Golfweeks Bland Rage
Lots of buzz online about the termination of editor Dave Seanor over this cover, which refers to a thoughtlessly stupid remark by golf anchor Kelly Tighman.It’s worth noting that the controversy over this cover is inextricably wrapped up in its conceptual quality. The insipid stock image brings nothing to the package that isn’t explicit in the headline. The noose may be a loaded cliché, but that doesn’t mean it’s not just as tiresome on a magazine cover as any other over-used icon.Now, clichés have their place, and all visual communicators must rely on them (at least once in a while) because they provide a shared visual language. But the trouble with using them unthinkingly and without a context that makes them story-specific is that either they’re boring and obvious–or they convey unintended meanings—or both. If the noose (or better yet a net—”Caught in a Net” works just as well, once you aren’t relying on the noose to provide a link to Tighman’s quote) was clearly catching a television set showing Tighman on the golf channel—it might not have been wonderful (especially if the new cover maintained the phony small caps and clunky outlining on the headline), but it’s hard to imagine it getting the same strongly negative reaction as the generic “ominous noose” pictured here. And, if nothing else, a reader would have known—just by looking—that this is a media story.[Editor’s note: For more intelligent design talk, buy Jandos’ new book.]
Magazines take on WeinsteinAmid near-universal criticism against late-night TV hosts for being a bit slow on the uptake in covering the unfolding Harvey Weinstein scandal, 2017’s other preeminent bastions of social criticism, America’s national magazines, have taken up the charge this week.The New Yorker, whose reporting filled in several of the most disturbing details of Weinstein’s long pattern of sexual harassment and abuse first reported by The New York Times, obviously led the pack among America’s glossies with a deeply reported October 10th piece by Ronan Farrow, whom Page Six reports is now being “aggressively pursued” by ABC, CBS, and CNN for his reporting acumen.Time joined in with a dramatic and damning cover design for its October 23 double-issue, slamming Weinstein with the tagline, “Producer, predator, pariah,” accompanied by a column from the magazine’s film critic, Stephanie Zacharek, asking, “How do you solve a problem like Harvey Weinstein?” The magazine also added a longer piece online by lawyer Jill Filipovic examining Hollywood’s long history of promoting a culture of silence and capitulation and noting that even the men who do not perpetrate the abuse have often been complicit in fostering its continued existence.Kim Masters, editor-at-large for The Hollywood Reporter, told The New York Times‘ Jim Rutenberg that she had been chasing the Weinstein thread for years, but that a lack of cooperation from sources, mostly due to fear, prevented any stories from going to press. A similar experience was reported by a spokeswoman for New York magazine, who told Page Six of a withheld 2016 report, “The fact is that we couldn’t get the story to the point where we had sufficient confirmation and sourcing to publish.”Among magazines that frequently found themselves in Weinstein’s orbit over the years, Vanity Fair, People, Entertainment Weekly, Us Weekly, and Variety have each published dozens of online stories on the fallout from the scandal, although Vanity Fair‘s November 2017 issue went to press too soon to weigh in.Variety took a similar tactic to Time, with a cover illustration of a gruff-looking Weinstein featuring the tagline, “Game Over” and an accompanying cover story by Brent Lang and Elizabeth Wagmeister.The Week was also quick on the uptake, covering its October 20th edition with an illustration of Weinstein, Donald Trump, and Bill O’Reilly, featuring the tagline, “See no evil: Why powerful men get away with sexual abuse.”Condé Nast artistic director Anna Wintour, whose relationship with Weinstein goes back at least a decade, issued a statement condemning the producer. “Behavior like this is appalling and unacceptable,” said Wintour. “I feel horrible about what these women have experienced and admire their bravery in coming forward. My heart goes out to them, as well as to [Weinstein’s wife] Georgina and the children. We all have a role to play in creating safe environments where everyone can be free to work without fear.”Perhaps the most ill-conceived reaction to date has been from Jewish magazine Tablet, who’s own editor-at-large, Mark Oppenheimer, decided to write at length about the “specifically Jewy” nature of Weinstein’s crimes. The predictable public backlash to the column elicited a public apology from Oppenheimer a day later.The column did have at least one fan on Twitter: noted Nazi enthusiast Richard Spencer.On the Record with Meredith CEO Steve LacyFolio: sister title min caught up this week with Meredith Corp. CEO Stephen Lacy, whose company is significant stakeholder to the MPA – The Association of Magazine Media, to discuss the association’s latest marketing campaign promoting the merits of print media to both readers and brand marketers alike.“As president of the MPA board, I have been part of the discussions about this campaign since the beginning. I think it is brilliant,” Lacy told min. “Magazine media content is thoroughly researched, fact-checked, curated and produced, unlike much of what is available to consumers today.”Lacy tells min the new campaign, titled, “Magazine Media. Better. Believe It,” is all about credibility and promoting the idea that what’s read in magazines is more thoroughly vetted and curated than what’s often found elsewhere — presumably, online.“As advertisers look for partnerships, it is essential for them to advertise in media sources that match their own company’s values,” said Lacy. “Marketers know that context matters. And our Meredith Sales Guarantee, which we have shared with our industry, has proven more than 70 times that magazine-media advertising drives positive ROI for advertisers.”Read the full interview here.Josh Duggar loses legal challenge against Bauer PublishingA federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought against Bauer Publishing by disgraced former reality TV star Josh Duggar, asserting that Bauer’s In Touch Weekly did not violate Duggar’s right to privacy when it published a May 2015 story describing Duggar’s history of sexually assaulting underage girls with information received through a Freedom of Information Act request.Judge Tim Brooks, of Arkansas’ Western District, cited in his decision to dismiss the “19 Kids and Counting” star’s claims prior Supreme Court rulings that the First Amendment gives newspapers and other media outlets the right to publish “lawfully obtained truthful information about a matter of public significance.”From the job board…The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Inc. seeks a full-time, Alexandria, Virginia-based assistant editor for its flagship IA Magazine and affiliated website, newsletters, and other digital properties. The position offers an annual salary of $50,000 to $55,000 and requires two to three years of experience, strong reporting and editing skills, command of AP Style, and knowledge of Google Analytics.See this and other new job openings at careers.foliomag.com.
Facebook Email Bad Bunny Adds Dates To X100Pre Tour bad-bunny-adds-second-leg-dates-his-x100pre-north-american-tour Twitter Bad Bunny Adds Second-Leg Dates To His X100Pre North American Tour News The rising star of reggaeton and Latin trap extends his buzz-heavy run into fall 2019Nate HertweckGRAMMYs Apr 9, 2019 – 2:28 pm Breakout Puerto Rican sensation Bad Bunny announced the second leg of his X100Pre Tour via Billboard, revealing 12 new dates from Boston on Oct. 25 to Tampa, Fla., on Dec. 8. The tour, currently in the midst of leg one, has generated much buzz for its upbeat message, interactive elements, stage design and suprise special guests such as fellow GRAMMY nominee J Balvin. Balvin and Bad Bunny were nominated together for Record Of The Year for the 61st GRAMMY Awards for their collaboration with Cardi B on “I Like It.”Bad Bunny’s stock continues to rise, and he’s bringing Latin trap with him, as his list of collaborators also includes GRAMMY winners Drake, Will Smith, and Marc Anthony.You can catch Bad Bunny on the road now, and tickets for the newly announced dates go on sale to the general public on April 12. How Bad Bunny Is Putting Latin Trap On The Map
WILMINGTON, MA — The Wilmington-Tewksbury Chamber of Commerce profiles a different member in the local media each week. In this week’s “Chamber Corner,” the Chamber is spotlighting Tewksbury’s Joan Pastorella of Reliv International.Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedCHAMBER CORNER: Meet Assunta Perez Of DaMore LawIn “Business”CHAMBER CORNER: Learn About Michaela Klofac From AFLACIn “Business”CHAMBER CORNER: Learn About Align Credit Union’s Student AccountsIn “Business”
India defeated New Zealand convincingly in the first ODI in Napier.MARTY MELVILLE/AFP/Getty ImagesIndia will announce its 15-member squad for the ICC World Cup 2019 on Monday, April 15, in Mumbai. The tournament is slated to begin on May 30 and its final will be played on July 14When and where to watch the squad announcement India’s World Cup squad will be announced via a press conference at 3 pm IST and 10:30 am GMT. It may also be delayed by half an hour but one will be advised to tune in at 3 pm IST itself. Star Sports 1 and Star Sports HD1 will telecast the squad announcement live in English. For Hindi telecast, one may tune in to Star Sports 3 or Star Sports 3 HD. The live streaming will be available on Hotstar. World Cup squad preview There has been massive deliberation and widespread debate regarding the composition of India’s World Cup squad. Finally, all this will be put to rest when Virat Kohli finishes his meeting with BCCI’s committee of five selectors on Monday. Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesThe selection committee will be headed by its chairman MSK Prasad who represents the south zone. The other four selectors are – Jatin Paranjape from the west zone, Gagan Khoda from the central zone, Sarandeep Singh from the north zone, and Devang Gandhi from the east zone. These five men, along with, captain Kohli will finalise only a couple of spots which are up for debate. Most of the squad select itself with the openers being Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. The captain himself will come out to bat at number three, completing perhaps the most feared top-order batting line-up in the world at the moment. But India will be slightly worried as their openers have not been in the best of nicks. Dhawan has been in patchy form and Rohit is also not looking at his fluent best. But if they can start firing, India will be a difficult side to beat. India’s Achilles Heel is the middle order and in particular, the number 4 spot which nobody has been able to grab. Ambati Rayudu looks primed to hold onto it but it will be more a case of the team management’s faith on a player who has not been performing for a while. Vijay Shankar may also bat at number 4 and is likely to make the squad. MS Dhoni will bat at number 5 followed by Kedar Jadhav and Hardik Pandya. Dhoni will be key to how Jadhav and the rest of the spinners play as, over the last 18 months, he has been a guiding light, asking them where to bowl and what fields to set. India’s bowling line-up will contain the two wrist spinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal. The pace department will boast of the formidable trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who is fast becoming a handy lower order batsman. Dhoni and Kohli singing the national anthem during the World T20 in 2016Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesThe debate on the second wicketkeeper’s slot is another contentious topic and whether Dinesh Karthik or Rishabh Pant is selected remains to be seen. Predicted squad Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (WK), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK).
People wait for their turn to fill fuel at a petrol pump in Lucknow, India, November 9, 2016.Reuters fileAfter rallying up for weeks, the fuel prices have started coming down in India, much to the relief of the public. Petrol and diesel prices have started continued to fall for the fifth straight day on Monday, February 12. Petrol price across the metro cities in India saw a dip of 21-22 paise per liter while the diesel price declined by 28-30 paise per liter on Monday alone. According to Indian Oil Corporation’s website, petrol is priced at Rs 80.87 per liter in Mumbai, Rs 73.01 per liter in Delhi, Rs 75.7 per liter in Kolkata, and Rs 75.73 per liter on Monday. Diesel is priced at Rs 67.75 per liter in Mumbai, Rs 63.62 per liter in Delhi, Rs 66.29 per liter in Kolkata and Rs 67.09 per liter in Chennai.Also Read: Fuel prices burn pockets: Petrol costs Rs 81.24 per liter in MumbaiAt present rate of global crude oil, rupee-dollar exchange rate, excise duty, and VAT (Value Added Tax) levied by the ministry and state governments etc are the major deciding factors of fuel prices in India.In India, state-owned petrol and diesel retailers have adopted the daily price revision system from June 2017 by putting an end to the 15-year-old practice of revising fuel rates on 1st and 16th of every month. Under the new dynamic daily pricing system, diesel and petrol rates are revised every dayIn Union Budget 2018, finance minister Arun Jaitley reduced basic excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per liter. He also announced the introduction of a new Road and Infrastructure Cess of Rs 8 per liter. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council may consider the proposal to bring fuel rates under GST structure in its next meeting. Currently, the fuel prices are out of the GST regime.
Indian police personnel holding ‘lathi’ sticks as they attempt to manage crowds during New Year’s Eve celebrations in Bangalore. AFP file photoThere is “credible” evidence that gangs of men sexually assaulted women at a New Year’s Eve celebration in Bangalore, Indian police said Wednesday, adding they have filed a criminal case over the incident.Praveen Sood, the police commissioner of Bangalore city, said an inquiry had been set up into allegations women attending the Saturday night celebrations were chased, groped, molested and robbed.The announcement followed a public outcry over comments by a local minister blaming the attacks in the southern city-an IT hub considered relatively safe for women-on “western dress”.“We did not waste any time,” Sood told reporters, saying police had registered a criminal case without waiting for a complainant.“The police teams are working, we are sure we will catch the culprits.”Additional police commissioner Hemant Nimbalkar told AFP the case had been filed against unnamed persons for sexual harassment, illegal confinement and forcefully attempting to disrobe.Police officers have been sifting through footage from at least 45 CCTV cameras installed in the city centre where hundreds of revellers had gathered to celebrate the new year.India has been shamed in the past by shocking levels of sexual assault against women, notably in December 2012 when a student was gang-raped on a bus in New Delhi and later died of her injuries.Indians took to social media to condemn the latest incident, dubbed “night of horror”.“#bangaloremolestation only shows how casual it is to molest women” tweeted Falguni Vasavada-Oza.“How easy it is to grope! How vulnerable is safety! How deep is (d) hierarchy.”Video footage circulated on social media showed women screaming for help.The attacks in Bangalore have drawn comparison with last year’s mass sexual assaults at New Year’s celebrations in the German city of Cologne, where police were also accused of losing control.
Share APFILE – In this Jan. 3, 2013, file photo, Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas, right, participates in a mock swearing-in ceremony in Washington. Sen. John Cornyn spent nearly $5.5 million in the two months leading up to Texas Republican primary to help fend off a quixotic challenge from the right by renegade Congressman Stockman. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci, File)A grand jury has indicted former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman on charges he and a former aide orchestrated a scheme to misuse hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable donations for personal and campaign expenses.The Republican ex-lawmaker was indicted in Houston federal court on Tuesday along with Jason Posey. Both face a variety of charges, including mail and wire fraud, making excessive campaign contributions and money laundering. The indictment alleges both men misused much of $1.25 million in donations. Shaun Clarke, Stockman’s attorney, said Tuesday the ex-congressman “is an innocent man. He intends to enter a plea of not guilty.” Court records didn’t list an attorney for Posey.
Share twitter user @politicoTrump arrives in devastated TexasCORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — With flag-waving optimism, President Donald Trump answered Harvey’s wrath Tuesday by offering in-person assurances to those in the storm zone that his administration will work tirelessly to help the region recover from the massive flooding and storm-inflicted destruction. “We are going to get you back and operating immediately,” Trump told an impromptu crowd that gathered outside a Corpus Christi fire station about 30 miles from where the storm made landfall on Friday. For all of his eagerness to get the federal disaster response right, though, Trump missed clear opportunities to strike a sympathetic note for multitudes who are suffering. The president did not mention those who died in the storm or those forced from their homes by its floodwaters. And he basked in the attention of cheering supporters outside the fire station where officials briefed him on the recovery. “What a crowd, what a turnout,” Trump declared before waving a Texas flag from atop a step ladder positioned between two fire trucks. “This is historic. It’s epic what happened, but you know what, it happened in Texas, and Texas can handle anything.” Trump is clearly determined to seize the moment and show a forceful response to Harvey, mindful of the political opportunities and risks that natural disasters pose for any president. Trump has been suffering from low approval ratings and self-created crisis, and the White House is eager to show him as a forceful leader in a time of trouble. The president kept his distance from the epicenter of the damage in Houston to avoid disrupting recovery operations. But he plans to return to the region on Saturday, and Vice President Mike Pence will visit as well. What little damage Trump saw — boarded up windows, downed tree limbs and fences askew — was through the tinted windows of his SUV as his motorcade ferried him from the Corpus Christi airport to the firehouse in a city that’s already nearly back to normal. Trump spoke optimistically about the pace of the recovery, and predicted his response would be a textbook case for future presidents. “We want to do it better than ever before,” he said. “We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, ‘This is the way to do it.’” Then it was on to his next stop, Austin, to meet with officials at the state emergency operations center. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Trump showed “genuine compassion” on the short flight to Austin as they watched video footage of the flooding in Houston. “The president was heartbroken by what he saw,” the governor said. But Ari Fleischer, who served as press secretary to former President George W. Bush, said there was something missing from Trump’s remarks in Corpus Christi: “Empathy for the people who suffer.” “The first thing he should have said was that his heart goes out to those people in Houston who are going through this, and that the government is here to help them recover,” Fleischer told Fox News Channel. It’s long been presidential practice to avoid visiting the most devastated areas of a natural disaster while recovery is still in the early stages, to avoid getting in the way or diverting critical resources. In Texas, residents seemed to understand.Before Trump landed in Texas, Louis Sirianni arrived at his beach house in Rockport, about 20 miles outside Corpus Christi, to assess damage. Sirianni said he appreciated Trump’s gesture and understood why there were no plans to take him into the hardest-hit area. “He’d see enough if he came along here in a helicopter,” Sirianni said on a balcony accessible only by a 12-foot aluminum extension ladder. In downtown Rockport, John Murray had a pair of boards in front of his hair salon spray-painted with “Bet They Blame Trump.” “He could go for a walk and they’d find something to complain about,” like jaywalking, Murray said. Trump, wearing a black rain slicker emblazoned with a presidential seal, traveled with first lady Melania Trump and Cabinet secretaries who will play key roles in the recovery. Mrs. Trump traded in her usual stiletto heels for a pair of white sneakers and wore a black cap that read “FLOTUS,” an acronym for “first lady of the United States.” In a statement, the first lady said that “what I found to be the most profound during the visit was not only the strength and resilience of the people of Texas, but the compassion and sense of community that has taken over the state.” The president, during his stop in Austin, said it was a “sad thing” that the recovery would be a “long-term” operation. His largely upbeat reassurances about a speedy recovery, though, stood in contrast to the more measured assessments coming from emergency management officials. There’s a long, difficult road ahead in recovering from a storm whose flooding has displaced tens of thousands, those officials have cautioned. And the president’s vow of swift action on billions of dollars in disaster aid is at odds with his proposed budget, which would eliminate the program that helps Americans without flood insurance rebuild their homes and cuts grants to help states reduce the risk of flooding before disaster strikes. Trump’s budget proposal for 2018 zeroes out Community Development Block Grants, a key program that helped the Gulf Coast rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. The same program helped New York and New Jersey come back from Superstorm Sandy. Among other things, the grants help people without flood insurance coverage rebuild their homes. In the 2017 budget, the Republican-led Congress restored some of the funds. While Trump’s pending budget request didn’t touch the core disaster aid account, it proposed cutting several grant programs that help states reduce flood risks before a disaster strikes and improve outdated flood maps. All told, Trump proposed cutting such grant programs by about $900 million. Former Democratic President Barack Obama also cast a skeptical eye, proposing cuts roughly two-thirds as large as Trump in his final FEMA budget. __ Superville reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Andrew B. Taylor in Washington and Kelly P. Kissel in Rockport, Texas, contributed to this report. __ On Twitter follow Ken Thomas at https://twitter.com/KThomasDC ___ For complete Harvey coverage, visit https://apnews.com/tag/HurricaneHarvey
Media baron Peter 
Too busy or lazy to exercise? Men and women take note. Living without physical activity for six years during their middle age could be at an increased risk of suffering heart failure, researchers have warned. The findings, described in the journal Circulation, suggest that consistently participating in the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week, such as brisk walking or biking, in middle age can reduce the heart failure risk by 31 per cent. Also Read – Add new books to your shelfWhile it is known that people who are more physically active have lower risks of heart failure than those who are less active, but little is known about the impact of changes in exercise levels over time on heart failure risk.”Going from no exercise to recommended activity levels over six years in middle age may reduce heart failure risk by 23 per cent,” said Chiadi Ndumele, Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, US. Also Read – Over 2 hours screen time daily will make your kids impulsiveFor the study, the team included 11,351 participants, with an average age 60, monitored annually for an average of 19 years.According to the American Heart Association, the “recommended” amount is at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous intensity or at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise. Heart failure risk decreased by about 12 per cent in the participants who increased their physical activity category from poor to intermediate or recommended, or from intermediate to recommended, compared with those with consistently poor or intermediate activity ratings. Conversely, heart failure risk increased by 18 per cent in the participants who reported decreased physical activity from visit one to visit three, compared with those with consistently recommended or intermediate activity levels.Unlike heart attack, in which heart muscle dies, heart failure is marked by a long-term, chronic inability of the heart to pump enough blood, or pump it hard enough, to bring needed oxygen to the body. The leading cause of hospitalisations in those over 65, the disorder’s risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and a family history.
This story originally appeared on PCMag Free Webinar | Sept 5: Tips and Tools for Making Progress Toward Important Goals Attend this free webinar and learn how you can maximize efficiency while getting the most critical things done right. Register Now » Apple’s smallest iPad Pro is getting bigger.Speaking at WWDC on Monday, Apple CEO Tim Cook called the new 10.5-inch version the “perfect size” for the company’s flagship tablet. It replaces the 9.7-inch version, although Apple is keeping the 12.9-inch model, which it also refreshed at WWDC. Despite the larger screen, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro didn’t get any heavier than its predecessor — it still weighs about one pound. Inside, it’s powered by an A10X Fusion chip and includes the same cameras as the iPhone 7, which means a 12-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization, along with a 7-megapixel front shooter. And since one of the iPad Pro’s chief advantages over the regular iPad is compatibility with the Apple Pencil, there’s also a redesigned Retina display that achieves smoother scrolling and drawing with the pencil thanks to 20-millisecond latency.If you’re editing video footage with your iPad Pro, the expanded screen real estate, better Pencil reaction times and A10X chip will likely make for a smoother experience. And if you’re editing video outside or in other challenging light conditions, you’ll appreciate that the display can automatically adjust its white balance to compensate. While that feature is also available in the previous generation, it’s another reason to chose the iPad Pro over the iPad.The main reason not to spring for the iPad Pro is, of course, its astronomical price, and that’s no less true with Monday’s update. If you’re a current 9.7-inch iPad Pro owner, you’ll need to replace your keyboard if you upgrade to the 10.5-inch model. Apple is offering a new $159 full-size Smart Keyboard that also doubles as a cover to fit the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.Add the keyboard and pencil ($99) to the $649 asking price for the 64GB Wi-Fi-only 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and you start to enter ultrabook territory, which means that even with a larger size, the base-model iPad Pro will have limited appeal among cost-conscious professionals. The refreshed 12.9-inch model, which gets the same internal improvements as its little cousin, starts at $799 for a 64GB Wi-Fi-only version. Both models can be ordered starting Monday with a cellular antenna for an additional $130. iOS 11 will bring additional capabilities to the iPad Pro when it rolls out this fall, including new multi-tasking features like drag and drop and an easier-to-use app picker menu.
An accident is causing delays on the M6 motorway in South Cheshire tonight (Tuesday September 18). Two lanes are closed and there is queueing traffic due to accident on the southbound carriageway between J17 A534 Old Mill Road ( Sandbach / Crewe) and J16 A500 (Stoke-On-Trent / Crewe). Lanes one and two (of three) are closed according to traffic data company Inrix. The accident is reported to have taken place shortly before 11pm. We have no information on what kind of vehicles are involved at this stage, or how many. Traffic England are also reporting two lanes are closed, and say traffic is expected to return to normal by 1.45am. Read MoreStoke-on-Trent properties raided in national fuel fraud investigation There is also onne lane closed due to a broken down vehicle on the M6 Southbound from J19 A556 Chester Road (Knutsford) to J18 A54 Middlewich Road (Middlewich / Holmes Chapel). Lane one (of three) is closed. Elsewhere motorists are being urged to take extra care on the roads in the region due to heavy rain, while Highways England have issued a severe weather alert for strong winds across Northern England tomorrow. We will bring you updates on this accident as we get them on the live feed below.00:06ClearedThis accident has now cleared23:29Closure down to one laneInrix and Traffic England are now both reporting the closure is down to one lane.
Get the biggest Daily stories by emailSubscribeSee our privacy noticeThank you for subscribingSee our privacy noticeCould not subscribe, try again laterInvalid EmailFamilies have been consulted over plans for a zebra crossing on a busy road where a pensioner was mowed down and killed by a speeding drink-driver. Hundreds of them have been campaigning for improved safety measures on Longton Hall Road, Blurton, following the death of 90-year-old pedestrian Edna Fullwood in December 2016. She was crossing the road when she was struck by a black Audi driven by 30-year-old Liam Gallagher, from Mount Pleasant, who received a suspended prison sentence after admitting causing death by careless driving and drink-driving. Now Stoke-on-Trent City Council has consulted residents over plans for a zebra crossing, a high-visibility guardrail, a raised ‘flat-top’ table and new road markings. The zebra crossing would be installed between the junctions with Nashe Drive and Cockster Road. Read MoreKFC is shutting this Stoke-on-Trent branch after THREE decades (as nearby eyesore travel agents is set to be transformed) Residents are backing the council plan. Michael Shingler, aged 48, of Longton Hall Road, said: “It’s about time something was put in place to stop people speeding along this stretch of the road. Punter found hiding in bushes Dad slams ‘disgusting’ hospital window Edna Fullwood died after being hit by a speeding drink-driver The 57-year-old, who lives on Longton Hall Road, said: “I’ve lived here for 19 years and for 10 of those years I’ve said someone will get killed. “Speed has always been an issue here, the cars come up here really fast and it’s busy because we’re right by a school. “People don’t respect the 30mph zone and I think speed bumps would be more effective than a zebra crossing.” Want to tell us about something going on where you live? Let us know – Tweet us @SOTLive or message us on our Facebook page. And if you have pictures to share, tag us on Instagram at StokeonTrentLive. Edna Fullwood was fit and healthy when her life was cut short “Some people come down here at up to 70mph and I’m surprised there haven’t been more accidents. It’s like a rat-run through to Longton. “I’d be really pleased to see a zebra crossing and a raised table because it will slow traffic down. There’s a large elderly population at Foster Court so it will benefit everybody. “Something’s got to happen because when I cross over to the shops I sometimes have to run across. They come over the bank and before you know it there on you. Everybody has to watch out. Read More’I’ve had no justice’ – heartbroken son to launch civil case after drink-driver who killed his mother avoids jail “I’ve lived here for 10 years and it has got worse in the last five years. Hopefully this will calm the road down and make it safe for everybody. It’s just a shame an old lady died.” Neighbour Neil Burgess, aged 68, said: “There are a few old people in Foster Court who need the crossing. Speeding is an issue and this will force them to slow down. “Most people are sensible but there is always the odd one late at night. It’s a shame the lady had to die before something was done. She was hit just outside my house, so I’m glad the council is doing something about it.” Read MoreTop stories on StokeonTrentLive
Driver named following fatal collision Fellow neighbour Barbara Rae, aged 77, added: “This is a good idea. Vehicles speed up and down here and there’s a large elderly population. It’s a big road, very busy and a lot of cars come steaming down when they shouldn’t. “But the crossing will be in the right place to slow them down. It’s also by the shops so it will help people feel safer when they’re crossing the road. I just think it’s terrible that a poor lady had to die before something was done. I see cars everyday from my window going that fast it’s ridiculous, so I think the crossing is a brilliant idea.” Dave Adams says speed humps would be better on Longton Hall Road. Police search for missing woman
