Although February is always a very quiet news month (not counting any unexpected happenings which might occur) we still have a full WNTV News programme for you this week. In the programme we cover two musical events - some lovely singing from Beth during 'Open Art Surgery' at Nature's Choice Café and the great rock band, 'Torn', which we arranged at the very last minute for Saturday night at the Prince of Wales. The band really were booked at the very last minute and this is why they did not appear on 'What's On?'.

With a total lunar eclipse due during the early hours of Thursday, 21st of this month, I took some great footage of the moon during the lead-up period. (Well, I like it a lot - hope you do too.) We also cover some new Girl Guides making their 'Girl Guide Promise'.

The tourism season will soon be upon us again and with this in mind, we have run a short film about the many activities in which both local people and those visiting from elsewhere can take part. Tina even got in a canoe for this one - we filmed that bit in October but we also went to Yat Rock last weekend to film and spotted 'two deer' (that, by the way is also what I thought about the cost of using the Yat Rock car park so, being 'tight as a duck's arse', I parked elsewhere and walked).

We hope you enjoy the programme . . .

WNTV is now available to watch in DVD quality at Ross Heritage Centre

Please tell your friends - especially those without www access. If you go to view, would you please inform the Heritage staff whether or not you like WNTV NEWS being available in the Centre - preferably in the guest book as availability depends on whether you enjoy watching there, or not. Thank you.

Back issues are also available there to be viewed and current issues will be available from Friday lunchtimes (possibly earlier - this depends on time available as I can only produce the DVD quality versions once the main news is prepped and on-line.

Get any WNTV News programme on DVD

If you would like a DVD quality version of any of the WNTV News programmes produced so far, a DVD can be purchased at a cost of £5.00 per issue plus postage and packing if necessary. Email or call for info.

When filming for WNTV News, I always film a lot more than I actually use. This is so that I can select, edit and use the takes with fewest bloopers - or the parts of a performance which recorded the best, and every week I am asked this same question - often more than once - depending on how many different events I have covered:

'You filmed a lot more of me/us than you used. Would you mind just putting the rest of the footage on a DVD for me?'

Sounds simple, doesn't it? And with blank DVDs costing around £1.00 each, not an unreasonable request.

Unfortunately though there is no 'just' about it. To get the quality of reproduction, my camera is not a simple 'write what you take to DVD' type home movie camera. I can do this if I do it immediately but I film so often that I do not get chance. I have to delete from the camera's hard disc very frequently to stop it filling up. Every time I stop/start the camera, it produces a very large, individual video data file. Processing these files for DVD requires editing them together using the same editing software I use to produce the news. The resulting production then needs further processing through the DVD producing software and this combined process takes an absolute minimum of an hour of my time and ties up my main computer so that I can do nothing else on it while the job is running. (Processing video takes huge amounts of memory, making multitasking very unwise.)

The answer to the question is, of course: Yes I can but I will have to charge £25.00 for the time involved in producing a one-off item, which I would otherwise not have produced.

Originally, 'Underwired' were due to play the Prince of Wales on Saturday but the singer is expecting a baby very soon and so they had to cancel. As a result, we did not publish Saturday's music on the 'What's On?' page as neither Jay nor Tina had managed to arrange anything for the evening. It seemed that all local bands were already booked to play somewhere else. It was not until Friday evening, when Tina received a call from singer from the previously unheard (in this house) 'Torn' that Saturday's music was confirmed. What a great night it turned out to be!

The band, 'Torn' was formed towards the end of 2007 by founding members Adrian Palmer and James Garibbo. Adrian and James have been performing and writing music together for the last two's year in several local bands. Recently, Andy and George joined the band and this addition added a dramatic change in style and pace with a number of original and cover songs all ready to be performed.

Adrian is from Kingsland, Herefordshire and is supported by his understanding wife Lora. He has been singing for 12 years, taking influence from the Foo Fighters, Bon Jovi and Guns & Roses and many other great bands. James has been playing guitar for 8 years and lives in New Radnor, Mid Wales taking his influences from guitar players such as Slash from Guns & Roses and John Petrucci from Dream Theatre. New members, Andy from Leominster and George from Bromyard both bring their own influences and perspective to the band.

With high expectations for 2008 the band are looking forward to recording their first EP in the near future. Some of Saturday's perormance can be seen in this week's WNTV News programme and we look forward to seeing Torn at the Prince again soon.

A total eclipse of the moon may not be as spectacular as a total eclipse of the sun, and indeed is not quite the same thing but it can be very pretty. It is actually a total eclipse of the sun, as seen from the moon and would look brilliant from the moon's surface. Eclipses of the moon are far more frequent than solar eclipses, the last was visible from England only 11 months ago.

On Thursday, 21st February the moon will be eclipsed. The penumbral eclipse will begin at 00:34:59 GMT (Just after half twelve). The total eclipse lasting for over half an hour will begin at 03:00:34 GMT and end at 03:51:32 GMT, with the moment of greatest eclipse occurring at 03:26:05 GMT.

With February, true to form, being a quiet local news period, I decided to capture as much of this 'eclipse' lunar cycle as I can on film and began on Friday, capturing one of my favourite sights in the night sky - the first tiny crescent following the New Moon. This is accompanied by the 'gengenshein'. The German word literally translates as 'counter shine' or earth shine. The photos below were taken on Friday and Tuesday evenings and some of the film shot so far can be seen in this week's WNTV News programme.

Police are appealing for witnesses to an assault in Old Gloucester Road, Ross-on-Wye on Saturday,10th February. The victim, a 19-year-old man, was assaulted by another youth, sustaining facial injuries and losing two teeth in the process.

The incident happened close to the junction with Copse Cross Street in the early hours - between midnight and 3am - in the vicinity of a number of takeaways and fast food outlets.

Police are keen to speak with any customers of these premises who may have witnessed the assault. An 18-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of assault and has been bailed while enquiries continue.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Mike Evans at Ross Police Station on 08457 444888 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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Plans for nine flats refused

Plans for the removal of an existing house and construction of nine flats at Green Orchard, Ryefield Road, Ross-on-Wye were refused by members of the southern area planning subcommittee at their meeting on Wednesday, 6th February 2008.

The committee considered the proposal would cause harm to the amenity of the area, be overbearing, harm the privacy of neighbours, have a harmful visual impact and result in access, parking and traffic problems.

A previous application also to erect nine apartments was refused in June 2007 because it was felt it would be over-intensive development which would harm the character and amenity of the area..

The main section of the new design is two-storey rather then the three storey of the refused application.

One letter of objection has been received concerned at extra traffic and the effect on the area's character.

Herefordshire Council's transport manager recommended refusal.

Garden room at public house refused.

Plans to erect a garden room at the Hope and Anchor public house in Rope Walk, Ross-on-Wye have been refused by members of the southern area planning subcommittee at their meeting on Wednesday, February 6.

It was refused because it was seen as out of keeping with the conservation area and area of outstanding natural beauty.

The site is within the Ross-on-Wye Town Conservation Area and the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

A previous application for the garden room was withdrawn and this revised scheme is on a different site, nearer to the public house.

The Ramblers Association objected to the proposal feeling it was not in keeping with the AONB or conservation area.

Herefordshire Council's conservation manager objected to the proposal with regard to its size, design and materials.

Ross-on-Wye Town Council had no objections.

Two letters of representation were received from a resident and Ross-on-Wye and District Civic Society saying the garden room would be a monstrosity and a visual intrusion to users of the public footpaths.

The applicant, in a design and access statement, said the development was necessary for the continued profitability of the public house and would help to create more business in the quieter winter months.

The absolute deadline for Wyenot News stories and other items is 12:00, midday on Tuesday, for inclusion in the following day's edition.

PLEASE NOTE HOWEVER: This is an absolute deadline and not the time I am asking for articles to be sent in. Mondays and Tuesdays here at 'Wyenot News' are Hell with by far, the most events I cover occurring at the weekend. The photography that the public sees happening is only one tiny part of the whole picture (please excuse the pun) of running this weekly news publication and the bits of prep that people do not see, are actually the most time consuming part of getting the story out.

If at all possible, please send your story in as early as you can, rather than wait until the very last minute, so that I can have at least a fighting chance of getting to bed before 3:00 am every Tuesday and Wednesday morning after what has lately become two 18 hour working days on the trot.

Thank you very much for your understanding and help.

Alan

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