The wendy house in Stromness where the girls were caught with suspected drugs

Speaking exclusively to The Orcadian, she spoke of her disgust on seeing three girls using a home-made apparatus - known among cannabis smokers as a bong - in the Stromness Community Centre play park on Friday morning as children played nearby.

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Transport study stirs up wave of dissatisfaction

The council commissioned a team of consultants - EKOS from Inverness - to undertake the £30,000 study which has come up with several findings and proposals for change in the way the isles are served by sea and air.

Among them are radical suggestions to cut the number of ferries serving the isles from three to two, increase the use of public transport subsidies and improve air services.

A draft report of the study was sent out to community councils, but led to concerns over the possible loss of a ferry.

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Cat killer remanded in custody

Procurator fiscal Roderick Urquhart explained that Power had broken into his landlady's house in Stromness on April 1. There, he claimed the cat jumped on him scratching him.

Power said in a statement to police: "I picked it up by the neck and cut its throat. It was not dying quickly enough so I went and got a sharper knife and cut its throat again. After I watched it die, I picked it up out of the sink and threw it outside."

Remanding Power until June 5, Sheriff Scott Mackenzie called for a psychiatric report and social inquiry and community service reports. Sentence was deferred until then.

Archive story: Alleged housebreaker charged with killing cat

Tourism chief to step down in favour of NorthLink

The chief executive of the Orkney Tourist Board, Gareth Crichton, is leaving to become the commercial director with NorthLink Orkney and Shetland Ferries Ltd.

Mr Crichton (34) will be responsible for overseeing the marketing, promotional and customer service activities for the new ferry operator and will be based in Stromness.

NorthLink chief executive, Mr John Horton, said: "This is a key post and we had to get the right person for the job. We believe that we have done that with Gareth. Our recruitment consultants had carried out an executive search for us and we considered over 100 potential candidates before deciding that Gareth's credentials made him a stand out for the post."

Camera crew to focus on the "Blood of the Vikings"

A BBC television crew arrive in Orkney early next month to film for a new television series entitled "Blood of the Vikings".

Presenter Julian Richards, who was last in Orkney filming the re-opening of the Crantit Tomb in 1998, will accompany the crew filming over three days in early June.

On June 7 they will focus on the Norse settlement on the Brough of Birsay, turning to the Orkney Museum the next day and finally heading out to Sanday on June 9 to continue their coverage of the Scar Viking boat burial.

More attractions re-open to the public

A batch of Historic Scotland properties have reopened following the relaxation in foot-and-mouth restrictions.

The following properties are now open to the public:

• Broch of Gurness, Evie
• Wideford Hill Cairn
• Click Mill, Dounby
• Knap of Howar, Papa Westray
• Holm of Papay, Papa Westray
• Dwarfie Stane, Hoy
• Eynhallow Kirk, Eynhallow

Click here for the full list of Historic Scotland properties and their current status.

Nomination deadline passes - five fight for Westminster seat

With the deadline for candidates' nominations now past, it has been confirmed that only five candidates will contest the Orkney and Shetland seat at the General Election on June 7.

The candidates are: John Firth (Conservative), Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat), Robbie Mochrie (Labour), John Mowat (Scottish National Party) and Peter Andrews (Scottish Socialist Party).

Polling stations will be open between 7am and 10pm on June 7.

The count will be held at the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall with the ballot boxes from Shetland being flown down to Orkney for counting and a result expected around 4am, at the earliest, on Friday June 8.

Kirkwall Airport ILS delayed until Autumn 2002

Miss Angela Donaldson, North regional manager for Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL), told members of the Kirkwall Airport Consultative Committee that although three national firms were approached, only one tendered and this was at a quality and price not acceptable to the ILS project team.

She explained they had felt it better to let the programme slip and contact a specialist team of experts later this month to redefine the specifications of ILS for Kirkwall.

The delay means that the ILS will not come into service until the autumn of 2002, rather than next summer.

Staff remain vigilant as Corrigall Farm Museum reopens

Council environment officer Mrs Val Cameron explained: "There have been changes in the way risk assessments are being done now. Previously risk assessments were done to see if a site could be opened. Now they are done to see if they need to stay closed."

She added that because the museum is beside a working farm, special precautions would have to be taken.

"Staff at the museum will be vigilant, to make sure that visitors don't climb over fences into the farm. We have also supplied disinfectant to the museum, for the car park."

Quantity of suspected drugs found

A report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal after a quantity of suspected drugs were recovered from a house in St Ola at the weekend.

Men outnumber women in employment survey

More men are in employment than women in Orkney and Shetland, according to a GMB union survey.

The figures show that in Orkney and Shetland 56.4 per cent of the islands' workforce are men, with women making up the rest - 43.6 per cent.

This differs from many parts of Scotland where women make up more than half the work force - south Edinburgh (60.3 per cent), Aberdeen (55.4 per cent), Kirkcaldy (55.5 per cent) and Anniesland in Glasgow (56.3 per cent).

Staff place bids in Eastbank silent auction

Everything from a ride-on lawn mower, chests of drawers, two pianos and pots and pans were up for grabs in a silent auction held yesterday, with health staff getting first choice. Any remaining items will go to the auction mart furniture sale on Wednesday, June 6.

All money generated is to be put back into the heath board and used for further patient care.

Theology student gets taste of Orcadian life

A Theology student from Germany will be serving as a student minister for the Church of Scotland community on Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre for the next six weeks.

Nadine Mittag will be living on Rousay and working on all three islands She started studying Theology there around three years ago and since September has continued her studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Commenting on her new role, Ms Mittag said: "Now being on Rousay I look forward to discover what is an Orcadian way of life."

International recognition for Orkney hyperbaric unit

From left: Bobby Forbes, unit manager, Lieutenant-Commander Jeong Wook Kim, Colonel William Butler and medical director Dr Andy Trevett.

In June, Stromness GP and medical director of the hyperbaric unit, Dr Andy Trevett, will also present a paper on the work of the Unit at an international conference hosted by the Undersea Hyperbaric Medical Society in San Antonio, Texas.

This year the unit - a co-operative venture between the Heriott Watt's International Centre for Island Technology, Stromness Practice and Orkney Health Board - has carried out five treatments on divers and since starting operations has conducted 42 treatments in total.

Vandals target tourist coach

A coach party of visitors will leave Orkney with a poor impression after their coach was vandalised in Kirkwall on Saturday night.

The Scania coach was parked at the Bus Station in Great Western Road when the rear window was smashed by vandals.

Anyone with information should contact Kirkwall police on 872241.

Changes at National Farmers' Union of Scotland

The changes come into force on June 1 and were agreed at Friday's Annual General Meeting.

Wrigleys celebrate ten years recording with Skyran extravaganza

Skyran, meaning "to glitter brightly" in Orcadian dialect, is to be released early at this week's Orkney Folk Festival.

The album's release coincides with the launch of a jewellery collection by Sheila Fleet. Also named Skyran the collection includes individual pieces after tunes and sets in the album.

The album was due for release on June 1, but the sisters have organised a pre-launch event at this year's Folk Festival with a concert and launch party at Stromness Academy on Friday.

RNLI honours Orkney supporters

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is honouring ten individuals from Orkney for their longstanding voluntary service and support.

Those who will be travelling to Edinburgh on Thursday to receive their awards are: Mrs Liz Middleton, Kirkwall; Dr Colin Rae, Stromness; Mrs Margaret Spence, Brisay and Captain George Walker, Stromness.

At a ceremony in Kirkwall in June awards will be presented to: Mrs Anne Johnston, Holm; Miss Eva Harvey, Dounby; Mrs Audrey Liddle, Oprhir; Mrs Alis Hepburn, Deerness; Mrs Valerie Shearer, St Andrews and Mrs Tomima Cromarty, St Andrews.

OIC delegation promote container hub project in Canada

An OIC delegation left for Canada on Saturday to attend the International Ports and Harbours Association meeting in Montreal.

There, together with representatives of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, they hope to promote the proposed Scapa Flow container hub and speak to potential operators.

Graemsay heather fire under investigation

Kirkwall police are investigating a heather fire on the island of Graemsay last weekend.

Billowing smoke from the island, visible for miles around, alerted police to an unlawful burning of around a square mile of heather outwith designated times of the year.

Kirkwall police Inspector Paul Eddington explained on Friday that the Hill Farming Act restricts the muirburning of heather on open ground at certain times of the year.

Highlands and Islands definitely open for business says Minister

Speaking on Friday Mr Morrison stressed that the Scottish Executive's were committed to the recovery of tourism in the Highlands and Islands.

"Tourism is key to the economy of the Highlands and Islands," he said. "The Scottish Executive is aggressively tackling the misconceptions that visitors may have about their ability to enjoy Scotland. We are sending out a clear signal that visitors from around the world are welcome and able to enjoy the finest scenery and produce the world has to offer".

NoSWA agree environmental protection measures

A radical review developed by NoSWA is aimed not just at preventing sewage pollution and safeguarding public water supplies but on recycling waste and helping conserve natural habitats.

Chief executive Mrs Katharine Bryan said: "The environment is fundamental to our water and wastewater services. It provides the water which people need but also requires protection from the wastewater they produce. Both services guarantee a high standard of health and form a basis for the social development of communities in the areas we operate in."