Cinema Is Magic!

Chloe McLaurin gets in tune as The Wizard of Oz's Dorothy, in preparation for the Cinemagic Festival's 'Songs from the Movies' workshop taking place in Victoria Square on 20th November. The workshop supported by Arts and Business will see young people, aged 8-15, learn classic musical numbers from the movies, under the guidance of a trained musical director. Pictured with Chloe are Joan Burney Keatings, Cinemagic Chief Executive; Hugh Black, Victoria Square Centre Manager and Beverly Coomber, Arts and Business. Photo by MT Hurson, Harrison Photography.

Terror Charges

Three men have been charged with weapons offences after a vehicle was stopped in Cookstown by police investigating dissident republican activity and are due to appear before Strabane Magistrate's Court on Thursday morning. A fourth man, aged 30, remains in police custody after being arrested at the scene on Monday.

Tasty Jobs

This week saw the launch of the 'Tasty Careers' campaign, a new programme from Improve (the Food and Drink Sector Skills Council) and supported by two Stormont departments, Employment & Learning and Agriculture & Rural Development. Tasty Careers has been designed to educate and inform young people about the significant career opportunities that exist within the food and drink manufacturing industry. The Agriculture Minister Michelle Gildernew officially launched the campaign, supported by food industry leaders, public officials, and representatives from local schools. Guests at the event in the Waterfront Hall heard about the impending skills shortage within the sector.

Booze Fines

Five people have been prosecuted by Belfast City Council for drinking alcohol in a public place. Adam Denis Bradley, from Rosapenna Square in west Belfast, was fined £60 and ordered to pay costs of £66 after he was detected drinking alcohol at Dunville Park on June 14. John McMenemy, from Beechmount Pass, also in west Belfast, was fined £75 and ordered to pay costs of £66 after he was detected drinking alcohol at Springfield Road on June 14 and John Lavery, from Iris Close in west Belfast, was fined £60 and ordered to pay costs of £66 after he was detected drinking alcohol at Falls Road on June 1st. Craig Weir, from Ballygomartin Road in west Belfast, was fined £50 and ordered to pay costs of £66 after he was detected drinking alcohol at Shankill Road on May 23 as well as Michael McCann, from Brookvale Street in the north of the city, who was fined £50 and ordered to pay costs of £66 after he was detected drinking alcohol at Alexander Park on May 15th.

Foodie Awards Celebrated

The NI Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has praised the innovation and export focus of 30 local companies which have won UK Great Taste Awards. The Minister was speaking at a reception for the award winners at Invest Northern Ireland's office in Belfast. Thirty local companies gained over 100 gold stars for the quality, innovation and taste of their food and drink products. "Winning a Great Taste Award gold star is immensely important because the awards showcase consumer-focused innovation, a key strategic theme for Invest Northern Ireland," she commented. "Food and drink processing is now one of our biggest manufacturing industries, one which is still growing in difficult economic conditions. It is worth over £3billion and accounted for 19.6% of total manufacturing sales, 16.8% of manufacturing external sales and 25.1% of manufacturing employment in 2008," adding that 19,000 people are employed in local processing plants.

Sewage Discharges 'Cleaned-up'

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has assessed the compliance of Water Utility discharges and has found that sewage discharges are improving. Stormont Environment Minister, Edwin Poots released the 2009 compliance assessment of discharges made by Northern Ireland Water (NIW), and those companies who carry out waste water treatment under Public Private Partnership contracts (PPP). The assessment details Water Utility compliance with NIEA and European discharge standards during 2009 and compares it with the Water Utility compliance since 2005. Commenting on the assessment Minister Poots said: "There has been a sustained improvement with compliance of discharges from waste water treatment works in Northern Ireland, with compliance increased from 82% in 2005 to 88% in 2009."

(BMcC/GK)