Eight-year-old Robert Robertson, from Linwood, near Paisley, decided to write to the US leader after he was asked to get in touch with someone in a different country.

The Our Lady of Peace primary pupil posted a drawing of the children`s book character Flat Stanley to the White House several weeks ago and was delighted when the president replied with a letter and photographs.

The signed note said: “Thank you for sending Flat Stanley to the White House. I am pleased to report that he worked hard, listened carefully and had a lot of fun!”

Robert said: “I was surprised because I didn’t think a letter would come back. The envelope had the address of the White House on it and I was very excited.”

The Flat Stanley Project was started more than a decade ago to boost children`s literacy skills.

More at STV News

The traditional Wallace Day parade will take place on Saturday, August 21, and leaves from Ludovic Square, in Johnstone, at 2.30pm to walk to the Wallace Monument, in Elderslie, where wreaths are laid.

In the evening, Elderslie Village Hall will host an evening of entertainment with Ted Christopher and Albannach, and a bar will be available.

Wallace Day is one of the most colourful in Renfrewshire’s year and the march is headed by a pipe band and many of those who go along get right into the spirit of things by wearing tartan and carrying Saltires.

Wallace, along with Andrew Moray, is remembered for defeating an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297.

More at the Express

During a war of words the 26-year-old was brutally assaulted by the pair and suffered injuries including a suspected broken wrist.

It led to the victim being knocked over and getting injured.

It’s understood items were taken from her bag at the time of the attack.

The injured woman, who is from Renfrew, later went to hospital for treatment.

The school forms a key part of the council’s Building Better Communities programme, which will see a £92million investment in education, leisure and community facilities.

If the plans are given the green light, the school will be built on the site of the existing Park Mains High, which has a current school roll of 1,350 pupils from Erskine and the surrounding villages of Bishopton, Inchinnan and Langbank.

Construction work is due to start early next year and pupils will start their first term there in August 2012.

More at the Paisley Daily Express

And, when officers arrived at the scene, they uncovered a cannabis factory in an upper floor flat.

Police came across scores of potted plants, at various stages of growth, which were crammed into a room of a tenement home.
They also found heat lamps and other gear used in the cultivation of the plants.

Last night, the overall value of the illegal drug was thought to run into thousands of pounds.

Read more at the Express

Julie Martin, 32, from Paisley, attacked 57-year-old Greta Dewer at her flat in Erskine, Renfrewshire, last October.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how Martin then phoned her partner and told him: “I’ve done my mum in.”

She was initially charged with murder but pled guilty to culpable homicide.

The court was told that Martin and her mother had a volatile relationship.

More at BBC News

The 38-year-old woman suffered cuts to her arm at her home in Saucelhill Terrace, Paisley, just before 5am.

She called to her 37-year-old husband who came downstairs and tried to detain the men. He was attacked and suffered serious injuries to his head and body.

More on this story from the BBC

The Johnstone man had challenged a would be thief after spotting him crouching in a local garden.

But the ‘have a go hero’ was brutally knifed by the thug after he dared to question him.

The man’s son witnessed the late-morning attack carried out by sick Alan Cadle.

Devious Cadle was hanging round a caravan in a garden in Alder Place near to where the victim was walking with his son.

When the father approached Cadle to ask what he was doing, he became angry and stormed towards his victim with a knife and a knuckle duster.

The attack saw the dad slashed across the face twice as his young son stood by his side.

The family were walking home through Johnstone Castle before Cadle struck on the morning of March 7.

Read the rest of this story at the Gazette

You can apply for tickets here for the BBC Radio 2 show on the BBC Shows website.

Here is part of a story from yesterdays Paisley Express:

Thousands of Buddies will be hoping to snap up tickets for the show at Paisley Town Hall, which is being recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio 2.

But the Express can now reveal that the tickets will NOT be put up for sale.

Instead, bosses at the Beeb have decided to give away the briefs for free as part of a random ballot.
It means that Buddies will face competition from Paolo’s fans across the country as they hope to be handed the chance to see the 23-year-old chart-topper up close and personal.

Presenter Jo Whiley will announce details of the ticket giveaway on her Radio 2 show tomorrow night.

A spokeswoman for Radio 2 told the Express: “Jo will launch the ticket giveaway to this very special event in this week’s Radio 2 In Concert show on Thursday, July 22, at 8pm, giving listeners details on how they can apply for tickets.

http://www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk/2010/07/21/fans-face-fight-for-paolo-tickets-87085-26893994/