Clean-up call as scheme starts

There has been a call to clean up graffiti around Shillington’s Quay as a 2.6million public realm scheme gets set to start in Portadown town centre today . DUP councillor Darryn Causby said that in recent months there had been a dramatic increase in the amount of graffiti around the town, but in particular by the River Bann.

Forecasting the 2017 Assembly Election

The snap Assembly election called for the 2nd of March 2017 will be the first to return 5 MLAs from each constituency, reducing the total number of MLAs from 108 to 90. This, combined with indications of a fall in support for the DUP and a rise in support for the Green Party and People Before Profit, makes this year’s election less predictable than is usually the case for Northern Ireland elections. I have built a forecast model in an attempt to predict who will be returned to the next Assembly.

Punched man after leaving Banbridge bar

After leaving a bar in Banbridge a 41-year-old man punched another man in the face and fractured his cheek bone. Simon McAtamney, Ashleigh Crescent, Lurgan, admitted unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on a man on September 2 last year.

Woman was on way to hospital

A 20-year-old Banbridge woman who broke a solid white line and drove on the wrong side of the road in Portadown was banned from driving for 12 months last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court. Ausra Krisiute, whose address was given as Moorefield, Banbridge, had denied dangerous driving on September 24 last year at Mahon Road, Portadown.

Insurance was cancelled

A 27-year-old man was fined 200 last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court for not having insurance on November 11 last year. Joshua William Matchett, Renmore Avenue, Portadown, was also given six points and ordered to pay a A 15 offender’s levy.

Took scooter for test run

While fixing his brother’s scooter a 24-year-old man took it for a test run and was detected by police for traffic offences. Aaron Whitla, Victoria Street, Lurgan, was fined 200 last Friday at Craigavon Magistrates Court for not having insurance on October 12 last year.

Administrator to meet with Stevenson staff

A meeting is to be held with staff at Maurice Stevenson Ltd today after the company was placed into administration earlier this week – putting 33 jobs at risk. Maurice Stevenson Limited , one of Northern Ireland’s longest established mechanical installation firms, has appointed Administrator Gerard Gildernew to assess the options available in respect of the business.

“Sinn Fein’s northern operation risks becoming an…

Not least because he lays out some of the key assumptions of Sinn Fein’s plan to re-unite the island, some of which, like “cross-border bodies confirm the legitimacy of the border” demonstrate the party’s enduring disdain for a pragmatic to the matter. The party hopes that Stormont’s future style and content of governance will reflect an economically unified, post-Brexit Ireland.

Man is cleared of all charges

Two charges of making a threat to kill and two assault charges against a 24-year-old man were dismissed on Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court. Phelim Leathem, Boconnell Lane, Lurgan, was aquitted on all the charges alleged to have happened on May 2 last year.

Weak UK pound an early Christmas present for Irish shoppers

A border crossing south of Newry, Northern Ireland, is marked only by billboards for money-changing kiosks and cut-price fuel in this image taken Monday, Dec. 19, 2016. The introduction of the European Union common market allowed the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom to remove all customs searches and import restrictions from the 310-mile Irish border a quarter-century ago.