Early film footage screened at Petrie Chalmers' exhibition

An exhibition marking the life of Tankerness-born cinema pioneer, James Petrie Chalmers, was officially opened in the Pickaquoy Centre on Friday night.

Items on display include copies of the few photographs of the man credited with popularising public cinema in the United States at the turn of the 20th century.

Janet McBain, curator of the Scottish Screen Archive, opened the exhibition and gave a talk on Orkney's part in film history, showing Orkney footage, including newsreels from the 1920s and 1950s.

Safety concerns as more vehicles damaged on barrier

A vehicle runs the gauntlet on the second Churchill Barrier. (www.orkneyphotographic.co.uk)

The safety of the second Churchill Barrier has once again been called into question following a series of vehicle accidents this week.

A Toyota 4x4 was among the vehicles damaged on Thursday by waves crashing over the concrete wave wall.

Nearly £60,000 has been awarded to Orkney Islands Council to make school routes safer.

The council aim to tackle the upgrading of cycle and walk pathways in three projects, which will be put before councillors in the January round of meetings next year.

Orkney’s chief engineer, Mr John Holmes, explained that the award, from the government’s Public Transport Fund was for £19,000 during 2002-2003, and £40,000 for 2003-2004.

Tours of St Magnus Cathedral’s upper floors and tower have proved so successful that they will continue through the winter, based on demand.

Cathedral custodian, Mr James Rousay, said that around 600 people had taken part in the tours since they began on April 1 this year.

“They are very popular and we are trying to keep them running,” he said.

A man appeared at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Wednesday in connection with an alleged serious assault in Holm Branch Road, Kirkwall, on November 17.

He made no plea or declaration and was released on bail.

Ferry sailings in and out of Orkney were cancelled on Thursday, due to adverse weather conditions.

High winds resulted in cancellations to all NorthLink services across the Pentland Firth, and on the Aberdeen-Kirkwall-Lerwick routes.

Short-sea ferry operators, Pentland Ferries, also halted sailings on the Pentalina B and the Claymore on Thursday and Orkney Ferries ran a skeleton service on inter-island routes.

Public debate on Orkney's transport system

Stromness Debating Society are sponsoring a public debate in the Royal Hotel, Stromness, on Monday, November 25.

The motion to be debated is "That Orkney should not have to suffer the present disintegrated transport system any longer."

The motion will be proposed by John Aberdein and opposed by Orkney Islands Council's transportation committee chairman, Councillor Stephen Hagan.

Director tells staff 'do less, better'

The remark came from interim director of finance and housing, Albert Tait, while the council's monitoring and audit committee considered a report on forward planning within the education department.

The committee recommended setting more realistic work targets, rather than aiming too high and failing.

Orphir wind turbines next in pipeline?

Plans in the pipeline to erect three wind turbines on the hills overlooking Orphir will be the subject of a presentation at next week's Orphir Community Council.

The two megawatt wind turbines envisaged would be similar in size to those on Burgar Hill, Evie.

Richard Gauld, managing director of Orkney Sustainable Energy, will be giving the 45 minute presentation at Tuesday's meeting which is due to start at 7.30pm.

Cassettes 'not dead' - OIC development chairman

The idea of using livestock transportation cassettes is "by no means dead", according to the chairman of the OIC's development committee.

Councillor Jim Foubister was commenting on the news that the Orkney Auction Mart had pulled out off the £4.3 loan deal to build and operate the cassettes.

Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, Councillor Foubister suggested that the mart's withdrawal from the project has left it open for an independent operator.

Royal College award for Skerryvore Practice

Kirkwall's Skerryvore Practice has become the first GP practice in Orkney to gain Practice Accreditation from the Royal College of General Practitioners.

The practice, which has just under 4,000 patients, has been closing on Wednesday afternoons to allow staff to concentrate on their accreditation award work.

The award is designed to promote good quality practice that will benefit both patients and the surgery staff.

Repairs after faults cause power failure

A spokesman from Scottish and Southern Energy said 264 customers were cut off for a short time, while there were temporary power cuts in Kirkwall from around 10am on Tuesday.

Mart scraps livestock cassette project

Orkney Auction Mart have scrapped plans for the new livestock cassette system - at the same time as OIC councillors were making moves to scupper the project.

Mart chairman, Michael Cursiter, said that although they had decided to pull out of the £4.3 million loan deal with Orkney Islands Council, he was “reasonably confident” something good could come out of it and that Orkney would still end up with a better freight service.

The move came as a group of councillors were attempting to call a special council meeting to oppose the loan.

Future of Happy Valley still in doubt

Orkney’s dedicated charity, Orkney Mission, are interested in taking over the wood, garden and croft at Happy Valley, possibly to raise funds for the charity.

However, an Orkney Mission spokesman said nothing had been settled with the property’s owner, the Laird of Bigswell, Professor William Isbister, to date.

Archive story: Everything's not so happy in
overgrown Stenness valley

Skywatchers look for meteor show

Amateur astronomers in the county were looking skyward this week for what could have been the last chance for a view of the Leonid meteor showers for almost a century.

The peak of activity was expected around 4am on Tuesday morning, but observers should start looking tonight, with forecasts ranging from hundreds to thousands of meteors per hour.

According to Rousay-based astronomer John Vetterlein, this year's shower could be the last chance of a good display of the Leonid shower until 2098.

Police appeal for information after Kirkwall car theft

Police are appealing for information after a car was removed from the Quadrant in Kirkwall on Saturday night.

The brown Peugeot 305 was later discovered undamaged in the grounds of Kirkwall Grammar School.

Meanwhile, a report is being sent to the procurator fiscal after a car left the road near the Tankerness Hall on Friday night.

Members of the public had their say on the future of air services to the county at a meeting in Kirkwall on Monday.

Isles MP Alistair Carmichael was seeking views on the subject as part of his response to the Government's consultation exercise.

An adviser to the House of Commons Transport Select Committee also attended the meeting in Orkney College.

As expected, a disagreement over cash led to the cancellation of Saturday's scheduled National League Division Four rugby game between Orkney and Highland in Kirkwall.

Highland's original game against Orkney was declared void after the referee was injured in the second half. The Scottish Rugby Union declared the match had to be replayed, but Highland were not keen on footing the travel bill for a second time.

Their attempts at lobbying the SRU to cover the transport cost for the second game were unsuccessful.

Orkney and the Sea recognised at 2002 museums awards

The local publication, Orkney and the Sea - An Oral History, has been commended at the Scottish Museum of the Year 2002 awards.

The Orkney Museum project involved nine volunteers recording the memories of 53 contributors born between 1911 and 1956.

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