A new book delving into Orkney history, folklore, dialect and placenames was launched in Kirkwall on Saturday.

Orcadiana - Pen Portraits of the Past by Gregor Lamb was unveiled to an invited assembly at a ceremony in the Orkney Library.

The book is now available from local bookshops and online at The Orcadian Bookshop.

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BBC Radio Orkney were on air until the early hours of Saturday morning, accepting donations and running the annual on-air auction.

The grand total raised by 1am was £20,399.67, slightly down on last year's £21,647 total.

Mr Wallace was visiting the Grimstad area of Norway and took the opportunity to fell the two trees that are donated to Orkney each year. The trees are gifts from the town of Grimstad to St Magnus Cathedral and from the Hordaland Council to the people of Orkney.

This year will also see the Convener of Hordaland Council and the Mayor of Grimstad attend the tree lighting ceremonies in Kirkwall on December 4.

The start of the annual Stromness Bonanza on Saturday marks a special anniversary in the Stromness calendar, with the annual Christmas prize-draw celebrating its 21st year.

For two decades, businesses in the town have contributed to the prize fund, which will see one lucky winner walk away with the £1,000 top prize.

The bonanza kicked off in Stromness on Saturday, thanks to the participation of 39 businesses, each donating £50 to the cause.

For every £5 spent in any of the participating retailers, customers gain an entry into the draw, which takes place in the Stromness Hotel on Hogmanay.

Orkney has had its first taste of winter this week, resulting in a spate of car accidents that have prompted police to remind motorists to take care in driving conditions that are far from ideal.

On Thursday afternoon a Vauxhall Cavalier left the road at Davie's Brig, Firth, after skidding on slush. Later in the afternoon, at 5.40pm, a two vehicle accident saw cars colliding on the Hatston Brae after slipping on snow. Police are appealing for driver of dark coloured 4x4 to come forward in connection with this incident.

A Ford Fiesta also left the road at Tormiston, ending up in field, and in Kirkwall a skidded into parked car on the Clay Loan.

Acting inspector Neil MacLean said: "The icy conditions took everybody by surprise on Thursday, despite the weather warnings. We would like to reinforce the fact that drivers must be cautious in wintry conditions."

The plan, which has been developed during the past year as part of the island's Initiative at the Edge status, will set out ongoing projects and ideas for the future.

Directors of the newly formed company Eday Partnership were also announced at the special evening in the community hall.

For the first time in the history of the Flotta oil terminal, an Orcadian has been appointed joint manager.

Kirkwallian Mike Budge has been tasked with taking the oil age in Orkney into a new era.

Married to Fiona with two children, Ryan, six, and three-year-old Keiran, Mike has spent 18 years at the terminal, working his way up through the ranks, gaining experience along the way.

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A Loganair spokesman said: "Engineers are currently investigating the extent of the damage, to determine whether it can be fixed locally, or if new parts will be required. Services this morning have been cancelled, but we are looking at other ways to cover the flight schedule and hope to have something in place as soon as possible."

A wire from a telegraph pole’s steel crossarm came away, Mark Rough, Orkney’s operations manager, said.

Engineers were sent to the island on Thursday morning and the fault was fixed by 11am.

The power was also off for about 15 seconds across Orkney and Caithness on Wednesday night when one of the transmission lines was hit by lightning on the Scottish mainland.

A diver stopped by police at Kirkwall Airport last Thursday, following allegations of theft from wrecks in Scapa Flow, will not face charges.

Police have confirmed that the man, who was found to be in possession of a number of brass items, has been warned and the items confiscated.

The items, believed to be the mechanism of a gun, are now known to have come from one of the warship wrecks in Scapa Flow, but without knowing which one, charges cannot be pressed.

An Orkney pub owner is ready to stamp out smoking in her bar in the New Year - 14 months ahead of legislation.

Patricia Lie, of the Scorrabrae Inn, Orphir, believes it will make for a healthier environment and hopes to encourage her customers to quit the habit and start afresh in 2005.

But Patricia admits that a previous self-imposed ban at the bar didn't go down well with the customers and she had to reinstate smoking.

The number of divers suffering the bends in Scapa Flow is five times higher than the global average, it was revealed this week.

Bobby Forbes, of Sula Diving, which provides the technical support for the hyperbaric chamber in Stromness said: "Scapa flow runs a very high decompression incidence rate, now we are trying to work out why."

Around 3,500 divers visit Scapa Flow every year, many of them attracted by the scuttled German High Seas Fleet in the Flow. The Stromness facility has seen 190 divers since 1999.

The OIC are developing their School Estate Management Plans, in order that they can prepare a bid for funding from the Scottish Executive for the new building work Orkney schools need.

Deputy Education Minister, Euan Robson, has confirmed that the Scottish Executive is to offer the OIC an extra £29, 700 to help develop the School Estate Management Plans, doubling the total grant for this work this year.

The West Mainland Mart site in Stromness

The steel clad cattle shed from the old West Mainland Mart in Stromness was sold on Wednesday afternoon for £4,800.

Deerness farmer, and islands councillor, Jim Foubister bought the structure and plans to re-erect it on his farm next year.

The sale attracted a great deal of interest with a crowd of nearly 100 gathering in the old cattle shed.

Suggestions as to future use of the site, which remains the property of the OIC, include housing and commercial development, a library, multi-complex theatre use and car park.

Orkney MSP, Jim Wallace, has welcomed news that the OIC and Heriot Watt plan to relaunch ICIT in Stromness.

Mr Wallace said: “The Council and Heriot Watt are to be congratulated in developing this solution. ICIT can look forward to a busy future as a key player in the field of marine energy development, while the move will also help to build Orkney’s position as a world leader in this field.

"Stromness can already rightly claim to be the UK’s marine energy capital, but this news will further strengthen this claim.”

Thirty acts of vandalism have been reported to the police in Orkney since the start of the Safer Scotland campaign five weeks ago.

However, the number targeted in the last two weeks has tapered off slightly, with three acts being reported in week four and four during week five.

That is less than during the first three weeks of the campaign when officers in Orkney were dealing with a vandalism crime every day, on average.

ICIT has operated in Stromness for over ten years, offering postgraduate courses in marine resources but these came to an end last summer.

The OIC will support the new venture by making available the balance of research funds previously provided to ICIT. Existing staff at ICIT will undertake the course development work.

Dog owners are being warned to keep their animals under control after a sheep was attacked near Dingieshowe in Deerness.

The animal's injuries were so severe that it had to be humanely destroyed. Three other sheep were lamed in the attack.

A police spokeswoman said: "People are obliged by law to keep their dogs under control near livestock. We would ask for people with dogs, and farmers, to be more vigilant."

A work of art inspired by the 5,000-year-old chambered cairn of Maeshowe in Stenness has been built in Illinois, USA.

The sculpture, entitled "Lightspill", is the work of Jerry Monteith, professor of art at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Standing in the grounds of the Mitchell Art Museum in Mount Vernon, Southern Illinois, the scupture is a massive, hollow, earthen mound accessed by two low tunnels that took a year and a half to complete.

The private security firm Reliance took over prisoner escort duties in Orkney on Tuesday - an extension of their contract that now sees them cover the whole of Scotland.

Despite a number of blunders earlier this year, which saw 12 prisoners released in error, following stringent assessments, the Scottish Prisons Service are confident the company are ready for the extra work.

Police investigations are continuing after a garage to the rear of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Kirkwall, was broken into and damaged.

The incident occurred some time between Tuesday, November 9, and Monday, November 15.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Kirkwall police on 872241.

Mrs Margaret Kirkpatrick naming the Stromness lifeboat in June 1999

The honorary secretary of the Longhope Lifeboat, Dr Tony Trickett, has paid tribute to the late Mrs Margaret Kirkpatrick, who died earlier this month.

Mrs Kirkpatrick, who lost her husband and two sons in the Longhope Lifeboat disaster in March 1969, passed away on November 2, aged 85.

She was buried with full lifeboat honours on November 5 in the kirkyard at Osmundwall.

Dr Tricket said: "Margaret leaves us with the memory of a fine and extraordinary lady whose name will live on in the story of this community and in the hearts of all who knew and loved her."

A report is being submitted to procurator fiscal after a car left the road at Scorradale in Orphir in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A section of fencing was damaged although it is not thought anyone was seriously injured. No further details are being released.

Police are seeking information after vandals targeted a number of vehicles in Kirkwall over the weekend.

Four vehicles in the Papdale area of Kirkwall had their tyres slashed between Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Anyone with information can contact Kirkwall police station on 872241.