that 10,677 people in our borough are dependent on jobseekers allowance but more telling over…

More Walsall blogs…

• The Illegal Eagles – Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall: Sunday 2nd December 2012
  Spaghetti Gazetti 24 May 12
  The classic line-up of Phil Aldridge, Keith Atack, Jeff Green and Darin Murphy – the founder members of the Illegal Eagles – was completed in 2010 by the addition of Garreth Hicklin. Garreth’s ability to capture the emotion of the Don Henley vocal delivery has ensured that critical and audience acclaim…
• Made from girders
  BrownhillsBob 24 May 12
  The long pondered question of subsidence in the Bullings Heath area, and the age of the black Cock bridge became a little clearer last week. Top reader and local history ferret [Howmuch?] found this wonderful snippet in the archives of the long gone newspaper, ‘The Brownhills Reporter…
• The Reggae Touch
  Caldmore Village Festival 24 May 12
  Local businessman Ali Mahmood, Chairman of the Caldmore Traders Association, arranged for reggae band New Wave to play a rehearsal gig on Saturday evening – in his mobile phone shop. Mr Mahmood, who is also an executive committee member of the Caldmore Village Festival group, added New Wave…
• Join Walsall’s Diamond Jubilee Carnival Parade – 4th June 2012
  Caldmore Village Festival 24 May 12
  To celebrate the Queens Diamond Jubilee there will be an official parade departing Walsall Town Centre by Sister Dora at 1:30pm on 4th June, processing up to the Caldmore Village Festival. The Mayor will greet the parade on the main stage and there will be the opportunity to join in with a huge crowd…
• Thrifty Thursday | Credit cards.
  Mike Maynard 24 May 12
  Sometimes it can be useful to borrow money, but paying interest goes against the grain for us thrifty and frugal ones. A credit card can be useful for emergencies, but borrowing on one can also be useful for small investments. I have to buy some food in bulk and so need a freezer. If my freezer broke…
• Chuckery – Diamond Jubilee Celebration – Saturday 2nd June 2012
  Chuckery Festival 24 May 12
  The Chuckery Diamond Jubilee Funfair will be based at the Chuckery Primary School and is open from 12:00 until 16:00 (and the gates will open at 11:45) …
• New mayor aims to get vibrant, multi-cultural borough 'buzzing'
  Walsall People 24 May 12
  ‘PROMOTING Walsall as a vibrant borough’ that’s the aim of Walsall’s brand new mayor as he was sworn into office at a ceremony this week. Councillor Dennis Anson was installed as the borough’s new first citizen in the traditional mayor-making ceremony held at Walsall Council House on Monday night…
• Last night of the season for photographic club
  Walsall People 24 May 12
  WALSALL Photographic Society will be holding its last club night of the season next week. Club members will present digital images of location visits and interests of a general nature taken during the past year, with a commentary, at Walsall Rugby Club, in Delves Road, on Monday, May 28, from 7.30pm…
• One of those days…
  Mike Maynard 23 May 12
  I usually write about writing today or how to write a novel; but I’m having one of those days when things won’t go right. I’ve been trying to turn off the magnifier permanently on my laptop; it is a real pain. It keep coming  on and changing the size of text at odd times. I think I did something yesterday…
• 178 – ChasewaterRailwayMuseum Bits & Pieces From Chasewater News Spring 1995 – Part 1
  Chasewater Stuff’s Blog 23 May 12
  178 – Chasewater Railway Museum Bits Pieces From Chasewater News Spring 1995 – Part 1   From the Editorial – Chris Chivers This is the first issue of the Chasewater News for over five years without Nigel Canning at the helm.  Nigel has decided to retire from the post of Newsletter Editor, a task…
• Neodigital Art | Sunshine at last
  Mike Maynard 22 May 12
  I took this photograph yesterday and it’s the River Tame . I remembered that the flowers grow down the edges in Spring . The Tame runs all over the Black Country or at least the brooks do, that feed it. These flowers seem to grow all along it and so I might go to another location and photograph that…
• New What’s On, June-Sept, brochure hot off the press!
  New Art Gallery Walsall 21 May 12
  The gallery’s new What’s On, June-September 2012, brochure is hot off the press and has lots of free workshops and activities taking place throughout the summer. To help us celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics 2012 we’ve got the free family workshops where families…
• Showcase for Business Growth Strategies
  Gone Fishing 4 Business 21 May 12
  Theme: Strategies, Tools and Techniques which can make a major contribution  to the growth and success of your business. Discover the key strategies for unlocking your business potential  In today’s highly competitive business environment strategic planning is key, but finding the time to do anything…
• The ‘festival’ comes to Walsall town centre…
  Caldmore Village Festival 20 May 12
  Click to view slideshow. Well Saturday was epic to say the least! What a great event. The weather stayed on our side and the crowds gathered to sample a taster of whats in store for this years festival. Mela next week – 27th May, Palfrey Park – come along for a great day out!
• The beer hunters
• Primitive worship
• Chuckery Festival Community Networking Event – 22nd May 2012
• Olympic Sessions 2012 : Sportsmaker Award

More Walsall blog features…