Four young people from Orkney, who went on the trip of a lifetime with the Prince’s Trust, were presented with certificates for their achievement on Friday morning.

The trip called Highland Recharge is open to young, unemployed people between the ages of 16 and 25. Hannah Kemp, 17, Sarah Bayliss, 25, Michael Bedford, 18, and Becky Smith, 17, went on the trip on October 16 along the Caledonian Canal, accompanied by leader Karen Tulloch from Careers Scotland.

They were presented with their certificates by Jim Wallace, Orkney’s MSP, and Bill Anderson in Support Training, Kirkwall.

NHS Orkney has agreed to look at a number of cost-cutting measures as it seeks to balance the books by the end of the financial year.

But the health board’s director of finance, Iain Crozier, said that he could not guarantee a break-even position by the end of March, 2005.

Among the measures agreed at Thursday’s board meeting were flexible use of waiting list funding, an end to non-statutory training and non-essential off-island travel.

A man in his 50s died in a house fire on Longhope on Friday morning.

A woman managed to escape the blaze, which had taken hold of the property by the time police and firefighters arrived. It is believed that firefighters took around 20 minutes to put out the blaze.

Police and fire officers are conducting a joint investigation into the cause of the blaze. The identity of the man is not known at this time and details of the woman are not being released, a police spokesman said.

The creation of an Orkney-based renal unit for people with kidney problems has moved a step closer.

NHS Orkney board members on Thursday gave their backing to the proposal which will see the project put forward on a priority list.

Board member, Dr Garry Mearns, said: “There is going to be an explosion in the number of people that will need renal dialysis within the next five, ten, twenty years – we need to provide that care.”

GPs at Orkney’s biggest health practice are set to opt out of providing 24-hour cover from the New Year.

However, NHS Orkney has given assurances that a “safe and effective” on-call service during the night and weekends will be in place.

About 6,500 people will be affected by the Scapa Practice plans, which have gone against the grain in the county, with fellow practices opting in.

Firefighters from Shapinsay and Kirkwall attended the scene of a blaze at Balfour Castle, Shapinsay, on Thursday morning.

They were called out at 7.22am to put out flames which had taken hold underneath floorboards on the first floor. The fire was finally extinguished at 10.45am.

There were no casualties, and the cause of the blaze is still being investigated.

Serious concerns about Orkney's air ambulance cover have been raised in Orkney Islands Council's response to the Scottish Air Ambulance's draft proposals.

The main concerns relate mostly to the helicopter service which would transfer patients from the North Isles to Kirkwall. Aircraft availability, suitability, response, journey times and aircraft range and endurance, are all points raised in the submission.

Particular importance is placed on what cover would be provided for Orkney when the helicopter is attending another incident in the south, and the ability of the aircraft to fly in all weather conditions.

Archive story: Ambulance service boss in Orkney
following news of air service changes

The Scottish Executive has put a delay on NorthLink’s planned changes to the Stromness-Scrabster timetable, following concerns that the cancellation of the 6am sailing from Scrabster would delay perishable goods too much.

Meeting on Wednesday night, Orkney MSP Jim Wallace, and transport minister Nicol Stephen, agreed that Transport Department officials needed time for more research, and local haulage companies had to look at adapting their operations to get fresh produce to the outer isles more quickly.

“We also agreed that I should convene a meeting in Orkney, in early course, with all the key stakeholders,” Mr Wallace said.

A new record was set on Wednesday night when the judge of Orkney Meat’s annual carcass competition, John Richardson of London, paid £22 a kilo for an April-born Beltex cross lamb weighed 17.8kg which won the light lamb section, and the overall lamb championship, for Raymond Flaws, Nisthouse, Evie.

Top of the beef entries was the best light steer, at 313kg, from Kevin Harvey, Vestrafiold, Sandwick. The 19-month Charolais-cross steer was bought for £6.50 a kilo by Jason Hamon, of Forest Stores, Guernsey. The £2,035 paid, made it the first carcass ever to fetch more than £2,000 in Orkney.

MV Communicator - the former home to the Superstation Orkney radio station - is for sale.

Advertised on The Superstation's website - www.thesuperstation.co.uk - the ship is described as "a fantastic marketing tool for any radio station." Offers are sought over £25,000.

The advertisement says the former home of Laser 558, now berthed at St Margaret's Hope, is a piece of broadcasting history and there are only two working radio ships left in the world.

Orkney is to receive almost £78,000 from the Scottish Executive to boost childcare services in the county.

The £12 million scheme was announced on Wednesday by Education Minister Peter Peacock, and aims to help more people obtain formal childcare qualifications meeting standards for registration with the Scottish Social Services Council.

Mr Peacock said: "It is vital that all Orkney child carers are equipped to meet children's physical, educational, social and emotional needs."

The money will be split over 2006-2007 and 2007-2008.

Speeders beware. Orkney police are now armed with a new weapon against speeders.

The handheld ProLaser III device will enable them to detect speeding motorists at a greater distance. Similar to the now dated radar "gun", the £3,500 device is more accurate and has a greater range.

The device was bought with funds from Orkney Islands Council, Orkney Road Safety Promotion Group and Orkney Community Safety Forum.

Locally, World AIDS Day displays have appeared around the county. Red ribbons, the international symbol of AIDS Awareness, free condoms and other World AIDS Day freebies were distributed.

On Thursday, 'School of Rock 2' for under 18s took place in Fusion with live performances from young local bands. This World AIDS Day event is being sponsored by Dialogue Youth, Young Scot, Community Safety and NHS Orkney's Health Promotion Service.

Orkney farmers at SEERAD roadshow on Tuesday night

Farmers can expect to receive their second estimate of entitlements under the new single farm payment scheme.

Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) officials at a meeting in Kirkwall on Tuesday night urged farmers to check the estimates carefully because they will be the basis for the payments when the new scheme starts.

About 130 farmers attended the meeting, which was chaired by NFUS Orkney branch chairman George Rouse.

Shortly after 7pm, the firemen were called to Ore Farm in Lyness to tackle the blaze, which was brought under control by 8.30pm.

The fire is thought to have been started by an ember from an open coal fire which ignited timber surroundings and quickly spread up the walls and into the roof.

There were no casualties.

NHS Orkney is slashing staff travel outside Orkney in a last-ditch effort to save money.

The measure follows the announcement that despite "commendable" efforts, the health board would not be able to balance the books at the end of the year.

According to chief executive, Steve Conway, the problem is largely due to two factors - external pressures they were unable to predict earlier in the year and "the requirement to ensure increased provision to meet expected future costs".

He added that other measures would follow in the next few weeks, but constantly reviewed so they could be relaxed at the earliest possible opportunity.

OIC Convener, Stephen Hagan

The OIC's Scottish Executive funding, compared to Shetland and the Western Isles, has raised its head again, with the convener highlighting the growing financial problem facing the council.

According to Councillor Stephen Hagan, even if the OIC transferred over £6 million from its reserves, the anticipated Scottish Executive funding would barely cover the cost of existing services.

He said: “Orkney Islands Council has faced a difficult financial situation for a number of years but these difficulties are becoming much more acute.”

"We believe that it is quite wrong that Orkney, which faces exactly the same range of difficulties and challenges as the other two Islands Councils, receives a level of funding which is around 20 per cent per head less than that paid to either the Western Isles or Shetland."

The band's performances in Aberdeen, Orkney and Shetland this week have been hit because a band member is "unwell and unable to travel".

Fusion proprietor Neil Stevenson said: "Hopefully the shows will happen again sometime next year, we have decided to refund all the tickets in the meantime. If the gig is rescheduled we will sell the tickets again from a fresh start."

The consultation period on the proposals to replace Orkney's air ambulance service ended on Tuesdsay, November 30.

After 37 years of continuous service, Loganair's renewal tender to operate the county's air ambulance service contract was unsuccessful. The service now looks set to be replaced in April, 2006, by an Inverness-based helicopter and a plane based in Aberdeen.

Orkney Islands Council and Orkney MSP Jim Wallace have previously raised concerns about the new proposals, with the OIC calling last week for a six-month trial of the new arrangements.

A 22-year-old man has been remanded in custody while he waits to hear his fate after admitting assaulting a police officer at the weekend.

At Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Monday, Barry Rendall of Islands View Road, Kirkwall, admitted committing a breach of the peace by fighting, struggling with police officers and assaulting a policeman in the early hours of Sunday morning, all while on bail.

Refusing bail, Sheriff Graeme Napier deferred sentence until December 15 for a social inquiry report and community service assessment.

An Orkney farmer scooped one of the prizes at the prestigious Black Beauty Bonanza show of Aberdeen-Angus calves and yearlings, in Aberdeenshire, on Saturday.

The new class for prime Aberdeen-Angus steers went to John Hepburn, Burnside, Tankerness, for his 20-month-old steer.

The largest show of Aberdeen-Angus cattle in the UK, the event saw an entry of 146 head from 35 herds across Scotland.

A Birsay man was taken to Balfour Hospital on Saturday night after his car left the road near Redland Farm.

The vehicle was extensively damaged after crashing through a stone wall and coming to rest in a field. The driver, the sole occupant, was transferred to hospital by ambulance.

A report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal.