Joseph Stashko

Journalist interested in using the best of the web to create exciting news stories and features. I'm co-editor of Blog Preston, and handle the comment/features side of things. If you want to write for us drop me an email at joseph@blogpreston.co.uk or get in touch via my Twitter account. Happy reading!

police line tape

Crime Roundup 03/02/12 – Live online chat with Lancashire police on Tuesday

3rd, February 2012 by

Lancashire Constabulary is to hold a special interactive web chat to discuss the importance of staying safe online on Safer Internet Day, Tuesday 7 February. This year the campaign is centred on the theme “connecting generations and educating each other” and Lancashire Constabulary is asking young and old people to come together to “discover the digital world together”. Detective Chief Inspector Hazel Stewart, public protection [...]
preston town hall entrance

City Council cabinet – plans to fill the £2.5 million black hole in budget

3rd, February 2012 by

Preston City Council have agreed to plans to increase council tax by 3.5% in Wednesday’s budget meeting. Councillors met at the Town Hall to discuss the draft budget proposals and Labour has put forward its plans to start to fill a £2.5m black hole in its budget over the next five years. The main area agreed upon would see a council tax increase of 3.5% [...]
Photo by drinksmachine on flickr

Ribbleton residents to create lasting legacy of Moor Nook estate

2nd, February 2012 by

Residents of Ribbleton have been invited to participate in a project to create a lasting memory of people’s experiences and memories of the Moor Nook estate for Guild year. The project, called Moor Nook EMB – Moments in Time, will focus on the history of Moor Nook as told by residents. Some families have lived on the estate since it was first built over 50 [...]
harris orphanage sign

Preston Photo Digest 31/01/12

1st, February 2012 by

Here are this week’s offerings for the Preston Photo Digest, collecting the best photographs of Preston on a weekly basis. All of these images have been compiled from the Preston Flickr Group, but if you’ve got a photograph that you think deserves to be included, get in touch at joseph(@)blogpreston.co.uk. I’ll also be updating and including a map of Preston (you can see it at the bottom [...]
preston town hall entrance

Analysis of Preston Council Budget: Where has money been saved?

31st, January 2012 by

Preston City Council have released the details of their new budget proposal, including a proposed rise in council tax by 3.5%. Yesterday I took a look at what the council intend to spend money on over the next four years, and today I’m going to look at the areas in which they intend to save money. Click on the graph below to compare figures across [...]
moor lane church fire preston

Fire breaks out at old spiritualist church on Moor Lane (Video/Photos)

31st, January 2012 by

A fire broke out at the old spiritualist church on Moor Lane last night. Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service received a call at 11:01 pm, seven fire engines and around 40 firefighters were called to the scene. The cause of the fire is currently unknown. The spiritualist church is disused and consists of 6 floors approximately 20 by 30 metres across. The fire service had [...]
preston town hall entrance

Analysis of Preston Council Budget: What’s the money going to be spent on, and where?

30th, January 2012 by

Preston City Council have released the details of their new budget proposal, including a proposed rise in council tax by 3.5%. Ed Walker has already covered the key points in his story last week, but I’m going to take a look at the specific numbers involved in the council’s savings and spending areas. In the consultation document the council emphasise the importance on Guild year, [...]
light bulb preston

Loss of power across Preston – Tweet us if you’ve experienced any near you

29th, January 2012 by

[View the story "Loss of power in Preston 29/01/12" on Storify]
michael williams drug gang

Lancashire police jail drug gang spanning two continents

27th, January 2012 by

A man responsible for organising a major drugs supply chain spanning the UK, Europe and South America has been jailed for 24 years after being extradited from Holland. Michael Williams, 42, was the 27th person to be arrested in connection with Operation Greengage the Lancashire Constabulary investigation into an organised crime group that was operating across two continents. Officers from the force’s Serious and Organised [...]
chinese new year

Celebrate the Chinese Year of the Dragon at the Charter Theatre tomorrow

26th, January 2012 by

  The Jilin Song and Dance Troupe and the Beijing Normal University Performance Troupe will celebrate Chinese New Year with a performance at the Charter Theatre tomorrow. The Jilin Song and Dance Troupe will entertain the audience with a show of traditional dance, folk music, singing and theatricality. The Beijing Normal University Performance Troupe fuse toegher martial arts, poetry, music, song and dance. Together these [...]