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"You have good and bad in all places but with people who tar everyone with the same brush you will breed contempt," - so says Anonymous who is helping one housing estate fight off its bad image.

Meanwhile, decent young people in St Asaph face a similar problem caused by a minority following a spate of vandalism to a school bus which travels from the town to Denbigh High School every day. The problem has become so bad that the bus operator has today withdrawn the service meaning 60 pupils will have to find their own way to and from school.

Cllr Dewi Owens, who lives in St Asaph, said: "There have been problems on one of these routes before and the damage this week to a new vehicle was the final straw for the operator who has now withdrawn the service." has the full story.

Children from other areas have contacted the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website to talk about problems on their school buses, including the use of drugs. Find out more.

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The mood is altogether upbeat at Wrexham FC today despite missing out on a £100,000 windfall by losing to Swansea last night in the Welsh Premier Cup Final.

That's because a group led by local businessman Neville Dickens has announced an intention to buy Wrexham FC and yesterday they signed an agreement with the club's administrators.

Wrexham manager told : "There are still obstacles but this is another step forward. In the summer we can start to build a good club here."

In a statement given to announcing the agreement with the Neville Dickens-led group, administrators David Acland and Steve Williams said: "The agreement allows for exclusivity until 30 April 2006, during which time it is hoped that contracts will be exchanged for acquisition of the club's assets."

So, what do fans think of the news? Visit the Fans' forum page in the Wrexham FC mini site to find out.

Meanwhile, you can watch highlights online from last night's game.

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Two local councillors are launching a new bid to rid Wrexham village Rhos of an acid tar lagoon containing more than 1,100 chemical drums, dumped since the 1960s.

According to , Paul Pemberton and Wrexham Council leader Aled Roberts have put together a dossier to present to the assembly government and European Parliament to try to secure funding to clean up the old Llwyneinion brickworks site. Experts reckon it will cost £100m.

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Locals have felt compelled to write in overnight to air their views about a number of issues gettting them hot under the collar.

In Corwen, E Green says: "Corwen signs say - 'stay a while' - but there's not a lot for people to stay for. I'm afraid, at present, unless you stop and stay to see the mountains and river etc, you will not be stopping for the village shops because they don't offer anything to the tourist!"

Of Rhyl, Taffy writes: "Lots is being done as anyone can see to improve the seafront, but someone needs to get a grip on the routine things that visitors to the town spot immediately. Litter is almost an epidemic and spoils a potentially clean and tidy town..."

And in Mold, Steve offers some advice to young people pleading for a skate park: "If you all feel so strongly about a skate park why don't you do what your parents did in the '70s & '80s & do some fund raising or maybe a bit more extreme - go down to the local market & ask the stallholder if they have any jobs & put say 25 per cent of what you earn towards your skate park."

Use Talk of the Town to find out what people are talking about in each of the towns in NE Wales.

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Five new NHS dentists are now accepting new patients in Rhyl, Denbigh, Mold, Flint and Buckley - and you don't even need to queue up to register. You can phone, text or visit a website to register for a place which will be allocated randomly. For further information, visit the website of or , the organisation providing the new places.

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Chris has been in touch to tell us what's wrong with society and how we can put it right while Mark is concerned that money should no longer be the motivator if people are to realise their true potential.

Says Chris: "The bleeding heart liberals have turned this country into a haven for criminals. What has happened to respect for other people, their views and their property." Chris suggests: "We will have to become far more harsh in the treatment of our criminals."

Meanwhile, Mark got in touch as Rhyl Little Theatre fights for its future: "Today people seem to make decisions on what it will cost not in people terms but in money terms. ...Acting skills teach children or adults confidence, team work, and give individuals the ability to express themselves in a non-judgemental way..."

But while Chris, Mark and others are putting the world to rights, spare a thought for people fighting personal battles. Gemma who writes in Youth Poetry: "Fourteen years old, confusing age, feeling inadequate, trapped in a cage. Tugging the bars, trying to get through, kicking and screaming, but nothing will do..."

And former anorexic Anonymous added her views to the debate about body conscious teens: "God created you just the way u r so u should LOVE urself."

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Public services from bin collection to school dinners preparation will be affected tomorrow as local government workers go on strike in a row over their pension schemes. For latest information about distruptions, use the relevant council website.

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Did you know there is not one myth associated with Flintshire's past written in the history books? That's what archivists say at County Hall, Mold. They've launched a campaign to remedy the situation and they're asking people to share the stories they know so these myths and legends can be documented once and for all.

The Web Team can think of a couple like the story surrounding the Maen Chwyfan monument which is said to protect it treasure with lightning bolts. And don't forget the strange mythical creatures said to live beneath the waters of Witch's Pool, Flint Mountain.

To find out more about Flintshire Council's Heritage Alive project, go to their . Alternatively, listen as Radio Wales
View From Here reporter Alyson Wilson finds out more from the people behind the project.

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Today is your last chance to take part in Wrexham's annual Science Festival. Whilst this year's event has more more low key than previous festivals, today's family-friendly Scientriffic promises to be as much fun as usual. Visit organiser NEWI's to find out the full programme of activities, including building and flying rockets.

For information, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website has a section dedicated to the region's boffins and innovators in the Hall of Fame.

If science isn't your thing, use the Entertainment section or other listings websites to find out what else you can do this weekend in NE Wales.

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Less than a day after we posted here about Wrexham Council's idea to make available condoms and even morning after pills to 11-16 year olds in one local school, Anonymous, age 16, left a message saying she was desperate for help and was seeking advice online after finding she was pregnant.

She writes: "I am booked in for an abortion but I don't no what to do. Somebody please give me some advice. "

On behalf of Anonymous, we asked Teresa Foster Evans, teacher in charge at a special school in Wrexham for pregnant schoolgirls or young mothers, to offer some advice. "The first thing I would say is don't do anything now that you are not 100% sure about it," said Teresa. "Good luck to you with whatever you decide to do and I'll ask the girls here at the unit to give their views too."

To help further, we have provided Anonymous with weblinks to further information.

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As Wendy shares her school days memories from the 1950s, with lessons in how to properly hang out washing to dry, in Wrexham plans are being considered which include giving out the morning after pill to pupils in one secondary school.

'Nameless' and others are concerned about the latest way to combat unwanted pregnancies: "My only worry if this goes ahead is whether, if contraception is so easily available, this may create more pressure for girls (and boys too), to say 'yes', when they'd really rather say 'no'."

Meanwhile, school life was different in the '50s. Wendy says: "We were first taught how to clean a kitchen, lay the table and wash clothes and put them on the line the correct way."

has more information on the plan to give out contraceptives in schools.

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A health care review could see the closure of HM Stanley hospital at St Asaph and Abergele hospital. Over in Llandudno, the hospital there could be downgraded too as officials look to free up £23m to improve NHS buildings and services throughout North Wales.

Project director for the North Wales secondary care review, Andrew Butters, said future health care would focus on keeping patients out of hospital as much as possible, concentrating on managing conditions better at home.

Councillor Ronnie Hughes, chairman of Conwy Council's scrutiny committee, said he was sure local people would make their voices heard and "bombard" health officials with questions during the consultation period, which starts in April.

You can read more about this in our section. Alternatively, go the the section of the website.

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There has been anger in Corwen this week over plans to scrap free parking. One of those opposing the idea is local resident Andy Ballard: "We're protesting against the fact that the council is forcing this upon us. It's basically an increase in council tax." (You can read more about this in our section)

Meanwhile, there is anger in Ruthin too, according to Nigel who has posted a message on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website claiming: "Why should the public pay for parking in Ruthin and not the councillors? They're all for themselves."

Just before Christmas, Flintshire Council caused anger when it changed its pay and display machines making people input their car registration numbers into the new machines. This meant tickets were issued with the number printed on them and, therefore, people could no longer pass on their ticket to another motorist.

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Ruthin-born tractor salesman turned racing driver Tom Pryce is still remembered by fans of Formula One racing nearly 30 years after his death on a racetrack in South Africa. Among them is Andrew Harris who was just mailed in to share his memories because he had been chatting with Tom in the pits on the day of the accident.

Andrew who, at the time, was a Welsh schoolboy living in South Africa with his family, recalls: "He was very quiet but seemed relaxed and only smiled without saying anything when in my best Welsh, I said, 'Diolch i chi' (one of the few Welsh phrases I knew). He was the last driver I met that morning; that autograph must have been one of the last he ever signed."

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website receives tributes to Tom on an almost daily basis as it features a growing archive about Tom the man, and the racer.

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Excitement is building in Ruthin ahead of the Urdd Welsh youth festival being held in the town in May. You can listen online as ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Wales community reporter Sharon Braunton from Denbigh finds out about the preparations being made by the locals.

Around 40,000 youngsters from across Wales compete in 460 different events, from singing and dancing to swimming and art. The cream then go on to the finals which, this year, are to be held in Ruthin at the end of May. Last year the event was held in Cardiff. Preparations in Ruthin began well over a year ago and the fundraising is now at its peak. Sharon has been speaking to local organisers and to some of the young hopefuls about their experiences so far.

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Forestry management may not seem likely as a major topic for controversy but if you live in the countryside of NE Wales it can be a subject about which you feel passionate, like Ally who writes from rural Corwen, Denbighshire: "You're in the heart of some of the most beautiful countryside in Wales including Snowdonia. It's just a shame someone made the ridiculous decision of cutting down all the forestry around Pen y Pigyn and making the whole mountain look like a wasteland - so much for promoting local walks."

On another occasion, people thought aliens had landed when foresters cut bizarre shapes into the heather as part of their countryside management techniques at Moel Famau, near Mold.

But there has been praise for some other areas. Mountain bikers are apparently raving about a new purpose-built centre in Llandegla Forest, according to Andy.

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Ruth has been in touch to share memories of the former Brymbo Steelwork. She writes: "My grandad used to work the night shift. The back of his house faced on to the steelworks. I would fall asleep listening to the humming and screeching. When it closed, I could not sleep, the nights were silent and dead."

³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website has set up a mini site to collect people's memories like Kevin, who has made a short film about the works. He says: "Skilled men were reduced to re-training and re-start initiatives, and the once proud community crumbled. We cannot live our lives in the past, what is more we cannot let our children live in our own past. I can't change my past, but I can let it have a positive effect on my own and my children's future."

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College student felt compelled to write into The Rant section on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website after witnessing an elderly person apparently harassing a group of young people. She says: "To all of the elderly people of Wrexham I am sorry that you dislike the young and I'm sorry if the stereotypes of modern youths don't suit you but don't assume we are all bad people and remember you were young once!"

There's support for teens from other people too. In Buckley, Wendy says: "People grumble about the youth causing havoc but is there anywhere or anybody trying to make a place for them to go, somewhere they could perhaps learn to play instuments (band types) snooker, pool, roller skating, the things teenagers like, not what adults think they should like?"

In Corwen, Ffion & Andrew are calling for action. And Michael wants to see more facilities for young people in Flint & Connah's Quay.

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Families in Rhos, near Wrexham, are invited to a public meeting today to learn more about plans for a new school in the village and to air their views. The events takes place all day at Capel Mawr, Brook Street, Rhos, between 2-7.30 pm, reports Wrexham Council's website.

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Further to the blog Wrexham: Changing for the better?, it has been announced that work starts next month on yet another new development.

Wrexham Council's website reports that Eagles Meadow Car Park is to close at the beginning of April as contractors move in to build new stores, including Debenhams, on the sprawling car park. Read more on the

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Denbighshire Council's website reports that the authority has given the green light to buy derelict properties for redevelopment as part of the overhaul of West Rhyl which has been rundown. Council leader Rhiannon Hughes says: "It certainly is an exciting time for Rhyl and the Council and its partners." Read more on ...

People have long been calling for the town to be revamped on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales' Rhyl mini site. Among them Sunny who says: "I haved lived in Rhyl for over 50 years and seen many changes and money wasted on different brain waves. It's about time Denbighshire County Council put their words into practice and started pulling their fingers out."

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The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Politics Show reports that the plans, to go to local health boards this week, propose closing Abergele and HM Stanley at St Asaph, while Llandudno hospital could be downgraded. The review argues that services should be concentrated at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Glan Clwyd and Wrexham Maelor hospitals.

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That's the view of Chief Constable of North Wales Police, who says the UK's policy of criminalising drugs has "caused an explosion in organised crime". Richard Brunstrom told ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales' that making certain drugs illegal has meant control and supply has been handed over to criminal gangs and he has called for a review of UK drug policy.

His comments come as young people in particular have been commenting on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website about drugs issues like Sherif, Andrew and Gavin who say they are being given confused messages about drugs. Meanwhile, there is support and advice for Becky whose boyfriend has changed since he started taking cannabis.

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Excitement is mounting as Buckley's residents past and present prepare for the town's 150th anniversary of its annual procession or, as Jackie writes from Miami: "July 2006 will be rockin'". Buckley Jubilee is basically a celebration of faith as the different church and chapel groups parade together around the town. But it has become much more than that and, until recently, workers at some local factories were given a day's paid leave to attend the event which is still seen by many as a local public holiday.

People come far too. Ex Pat Alison returns home from Singapore to attend the festival. She remembers: "The first time I nearly missed a jubilee was when I was 19 years old and working for the Post Office in Chester in 1970. I hadn't thought to book a half day's leave as I'd assumed that I would just be given the time off to go. After all, that was my birthright, wasn't it?"

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Local issues have been brought to the fore with people writing in to this website to vent their anger about separate redevelopment plans which are causing concern.

In Tanyfron, Wrexham, Vertigogen alerts us to a village protest held on Saturday morning by people opposing any plans to sell off a field for housing. She's even posted on the website.

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Wrexham band Tailors of Taboo won the Battle of the Bands 2006 at Llangollen's Royal International Pavilion with runners up No Disgrace & Hyphanated. They'll all now play at the Llangollen Eisteddfod in July.

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So say locals on some of the region's housing estates which were once deemed problem areas and are still finding it hard to shrug off the image.

Tracy, among others, has been in touch to defend Caia Park which was renamed from Queen's Park as part of its makeover: "Queen's Park is a large place, so there will be more bad pennies but there are a lot of good people too." And Matthew adds: "Queen's Park is what you make of it, you take the good with the bad."

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There are some strong words flying around the net as people say what they really think about our local towns. There hasn't been much love for Holywell from its younger residents. Geraint and Emma say the best thing about it is the road out. Meanwhile, Peter has written in to defend residents of Chirk accused of not accepting "outsiders". In Saltney...

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Some great new stories and comments have come in from contributors to the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website regarding the region's past.

Margaret remembers Flint's WWII ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Guard: "They used to go up to the woods opposite Flint hospital, and they used to go with sticks and shovels, spades and brushes, and have a little practice in the woods. You can smile now at Dad's Army, but that's the way it really was."

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Flintshire Council is providing free office space for the National Eisteddfod for Wales in Mold as a local base for the event in August 2007. Part of the former Glanrafon School House in Glanrafon Road, Mold, will be the Eisteddfod's local office for two years.

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Wrexham Council's survey, Perception of Crime 2005, Communication and Welsh Culture showed that 91 per cent of respondents felt either very safe (35 per cent) or fairly safe (57 per cent) when out and about in Wrexham. But people emailing the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website have other views like Christine who writes: "I would not visit the town for an evening out as I would not feel safe."

Visit the for more information about the survey findings.

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New North Wales resident Phil Brewer formerly from Bedford has quickly endeared himself to the people of Prestatyn by describing them as a friendly bunch two months after he quit the south for a new life in North Wales. The reason he and his family have settled so quickly? Phil was amazed when strangers acknowledged him in the street with a friendly 'hello'. On Phil's assertion, can we conclude that 'northerners' are more friendly than our sisters and brothers in the south of the UK?

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Teenage mums have been having their 15 minutes of fame in the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales TV series Teen Mams, and now others too are doing their bit to shrug off the Vicky Pollard stereotype that they are all good for nothings, living off handouts.

Young mum Kat has mailed in to Youth Culture to fight their corner, saying she hates being stereotyped: "I'm studying for 11 GCSEs and I'm predicted all a's and b's".

In Wrexham, girls are able to continue their education by going to a dedicated school and pupils there like Allanah have been in touch to share their experiences, saying "we want girls to know how hard it really is", and to explain that they don't receive any handouts.

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Did you know how just how extensive Wrexham's brewery industry used to be? As the old Wrexham Brewery site has been levelled and turned into a new retail park, comments have been posted about other breweries which once featured in town with names like the Sun Brewery, Border Breweries, Chadwicks Brewery and Eagle Brewery.

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Denbighshire council tax payers will pay 2 per cent more for council services in 2006-7. This is Denbighshire's lowest council tax increase ever which means that Band D properties will pay £881.99 to the county, a rise of £17.29 over the full year.

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Wrexham is changing beyond recognition. Something like ??200m has been spent developing the town in the last few years and in some quarters it's felt like it's well on its way to becoming a city - though Stephanie and others aren't convinced. "It is nowhere near ready yet," she writes in the City status debate. "The town adapts a small town mentality."

In the last few months the Wrexham Lager Brewery site has been turned into a new retail park, changing the traffic flow around the town, and a new hotel has opened near to the site of Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

But spare a thought for people like 'been away' Liz who has only her memories to guide her around the town today.

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A debate's raging on the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website about whether learning Welsh in school in Wales should be compulsory. Schoolboy Mathew has dared to suggest he and fellow pupils should not have to learn the language. And Ellis supports this view: "I could use the time to get a GCSE in English and not fail Welsh and English."

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Nick Bourne and Alys Lewis are members of the Web Team who manage the day to day running of the website bbc.co.uk/northeastwales. Nick is producer of the site and Alys is the community researcher and they have been working together since the site was launched in 2001, the first of five Where I Live websites in Wales which have been leading the way in helping people to share their stories and air their views on bbc.co.uk.

Nick came to the role after four years as news editor of the Wrexham and Flintshire Evening Leaders and before that he was a reporter for the Liverpool Daily Post. Alys was a librarian at Wrexham Library before joining ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales. She is originally from Aberystwyth and studied at Manchester University.

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You should be aware that this blog site is currently being hosted by Six Apart Ltd on behalf of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ and if you send an e-mail comment into the blog your e-mail address will be held by Six Apart Ltd on web servers in the USA.

Your e-mail address will only be held by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ and Six Apart Ltd and will be used for the purpose of administering this blog site.

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ may also contact you to further inquire about issues raised in mails posted to the blog. If you would like further information, please read the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's privacy policy and privacy policy.

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It might be worth explaining a little about how this weblog works. When you come to the front page, you will see all the latest entries written by the Web Team, with the most recent at the top of the page. Scroll down the page for previous entries.

On the right hand side of the page, you'll see a calendar. When any date on that calendar is blue, that means there was one or more entry published on that day. Click on the date and the page will display that day's items.

At the bottom of each entry are two words - "permalink" and "comments".

• Permalink simply means "permanent link", and is useful if you want to bookmark a particular entry, or send it by e-mail to a friend.
• "Comments" means just that. Click on it, and you will be able to add your comments to that particular entry - more of which in a little while.
  
  

Clicking on an entry's headline takes you to that item's own page, where it is printed in full with all the comments which have been published. From there, if you want to go back to the main index page, you can click either the words "North East Wales" at the top of the page, or on the word "MAIN" which you'll find on a beige bar. On that bar you might also see the words "PREVIOUS" and "NEXT" - these simply take you directly to other entries in chronological order.

A word about comments

The main thing which makes blogs different from a newspaper column or even TV or radio broadcast is that it is a conversation between the author and the audience. So the success of this weblog will depend on you letting us know what you think about the news, and indeed about what we've written.

We are aiming to publish as many comments as possible in this weblog, though unfortunately we can't guarantee to publish every e-mail you send. E-mails will only be published after we have had a chance to read them first.

Try to keep your comments short and relevant to the blog entry you are commenting on. As you might expect, we won't publish e-mails which are abusive or offensive.

You should also be aware of our privacy policy, which, for technical reasons, is a bit different from our usual.

One other thing...

We also want to say a word about RSS. You might have seen a little orange rectangle with these letters on other ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News pages and on other websites, but you might not know what it's about.

Put simply, if a site provides an RSS link, it means you can see its entries in a much quicker way than coming to the website. You can, for instance, see an automatically updated list of headlines in your "bookmarks" folder, if you use an internet browser such as Firefox. Or you might use a specific program to browse lots of sites quickly.

There's lots more about how RSS can make browsing the internet easier on , but my tip is that you should do what I did and ask a friend who knows how to use it to show you. Once you see it in action, you'll not go back.

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As the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE website continues to grow - and we're receiving dozens of your stories and comments by the day - on top stories produced by our ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News Online journalists, this is place where we can all make sense of what's going on.

The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Wales NE Web Team will use this section to steer you towards some of the latest things people are discussing, particularly on this website. We'll also take a look at what's going on elsewhere in NE Wales and we'll provide a link to those external news providers and other reliable sources.

And the reason we are using this blog is because it allows you to come back to us immediately with your own comments or views about any of the issues we raise. If you want us to let you know when we've posted a new entry, send your email address to wales.northeast@bbc.co.uk and put 'subscribe blog' in the subject field put 'unsubscribe blog' if you wish to be removed from the list.

Thanks

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Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins and now films of Charlie Chaplin are among the highlights of this year's 60th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. Bryn is making his first appearance at the festival for a decade while Katherine will make her debut. Also featuring are four of the classic silent films of Charlie Chaplin - set to a new score by American composer Carl Davis. Visit the for more information.

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I was visiting family in Bedford recently and as we did the tourist things as we travelled across the region, I was amazed to see a turbine here and a turbine there. Have they been embraced there because there is no shortage of dissenters here in North Wales? Eira, for one, is opposing plans for more on Denbigh Moors:

Eira writes: "These windmills will be visible from so many more places and as well as seeing them you will be able to hear them too. Help put a stop to these white monsters! How would you like it Tony B if we built the turbines outside your home so you could wake up to them in the morning? -You wouldn't like it, that's what!"

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