Miss Ruth Taylor

Kirkwall police have named the woman who was found dead in a house in St Margaret's Hope on Monday afternoon.

The victim was Ruth Taylor (56) of Sweyn Court, St Margaret's Hope. Her body was found when the fire brigade and police were called to a fire in the property.

Police Inspector Paul Eddington said yesterday: "The next of kin have been notified. Inquiries are still ongoing to establish how this tradgedy happened", adding that the outcome of the postmortem examination was awaited.

Wheelchair-bound Miss Taylor was brought to Orkney in June by her son to escape alleged family problems which she claimed at the time had reached a crisis point. She was due to be evicted by the OIC last month.

Archive story: OIC to send woman home to Brighton

Highlands and Islands Convention members meet in Orkney

Politicians from the Scottish and UK Parliaments representing constituencies within the North of Scotland will gather in Orkney this week for a meeting of the Highlands and Islands Convention.

MPs and MSPs will join local council leaders and board members of the the area tourist boards and local enterprise companies to discuss issues of concern to the Highlands and Islands.

It is believed that Orkney MSP and Scotland’s Deputy First Minister, Jim Wallace, will chair the Convention meeting which will be held in the Council Chamber of the OIC, in the absence of First Minister, Henry McLeish, who is unable to attend.

Cathedral audio-guides would help cope with visitor numbers

Visitors to St Magnus Cathedral could be issued with hand-held audio-guides in future, after councillors agreed they were needed to cope with up to 70,000 visitors every year.

The guides will contain information on the Cathedral in several different languages and would be used like a mobile phone so as not to disturb other people in the 864-year-old building.

Councillors on the St Magnus Cathedral sub-committee have agreed to recommend leasing the sets but asked the council's heritage officer to source funding.

New HIE manager assumes responsibility for Scapa hub promotion

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) have created a new post of transport policy manager whose role will include the promotion of the container trans-shipment hub project for Scapa Flow.

Mr Tom Matthew, a transport consultant and economist, is a co-founder of the Ekos consultancy. He assumes responsibility for transport issues at HIE from Mr Roy Pedersen, who retires from his job as head of transport and community affairs at the end of this month.

Convener Hugh Halcro Johnston in Finland on Thursday

Orkney Islands Council chief executive, Mr Alistair Buchan, and convener, Councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston were in Finland on Thursday for the keel laying and metal cutting ceremonies for Hrossey - the new NorthLink ferry to serve Orkney and Shetland next year.

The convener performed the traditional act of punching his initials into a bare sheet of metal, which will be incorporated into the vessel, before pressing the button to start the metal cutting machinery.

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Police "visitation" for MS man

Outspoken cannabis user Bill Reeve with Biz Ivol and Claire Hodges

A second Multiple Sclerosis sufferer’s home has been raided by Orkney police.

Mr Bill Reeve from Burray has followed in the footsteps of his friend and MS sufferer Mrs Biz Ivol who was raided by police at the beginning of August.

The couple have both been outspoken in their views on cannabis use and readily admit giving cannabis, cannabis seeds and cannabis chocolates to others with the disease.

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Orkney MSP and Scottish Justice Minister, Mr Jim Wallace has indicated that legislation proposed by the Scottish Parliament would take precedence over udal law which currently pertains in Orkney and Shetland, and has done since Norse rule.

However, Mr Wallace says that there is no specific reference to udal law in the Scotland Act which established the new Parliament in Edinburgh.

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Museums visit for Hordaland delegates

A group of delegates from the Hordaland Museums Association arrived in Orkney on Wednesday afternoon for a five day tour of Orkney.

Fifteen Norwegian visitors were welcomed by Heritage Officer Steve Callaghan and over the next few days are touring Orkney's museums and visitor attractions.

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Council urged to try renewable energy

It has been suggested that the council buy a percentage of their electricity for new public buildings from renewable sources.

The idea was came from Councillor Eoin Scott who told the full council meeting that the EU gave grants to local authorities in Sweden for making use of renewable energy in public buildings.

“I think this is a very attractive idea, and something that we should do here,” said Councillor Scott.

The full council agreed with the recommendation.

Lifeboat launched to aid stricken trawler

Stromness lifeboat was launched to escort a fishing boat which got into difficulties off Orkney to safety in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The Fraserburgh-registered Valhalla was 11 miles west of Brough Head when the propellor became entangled in nets.

The Stromness lifeboat stood by while a tow rope was attached by the Banff-registered fishing boat Enterprise. The boats arrived at Scrabster harbour early on Tuesday.

Ornithologists from across Britain were heading to North Ronaldsay this week following a rare sighting of a Siberian Blue Robin on Tuesday.

The bird, usually found in Siberia, was spotted around 9am on Tuesday, on the sheep dyke in the west of the island. An extremely rare visitor to these shores, it is understood that the North Ronaldsay sighting is only the second recorded in Britain.

Councillor gives up in battle for Pickaquoy bowling

The councillor who strongly supported adding a ten-pin bowling alley and indoor bowls to the Pickaquoy Centre has given up his fight.

But Councillor Jack Moodie chastised his colleagues for supporting a private venture planning to create similar facilities elsewhere in Kirkwall.

Speaking at Tuesday's full council meeting he concluded: “I’m sure that you’ll be encouraged that I’m not going to push it any further or ask for a vote. But I would hope that you would look more favourably at other developments which we have in mind for Pickaquoy, rather than this knee-jerk reaction on bowling facilities.”

Calls made to improve the appearance of Burwick ferry terminal

Councillors have been urged to improve the appearance of the Burwick ferry terminal in South Ronaldsay, because it is used by a third of all ferry passengers coming into Orkney.

The call was made on Tuesday at the full meeting of the OIC by Kirkwall Councillor Jack Moodie - who likened Burwick to a ‘disused building site'.

After Councillor Annal suggested the issue should be taken back to the transportation committee for further consideration, the full council agreed.

In summing up vice-convener, Councillor Jim Sinclair, said: “If we are serious about regarding Burwick as an entry point for Orkney we need to do something to improve it. It is a disgrace at the present time.”

The Queen Mother has agreed to act as Patron to the Longhope Lifeboat Museum Trust.

Speaking on Monday, Trust chairman, Dr Tony Trickett, said: “We understand that the Queen Mother is unlikely to bestow royal patronage to many other organisations, but that she has agreed to make an exception for the Longhope Lifeboat Museum Trust.”

A spokeswoman for Clarence House confirmed that Her Majesty had decided to accept the invitation from the trust to become Patron because the Longhope Lifeboat was “very personal to her.”

Reflections on Orkney poets

Cathedral minister and writer Ron Ferguson and Stromness man Graham Garson have joined forces to make three BBC Radio programmes about Orkney poets.

The half-hour programmes, under the title “Northern Lights,” will deal with the spiritual journeys of Edwin Muir, George Mackay Brown and Robert Rendall. Scripted and narrated by Ron Ferguson, Graham Garson reads the words of the poets.

“Northern Lights” begins on Sunday on BBC Radio Scotland at 8.30am, with reflections on Edwin Muir.

Sudden death in St Margaret's Hope

The body of a woman was found in a house in St Margaret's Hope on Monday.

The fire brigade and police were called to a fire at a house in Sweyn Court on Monday afternoon where they found the woman's body. The property was fire and smoke damaged.

A police spokesman said that inquiries into the incident are continuing. The woman's name has still not been released.

One hundred cows from Swannay Farms were shipped south on Friday, destined to restock a dairy farm hit by foot-and-mouth in south west Scotland.

Earlier this year 130 of the other dairy cows from Swannay were sold to farms within Orkney and 35 more of the stock are up for sale this week.

In line with the planned timetable for the rundown at Swannay Farms the farm will have fewer than ten cows left by next week. Dairying is due to stop by October 17 with cheese production ceasing from the end of November.

NorthLink have given assurances that they are taking on board concerns raised by islanders over the takeover of the Northern Isles ferry service next year.

The issues of freight/livestock movement, fare prices and plans to extend the service were raised after a visit to Orkney by Highlands and Islands MSP Mary Scanlon.

Responding, NorthLink chief executive Mr John Horton highlighted their proposals to transport livestock in special containers, adding that passenger fares for islanders would be 30 per cent lower than normal and that NorthLink's bid was based on increasing passenger use by more frequent sailings and better timings.

Commenting Mary Scanlon said: “I have been reassured by the company’s reply to my letter, but it will only be once they are running the service that the true picture will be known.”

The fisheries protection vessel Norna went to the rescue of a Fraserburgh-registered fishing boat in difficulties north of Westray on Sunday.

The Steadfast IV had snagged its propellor in nets while 31 miles north, north west of Noup Head around 4pm on Sunday. There were five people on board.

The Norna, which was lying in Pierowall, Westray, assisted the stricken vessel, towing her into Kirkwall harbour on Monday morning.

The weekend's severe weather took their toll on the county's roads with two road accidents blamed on the conditions.

A Vauxhall car left the road in thick fog at Scorradale around 11pm on Saturday night. A Mercedes taxi then left the road near the Scapa Distillery, St Ola, in the early hours of Sunday morning. There were no injuries.

Police are also warning drivers to be wary of road conditions following the heavy rain. As well as patches of flooding along the Kirkwall-Stromness road, several complaints were received on Monday morning of earth and debris washed onto the road at Stenness.

Report to Fiscal after South Ronaldsay van blaze

Police inquiries are continuing after a blaze following a road accident destroyed a van in South Ronaldsay on Saturday.

Police say that a Vauxhall Combi van left the road at Blanster in South Ronaldsay. The vehicle came to rest in a ditch where it caught fire and was completely destroyed. There were no injuries.

Sergeant David Miller said this morning that inquiries were continuing and that a report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

The strong winds, low cloud and fog affecting travel to and from Orkney on Saturday brought about the cancellation of the planned Rugby fixtures.

Orkney Rugby Club's First XV were due to face Moray in their latest BT National Division Five North league fixture while the Second XV were playing Caithness in the first leg of the resurrected Lynn Cup.

Kirkwall has fallen to the bottom of a league table of the top 25 ports in Scotland for fish landings.

A report summarising landings for 2000 shows that the value of catches landed at Kirkwall fell by 39.9 per cent. There has been a 54.6 per cent decrease in landings since 1995. The gradual decline in landings has meant that Kirkwall has slipped to 25th place on the fishing ports league table in 2000.

The value of landings at Kirkwall last year was £1.33 million, compared with £1.83 million in 1999.

A special coach education course was held at the weekend to bring local sports coaches up-to-date with the latest developments.

Mr Gil Stevenson, director of the Fife Institute of Physical Recreation in Glenrothes, was in the county to pass on his wealth of experience and coaching skills to coaches, up-and-coming coaches and athletes.

Eight month sentence for Cathedral thief

A man was jailed for eight months at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Friday for breaking into the St Magnus Cathedral and stealing a quantity of money from a donation box.

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New chairman pledges to continue work on patient services

Former Health Board chairman, Mr Eoin Leslie, handed over the reins to new NHS Orkney chairman, Mrs Jenny Dewar, at the board meeting in Garden House on Friday.

Welcoming Mrs Dewar to her post, Mr Leslie referred to her experience with the Health Council: “You will be able to hit the ground running. I think the Health Department has made a good choice, and wish you well for the future.”

Mrs Dewar paid tribute to board members for their hard work over the years adding that she hoped to continue improving patient services. It is anticipated that new board members will be in place by the end of October.

Orkney gets the Blues at second festival

Orkney Blues 2001 - a festival celebrating Blues music - was held over the weekend.

Fourteen venues across Orkney played host to different groups and artists, all with one thing in common - to entertain in the best blues tradition.

In addition, budding Blues musicians had the opportunity to take part in a series of workshops in Stromness.