Heather Harrold (left) and Sally Lynch of the Shetland Soap Company

MP Alistair Carmichael officially opened the Shetland Soap Company's new shop, in Albert Street, Kirkwall, at noon on Saturday.

The first project of its kind in Orkney, it has seen the Soap Company team up with Orkney Disability Forum, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Orkney Islands Council.

As in Shetland, the new shop will provide training opportunities for local people with disabilities, and has created five employed support worker positions plus six training vacancies, all for Orkney residents.

It is hoped that the success of the project will highlight how people with disabilities can make a valid and important contribution to any commercial operation.

Dr Jim Wilson

The number of volunteers being sought to take part in an Orkney genetic health study is set to double to 2,000.

The successful response to date has seen several hundred people take up the offer to help in research which it is hoped will find better treatments for heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

The Orcades health study vehicle has moved to Westray for the summer, and clinics will start on Wednesday, May 18.

The researchers, led by Orcadian, Dr Jim Wilson, are still looking for more volunteers from Westray - the number to ring is 0131 651 1643 or email orkney@ed.ac.uk.

Archive story: Genetic study into killer diseases

A pod of Risso's dolphins has been attracting considerable attention in the waters around Lamb Holm for the past few days.

Risso's Dolphins off the first barrier (Picture 59DegreesNorth)

The group of approximately 12 dolphins, including adults and youngsters, have spent the past three days frolicking around the first Churchill Barrier.

Ross Flett, of Orkney Seal Rescue, said: "It is very unusual to see them so close to land. It was absolutely amazing. They were breaching and coming out of the water. It was beautiful to watch them."

Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles united for the three-day event, May 14-16, to mark the fact that the islands are the only local authorities in Scotland which have been in existence since the 1975 reorganisation of local government.

A gala dinner, a symposium with lectures on the current and future state of local government, plus a service of thanksgiving in St Magnus Cathedral were organised.

The events were attended by conveners, chief executives and members of all three councils, and invited guests.

Councillor Jim Foubister

A change in OIC committees on Thursday saw two chairmen ousted from their positions.

Stromness councillor, James Stockan, has replaced Councillor Jim Foubister as chairman of the development committee.

Councillor Foubister was, however, voted chairman of the environment, planning and protective services committee, replacing Councillor Ann Sutherland.

All other committee chairmen were reappointed.

Richard McCann

The Yorkshire Ripper’s first victim hailed from Orkney, it was revealed by her son this week.

Richard McCann was just five when his mother, Wilma, was found murdered just yards from the family home in Leeds.

Richard told The Orcadian this week: .“Her parents Betty and George Newlands were married on Flotta and my great-grandparents, William and Wilomena, nee McPhee, last lived at 26 Wellington Street, in Kirkwall. William died in 1944 and Wilomena in 1952. Mum was named after my great-grandmother.”

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One has been charged in relation to the theft of two charity boxes from the International Takeaway on Bridge Street on Tuesday night.

The second seaman was arrested in Kirkwall for allegedly fighting in the town on Monday night.

Both men have been dismissed from the Sjøkurs and are understood to be making their own way home to Norway.

Detective Sergeant Bob Mackenzie said: "We had the full co-operation of the captain of the vessel, who took a very serious view of the alleged incidents."

Islands councillors have agreed additional funding of £700,000 to the Kirkwall and Stromness marinas budget - but they have stressed they want to know what went wrong.

This will bring the total budget to date to £5,455,000.

The additional cash is for an extenstion to the ice plant pier to "improve the wave climate".

At a special general meeting of the OIC today, Councillor Roderick McLeod said: "I do have some concerns since clearly something went badly wrong in terms of the advice we received. I think we need to go back and see how it was we built a pier which turned out to be so unsatisfactory."

The former Kirkwall police station at Watergate has been put on the market.

The premises, which housed the local police force until last year's move to a new purpose-built facility beside the Peerie Sea, is being advertised as a "development opportunity".

The Clydesdale Bank's Kirkwall branch will not be one of the initial 60 to close in Scotland.

A spokesman from the bank's owners, the National Australia Bank, said: "None of the branches in your region are in the first phase. There are 14 branches in the first phase, but yours is not one of them."

When asked if the Kirkwall branch would be affected later on, he said he could not comment.

Fears that Orkney customers would lose their only branch followed that announcement in March that 1,700 jobs would be lost, and several branches were to close.

Dredging work at the Kirkwall marina got under way this week, following approval by islands councillors.

The Shetland-based marine and civil engineering contractors, Tulloch Development Ltd, had completed dredging works at Scapa pier prior to moving round to Kirkwall harbour.

OIC director of technical services, Brian Thomson, said that the cost would be contained within the original marina budget for both Kirkwall and Stromness, of £4,755,000.

The 72-metre Sjøkurs at Kirkwall pier

The Norwegian training ship Sjøkurs has been berthed in Kirkwall this week as part of her latest voyage.

The 1,432-tonne, 72 metre ship arrived on Monday and departed for Dublin this morning.

Operated by Sørlandets Marine, the Sjøkurs has 60 berths.

A new campaign targeting road tax cheats is about to get under way.

Working in partnership with the police, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) say this will be no "short sharp exercise" but will be ongoing.

Police will be stepping up their enforcement activities and carrying out roadside checks to detect unlicensed vehicles and motorists committing road safety offences - no MOT certificate, no insurance, bald tyres, driving whilst disqualified etc.

Orkney Islands Council's initial pilot kerbside collection scheme has been heralded a success - although the quantities of recyclables that were left out for collection meant the uplift of the materials took longer than expected.

With the next pilot collection due to take place on Tuesday, May 17, the council are asking those who do not get their green kerbside box emptied that day to put it out again on Wednesday, May 18 for collection.

Orkney's independent renewable energy body has welcomed the OIC's new study to pave the way for the future direction of renewable energy in Orkney.

The Orkney Renewable Energy Forum (OREF) says it supports the study, commissioned to identify issues that need to be addressed to develop a renewable energy strategy for Orkney.

Michael Holgate, OREF chairman said: "This is an important step forward for Orkney. The forum has been working with OIC for some time to encourage the development of a coherent strategy for Orkney that covers energy generation, energy use, energy conservation and energy export."

The official reopening of the Groattie Hoose on its new site in the Tankerness House gardens is set for next month.

It is being billed as the "Groattie Hoose warming", and was described as a "major milestone in our community council", by chairman Spencer Rosie.

The invitation-only event will include guest speakers, Leslie Burgher, architect of the project and Bryce Wilson, who will perform the re-opening ceremony.

James Traill built the summerhouse, also known as Pirate Gow's Folly.

The cash - part of a £12 million nationwide package - will boost foster services, including:

• Increasing the allowances paid to foster carers
• Providing more training, counselling and respite care
• Adapting foster carer's homes to meet children's needs.

A spokesman said that by better supporting foster carers, local authorities will be able to attract more carers, helping to care for even more youngsters.

Orkney Enterprise approved just over £89,000 worth of grants in April.

The largest grant out of the £89,030 total was £45,000 to Orkney the Brand for this summer's Orkney Village at the Royal Bath and West Show in England.

Others included £8,300 to W T & I M Muir, North Ronaldsay, for plant and equipment, and £2,800 for the upgrading of William Mowatt's heritage centre in St Margaret's Hope.

Dennis Gowland (right), Fairwind (Orkney) Ltd, and new Chairman of Fairwind Statkraft (Orkney) Ltd and Bjorn Saga, of Statkraft Development signing a joint development agreement.

A new partnership, involving Orkney and Norway, is investigating the possibility of a major renewable energy project in Orkney.

The new company, Fairwind Statkraft (Orkney) Ltd, is developing a renewables project involving up to 35 to 40 wind generators, producing over 100 megawatts of electricity.

The partnership, bringing together Fairwind (Orkney) Ltd with a company that forms part of the Statkraft Group, has identified Orkney as a key area for renewable energy generation.

Chairman Dennis Gowland said: "We see the formation of our new partnership as the key to making Orkney's ambitions to have a central role in the development of renewable energy a reality."

Following the tragic death of a two-year-old in Glasgow, police across Scotland are urging the public to get rid of the weapons.

Kirkwall sergeant Angus MacLeod said: "From a local perspective, if anybody does have an unwanted air weapon, whether they no longer use them, or are afraid they may fall into the wrong hands, should hand them in to Kirkwall or Stromness police station."

He added: "Although you do not generally need a certificate for an air weapon, their use can constitute several criminal offences."

Sergeant Angus MacLeod said: "They are genuinely perfectly polite individuals, however it has come to our attention that people, who are claiming to be Polish students, have been going door-to-door asking that people purchase a picture or give them a donation."

"Do not invite anybody that you do not know into your house."

Anyone still concerned should contact police on 872241.

Orkney's MSP and Scotland's Deputy First Minister, Jim Wallace, is to step down as the Liberal Democrat's leader in Scotland. He has held the post for 13 years.

Mr Wallace, who was first elected to represent Orkney and Shetland at Westminster in 1983, has also announced that he will not be standing for re-election at the next Scottish election in 2007.

See also: The Orcadian's People of the 20th Century

William was lying in second place at the time from a starting field of 70 runners and had covered 118 kms/73 miles.

But he decided to play safe by stopping to prevent making the injury worse. He now plans on focusing on recovery and will then try to achieve the UK Athletica qualifying standards at the World 24hr Championships in Austria in July.

Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) was formally celebrated on the May 8, 1945.

Orkney commemmorated the 60th anniversary on Sunday with a special event at the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre & Museum at Lyness, Hoy.

Both Kirkwall and Stromness branches of the Royal British Legion were there to remind visitors of the sacrifices made by their generation.