The media spends almost as much time covering various debates about how to “fix the news” as it does itself and the treatment of Ezra Klein’s announcement that he is leaving the Washington Post to create a political blog for Vox Media (co-founded by the creator of Daily Kos) is a perfect example of the confluence of the two with media covering something that no one outside the media cares about as if it were an important story. In his announcement, Ezra Klein welcomed resumes from anyone who wanted to join him in “fixing the news” and promised to offer an alternative to a news media that tells people what happened instead of “giving them the crucial contextual information necessary to understand what’s happened.” More context isn’t the solution to the news; it’s the barrier to the news. Every media outlet wants to tell you what to think about an event, instead of telling you what happened. The more sophisticated organizations do a better job of dressing up their narratives by dropping longreads on the reader. David Kilpatrick’s New York Times Benghazi story was a recent classic of the genre that read like a mystery novel and was filled with selective bits of misleading contextual information leading to inaccurate conclusions. It did not take very long for a Senate report and other media outlets to shoot down the story which had left out information about the Al Qaeda links of the attackers, but did include a dubious claim that the attackers had been angry about a YouTube video. Kilpatrick’s contextual longread was really a narrative. And that is the problem with context over news. Context tainted by agendas becomes a narrative. An older generation of liberal journalists dreamed of being Woodward and Bernstein, but the younger generation have more modest ambitions of being storytellers who skip the investigations and go straight to the conclusions. There are things about the news that actually do need to be fixed and political bias tops the list. Even though David Kilpatrick’s story was discredited shortly after it was published, Kilpatrick and the New York Times suffered no personal or professional consequences for a story that supported the administration’s line on Benghazi. That is markedly different from what happened to Lara Logan and 60 Minutes for airing a Benghazi report that the administration did not like. Both stories suffered from errors, but while 60 Minutes was deceived, the New York Times did the deceiving. And yet Lara Logan has been denounced for journalistic malpractice, while hardly anyone in the media has criticized Kilpatrick for attempting to sell blatantly refried nonsense that had long ago been discredited and that not even the administration was willing to stand behind. It’s equally instructive to compare the treatment of Kilpatrick’s Benghazi hoax to an accurate and thoroughly researched longread in Grandland about Dr. V. the inventor of a golf putter who claimed to be a female physicist from MIT descended from Cornelius Vanderbilt, but turned out to be a male car mechanic. When the fraud was exposed, the man committed suicide. The story was initially admired, only to come under attack from gay rights activists who contended that the reporter, Caleb Hannan, had no right to expose V’s lies. Hannan’s story wasn’t being challenged based on the facts, instead he had run afoul of a new political mandate that transvestites, transsexuals and assorted ‘trans’ were members of an officially protected victim class whose psyches were too fragile to tolerate the excesses of investigative journalism. It was absurd, but so are most political restrictions. And political restrictions on journalism are the enemy of truth. The ESPN ombudsman denounced the story for lacking “understanding, empathy and introspection”. Would a story about any other auto mechanic claiming to be a rocket scientist have lead to criticisms that the story lacked understanding and empathy? “It’s a surprisingly easy editing exercise to remove that aspect of the story,” the ESPN ombudsman suggested, referring to V’s gender. Another ESPN ombudsman and “ethicist” at a journalism school suggested killing the whole story because “the deceptions were inextricably entwined with the name change… in which case, the news organization would then have to ask if the subject of the story itself was so pressing to Grantland’s audience that it had to be published.” The problem here is not a lack of contextual information, but a political context that entirely overwhelms the facts until ombudsmen and ethicists demand that the political context should determine whether a reporter pursues a story. It was the identical problem faced by Communists journalists who were expected to think of the political context first and the truth second. And that is the real problem with the news. The news media now specializes in content so shallow and worthless that it has no political context. Serious news however comes with so much political context that it’s easier to just rewrite Media Matters content than to do any original reporting on a national or international issue. There is safety in numbers because it’s harder to lynch a reporter whose only crime is reworking an AP story that is based on a Media Matters email that is based on a White House press release. Investigate journalism has become dangerous because it sets the reporter apart from the herd. In the best case scenario, reporters like Sharyl Attkisson are ignored when they report on Fast and Furious or Benghazi; aside from the occasional mysterious computer hack. If they become too annoying to the establishment, like Bob Woodward, they can be torn to shreds for criticizing the wrong people. The news is broken because it follows the left’s usual model of insider highbrow content and outsider lowbrow content. That same model destroyed art, literature and theater. Now it’s wiping out the news media. The general public gets cat videos, pop stars and stories about a Republican who said something racist. The insiders get pointless analyses accompanied by politically correct spin on the latest trends. Middlebrow content that is meaningful to the average person is usually the first casualty of postmodern leftist institutional domination. It happened in every area of culture and it just took a little longer for the same phenomenon to kill the news as we knew it and replace it with a wide gap between lowbrow indoctrination and highbrow guides on how to indoctrinate. This split is fundamental to understanding what is going on not only with the news media, but with the country. The national audience is being divided between those who are to be fooled and those who do the fooling. The “smart people” distribute talking points from the think tanks and everyone else gets cat videos, pop stars and the latest Republican outrage boiled down to the level of the Huffington Post audience. The news media has become just another outlet in the culture war of the left. Its business model can’t be fixed because it isn’t in business to make money, but to indoctrinate. It doesn’t care about the financial bottom line, but about the political bottom line. Its future is boutique journalism funded by liberal billionaires looking to influence policy by subsidizing failed media outlets that would otherwise go on the block for a buck just like Newsweek. The news doesn’t need to be fixed. It needs to be freed. * Don’t miss Ann-Marie Murrell‘s video interview with Daniel Greenfield on Robert Gates’ Revelations Confirm Horowitz’s “Party of Defeat,” Abandoning Iraq, How Americans Died For a War Obama Didn’t Believe In, The Release of Terrorist Lawyer Lynne Stewart, and much, much more: Part I: Part II: To sign up for The Glazov Gang, Click here. Freedom Center pamphlets now available on Kindle: Click here .
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Fixing the News
Live: Breaking news, traffic and travel across Teesside
The Evening Gazette's live breaking news blog brings you regular updates, pictures, video, tweets and comments covering the latest Teesside and North Yorkshire traffic, travel, weather, crime and council news for today, Thursday 30 January, 2014.
You can contribute to the live blog by posting your comment below, and you can also tweet us @EveningGazette to share breaking news stories, pictures and opinions.
Our Teesside breaking news live blog begins at 07:00am every weekday and is updated throughout the day and into the evening.
Baby joy for former Boro star Stewart Downing
Former Boro winger Stewart Downing is celebrating the birth of his bay daughter Millie
Stewart Downing of West Ham
Former Boro star Stewart Downing is celebrating the birth of a baby daughter.
Little Millie came into the world on Monday and the dad is said to be elated at the new addition to his family.
The former Boro winger and ex England international moved to West Ham at the start of the season from Liverpool for an undisclosed transfer fee which was reported to be in the region of £5m.
Middlesbrough born Downing was a graduate of the Middlesbrough Academy.
Although he moved away his family, including his parents, remain in Middlesbrough.
Watch: Hundreds turn out to see You Me At Six at HMV in Middlesbrough
Hundreds of Teessiders turned out when band You Me At Six came to Middlesbrough for a special signing of their new album
Your Me At Six at HMV in Middlesbrough
Star struck Teessiders were far from cavalier when they got the chance to meet their favourite rock band.
Hundreds of Teessiders turned out when band You Me At Six came to Middlesbrough for a special signing of their new album.
Speaking to the Gazette lead singer Josh Franceschi said it was great that so many had turned out for the signing of their Cavalier Youth album, which is currently number one in the midweek iTunes chart.
He said: “It makes us feel good but guilty at the same time.
“It’s really humbling that people have been here waiting for. It’s nice to know that people want to see us.”
Bandmate Max Helyer added: “The North-east is one of our strongest markets. This area is really passionate about music so we wanted to come to here to do the signing.
“We’ve no plans for gigs in Middlesbrough at the moment, maybe that’s something we have to look into.”
Michelle Maddison
You Me At Six at HMV Middlesbrough
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Fans began queuing up since early yesterday morning to see the band, who are on tour with 30 Seconds to Mars, at the Cleveland Centre's HMV store.
And by lunchtime a long line of people could be snaking out of the shopping centre.
First in line, to see the band who has previously played Middlesbrough Live and the Empire was Bethany Webb, who arrived at 7.30am.
The 18-year-old Middlesbrough College student said: “It’s such a good album and I wanted to make sure that I was at the front.
“My mum works nearby. She’s bringing me food and water all day.”
Second in the queue was Katie Lewis, 18. She said: “I’m a massive fan. I would love it for them to be number one this week. I was so excited when I heard they were coming.”
The band signed albums, chatted with fans and posed for pictures during the event which kicked off at 1pm.
One lucky fan even got his guitar - which is the same model that lead guitarist Chris Miller plays - signed by the group.
Friends Kay Conlin and Courtney Darrell were overcome with emotion after speaking to the band.
Kay, 18, who studies at Middlesbrough College said: “I’m shell shocked. I can’t believe I’ve met them.
Courtney, 18, added: “When we saw it on Facebook she basically screamed. We’ve been here since 9.30am. It was definitely worth it.”
Snowden faces MI6 assassination threat: NSA ex-officer
Tue Jan 28, 2014 4:52PM GMT
Famous American whistleblower Edward Snowden faces assassination attempts by the British foreign intelligence service, MI6, a former security officer tells Press TV.
Wayne Madsen, a former National Security Agency (NSA) officer, said the threat has increased after the failed attempts to kidnap Snowden, who gained fame due to his revelations about NSA spying activities.
“In early December 2013, I reported on Russia’s Channel One news network that Snowden was the target of a possible kidnapping attempt back then by the MI6 officers – British intelligence officers with the British Embassy in Moscow,” he said.
But, he added, the US officials failed to kidnap Snowden with the help of the MI6 “and bring him back to the United States either directly or through the United Kingdom.”
“And now they’ve gone to the other scenario where they’d like to just put him out, make him go away by assassinating him,” said Madsen.
He added that Russia, where Snowden has been granted asylum, is now “the safest country” for the whistleblower.
Madsen said the Russian government can provide enough security for Snowden.
Fearing for his life, Snowden fled the US — before disclosing the information on the National Security Agency’s spying operations — first to Hong Kong and then to Russia where he was granted temporary asylum last summer.
Snowden’s revelations have caused uproar in the US regarding privacy rights. They have also angered many US allies whose leaders were targeted by the NSA.
KA/HMV/SS
Sexual assault a common practice in US military: Lawyer
Sexual assault has become a common practice in the US military camps, an international lawyer tells Press TV, warning of traumatization of rape victims.
“Within the US Marines there is the practice…whereby new marine officers are actually sexually assaulted by other marines,” Alfred Lambremont Webre said on Monday.
He added that “reported sexual assaults in the US military” in 2013 were up 50 percent from a year before.
Quoting the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Webre said “85,000 US veterans received treatment for sexual abuse trauma…in 2013.”
On Saturday, US President Barack Obama called on the Americans to help put an end to growing number of sexual assaults in the military.
There were more than 5,000 reports of sexual assault filed during the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2013, in comparison with 3,374 in 2012.
The US Defense Department estimated that reported cases of sexual abuse in the military increased nearly 40 percent in 2012 to about 26,000 cases from 19,000 in 2011.
A newly-published investigation, reported by The Washington Post on Monday, reveals that many cases of misconduct involve US generals and admirals.
The paper said it has obtained military files that add to “a litany of revelations about misbehaving brass that have dogged the Pentagon over the past 15 months and tarnished the reputation of US military leadership.”
KA/HMV/SS
Couple's picture perfect big day helps photographer win an international accolade
Romanian photography firm Foto Mateiu received an accolade for their pictures of the wedding of Philip Smelt, from Stokesley and his bride Liana
Foto Mateiu, Timisoara, Romania
Wedding of Liana and Philip Smelt
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Like all brides and grooms Liana Gabor and Philip Smelt thought their wedding pictures were something special.
But it turns out the happy couple weren’t the only ones as the snaps have helped win their photographer an international accolade.
Romanian photography firm Foto Mateiu received an accolade of excellence from the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI).
The pictures have also been given the nod from Hello magazine who, after seeing a few shots, agreed to publish the wedding pictures.
Of the international award, Liana said: “We were very surprised, we had no idea until we found out from the local papers in Romania.
“It was very exciting news for us.”
Liana, who is originally from Romania, met Philip, 31, from Stokesley, while on holiday in Ibiza in 2009.
Two years later the pair were engaged in the Sofitel Hotel in Paris.
The couple, who now live in London, were married last June at the Millennium Cathedral, Timisoara, Romania.
Liana, 30, said their wedding combined their favourite aspects from both Romanian and British weddings.
“We just thought about what we liked most about weddings and chose what we wanted.”
For the photographers she said: “I think it was the mixture of cultures that was interesting.”
One of the award winning pictures was Liana arriving at the cathedral in a vintage car. She said: “The cathedral is of a Gothic style and that contrast of having an English vintage car in that part of Eastern Europe is different.”
The other was a picture from above of the bridal party entering the cathedral.
Photographer Andrei Mateiu said: “We were honoured when Liana and Philip chose us to photograph a special moment in their lives.
“It was an outstanding event. The young and beautiful couple had a British wedding in Liana’s hometown.
“Their friends from all over the world were present.
“As we were part of this incredible wedding, we decided to enter a special contest with the photographs.”
Describing the WPPI awards as “the Oscars of the wedding photography”, the delighted photographer said: “To us, the award “Accolade of Excellence” means a great achievement.
He added: “By receiving this distinction, we believe we have proven that art in photography exists in Romania as well.”
Ingleby Manor Free School: Decision on plan to be considered by Stockton Council next week
Outline application for the erection of the Free School and Sixth Form and residential development, including means of access, will now be considered by Stockton Council’s planning committee
Where the new school and homes will be built
Plans for the construction of the Ingleby Manor Free School and Sixth Form will be considered by Stockton Council next week.
The development - which includes 350 homes on the site at Low Lane, High Leven - was initially rejected by Labour-run Stockton Council.
But, as reported, the plans were approved on appeal by the Secretary of State for Local Government and Communities, Eric Pickles, in September.
His decision came after a four-day public inquiry was held in Stockton in June after campaigners lodged an appeal against the council’s refusal of the scheme.
The 600-place Ingleby Manor Free School and 150-place sixth form is due to open in September, but the permanent building won’t be ready until late 2015.
An outline application for the erection of the Free School and Sixth Form and residential development, including means of access, will now be considered by Stockton Council’s planning committee next week.
Officers have recommended the scheme be approved with conditions.
The site was originally envisaged as being part of Village 7 of Ingleby Barwick, but the village was later removed from the master plan and the estate proceeded as six “villages”.
Approval was then won for an 18-hole golf course and driving range there in 1990, but the consent expired in 2006.
In August 2006 outline planning permission was then sought for a mixed-use development with a family pub, play barn, lodge and children’s nursery, but the application was withdrawn.
Free schools can be set up by members of the community but are funded by taxpayers, free to attend and not controlled by a local authority.
A total of 14 objections have been submitted against the plans with concerns including over-development, flooding risk, increased traffic and impact on wildlife.
In total, nearly 1,500 new houses are now earmarked for the Low Lane site, at High Leven.
Prism Planning is preparing an outline planning application for the construction of up to 550 homes on a 79-acre site.
Jersey-based Tiviot Way Investments has also submitted an initial application to Stockton Council seeking opinion for a development of up to 550 homes, neighbourhood centre, ecological enhancement works, public open space and new vehicle access on the site.
Middlesbrough swimmer Aimee Willmott continues impressive Commonwealth Games build-up
All-rounder Aimee Willmott produced a series of sparkling swims at the Flanders Cup in Antwerp, Belgium
Aimee Willmott
Aimee Willmott continued her impressive Commonwealth Games build-up as she produced a series of sparkling swims at the Flanders Cup in Antwerp, Belgium.
The Middlesbrough all-rounder lowered her own English record with victory in the 400m individual medley ahead of world champion Katinka Hosszu and British rival Hannah Miley in a world top five time of 4mins 33.64secs.
The London Olympian added a 2.5 seconds lifetime best with victory in the 200m individual medley in 2mins 10.87secs as she touched home in front of Hungary’s Hosszu.
And the 20-year-old reaped further reward for her altitude training in Spain and land work at Teesside University with second place in the 400m freestyle in another lifetime best.
Britain’s women claimed the top four places in the Flanders performance rankings, with European Short Course Championships bronze medallist Willmott finishing top.
Swansea-based former Borough of Stockton swimmer Jemma Lowe also starred, her performances including second place in the 100m butterfly.
Lisa Bates, Willmott’s coach at Middlesbrough Amateur Swimming Club, said: “The target is for Aimee to be at her best for the Rio Olympics in 2016.
“To be performing like she has two years into a four-year cycle is pretty positive.”
The Commonwealth Trials are in Glasgow in April, with Willmott going in the 200m and 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly, and 200m and 400m freestyle.
Middlesbrough ASC’s Emma Cassell, Jack Baister and Perry Gardner will also swim there as they try to qualify for the Great Britain junior team.
Willmott races next at the BUCS Championships in Sheffield and competes in Berlin in March.
#Boro140: Your single sentence match reviews of the Wigan game
Round-up of Boro v Wigan match reports and reaction collected by Anthony Vickers, all condensed into the 140 character limit
Boro v Wigan match action
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OK in patches but goals win matches. Make the fans happy and buy that Belgian chappy or at least find the wonga for Assombalonga #Boro140
— Anthony McCarthy (@paulistapark) January 28, 2014
I had hoped the Leicester match would only be a blip, but it appears to have knocked the fizz right out of us. Today came too soon. #Boro140
— Si's Insights (@sis_insights) January 28, 2014
@untypicalboro #boro140 Highlight was Givens superb one handed save from a deflected shot saved us from certain defeat,sign him up now!!
— Lynne Pogue (@lynpogue) January 28, 2014
@untypicalboro Emnes and Main have shown Karanka we need a striker or two before Friday, apart from that they did nothing tonight! #Boro140
— Stephen Jackson (@SmoggyOnTour) January 28, 2014
#boro140 Excitement vacuum, little to cheer, applauding only for warmth but a point. So compared to January 2013 this truly is a golden age
— Paul Edwards (@pjeuk) January 28, 2014
@untypicalboro #boro140 incompetent strikers that offer nothing and stifle the team will cost the club if changes don't happen.
— Darren Wardell (@waddleburger) January 28, 2014
@untypicalboro the type of game you shiver through to make the good times more enjoyable when they come around. #boro140
— Kevin Scott (@Kevscott1982) January 28, 2014
Not great game. scrappy, boot up football, poor finishing. Crying out for a few forwards. #Boro140
— Claire Bowdler (@cbstar82) January 28, 2014
Disappointed. Disjointed. Single pointed. Another shay-mazing save keeps us in it. #boro140
— Ian Clennett (@ianclennett) January 28, 2014
@untypicalboro #boro140 great clean sheet against the FA Cup holders. Desperate for a decent forward, over to you Karanka.
— Stephen Dennis (@Dendog_UK) January 28, 2014
#Boro140 It is what it is (in Spanish).
— Andrew Glover (@andrew_glover) January 28, 2014
#boro140 to much possession in the final third to be drawing games like that. Let's pray we can get a goalscorer in.
— Shaun (@AwayWithTheBoro) January 28, 2014
#boro140 Uneventful standard Championship battle. Would have lost that 6 weeks ago. Need striker & playmaker desperately to push on.
— Peter Brock (@Jooky85) January 28, 2014
@untypicalboro #Boro140 two average sides. Average game. Both sides struggling in the final third.
— Michael Pallister (@micppp) January 28, 2014
@untypicalboro I dragged myself out on a freezing wet January night for that?! #boro140 #borolive
— Sara B (@sara_bannan) January 28, 2014 Read Anthony Vickers' views on his Untypical Boro blog and follow him on Twitter @untypicalboro .
Watch: More Boro players caught on Tunnel Cam - this time at Leicester
Boro's players have again been caught on Tunnel Cam - this time arriving at Leicester City.
Players and staff - including Head Coach Aitor Karanka - are caught on camera ahead of Boro's 2-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
The footage has now been posted on Leicester City's YouTube page .
And it comes after GazetteLive reported on how similar footage at Blackpool showed the players celebrating after a 2-0 win .
LCFC Official / YouTube
Gallery: Leicester v Middlesbrough tunnel camera
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Butcher of Bosnia appears at Hague Tribunal with ex-boss Karadzic
Ex-Bosnian Serb army commander, Ratko Mladic, also known as the Butcher of Bosnia, has appeared before The Hague Tribunal, refusing to testify at the trial of his former political master, Radovan Karadzic.
Karadzic and Mladic are two of the most important figures of the 1990s war in Bosnia, who are appearing together in public for the first time since the end of the conflict.
The ex-Bosnian Serb leader has called ex-deputy Ratko Mladic to give evidence at the UN Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
Karadzic faces 11 charges, including genocide relating to the Srebrenica massacre in July 1995. Both men have denied war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The hearing session was supposed to shed light on the relationship between Karadzic and Mladic during the fall of Srebrenica and the siege of Sarajevo in 1995.
Mladic deplored the UN tribunal as “satanic,” saying that testifying could prejudice his own case.
“This is a satanic court, which is putting on trial us Serbs because we are defending our people from you,” he added.
Karadzic was arrested in Belgrade in 2008 after 13 years on the run. He had been found living in disguise in Belgrade under a false name.
Mladic was on the run for 16 years before being arrested in 2011 in northern Serbia, where he had been also living under an assumed name.
Both Mladic and Karadzic have been charged with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in a war in which at least 100,000 people lost their lives.
MOL/NN/SS
Israel abducts over 20 Palestinians across WB
Israeli forces arrest a Palestinian youth for throwing stones at their checkpoint in East al-Quds. (file photo)
Israeli forces have abducted over 20 Palestinians in multiple pre-dawn raids across the occupied West Bank, including the illegally annexed East al-Quds (Jerusalem).
Palestinian sources said Israeli forces have stormed al-Eizariya and Abu Dis villages in the East al-Quds early Tuesday and detained 15 young people after ransacking their homes.
Fierce clashes broke out between the two sides following the attack, with Israeli forces firing tear gas canisters into Palestinian houses.
More than 35 military vehicles, a bulldozer and four military buses were reportedly involved in the raid on the two villages.
Several other Palestinians were also detained in villages near the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) issued a press release earlier in January, saying the Tel Aviv regime has perpetrated over 20,000 cases of violations against Palestinians in 2013.
The organization also said Israeli troops have killed over 55 Palestinians, arrested or detained more than 4,530 others, and erected some 5,200 flying checkpoints throughout the occupied West Bank and East al-Quds.
Israel occupied the West Bank in the Six-Day War of 1976. It later annexed East al-Quds in 1981 in a move never recognized by the international community.
On Monday, Acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas said East al-Quds being the future capital of the Palestinian state is one of the conditions for the so-called peace talks with the Israeli regime.
He went on to say that Israel should also recognize borders based on the lines that existed before the Six-Day War.
Palestinians are seeking to create an independent state on the territories of the West Bank, East al-Quds, and the Gaza Strip.
Tel Aviv, however, has refused to return to the abovementioned borders and is unwilling to discuss the issue of al-Quds.
MRS/PR
How pop star James Arthur helped mega-fan Max's recovery following car accident
Max Doddy's mum Deborah says James Arthur's songs have helped her son get through a difficult time following the accident
James Arthur fan Max Doddy
James Arthur’s song Recovery has extra special meaning for mega-fan Max Doddy.
Just over a year ago the nine-year-old was seriously injured in a car accident that also involved his brothers Charlie, now 16, and Joe, 12, and twin sister Halle.
But his mum Deborah says James’ songs have helped him get through a difficult time - and fighter Max who broke his leg, collarbone and ribs in the accident - was spotted singing his heart out at the Middlesbrough-born pop star's sell-out concert last weekend which can be seen on our website.
Deborah, 41, a customer relations specialist, said: “He just loves James Arthur.
He drives me mad! He’s constantly singing Recovery and Impossible.
“He will sit there singing it on his own with such passion.
“I do think that the music has helped spur him on.”
James Arthur fan Max Doddy
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In the accident the then eight-year-old had to be airlifted to Middlesbrough’s James Cook University Hospital and treated in intensive care for his injuries.
The family was on the way home to Eston from Redcar’s Boxing Day Dip when their Ford Mondeo was involved in a four-car smash on the A174 near the Kirkleatham roundabout,
Bankfields Primary School pupil Max had his injured right leg pinned by surgeons at James Cook and is still under a consultant’s care.
Max’s twin sister Halle was treated for a head injury, dad Andrew, 44, a supervisor, had chest and arm injuries and Joe had slight facial injuries.
Older brother Charlie was unhurt and rang his shocked mum at home from the crash scene to break the news.
Deborah said receiving the call was one of the worst moments of her life.
She said: “That morning I thought I’d lost them.
“It was a massive shock.
“Max has still got a problem with his leg and is under a consultant at James Cook. Max is back playing football - which he loves - but he gets tired really easily and his leg will ache afterwards. We have to watch how much training he does. He’s not totally back to his usual self just yet.”
Deborah - whose family has now raised around £5,000 for the Great North Air Ambulance - says Max’s positive attitude has never waivered.
She said: “He never stops smiling. Even after the accident he always had a smiling face. He takes everything in his stride.” And, she says, she may have a wannabe pop star on her hands. She added: “I think he would be good on stage.”
James Arthur fan Max Doddy sings at Middlesbrough Town Hall concert
Chris was appointed editor of the Evening Gazette in January 2012. He is also a former Gazette news editor. Chris has more than 20 years experience as a journalist and has previously worked in senior positions in Newcastle, Exeter and Nottingham.
Police confirm man from Eaglescliffe area died following accident on A19 at Stokesley
Driver pronounced dead at the scene after car left the road on the A172 off-slip to Stokesley and overturned
Emergency services were called at 7.30pm after the car left the road and overturned
Police have confirmed that a 55-year-old man from Eaglescliffe died following a serious road accident.
The driver and sole occupant of an Audi which left the road on the A172 off-slip to Stokesley and overturned last night was pronounced dead at the scene.
The road remained closed until 2.30am while collision investigators examined the scene.
A diversion was in place on the A684 at Osmotherley.
Emergency services were called at 7.30pm after the car left the road and overturned.
Police were initially unable to give details of any casualties or state whether the crash had been fatal.
One driver affected by the closure said: “You couldn’t see anything from where they had closed the road.
“But there were a lot of police cars where it was closed so you could tell it was something serious.”
The crash is the second serious smash on the same stretch of A19 in less than a year.
Last February a man died after being involved in a collision with two lorries.
Roy Mackenzie, 35, from Thirsk, suffered fatal injuries after his Ford Focus was involved in a collision with a lorry near Northallerton.
Mr Mackenzie, from Thirsk, then suffered serious head injuries in another collision with an HGV just 10 minutes later as he was standing on the road close to the junction for Over Silton, also on the southbound carriageway.
Any witnesses to the collision are asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and pass information to the force control room.
Yarm planners advised to approve Tall Trees housing plan - despite previously rejecting scheme
Previous planning committee decision reasoning was 'weak' and developer would be 'very unlikely to be defended successfully on appeal', report states
The former Tall Trees hotel
A council planning committee has been advised again to give the green light to controversial plans for 330 new homes in Yarm – despite rejecting the scheme once already.
The decision on whether to grant permission for the housing development on the site of the former Tall Trees nightclub and hotel was deferred in December.
As reported, Stockton Council’s legal officers took the unusual step, despite the elected planning committee voting 8-4 against the plans.
Now the application is back before the committee next week – and officers have again recommended the scheme be approved.
A legal report has also been included in the agenda which advises that the committee’s reasons for the previous refusal “are weak and they would be very unlikely to be defended successfully on appeal”.
The advice, from Alan Evans, at Kings Chambers in Manchester, goes on: “I also think that the council is in territory where it would be at significant risk of an award of costs on the basis of unreasonable refusal.”
The planning committee threw out the housing application on two grounds – that it was outside the limits of development and the application site was unsustainable due to lack of public transport.
But both planning and legal officers at the meeting were concerned these reasons for refusal “would not be sustainable at appeal and that they might result in the award of costs against the council”.
Plans for Tall Trees Hotel site
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It was the second time in three months that officers had intervened on a planning committee decision and calls have been made for an investigation into the overruling of the Tall Trees rejection.
Leading Thornaby Independent councillor Steve Walmsley, who sits on the planning committee, said it was “completely undemocratic that officers hired by the council should be allowed such power of veto”.
But Leader of Stockton Council, Councillor Bob Cook, said the role of council officers was to advise elected members.
Developers behind the Tall Trees scheme, Maher Projects, say young sports players in the Yarm area will gain valuable new football and cricket pitches along with associated clubhouse facilities, if the scheme goes ahead.
Walkers and ramblers could also be catered for with limited access to the valley opened up, say developers – with any paths created being “sympathetic to the sensitive eco system”.
Tees Valley Mohawks II run goes on as Sabres are put to the sword
Tony Hanson's side are now the division's form team and are off the bottom of a tightly-contested table
Alex Moore in action for Tees Valley Mohawks II
Tees Valley Mohawks II squad made it three wins out of three since the turn of 2014 to continue their remarkable turnaround.
Coach Tony Hanson’s side hadn’t won a league match since being promoted to EBL National League Division Three (North) before Christmas.
But whatever they had with their Christmas turkey clearly worked because they’re now the division’s form team and are off the bottom of a tightly-contested table.
Relegation after just one season at Division Three level had looked a certainty before the festive break but a couple of new signings and some positive results have made them look a good bet to save themselves from the drop.
Their latest victory was an 85-78 triumph over mid-table Sheffield Sabres at Teesside University’s Olympia Building in Middlesbrough.
The visitors started brightly with Thomas Hodson causing the Mohawks’ defence problems with his fast breaking baskets.
But once they started to contain him, the scoreboard ticked over nicely with Alex Moore and big Lee Woolams scoring some good baskets to give their side a two-point advantage at the end of the quarter.
The second session saw Mohawks produce their best display with a 26-17 quarter as Romonn Nelson scored 10 points.
A spurt of 8-0 to start the next period strengthened their grip on the game, with new signing James Musgrove picking up some big rebounds and points off the bench as Mohawks’ lead went up by 20 points.
However a late 8-0 run from Sheffield saw the lead reduced to 12 points going into the final quarter.
And another good spell by the visitors saw the gap get as close as four points.
But in-form Rob Donaldson hit another six quick points to settle the Olympia crowd and round off another victory.
“It was a good team display,” said Hanson afterwards.
“We went off the boil when we were up by 20 points but credit to Sheffield for not giving up.
“It’s a good team victory and something we need to keep building on so that we can move away from the relegation area.
“This victory gives us a chance to do that and that is all I can ask from the players.”
Moore earned the MVP honours with a game high 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
Mohawks II are now preparing for a big test this Sunday when they visit Birmingham Mets, who are joint top of the table on 22 points with Rossendale Raptors.
The Mohawks’ first team are also on a fine run of form but they too have a tough test this weekend.
They put their winning streak on the line away to second-place Reading Rockets in Division One this Saturday.
They return to the Rivermead Leisure Complex the following weekend in the National Trophy semi-finals.
Key projects can help sustain strong economic growth for Teesside, say business chiefs
Teesside companies have already been seeing the effects of the economic surge
Mike Odysseas, managing director of Odysseas Systems
Key projects will help sustain strong economic growth for Teesside companies, according to business chiefs.
The Hitachi trains factory at Newton Aycliffe and a raft of approved oil and gas schemes are just some of the projects that will ensure Teesside’s economy keeps growing alongside UK GDP, they claim.
Britain’s economy grew by 1.9% last year - the fastest pace since 2007, official figures have shown. Sectors that shone included manufacturing and services.
Teesside companies have already been seeing the effects of the surge and according to UK Trade & Investment, more are considering expanding globally as confidence grows.
In a national report this week, UK Steel named SSI - one of Teesside’s biggest employers - as the company responsible for a spike in the UK’s steel output.
The company, which has invested heavily in upgrades, will be back in the black by quarter two according to bosses, amid reports of record production levels at its Redcar plant.
Last year in the UK 36 offshore projects with an associated capital expenditure of more than £9bn, were approved, according to Willie O’Neil, pictured, contract lead at Wynyard-based Nortech Oil & Gas - an engineering design and project management company.
He said: “They provide tax revenues of £6.5bn on production and a further £5bn through the wider supply chain in corporate and payroll taxes.
“I am seeing major growth in the UK oil and gas industry, and this is extremely good news for the economy as a whole.”
Nortech is undergoing strong growth with turnover reaching £10m and staff numbers rising from four to 86 in three years.
North East Chamber of Commerce Policy and Research Manager, Mark Stephenson, said Hitachi’s arrival would provide a “considerable boost” across manufacturing and services sectors, and to business optimism, on Teesside.
He said: “Businesses are seeing a rise in sales and orders and are increasingly bullish about their prospects. The Government now has a perfect opportunity to seize the momentum and empower our companies to deliver more for UK Plc.”
Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show construction remains 11.2% off its pre-recession level in the first quarter of 2008, manufacturing improved by 0.9% in the fourth quarter and remains 8.2% off pre-crisis levels.
Services, which represent three quarters of UK economic output, improved by 0.8% and is now above 2008 levels.
Mike Odysseas, managing director of Stockton-based telecommunications firm Odyssey Systems, said the figures reflected the “real growth and recovery we have been seeing here at the sharp end”.
“The services sector has once again performed exceptionally well, echoing the expansion we saw in our own company last year. We can see significant activity across the economy, rising employment, growing activity in the housing market and improving confidence.”
John Dickson, chairman of the North East Civil Engineering Contractors Association, added: “While there is still regional disparity [in civil engineering] with things moving much faster in London and the South-east, there are signs of increasing economic activity. There are still challenges ahead and difficult issues to overcome but we are optimistic going forward.”
See Page 10 for an in-depth interview with SSI.
Scores of Thornaby residents turn up to meeting to protest against gipsy site proposals
About 120 residents attended a meeting at Eltham Crescent Community Centre to protest against gipsy/travellers' site proposal in the area
Thornaby residents at meeting about location of traveller sites
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Passionate protesters turned up in their scores to a heated residents’ meeting in Thornaby last night.
About 120 residents turned up to the meeting at Eltham Crescent Community Centre to protest against a gipsy/travellers’ site proposal in the area.
Les Hodge, chairman of Stainsby Hill Residents’ Association, who chaired the meeting said: “We as a community are against these proposals.
“The area on Eltham Crescent that Stockton Council has proposed the site to be is actually the only bit of green where the kids can play football.
“The fact its location is between an old people’s home and a school is what people are objecting to.”
The land on Eltham Crescent is one of two possible gipsy sites proposed in Thornaby by Stockton Council - the other is between the River Tees and Thornaby Road.
The town already has two permanent travellers’ settlements in Teesdale Terrace and Windsor Oval.
Following Government regulations all councils had to come up with proposals for sites for gipsies and travellers as “potential locations” and after looking at 11,000 sites across the borough, a shortlist of six sites was drawn up by Stockton Council.
These are the two in Thornaby; land to rear of Roddmere, Yarm Back Lane, Stockton; Frederick Street, Stockton; between Bowesfield Crescent and the River Tees, Stockton and Mill Lane, Billingham.
Council chiefs say inclusion in the list does not mean the sites will actually be developed.
At the meeting last night, Louise Baldock, the Labour Party candidate for the Stockton South parliamentary constituency, said: “I don’t want people to lose sleep that gipsies will be moving in next door.
“Nothing has been decided yet, there is time for you all to state your objections.”
Mr Hodge added: “This decision has not been made. We are all fighting against it. It’s important we all make sure the council knows our objections.”
Councillor Steve Walmsley, group leader of the Thornaby Independent Association, said that the council had “stigmatised the areas” in Thornaby “simply by naming the sites in the proposals” and urged all councillors and residents to vote against the proposals.
Members of Stockton Council’s Cabinet will consider a proposal to start public consultation on the suitability of the sites when they meet tonight.
It is expected that protesters will turn up to Stockton Town Hall prior to the meeting to speak out against the gipsy site proposals.
Stockton woman with 117 previous offences made knife threats to workers having cigarette break
Man retreated into workplace after Gillian Tero took a pink craft knife from her trouser pocket and shouted 'I'll stab you all with this'
Gillian Tero was given a one-year community order with supervision at Teesside Crown Court
A woman who pulled a knife on workers having a cigarette break has been given a chance to turn her life around by the courts.
Gillian Tero, 40, was drunk and arguing in a group when she was seen by workers on a lunch break at the junction of Yarm Lane and Yarm Street, Stockton.
A man started laughing when she started taking off her flip-flops, Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday.
She responded by approaching the man and challenging him with foul-mouthed abuse, said prosecutor Harry Hadfield.
When she was told to go away, she took a pink craft knife from her trouser pocket.
She waved the knife shouting “I’ll stab you all with this” at 2pm on September 12 last year.
The man retreated into his workplace.
He later said it was unprovoked, he was extremely scared and thought he was going to be hurt.
Two police officers arrived, arrested Tero and recovered the knife.
Tero, of Parkfield Way, Stockton, admitted having a bladed article and threatening behaviour.
She told police she might have lost her temper because people were laughing at her.
She had 117 previous offences, mainly theft, and had been in court every year since 2000.
Uzma Khan, defending, said Tero had the craft knife in her pocket because she’d been cutting carpets.
She said the knife fell from her pocket and she picked it up after she was laughed at.
She told the court Tero struggled to come to terms with her behaviour, compounded by the alcohol she’d drunk at the time.
Alcohol had a serious effect on her health, she’d just been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and drugs had affected her memory.
Now, Tero showed determination and had made big changes to her lifestyle, it was said.
She’d kept out of trouble for three months.
“That’s a big deal for somebody like Ms Tero,” added Ms Khan.
Custody had done little to stop her committing crime before, the court heard.
Judge George Moorhouse told Tero her crimes were serious.
He said: “The public are entitled to be protected from drunk people.
“I’m going to give you a chance.”
And he said: “Rest assured, the next time you appear in this court, you’re going to prison.”
Tero was given a one-year community order with supervision.
Lukas Jutkiewicz's future to be resolved in summer with permanent move to Bolton possible
Bolton boss Dougie Freedman delighted to complete the transfer and permanent deal may well be thrashed out if things go well
Lukas Jutkiewicz
Lukas Jutkiewicz’s long-term future will be resolved in the summer.
The 24-year-old striker completed his loan switch to Bolton yesterday afternoon and will stay at the Reebok until the end of the season.
If things go well for him at Wanderers, a permanent deal may well be thrashed out between the clubs.
Manager Dougie Freedman certainly rates Jutkiewicz and was delighted to complete the transfer.
“Lukas is someone I have admired for a while,” he said. “I’ve known of him for a long time, going back to his Everton days.
“I believe that if Lukas can find the right club that can provide him with the right sort of service he can quite comfortably be one of the top strikers in this division.
“Because of his pedigree he is someone who is ready to be involved right away.”
Gallery: Lukas Jutkiewicz
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Jutkiewicz joined Boro two years ago from Coventry City for £1.3m and still has two-and-a-half years left on his current contract.
Tony Mowbray said he saw the striker as one for the future and expected him to develop into a powerful target man.
But Juke struggled for consistency and has been unlucky with injuries, scoring 11 goals in 65 league appearances including just one Championship strike this season.
Linthorpe fire victim Mark Lee described as 'kind and caring' as probe is launched into house blaze
Police and fire crews begin joint investigation after a man, named locally as Mark Lee, was found dead in detached bungalow in Burlam Road
999 crews outside the house in Burlam Road where Mark Lee lived
A man who died in a Middlesbrough house fire has been described as “kind and caring”.
The man, named locally as Mark Lee, was found dead in the detached bungalow in Burlam Road, Linthorpe.
Police and fire crews have begun a joint investigation into the cause.
Jacqueline Lynch, 44, who lives next door to Mr Lee, who was believed to be in his 50s and lived alone, called the fire brigade after hearing a fire alarm.
She said: “At that point I didn’t know where it was coming from and didn’t know if there was a fire.
“I heard the alarm and thought that I better ring the fire brigade. There was no smoke or anything like that.
“But it was unbelievable how quickly that changed. As I was on the phone to the fire brigade smoke was starting to fill the street. It was black, I remember telling them to hurry.
“I was asked if anyone was inside and I knew Mark would be in there. He always is at that time.”
Gallery: House fire on Burlam Road in Linthorpe
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It is understood Mr Lee gained a first degree from Cambridge University in engineering and was a chartered engineer.
Police, fire and ambulance crews attended at 10.20am yesterday.
Mrs Lynch added: “There were flames coming from the back of the house and then I heard the windows blow. It was awful. It all happened so fast.”
Dave Turton, Cleveland Fire Brigade duty officer, confirmed at the scene that a man had been found dead in the property.
He said: “Crews attended within five minutes of us receiving the call from a neighbour.
“Two appliances from Middlesbrough and Thornaby attended.
“The ground floor was severely on fire and there has been one fatality.”
Mr Turton said the cause of the fire is not yet known.
The kitchen was completely destroyed by fire and the conservatory and dining room were severely damaged by heat and smoke.
The remainder of the property also suffered heat and smoke damage.
Fire crews used four breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets.
Mr Turton added: “An investigation has now been launched alongside Cleveland Police.
“There is nothing to say yet what caused the fire.”
Mrs Lynch said Mr Lee was a “nice, kind and caring” man and had lived in the detached converted bungalow for about four years.
She said: “It is so sad. He was quite a quiet person who kept himself to himself. He lived by himself and one year he even came over to mine for Christmas dinner.
“He bought my children some presents which was nice.
“He used to live in Ingleby Barwick I think and he has also lived in Australia.”
Police officers were seen knocking on doors in neighbouring streets after the blaze and forensic officers were at the scene.
A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: “Police were notified of a house fire at an address in Burlam Road in Middlesbrough just after 10.20am.
“On arrival it was confirmed that unfortunately a person had been found dead in the property.
“It is believed this person was the only occupant.
“A joint investigation into the cause of the fire has commenced, with inquiries at an early stage.”
Police confirm man from Cleveland area died following accident on A19 at Stokesley
Driver pronounced dead at the scene after car left the road on the A172 off-slip to Stokesley and overturned
Emergency services were called at 7.30pm after the car left the road and overturned
Police have confirmed that a man in his fifties from the Cleveland area died following a serious road accident.
The driver and sole occupant of an Audi which left the road on the A172 off-slip to Stokesley and overturned last night was pronounced dead at the scene.
The road remains closed while collision investigators examined the scene.
A diversion is in place on the A684 at Osmotherley.
Emergency services were called at 7.30pm after the car left the road and overturned.
Police were initially unable to give details of any casualties or state whether the crash had been fatal.
One driver affected by the closure said: “You couldn’t see anything from where they had closed the road.
“But there were a lot of police cars where it was closed so you could tell it was something serious.”
The crash is the second serious smash on the same stretch of A19 in less than a year.
Last February a man died after being involved in a collision with two lorries.
Roy Mackenzie, 35, from Thirsk, suffered fatal injuries after his Ford Focus was involved in a collision with a lorry near Northallerton.
Mr Mackenzie, from Thirsk, then suffered serious head injuries in another collision with an HGV just 10 minutes later as he was standing on the road close to the junction for Over Silton, also on the southbound carriageway.
Any witnesses to the collision are asked to call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and pass information to the force control room.