Hogsden aims for gold medal

Stromness-based archer Steve Hogsden was south again this past weekend, representing Scotland in the Disability Sport England Championships in Maidenhead, England.

Steve won a silver at last year's event last year and after taking gold at last week's Scottish Short Metric championship for disabled archers.

Chairman of SNH's north areas board, Simon Fraser, led an evening of presentations about the organisation's work in the county.

The meeting was followed on Friday by an open meeting of the board.

Harry Potter back on the shelves

The phenomenally successful book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is now back on the shelves of The Orcadian Bookshop in Albert Street, Kirkwall after it sold out almost immediately it went on sale.

It is estimated that one person in every 16 in Orkney has already bought the book.

The launch at one minute past midnight last Saturday morning saw a queue of around 500 people outside the bookshop eager to get a copy.

Floating hotel project delayed

Plans for a floating hotel in Stromness have been shelved for an year.

The company behind the project, the Orkney and Shetland Touring Company), said this week that OIC negotiations with the Lighthouse Pier owners, the Northern Lighthouse Board, were ongoing so assurances as to the availability of the berth could not yet be given.

With a ship expected to be in place by November, the company will now be focusing on advertising in 2005 tourist brochures.

Archive story: Stromness floating hotel proposal

Full funding for Orkney College archaeology course places

Four places for students taking the Diploma in Archaeological Practice at Orkney College are to be fully funded.

The college is the first in Scotland to receive the award of SAAS (Student Award Agency for Scotland) "quota courses" for an archaeological course.

Julie Gibson, County Archaeologist, who lectures on the course said: "This is important in terms of government accreditation of the value of the course, as the funding is only given to vocational or professional courses of recognised standing".

NorthLink help Orkney squad on their way to Island Games

The Orkney squad for the 2003 Island Games in Guernsey left on Tuesday night on the first leg of their trip to the Channel Islands.

NorthLink are providing free travel to Aberdeen for 68 Orkney competitors making their way to the games.

The 2003 games will see 2,600 athletes from 23 islands across the planet competing in 15 different sports. The games begin on Saturday.

Official Guernsey 2003 website

Science Festival website goes live

Following the triple launch of the Orkney International Science Festival on Saturday, the festival's revamped website is now online.

The site is available at www.oisf.org.uk and gives details of the provisional festival programme.

Click here to visit OISF site

Plane given all clear after Orkney flight emergency landing

There was a full scale emergency at Aberdeen Airport on Wednesday morning after a flight to Orkney was forced to turn back after the pilot reported "the smell of smoke" in the cockpit.

The plane, with 14 people on board, turned back and landed safely at Aberdeen airport just after 7.30am.

The plane went back in service after being checked by engineers and landed at Kirkwall Airport just after 9am.

No tourist board cash from OIC without value for money review

Members at Tuesday's OIC policy and resources committee recommended deferring any extra cash payment to help with the tourist board's £85,000 cash shortfall.

Last week's appeal to the OIC for an extra £60,000 on top of the authority's £197,600 grant to the board was only partly successful, with councillors saying they were only prepared to give £30,000.

Stromness Community Council appoint new chairman

Linda Lennie has been appointed chairman of the Stromness Community Council.

She takes over from Ian Johnstone, who is now councillor for Sandwick and Stromness landward.

Graeme Bevan was voted in as senior vice-chairman with John Brown announced as assistant vice-chairman.

DJ postpones Fusion appearance

The boss of Orkney's new nightclub has hit out at a top DJ's agent after he postponed two performances in Fusion, with only four days notice.

DJ Sammy was due to play at the Kirkwall nightclub on Friday, but it has been postponed because the artist has TV and radio appearances in Germany.

DJ Sammy's agent has given an assurance that the bookings will be honoured and are looking at setting a new date in August. Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled date, or can be refunded by returning them to Grooves.

Cautious welcome to GP contract

Health chiefs in Orkney have given a guarded welcome to a decision by doctors across the UK to accept the new GP contract.

However, local GPs have spoken out against the new system and many voted in the ballot not to accept it.

Concerns remain in Orkney that the contract terms may not be practical for remote areas, where there are many one-doctor practices. A working group is to be set up locally, made up of managers, GPs and practice staff, to examine the new contract and what it will mean for Orkney.

Cameron switches to African Big Brother house

Orcadian Big Brother housemate Cameron Stout left the Big Brother house at the weekend - but he was not evicted.

Instead he's been flown to Africa to take part in their version of the cult TV programme. He joined the African Big Brother house in Randburg, South Africa on Monday.

While Cameron is in South Africa, he has been temporarily replaced by Gaetano Kagwa of Uganda, who entered the British house today.

Gold medal for Stromness archer

Archer Steve Hogsden picked up a gold medal at the Disability Scotland short metric championships in Scotland at the weekend.

Stromness resident Steve collected gold in the men's recurve event, bettering the silver he won in last year's competition.

Cruise liners in Kirkwall Bay

The streets of Kirkwall were filled with visitors on Monday with two large cruise liners in Kirkwall Bay.

With a combined passenger capacity of 2010. the Albatros and Royal Princess both arrived early in the morning.

The Albatros was sailed for Iceland at 1pm with the Royal Princess leaving for Invergordon at 6pm.

One trophy each in Orkney and Caithness inter-county

It was a day of mixed fortunes for Orkney's footballers on Saturday with the home side winning one inter-county trophy but losing another.

Orkney's junior squad lost the Corinthian Cup to Caithness who beat them 5-0.

A second half goal from Dougie Omand meant that Orkney held on to the Archer Shield for the third year (Orkney 1, Caithness 0).

2001