Second fiscal for Northern Isles

The workload of Orkney and Shetland procurator fiscal, Sue Foard, looks set to ease with the appointment of a full-time depute fiscal.

The depute will be based in Lerwick, assisting Ms Foard, who presently travels between both courts..

Orkney's MSP Jim Wallace welcomed the appointment, saying that the current situation was "not working" and had "become unacceptable."

Burray farmer is new Orkney NFU chairman

Burray farmer, Mr George Rouse, is the new chairman of the Orkney branch of the National Farmers Union of Scotland.

At the union's AGM on Thursday night, the former vice chairman was elected unopposed, replacing Mr Scott Harcus, who stands down after two years in post.

Orkney's new vice chairman is Sandwick cattle farmer, Mr Stewart Wood.

'Three Degrees to Westray' walk

A Sheffield man is planning a sponsored walk which will take him in a straight line from England to Orkney.

Gary Daynes will walk along the three degrees West meridian to raise cash for the Macmillan Cancer charity.

Beginning in Dorset on March 3, the walk will take him through England, Wales and Scotland, coming to an end in Westray.

Harald in long distance tow

An Orkney Towage tug carried out a long-distance tow this week, towing a broken-down Dutch coaster to Invergordon.

The Harald was called to assist the Linda Marijke which had broken down east of Wick.

More eagle sightings in Hoy

An eagle spotted in Hoy on Thursday has lead to speculation that there might be a pair nesting in Orkney.

Travelling between Moaness Pier and Rackwick, Hoy RSPB warden and ranger, Chris Rodger saw the bird on Thursday morning, but also saw an eagle in the north end of the island last Friday.

He suggested it could be the same white-tailed eagle seen in Copinsay and Deerness earlier this month, but added that it was also possible that two eagles are in Orkney at the moment.

Arkh Angell to fall victim to fishing cutbacks?

Kirkwall's whitefish fleet looks doomed with news of another vessel likely to succumb to decommissioning.

The Arkh Angell could be scrapped if government cash is not forthcoming warned skipper and shareholder John Drever.

He said the boat could not sustain crew wages or bank loan repayments with the new 15-day tie-up scheme - without any help from the Government.

Sanday turbine scheme is go

An artist's impression of the four Sanday wind turbines, viewed from Stove. Click the image for an enlargement.

With OIC planning permission now granted, local firms are being invited to tender for work associated with the construction of four wind turbines in Sanday.

To be built at Spurness, close to the Loth ferry terminal, the operators say that once the machines are operational they will provide enough electricity to power 7,000 homes.

St Ola salmon farm plans overturned on appeal

Scottish ministers have overturned an Orkney Islands Council decision and revoked a works licence for a salmon farm in Berstane Bay, St Ola.

Ministers turned down the application because of the potential impact of sea lice from farmed fish spreading to a nearby spawning burn for wild sea trout. Concerns over waste and the farm's "visual impact" were also raised.

Meanwhile, ministers have upheld an OIC decision to grant a licence for a fish farm in Myre Bay, South Walls.

Broadband in Westray and Papay

Highlands and Islands Enterprise are investing almost £750,000 to promote broadband, with Westray and Papay set to receive a complete wireless broadband network providing flat-rate internet access.

Permission to dig deeper at Cursiter

The operators want to dig deeper seams within the quarry - up to 15 metres below the existing level.

Although members of the OIC’s environment, planning and protective services committee, approved it, they asked for a report in six months time to see how well conditions regarding noise and vibration disturbance have been complied with.

Harray launch for Orkney's £1 million hen harrier scheme

Hen Harrier (S.Sutherland/SNH)

A scheme to re-establish hen harriers in Orkney was formally launched at the Merkister Hotel, Harray, on Tuesday evening.

Over £1 million funding has been confirmed for a scheme in which farmers will be encouraged to create areas suitable for the birds. Orkney used to have the highest hen harrier population in Scotland, but numbers have been in decline since the 1980s.

The scheme is now officially open for applicants. Details are available at www.snh.org.uk.

Stromness lecturer on SNH board

A Stromness-based lecturer has been appointed to the North Area Board of Scottish Natural Heritage.

Dr Sandy Kerr lectures in Marine Resource Management at the International Centre for Island Technology (ICIT) in Stromness.

He replaces OIC convener, Councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston on the board.

Cash boost for Orkney College

The cash allocation is part of a £26 million funding package from the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Further Education Funding Council.

Meanwhile, Highlands and Islands Enterprise have also announced a further £816,668 support to the UHI Millennium Institute, of which Orkney College is a part, to assist the organisation's progression towards achieving full university status.

Orkney farms in health and safey blitz

Farms across Orkney could be visited this week as part of a nationwide Health and Safety Executive blitz.

The inspections started on Monday and are focussing on cattle handling systems, manual handling and exposure to hazardous farm dusts.

An HSE spokesman confirmed that where standards fail to meet legal requirements, enforcement action will be considered.

Police inquiries continue into alleged drug offences

Police inquiries are continuing into alleged drug offences that saw three pupils "temporarily excluded" from Kirkwall Grammar School.

The pupils were excluded pending a police investigation following the discovery of cannabis in gardens near the school.

An OIC spokesman confirmed today that checks around the school grounds by staff had not been increased as a result of the find.

Fears that Orkney population could drop to 1971 levels

The prediction follows statistics from the Registrar General's Office contained in the Orkney Local Economic Forum report, produced by the OIC.

The figures show that deaths in Orkney have outnumbered births for several years, a trend that looks like continuing. This is aggravated by the usual level of emigration of young people leaving for higher education and not returning.

MP calls for tax reduction to compensate for high fuel prices

Mr Carmichael told the House of Commons last week that people in the Northern Isles have to rely on private cars.

He said: "My constituents routinely pay between 10p and 20p a litre more for petrol. If the price rises, they will be hit disproportionately because as well as higher prices they must pay fuel duty and value added tax."

Award for sailing club website

Orkney Sailing Club's website has been named a regional winner of the Royal Yachting Association's 2002 Communication Awards.

The site - www.orkneysailingclub.org.uk - won the Scottish Region section.

Webmaster Chris Irvine was presented with the award at a reception at the London International Boat Show last week.

Inexperienced Orkney side lose to Glasgow Accies

Action at Pickaquoy on Saturday afternoon

Orkney rugby Club's first XV lost their BT National League Division 4 league game against Glasgow Accies on Saturday afternoon by 23 points to eight.

The Orkney team showed their inexperience at this level on a few occasions when they had chances to reply to the very efficient Glasgow side - currently second in the league. However, the team should take heart from the fact that for a long spell in the second half they had most of the pressure.