Orkney businesses urged to investigate Dounreay opportunites

The £4 billion task of decommissioning the Dounreay nuclear site has been presented to Orkney businesses as a money-earning opportunity they should investigate.

At a special Orkney Enterprise seminar, local companies and organisations were invited to register an interest in finding out whether the project could become a future source of income.

It was stressed that many skills and supplies will be needed - everything from civil engineering to supplying food for the 2,500 plus workforce at the Caithness site.

Air travel in Orkney could be revolutionised if the Government accept the findings of a new study into the viability of routes in the Highlands and Islands.

The report proposes that the number of Orkney flights could double — and that present air fares could be halved.

It calls for two daily return flights between Orkney and Edinburgh, Glasgow and Shetland, four return flights to Inverness and five round trips to Aberdeen.

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Dolly celebrates 103 years

Orkney's oldest resident celebrated her 103rd birthday on Thursday.

Mrs Dolly Norn of Castleyards, Kirkwall, spent the day with her two daughters, both over 80, who had travelled to Orkney for the occasion.

Mrs Norn was born in Stenness on February 20, 1900 - when Queen Victoria was on the throne and the Boer War was raging in South Africa.

Another win for Skullsplitter ale

The Orkney Brewery's Skullsplitter ale has clocked up another win at a beer festival in Erewash Valley, Nottinghamshire.

Skullsplitter, which was Supreme Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2001, was named joint beer of the festival.

Ploughers compete at Quanterness

The final ploughing match of the season got under way this morning in St Ola.

The County Ploughing Match saw competitors gather at Quanterness to take part in the annual competition.

The prize reading is to take place in Orkney Auction Mart at 8pm tonight.

Stromness floating hotel proposal

Plans to use the Northern Lighthouse Board pier in Stromness to moor a floating hotel were unveiled in Kirkwall on Wednesday night.

The idea comes from the Orkney and Shetland Touring Company. Director Kathleen Hogarth explained that Orkney can't cope with the current demand for accommodation.

She said: "We'd love to be able to offer [tour customers] overnight stays here, but we can't. If there was a floating hotel, visitors would spend extra money in local shops and restaurants and so on."

Workmen knock out phone lines

Phone lines to around 200 Kirkwall customers were cut off when OIC workmen dug through two main telephone cables on Wednesday.

British Telecom confirmed that the council employees, who were erecting street lights, damaged two main cables serving Hatston Industrial Estate and a number of homes in the vicinity.

Engineers replaced 120 metres of cable, and all customers were expected to be reconnected by Thursday evening.

Two vehicle accident at Tormiston

A report is being prepared for the procurator fiscal following a two vehicle accident in Stenness on Wednesday night.

The incident, around 6pm, saw a tractor and a car collide on the main Kirkwall-Stromness road, just past Tormiston. Both vehicles left the road, the tractor ending up on its side in an adjacent field.

There were no serious injuries.

Youngest councillor to stand down

Jack Moodie

Mr Moodie (34), the councillor for Kirkwall's Pickaquoy area, who has been appealing for more young people to stand for council, said the time has come to stand down to concentrate on "other commitments".

He feels that other councillors can afford to donate more time to the job as most of them are retired or run their own businesses.

Orkney's employment opportunities take centre stage

The range of employment opportunities available in Orkney will be highlighted at an event due to take place next week.

WorkOrkney, the first event of its kind to be staged in the islands, aims to tackle recruitment problems flagged up by employers across the county.

Over 50 employers will have stands at the event, being run by Orkney Enterprise and Jobcentre Plus, in the Pickaquoy Centre on Friday, February 28.

OIC divert cable cash to cover herring factory shortfall

The OIC are to step in and meet a funding shortfall for Orkney Herring's new factory in Stromness.

The shortfall is because the Scottish Executive/Europe grant was lower than expected - 20 per cent instead of 35 per cent.

The OIC's policy and resources committee have recommended that £270,000 - originally earmarked for the Northern Isles fibre-optic cable project - be switched to the factory since core funding for the cable has collapsed.

Council interested in 'lighthouse pier' but await valuation and survey

Although keen to have the facility in public ownership, on Tuesday, members of the OIC's policy and resources committee agreed to this first step before offering to buy it.

Members heard that the OIC's director of harbours was keen to acquire the lighthouse board pier as a standby facility, in the event of the other Stromness piers being fully occupied or out of commission.

Dead man named by police

Police have released the name of the man found dead in a house in Kirkwall's Main Street.

Robert Heron (49) is believed to have been dead for some time before he was discovered last week. A post mortem report is still awaited.

Although police say there are no suspicious circumstances, they would like to speak to anyone who has spoken to Mr Heron since the start of January.

Business views sought on maritime proposal

The Northern Maritime Corridor project is examining ways to increase container traffic along the sea transport route stretching from northern Norway and north-west Russia to Greenland. Highlands and Islands Enterprise are now seeking local businesses and organisations that could benefit from the corridor proposals.

The Orkney meeting will take place at the OIC Department of Harbours, Scapa on Monday, March 10, from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Wallace welcomes step towards fibre-optic cable link

The news that could see dramatic improvements in communications was heralded by Mr Wallace as a "major step forward".

"Of course, at the moment the sub-sea cable option, is just that, an option. However, by getting it included as a formal option we have won an important battle."

Westray meeting reveals plans for elderly care facility

Around 70 people turned out for a public meeting in Westray on Monday night to see plans for the island's new care facility.

Representatives from the OIC, NHS Orkney, Orkney Islands Property Developments Ltd and the Westray Development Trust were among those at the meeting in the Pierowall School.

The facility will provide very sheltered housing, respite care and day care for Westray's elderly residents.

Two jailed for non-payment of fines

Two men were jailed last week for non payment of fines.

Lawrence George Borwick of Torness, Kirkwall and Herbert Sinclair from Stromness were each given the alternative seven days jail sentence.

Borwick owed £75 in fines while Sinclair owed £200.

OIC seek interest in Scapa Flow hub project

Orkney Islands Council have officially advertised for parties interested on developing and constructing a trans-shipment container hub in Scapa Flow.

The notice, on the European Journal's Tenders Electronic Daily website outlines the project and asks interested parties to contact OIC by February 28.

Census confirms that population is dropping - and getting older

Orkney's population is declining and getting older, according to the official results from the 2001 Census.

Released figures show that Orkney had a population of 19,245 in the spring of 2001 compared with 19,612 ten years earlier.

The average age of the population was 40 years old and 23 per cent were of pensionable age -over 60.

Anti-war protesters "Stand up for Peace"

Around 400 anti-war protesters gathered outside St Magnus Cathedral again on Saturday afternoon - one of a number of protests against the threat of war in the Middle East held throughout the UK.

Among those who joined the protest was Orkney MSP and Scottish Justice Minister, Jim Wallace.

The organisers are also urging people to gather outside the Cathedral at 5pm on the day any hostilities begin.

Council cash to reduce commercial ferry fares

Funding from Orkney Islands Council will allow Orkney Ferries to reduce is commercial tariffs on vehicles over five metres.

The scheme is costing £116,000 and £59,000 is coming directly from the council, the remainder coming from the abolition of the previous fuel transport subsidy.

The commercial tariff has been a cause for concern among islanders for some time. The new tariff comes into effect on April 1.