Orkney Norway Friendship Association celebrate 25 years

The Orkney Norway Friendship Association (ONFA) celebrates its 25th anniversary tonight with a dinner dance in Kirkwall.

The association was established in 1978 to promote links between Orkney and Norway, to whom Orkney belonged until 1468.

The celebrations continue tomorrow, Sunday, with a concert at the Stromness Kirk featuring the Wrigley Sisters. This begins at 7.30pm.

Click here for ONFA website

Close game but Orkney emerge victorious

After a close home game at Pickaquoy on Saturday afternoon, Orkney Rugby Club's First XV beat Dunbar 33-20 in their latest national league division four fixture.

Norwood treasures on show at Orkney Museum

Treasures from the Norwood Collection features an assortment from the collection of Norrie Wood. Items on display include watches, pistols and artefacts from the scuttled German High Seas Fleet.

Exhibition officer Tom Muir explained that the full collection is housed in Holm.

He said: "What we have on display is just the tip of the iceberg, I would also recommend people to go along to Norwood Antiques at Graemshall to see the whole collection."

Airport ILS introduction postponed

The new Instrument Landing System (ILS), which was due to be in place at Kirkwall Airport by the end of September, has been postponed again. And although an exact date for its implementation is not known, it looks like being early 2004.

Air traffic controller Tim Riome gave a presentation on the developments of the ILS project this week, during which he hinted that the project may not be completed until January.

Highlands and Islands Airports Limited North regional manager, Angela Donaldson disagreed. "I think January is optimistic," she said.

Laptops mooted for library vans

Orkney’s two mobile library vans could be kitted out with laptop computers at a cost of £2,000.

The move will link the vans with the computer system in the new Orkney Library and Archive and allow staff to keep a record of book usage, which is passed onto the Audit Commission in Scotland.

Island finds own solution to fuel costs

The Trust has secured a 'start up' grant from the Community Energy Unit (CEU) of Highlands & Islands Enterprise to establish the new 'not for profit' business and hope to employ someone part time to carry out its activity.

The biodiesel project was undertaken by William McEwen, chairman of the island's renewable energy subgroup.

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Maeshowe crossing under fire

Maeshowe, Stenness

Members of Wednesday's environment, planning and protective services committee criticised suggestions by the Fort George Branch of Historic Scotland to site the crossing at the busy tourist attraction.

OIC convener Stephen Hagan suggested creating an undercrossing or a bridge at the site, which he described as 'one of the most serious road safety issues in Orkney'.

Archive story:Traffic calming measures planned
for main road past Maeshowe

Wellington Street development unveiled

Orkney Housing Association unveiled their outline plans for the proposed Wellington Street development in Kirkwall on Thursday night.

Local architects Pentarq have been appointed to design the first phase of 35 houses and presented their initial proposals to a good turnout of people at a public meeting in the St Magnus Centre.

Probation for woman who stabbed husband

A 22-year-old woman, who stabbed her husband after telling him their marriage was over, has escaped jail.

Appearing at Kirkwall Sheriff Court yesterday, Theresa Weatherhill was ordered to complete 300 hours community service and put on probation for 18 months.

She had previously pleaded guilty to stabbing her husband Jamie in the stomach to his severe injury on July 27 and their home in Torness, Kirkwall.

Sporting awards nominations

The awards honour the county's sporting talent with trophies to mark their achievements over the past 12 months, with presentations made at a gala buffet and dance on November 14.

Click here to view short-leet.

Island Games head steps down to make way for new blood

The head of Orkney's Island Games Association is to step down from the role in a year's time.

Mrs Karen Williams has been chairwoman of the organisation since 1995 and announced at the group's AGM that she wanted to hand over the reins to "new blood".

Mrs Williams had originally planned to step down immediately but opted to stay on for an extra year when members failed to appoint an immediate chairman.

First hurdle cleared in Firth wind turbine proposal despite public objections

The 40 metre high anemometer at Wasdale on Cuffie Hill will allow the collection on data to determine whether the site, to the north of Finstown, is suitable for wind turbines.

Councillors Alistair Gordon and Janice Annal were against the idea and wanted the decision deferred, but members of the OIC planning committee voted 6-4 to grant the application.

No industrial action planned for Orkney firefighters

A Kirkwall Fire Brigade spokesman said there was no strikes or work to rule planned locally at present.

Up to half of the firefighters from five of Scotland’s eight brigades were only answering 999 calls on Tuesday morning, but by the end of the day the work to rule action had been called off.

This latest upset was initiated after it appeared an agreed pay deal was being reneged upon by the employers.

Executive cash could see additional adult education worker

The level of adult literacy and numeracy services available in Orkney are set to expand - thanks to Scottish Executive cash.

Now councillors on the OIC recreation and cultural services committee meeting have recommended the creation of an additional adult basic education worker and increased hours and contracts for several others in the field.

The Scottish Executive announced that Orkney had been awarded £169,809 for the next two years to raise the standard of adult literacy and numeracy.

Financial assistance for Arts Theatre and Orkney Orchestra

Islands councillors have agreed to recommend on-going financial assistance for the Orkney Arts Theatre and the Orkney Orchestra.

The sum of £6,470 was agreed to continue the promotion of music, theatre, opera and ballet in the Arts Theatre, while members of the recreation and cultural services committee agreed the sum of £280 be given to the Orkney Orchestra to assist in the purchase of sheet music over the next four years.

Declassification of Lyness visitor centre will help reduce bureaucracy

The Scapa Flow visitor Centre and Museum in Lyness is likely to be declassified an ancient monument to reduce the bureaucracy surrounding the designation.

Orkney Islands Council's heritage officer Steve Callaghan told members of the recreation and cultural services committee meeting on Tuesday that Historic Scotland had come up with a suggestion to list the buildings and their curtilage.

"It will make it much more operationally simple to run the business," he said, adding that listed building consent required a less bureaucratic approach.

Firth hall improvements priority project

Plans to upgrade the Firth community hall are back on track

Islands' councillors at the OIC recreation and cultural services meeting on Tuesday agreed to recommend that the project be reaffirmed as Orkney's priority project for 2004/05, and be submitted to the Scottish Executive for grand consideration.

In response to an advert placed in The Orcadian, one project was submitted for consideration - the extension, improvement and upgrading of the Firth hall at an estimated cost of £347,169.

Titanic exhibition in Orkney Museum

January and February will see the Orkney Museum host a large and exciting exhibition about the ill fated luxury liner RMS Titanic, as well as her sister ships Olympic and Britannic.

The exhibition unveils many historic and rare treasures that have never before been seen outside a private collection.

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Norlantean II debuts in Stromness

Jason Schofield with the Nortlantean II in Stromness on Monday

The Norlantean II, the successor to the Norlantean, sailed from Stromness on her first fishing trip on Monday.

The trawler is owned and operated by Jason Schofield.

The subject of a new book, Trawler: A Journey Through the North Atlantic, the original Norlantean was decommissioned recently.

Eyes up for lunar eclipse

Skywatchers can look forward to an eclipse of the moon this weekend - weather permitting of course.

For Orkney viewers, the eclipse will begin at 10.15pm on Saturday night with the earliest visible effects seen at 11.32pm. The eclipse ends at 4.22am on Sunday, November 9.

Click here for full details in new Sky Notes column

NorthLink showcase islands at World Travel Market

The ferry company will launch its new 2004 brochure at the event, which runs from November 10 - 13 and brings together around 5,000 of the world's tourism companies from over 183 countries.

Gareth Crichton, NorthLink's commercial director, said: "We very much hope that in attending this year's World Travel Market event, we will build on the success of the past season and heighten the profile of both Orkney and Shetland as well as our unique range of holiday opportunities."

Wallace to rub shoulders with pop's hottest stars

The deputy first minister will be attending the MTV Europe awards in Edinburgh on Thursday.

There, he will rub shoulders with the likes of Kylie Minogue, Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake at the star-studded event, which will be broadcast later that evening on MTV.

He will be back in Orkney on Friday for surgeries in Stromness Community Centre from 9.30am to 10.15am and at his constituency office in Kirkwall from 11.30am to 12.30pm.

NHS staff in flu vaccination campaign

This year the Board is promoting an extensive staff vaccination programme and interim Chief Executive Paul Martin set the ball rolling when he had his jag on Friday, October 31 in his office.

Mr Martin explained: "The vaccine has the added advantage that it will reduce the staff sickness levels so that if there is an epidemic in Orkney, we will be in a better position to maintain essential services and keep the hospital and community health care services running."

Another win for rugby club

Orkney Rugby Club's First XV ran out winners in Saturday's rearranged BT League Division Four match against Earlston at Pickaquoy.

Orkney looked to be in a comfortable lead at half-time, with the score at 41-3, but four tries by Earlston in the first 15 minutes of the second half made the result more uncertain.

The match eventually finished with the score at 51-31 to Orkney, giving them some valuable league points, and with another home game, against Dunbar, next Saturday it will be hoped to improve their position even further.

Ilya Gringolts

St Magnus Festival have announced that 2004’s list of acts will include the young Russian virtuoso, Ilya Gringolts.

At the festival he will perform a solo recital and play the Elgar concerto with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.

Ilya is a regular at many international festivals, including La Jolla and Verbier Festival. He was one of the 12 young artists to be selected by the BBC for their New Generation Artists scheme.

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2001