Dounby Open Day success

The organisers say that a huge amount of interest was shown with people of all ages signing up for computer classes at all levels.

For more details contact max.scratchmann@orkneyschools.org.uk

An Orkney chair has sold for £2,056 – more than doubling its estimate – at an auction in Edinburgh.

The hooded chair, which would normally fetch between £500-£800, caught the eye of at least two buyers at Bonham’s Scottish sale at the end of last month, who were willing to pay over the odds for the piece of furniture.

A total of eight Orkney chairs featured in the sale catalogue, and exceeded their estimates, according to Bonham organisers.

The scene on Broad Street, Kirkwall, on Saturday afternoon.

The Vintage Club held a display in Kirkwall's Broad Street on Saturday as part of the Orkney International Science Festival.

Among the vintage vehicles taking part in the road run to Scapa were a number of old tractors.

Flotta welcomes container port plans

The chairman of the OIC’s development committee, Councillor Jim Foubister, and director of development and protective services, Mr Jeremy Baster, addressed a public meeting in Flotta on Thursday afternoon to give local people a preview of the plans of the group hoping to develop a container port in Scapa Flow.

The meeting was attended by 31 people and at the end of the presentation, and discussion which followed, a show of hands indicated unanimous support for the project.

Four illegal immigrants have been arrested in Orkney.

Diners were left waiting for their meals as the immigrants – believed to have been working at the Eastern Spice Indian restaurant and the Indian Garden Kebab shop, both in Kirkwall – were detained last Friday evening.

Officers from the immigration service in Aberdeen and Northern Constabulary were involved in the swoop, and apprehended three Bangladeshi men and one Indian man.

Serious accident at Tormiston Mill

The scene on the main Kirkwall/Stromness road on Thursday afternoon. (Picture: Alan Hodge)

There was a serious accident on the main Kirkwall/ Stromness road, at Tormiston Mill, on Thursday afternoon.

Four vehicles, two of which were parked, were involved in the accident, and three people were taken to the Balfour Hospital.

The road remained closed, while police carried out an investigation, until about 5.45pm.

Trans-shipment hub impact assessment published

A trans-shipment hub located at Scapa Flow has the potential to transform the economy of the Highlands and Islands.

That’s the claim made by the convener of Orkney Islands Council, Councillor Stephen Hagan, on the publication of an economic impact assessment of the project for Orkney and its potential for boosting the wider Scottish economy and that of the UK.

The 42-page document outlines the large-scale job opportunities during the construction phase of the development and gives an estimate of the additional housing which would be needed for workers who would be employed long-term.

Police appeal after break-in

Kirkwall police are appealing for information after a commercial premises in Kirkwall was broken into.

A quantity of cigarettes and tobacco was stolen from Costie's Pavilion in Main Street between 9.30pm on Wednesday night and 8.25am on Thursday morning.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the police on 872241.

Poll shows CCTV is favoured

Almost 400 people participated in our online poll, which was carried out over six days, on whether CCTV cameras should be introduced into the centre of Kirkwall to combat vandalism..

Some 333 (85 per cent) voted in favour of installing cameras, while just 57 said they were against the idea.

The poll was launched after it was revealed that cameras could be used to deter vandals in the area.

CCTV demand after Kirkwall vandalism

Science Festival opens

The 13th Orkney International Science Festival opened on Thurday evening and will run until Friday, September 5, at venues throughout Orkney. 

The organisers are advising people to book tickets early to avoid disappointment, with Orkney Tourist Board reporting brisk business.

Tickets are available from the Tourist Office in Kirkwall or by phoning 01856 876214. Further details are available at http://www.oisf.org.uk/

Surgeons meet in Orkney

Orkney is playing host to an annual meeting of surgeons from remote and rural areas from Wednesday until Friday.

The county’s consultant surgeons, Mr Ameir Al-Mukhtar and Dr Michael Dohrn, are members of the Viking Surgeons Club, an association of surgeons who work on their own in isolated conditions.

Colleagues from Iceland, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Shetland and the Highlands are participating..

Emergency water supplies are being tankered twice daily to Shapinsay to top up the island’s diminishing supplies.

Scottish Water blames the prolonged dry spell and urges consumers throughout Orkney to use water sparingly. Daily monitoring of the situation which has affected most of Scotland is being carried out with detailed contingency plans in place.

As well as the 80,000 litres being moved to Shapinsay each day, water is being pumped from a loch to augment the supply in North Ronaldsay.

A man is to be reported to the procurator fiscal following a break-in at premises of Kirkwall Bowling Club on Tuesday night.

According to police a 30-year-old male was apprehended at about 10pm and taken into custody, where he was charged and later released.

A painting by Orkney artist Stanley Cursiter has remained unsold at auction after bidders failed to reach the reserve price.

The portrait, of Dr Barbara Barnetson, had been expected to fetch up to £10,000 at the sale at Bonhoms, in Edinburgh, but the highest amount bid was £5,500, well below the reserve price of £6,300.

Stanley Cursiter was born in Kirkwall in 1887 and began his art career in 1912, going on to become official artist to the Queen.

OIC Convener Stephen Hagan, Transport Minister Nicol Stephen and MSP Jim Wallace at Scapa on Monday. (Picture: Michael MacLeod/Style Studio)

The Scottish Transport Minister, Nicol Stephen, has finished his two-day visit to Orkney and Shetland.

While in Orkney, the Minister travelled out to Flotta to see at first hand the Golta peninsula which has been earmarked as the preferred site for a container trans-shipment hub in Scapa Flow.

Mr Stephen described the proposal as “very exciting” and a project which the Executive would support as best they could, as it would have to be developed by private enterprise.

Stromness Community Council are to write to Orkney Islands Council, after not being informed about proposals from NorthLink for changes to the Hamnavoe sailing timetable.

Stromness Councillor James Stockan told Monday night’s meeting that the company were keen to alter the timetable for next summer, which would see the vessel berth overnight in Caithness.

Community Council members agreed to write to the OIC and Scottish Executive with their concerns, as this was the first they had heard of the proposals.

Ninth position for distance runner

Sanday’s international ultra distance runner, William Sichel (49), came home as the second Scottish finisher (ninth overall) in the 35 mile ‘Two Bridges’ road race last Saturday from over 100 starters.

In warm conditions William passed the marathon point in three hours, three minutes, and then continued on the tough, hilly part of the course to finish in four hours, seven minutes, 30 seconds, less than two minutes behind the first Scottish runner, Les Hill from Dumfries.

NHS Orkney officials have secured an interim chief executive, to take up the helm while Mrs Judi Wellden is on indefinite sick leave.

Only a week after making the initial announcement, it was revealed that chief executive of Highland Primary Care NHS Trust, Mr Paul Martin, will be standing in temporarily.

He will take up the post, on an acting basis, on September 1.

Deep Sea World are bringing a roadshow using live animals and interactive resources to teach children about the underwater world to the county this week.

The roadshow will visit Dounby Primary School today, while Glaitness Primary School pupils and youngsters from schools in Firth, Pierowall and Sanday are due to witness the event at the Pickaquoy Centre on Tuesday.

The show will be at Pickaquoy until Wednesday, when it heads to North Walls Community School for an evening presentation, before returning to the Pickaquoy Centre on Thursday, and finishing off by visiting Stromness Primary School on Friday.

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The planet Mars is dominating the night sky at present, brighter because it is closer to the Earth than it has been in about 60,000 years.

Mars is at its closest this week and as such will be the brightest object in the night sky.

Appearing as a reddish dot, for the next few weeks the planet rises in the south-east around 9pm, remaining visible until sunrise.

For more details see current Sky Notes column

Trading standards warn of 'bargain' sofas.

Trading standards warn about bargain sofas

Orkney Islands Council's trading standards department would like to hear from anyone who has bought furniture from travelling salesmen last week.

The door-to-door salesmen, with Irish accents, have been selling suites, sofas and chairs.

An OIC spokesman said: "We would like to hear from anyone who has bought any of this furniture as there are doubts as to whether it complies with current Furniture (Fire Safety) Regulations."

Trading Standards can be contacted on 873535 or at trading.standards@orkney.gov.uk

2001