Rotary Club motor show

The local Rotary Club held a motor show at the weekend, nine years after the last event.

With the assistance of local car dealers, the club are held the two day festival of motoring at Kirkwall's Pickaquoy Centre on Saturday and Sunday.

All the money raised from the show goes to charities and good causes - mostly in Orkney.

NorthLink fleet's yard honoured at ferry "Oscars"

The Finnish shipyard which built NorthLink's fleet of ferries has been honoured at the ferry "Oscars" this week, picking up the award for "most Significant New Build-Ferry".

The yard was shortlisted for two of its recent build programmes - the NorthLink ferries and the SeaFrance Rodin - and scooped first prize for the Rodin work.

NorthLink's chief executive Bill Davidson said that although their fleet didn't take first prize, to make it on to a world-wide shortlist of eight was still a major achievement.

Brief visit for training Nimrod

An RAF Nimrod aircraft was in Orkney's airspace for a short time on Friday, carrying out training approaches at Kirkwall airport.

The four-engined jet was in the area for about 20 minutes.

A German man wishing to pay his respects to his uncle, who died in a German U-boat in 1944, has arrived in Orkney - although there was some doubt as to whether his planned trip out to the wreck of U297 would take place.

Mr Thomas Bergmeier was due to travel to the wreck today, weather permitting.

Click here for full story.
Archive story: Local divers find U-boat wreck

Hagan elected council convener

Councillor Stephen Hagan was chosen as convener on Thursday morning, in the first meeting of the new Orkney Islands Council.

Councillor Hagan, the member for Westray, Eday and Papay, was widely expected to take over the post vacated by former councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston.

Shapinsay councillor Jim Sinclair has been made vice-convener again, but will only hold the position for one year, to allow another member to take over the role.

Click here for full details of new OIC committee appointments

MPs investigate cheaper air links

A select committee from the House of Commons heard the concerns of local transport representatives on Thursday morning.

Orkney Tourist Board chief executive, Barbara Foulkes, and Jeremy Baster from Orkney Islands Council, were among the representatives who voiced opinions on the future of air transport to and from Orkney.

The Highlands and Islands Strategic Transport Partnership (Hitrans), who believe a multi-million pound subsidy is needed to cut fares by 30 per cent, have already given their views.

Parish Cup draw results

The draw for the 2003 Bank of Scotland Parish Cup took place in Kirkwall on Wednesday night.

Click here for draw results.

Partnership agreement is good for Orkney says Wallace

Orkney will benefit from the new partnership agreement between the Liberal Democrats and Labour, says Orkney MSP Jim Wallace.

The partnership agreement was finalised on Wednesday and passed the final hurdle last night when LibDem party representatives decided to join Labour for another four years of coalition government.

Picking out key issues which will particularly benefit Orkney, Mr Wallace highlighted tackling the "critical problem" in recruiting health service staff, jobs from alternative energy, and the issue of seabed rental.

Police speed warning after driver recorded at 132 mph

Police have issued a stark reminder of the dangers of speeding, after a motorist in the county was registered at a speed of 132 miles per hour last week.

An unmarked police car carried out patrols across the county last week, recording a number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit.

But three drivers have been reported to the procurator fiscal for doing over 100 miles per hour.

June conference on improving health in Orkney

In March 2003 the Scottish Executive launched 'Improving Health in Scotland: The Challenge', with the local planning framework contained in the Orkney Community Plan.

Following presentations at the conference, on June 2, delegates will divide into groups where they will be able to put forward their views on four key themes - 'Early Years', 'Workplaces', 'Teenage Transitions' and 'Communities'.

Westray school praised by inspectors

Pierowall Junior High School was inspected in January and February 2003 as part of a national sample of primary and secondary schools. The inspection evaluated how well pupils were performing, the effectiveness of the school, and how well the school was managed.

The inspection also found that parents were very satisfied with the work of the school which had established very good links with the local community.

Orkney will be represented at an international competition later this year, thanks to a pair of brothers who played pool non-stop for 12 hours at the weekend.

Stewart Keldie (24), of Main Street in Kirkwall, and his 21-year-old brother Keith, of Hillside Road, Stromness, held their pool marathon in the Ferry Inn in Stromness

They played a total of 220 games.

Scientists have identified the bug which caused an outbreak of diarrhoea among residents and staff at the Ninian Ward of Orkney’s Balfour Hospital last month.

It has been found to be a strain of the organism yersinia which is commonly found in pigs, sheep, cattle and household pets and can be picked up from contact with these animals or from contaminated water or food.

The Proclaimers to perform in Orkney

Chart-topping twins, Charlie and Craig Reid from Auchtermuchty in Fife, better known as The Proclaimers, are to appear in Orkney for two dates in July.

The duo, who had hits with Letter From America; 500 Miles; Lochaber No More and a cover version of the Roger Miller classic King of the Road, have been booked for the new Kirkwall nightclub Fusion on Monday and Tuesday, July 7-8.

It is official. Salmon from Orkney is fish.

This is confirmed by the labelling on locally produced salmon sold by food chain Sainsbury, advising purchasers that it “Contains fish”.

Now the Word Centre, a Sheffield consultancy which advises businesses on the use of plain English, has placed the Sainsbury warning sixth in a list of the top ten ludicrous labels.

A diver was treated in the decompression chamber at ICIT in Stromness after surfacing on Sunday afternoon with symptoms of the bends.

The 47-year-old man was working from the dive boat Jean Elaine which was east of South Ronaldsay when shortly after 2pm the man surfaced with symptoms of decompression sickness.

Because of the tides, the boat was unable to land the diver at Houton, so the Longhope Lifeboat picked up the diver and took him to Stromness arriving at 5pm.

Fire destroys Rousay tractor

A relatively new tractor was destroyed by fire in Rousay on Saturday.

The six-month-old Massey Ferguson tractor was being driven along the road around 11.30am when smoke started coming from the engine and flames then enveloped the vehicle.

Volunteers from the local auxiliary team on the island attended the incident at The Leean and extinguished the fire. But the tractor was destroyed.

Transport inquiry MPs in Orkney to hear local views

An influential group of MPs are expected in Orkney this week as part of an inquiry into the future of Scotland's air services.

Around 12 MP's from the House of Commons Transport Committee are due to be in Kirkwall on Thursday morning for private discussions on local air services.

On Thursday afternoon, a major conference on island transport issues opens at the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall.

Amnesty concert at Italian Chapel

The Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners of war during the 1940s - was the venue for a concert for freedom and peace on Sunday.

The event -"Words and Music from Around the World" - was held to raise awareness of Amnesty International.

Members of the Association for Scottish Literary Studies are holding their annual conference at the Orkney College over the weekend of May 24-25.

Click here for full details

Stromness pool marathon

Two Stromness men staged a marathon pool playing session at the weekend.

Stewart and Keith Keldie's sponsored 12-hour marathon in the Ferry Inn, Stromness, began at 7.30am on Saturday and was held to raise money for the World Pool Championships.

£40,000 lottery boost for drugs rehabilitation in Orkney

The cash will help find suitable accommodation and help those affected reintegrate into the community.

2001