Figures released by NHS Scotland give the average male life expectancy as 74.8 years (two percent greater than the Scottish average) and female 82.2 years (4 per cent greater)

The Health and Well Being Profiles aim to highlight trends and make key health information accessible to local organisations and policy-makers.

Orkney Tourist Board is to be phased out, replaced with a "tourism hub" under the control of the national tourism agency VisitScotland.

The announcement made by tourism minister Frank McAveety is part of a radical package of measures aimed at creating "an even more vibrant tourism industry".

The results of Orkney Heritage Society's annual Marjorie Linklater writing award were announced on Thursday.

This years winner is Kirkwall Grammar School pupil Harry Giles for his piece Dons. Highly commended were Ben Chaddock (The Harraymen's Graves) and Ian Ritch (The Memorial) from Stromness Academy, and Karlie Robinson (The Hoose of the Famous Poet) from KGS.

The award is for a piece of prose with an Orkney connection.

Orkney MP Alistair Carmichael is reminding pensioners that they have until the end of the month to claim their winter fuel payment - which could be worth up to £200.

Mr Carmichael said: "Most people over 60 receive this payment automatically. However, those who are not receiving the state pension or other social security benefits need to make a claim."

Anyone who has not received an automatic payment and thinks they may be eligible for the payment should call 0845 9151515.

Social work director Mr Harry Garland declined to disclose how many people were affected but said staff and residents at the elderly care home were getting the appropriate treatment.

He continued: "The reality in any unit is such that there will always be a risk of infections of one kind or another. What we do is take the best advice from the environmental health department and NHS Orkney by way of the infection control team."

Passenger gigures published by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) show a slight drop in passengers using Kirkwall Airport compared to February 2003.

February 2004 saw 7,898 passengers use the airport, compared to 8,011 in February 2003 - a drop of 1.4 per cent.

However, the running total for the past ten months, 104,340, shows an increase of 1.9 per cent over the same period the previous year.

A project to built four new homes to help meet the growing need for affordable accommodation in Kirkwall has been announced.

The project will be supported by £240,000 funding from Communities Scotland - the Scottish Executive's housing and regeneration agency - as part of a £10 million rural housing programme.

The Kirkwall homes will be part of a site that will include a woman's refuge and are being built by Orkney Housing Association. The properties are intended to be let to people in "acute housing need".

The former premises of Cumming and Spence have been bought by Kirkwall businessman Neil Stevenson.

Mr Stevenson confirmed on Tuesday that with a changeover date of April, work will begin as soon as possible to subdivide the building into three shops and two offices.

Mr Stevenson's shop Grooves will be relocating to the building, the new premises having a floor space three times greater than at present.

"We have had a fair amount of interest in the letting units from other businesses and individuals. I intend to put them onto the market in the near future" he said.

Orkney parents are being encouraged to have their children immunised, after figures revealed that the uptake rate for the combined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) injection has fallen to 86.4 per cent in the county.

That is slightly lower than the national average of 86.9 per cent, and a cause for concern, according to NHS Orkney¹s new consultant in public health medicine, Dr Ken Black.

"Without the MMR there can be serious consequences, even death. MMR is more effective than single vaccines," Dr Black said. "The suggestion of it being unsafe has been withdrawn."

A paper in the Lancet in 1998 that suggested that the vaccine was unsafe and linked to autism has now been retracted by the medical journal.

With repairs to the Earl Sigurd continuing, Orkney Ferries are to lay on extra sailings to the North Isles to help relieve the backlog of passengers and vehicles.

From next week there will be two additional sailings covering Sanday, Stronsay and Eday. The additional sailings will continue until all three ships are back in service.

Thursday sees the launch of Sanday's new development trust - a body that aims to tackle problems such as depopulation in the fragile island community.

Islanders are invited to the launch of the new Sanday Development Trust and to become a member - anyone over 18, whose main place of residence is Sanday, can be a member.

The launch takes place on Thursday night, March 11, from 7.30pm in the community room.

Three musicians from Norway are in Orkney this week - a gift from the people of Hordaland, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the twinning arrangement between the two areas.

Until March 17, the musicians, Geir Botnen, Kristina Ebbersten and Rhoda Achieng Ondeng are touring the county, playing at a number of venues.

The family concerts, which are free and open to the general public, are aimed at creating an insight into the work of Grieg that appeals to the whole family. They last for over an hour and are supplemented by commentary from the musicians.

An oily sheen visible on the water above the spot where the trawler Elegance sank on Friday is, says the OIC, no cause for concern.

After chartering a flight to overfly the area, Captain Nigel Mills of the Harbours Department said on Monday that the discharge was no cause for concern as the motion of the waves is breaking up the oil on the surface.

Forty tonnes of marine diesel are still thought to be on board the sunken vessel.

Orkney Islands Council is to receive almost £160,000 from the Scottish Executive to tackle anti-social behaviour in the county.

The money, which is part of a national £30 million funding, will be paid over two years, with £69,420 in 2004/05 and £89,700 the following year.

The cash will, says the Executive, be establish services to encourage people to report anti-social behaviour and resolve disputes before they get out of hand.

Sanday-based composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies has been appointed "Master of the Queen's Music".

The position, which is traditionally conferred by the monarch on a musician of distinction, carries no fixed duties although the Master may compose pieces for special occasions.

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies moved to Orkney in the 1970s, initially living in Rackwick, Hoy, before moving to Sanday a few years ago.

A Highlands and Islands MSP has backed a motion calling for the differences between fuel prices in rural and urban areas to be addressed.

The Scottish Executive have been called to enter into talks with major fuel suppliers to address a problem which MSP Jamie McGrigor said was damaging to private, business and tourism interests in rural areas.

According to AA's fuel report for February, the average UK prices for unleaded petrol and diesel were 75.9 and 74.8 pence per litre respectively. An example price on the Orkney Mainland this week was 86.9 (ULG) and 85.9 (diesel).

With less than a week left to enter, Orkney's musicians are being urged to take part in the 2004 Battle of the Bands competition.

The overall prize includes everything necessary for musicians with ambition - including a recording session, photo shoot, and an all-expenses paid trip to Glasgow to play in King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut.

The competition, sponsored by The Orcadian, is open to anyone in Orkney, whatever the composition of their musical outfit.

Applications must be in by Saturday, March 13.

Click here for more details