Orkney's last independent bus company, Causeway Coaches, owned by Alex Rosie, has been bought by Inverness company, Rapson's Coaches.

The bus services from St Margaret's Hope to Kirkwall, local schools and Kirkwall Grammar School will remain the same.

In the last six years, Rapsons Coaches have taken over all of the bus services in Orkney, including Shalder Coaches, Peace's Buses, and Rosie Coaches.

A Norwegian engineer has estimated that building tunnels from the Orkney Mainland across the Pentland Firth, and to Rousay and Shapinsay could cost up to £130 million.

He estimated that the first tunnel could be in place in Orkney in six years, if the project was given the go-ahead in the near future.

New life will be breathed back into Kirkwall’s main thoroughfare, with a new business set to open in part of the former Cumming and Spence premises.

David and Rachael Cromarty, were provisionally granted an off-sales licence for their delicatessen - The Peppermill - at Thursday’s Orkney Licensing Board meeting -despite one objection.

The couple plan to sell an extensive range of foods with an international flavour, complemented by continental beers, wines and specialist whiskies.

The first event in a campaign to raise money for the charity Cancer and Leukaemia in Children (CLIC) was held in the Cavern, Kirkwall on Saturday.

The fundraiser consisted of a coffee morning and sales tables, and an appearance of the Junior Pipe Band.

The event was inspired by Orkney teenager, Paul Firth's brave fight against cancer, which he lost last December. The charity provided help and support to his family during his battle against the illness.

Nearly two thirds of people who took part in The Orcadian's latest online poll, do not believe that councillors should be paid a higher salary.

Three hundred and twenty-eight people logged on to register their opinion on this website - with 64 per cent against a wage for elected members, 34 per cent in favour, and two per cent who didn't care.

A national committee has been set up to discuss all aspects of councillors' pay, although a ball-park figure in the region of £20,000 has already been suggested.

Taxi fares in Orkney are to remain the same for another year, following OIC councillors' recommendations.

The standard £2.50 for a hire within Kirkwall, or Stromness, has remained static for the past three years.

Licensing sub-committee chairman, Councillor Ian MacDonald, said: “No representations have been received in respect of the current maximum fares so we are recommending no increase on these scales.”

Orkney Sea Farms has won a £1 million insurance payout for the loss of thousands of salmon - after a three-year battle which ended in the courtroom.

Company boss, Willie Baxter, told The Orcadian this week that insurance company Sunderland Marine had "negotiated a settlement" two hours into evidence at the Court of Session.

Between 12,000 and 20,000 salmon escaped, but more than 200,000 died, after the ropes attached to the moorings of the sea cages in the Bay of Puldrite, off Rendall snapped in March, 2002.

Archive story - OIC issues health warning as fish farm clean up continues

The Scottish Executive might be able to make direct payments to Orkney farmers to compensate for high transport costs, MSP Jim Wallace said following a meeting in Brussels on Wednesday.

He said European commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel ruled out charging per head for livestock shipping, but said the Executive had the power to target compensation payments under the new agricultural policy, or the less favoured areas system could be used.

Mr Wallace, Shetland MSP Tavish Scott, Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael and MEP Elspeth Attwooll went to Brussels because of concerns over predicted huge rises in the cost of freighting livestock.

A new improved Kirkwall marina is set to be put in place for this year’s sailing season, and is set to open on May 1.

Orkney Marinas which runs the facility, after discussions with Orkney Islands Council, will be putting more floating breakwaters in to provide better protection.

Capacity has also been increased from 68 to more than 70, while water and power will be available on all of the visitor berths and most of the permanent ones.

Young people in Orkney had the opportunity to air their views on local issues at a Youth Conference, which was held today, at the Pickaquoy Centre, along with councillors and officials from Orkney Islands Council.

The conference, which took place between 9am and 2.30pm, was designed to allow young Orcadians to discuss issues ranging from Alcohol and substance abuse to Leisure and Entertainment.

Chaired by Orkney Island’s Council Convenor, Stephen Hagan, the meeting saw young people air their views as OIC councillors, service directors and agency representatives listened to opinions from 50 pupils from across Orkney.

A report is to be sent to the procurator fiscal, following allegations of cruelty to animals in Burray.

Kirkwall Sergeant Gordon Deans said: “The police and a vet attended at a byre in Burray, where they discovered a number of sheep in a fairly poor condition. Also within the byre were a large number of rotting carcasses of sheep.”

The owner was traced and a report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal in relation to cruelty to animals.

The Shetland Coastguard helicopter, Oscar Charlie, was scrambled to airlift a young girl from Stronsay to hospital in Kirkwall on Tuesday night.

A coastguard spokeswoman said they were called at 11.55pm and landed at Kirkwall airport at 1.30am. She was then transferred by ambulance to the Balfour Hospital.

The youngster’s condition was described as comfortable by an NHS Orkney spokesman today.

Scotrenewables has announced that the wind turbine which has been lying at Orkney Auction Mart for more than two years is being scrapped.

The device was to be placed at Flotta but the project faced insurmountable problems with planning permission and connection to the electricity grid.

Barry Johnston, managing director, said: “Whilst this is disappointing it in no way represents the end of the project. It remains very much alive with negations at an advanced stage for a brand new turbine to be situated on Flotta.”

Three special weekend clinics in Orkney are set to drastically reduce waiting times for ophthalmology patients. Currently, non-emergency patients who are referred to the consultant can wait up to 15 months for an appointment.

The consultant ophthalmologists, Dr Iain Whyte and Dr Andrew Pyott from Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, who regularly attend Balfour Hospital, have agreed to run the clinics in their own time.

It is hoped that about 220 patients will be seen and 18 cataract operations performed over three weekends, starting on Friday, March 11.

Moves to limit charges levied on north of Scotland renewable energy generators for access to the electricity grid have been welcomed.

Last month the national grid company published charges which would have resulted in north of Scotland companies paying for grid access while those in the south east of England would be subsidised.

Orkney’s MP, Alistair Carmichael, who has been fighting the charges said: “I am pleased the government has grasped the nettle and realised that we are only going to meet our renewable energy targets if generators in the north of Scotland are give fair access to the grid.”

Scottish Water is splashing out £100 million in its current investment period on better quality drinking water for customers in the Highlands and Islands.

At present, the company has 203 water treatment works in its north-west operational area - some of the more remote works delivering to only a dozen, or less, customers.

North-west general manager, Joe Moore, said: “In the 2002-2006 investment period we are building or refurbishing over 90 water treatment works in the Highlands and Islands specifically to improve water at customers’ taps.”

Orkney businesswoman Sheila Fleet joined the Enterprise Minister, Jim Wallace, at a national event on Tuesday to try and encourage more women to start up in business.

Mr Wallace launched the Women into Enterprise strategy on International Women’s Day, a fresh bid by the Scottish Executive to get the fairer sex involved.

Mrs Fleet has transformed her family business in Orkney designer jewellery from three to more than 30 employees.

A “hard-core” group of youngsters are causing problems at the burger vans in Kirkwall.

Sergeant Gordon Deans revealed this week that about a dozen kids, some as young as 15, were hanging about at the site to meet up with folk from the nearby nightclub.

“They often give us more problems than the adults do. There is a deeper worry that they are quite vulnerable at that age when there are older, drunker people about,” he said.

Women in Orkney and Shetland have the shortest working hours in Scotland, working an average of 35.9 hours a week.

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy warns that women battling to cope with longer working hours risk “hurried women syndrome,” characterised by chronic stress and exhaustion.

Women in Aberdeenshire top the Scottish figures with 38.4 hours. The women of Havering, London, work the longest hours in the UK, with a weekly average of 42.4, and the lowest is the women of Neath and Port Talbot, who work 35 hours a week.

In the wake of last weekend’s major haul of alcohol, Sergeant Gordon Deans said they had a couple of seizures in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A bottle of rum mixed with cola was taken from two 16-year-old females on Holm Road and half a bottle of vodka from a 15-year-old on Great Western Road, by officers on foot patrol.

A 42-year-old man has been charged with drink-driving on Sanday.

Kirkwall Sergeant Gordon Deans said this week they were carrying out ongoing pro-active policing in more isolated parts of Orkney, as part of the road safety campaign.

“A number of road checks were carried out in Sanday in the early hours of Saturday. We had had a number of complaints from some of the islanders about drinking and driving. One of the main objectives is to reduce injury.”

A report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

A 28-year-old female has been charged with dangerous driving just outside Kirkwall in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Orkney’s teachers are to be balloted over possible strike action over proposals to raise their retirement age from 60 to 65.

An indicative vote is being held imminently, with the results expected by March 17. If the result shows enough support for action, a statutory strike ballot will then be held. If the vote goes in favour, a one-day walk-out will be held in late April or early May.

Sheena Wardhaugh, president of teachers’ union the Educational Institute of Scotland, visited Orkney at the end of last week to address the local branch’s annual meeting.

NHS Orkney has spent £810,000 on locum cover in 2004-2005. That figure is likely to rise by the end of this financial year, director of finance, Iain Crozier, told health board members on Thursday.

He was outlining the estimated year-end deficit - which now stands at £316,000. Coincidentally, he said the shortfall in general medical services funding to NHS Orkney is £318,000.

The total hospital and community health and general medical services budget overspend to date is £655,000.

Pete Tong

Internationally renowned DJ, Pete Tong, will headline a two-day dance event at Kirkwall's Fusion venue in April.

Weekender will take place on Friday 1, and Saturday April 2, featuring DJs Jon Mancini and Boney from Colours in Glasgow on Friday, and Pete Tong on Saturday.

The event is being sponsored by Orkney DASAT (Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking Action Team) and Know the Score.

The figures, released by the Bank of Scotland, show that Orkney has an average full-time gross weekly pay of £414, slightly higher than Dundee, on £401, and Moray, on £389.

This is in contrast with the highest paid area, Stirling, with a weekly average of £563.50.

This year's Hoy Half Marathon day has been confirmed for Sunday, June 12.

The 13.1 mile race is open to anyone over 18 years old.