The "Meare Spiral" bead found at Minehowe this year

An open day at the Minehowe excavation in Tankerness took place on Sunday.

Running from 11am to 5pm, guided tours of the excavation site will be given on the hour.

The four week excavation around the Iron Age structure is due to finish next week. This year the dig has unearthed a selection of finds including a rare glass bead from Somerset, pins and a piece of decorated bone.

A young "horse" on parade

The annual Boys' Ploughing Match and Festival of the Horse took place in South Ronaldsay on Saturday afternoon.

The event began as usual with the parade of "horses" at the St Margaret's Hope school at 2.30pm, with the boy's ploughing match beginning at the Sands o' Wright at 4pm.

Archive story: Exhibition tells story of the Boy's Ploughing Match

Ragwort - in the flowering stage

The problem of the ragwort - a poisonous weed which causes liver failure in horses and cattle - is to be raised in the Scottish Parliament.

Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, Richard Lochhead, has tabled a number of parliamentary questions on the steps being taken to encourage the removal of the yellow flowering weed.

Mr Lochhead has been concerned by reports of fields remaining abundant in ragwort, and no action being taken to remove it or to bring sanction against the landowner.

Under the 1959 Weeds Act, it is an offence to allow ragwort to grow on any land, whether farmland or grass verges.

The HRC's transportation committee plan to inform the Transport Minister that it would be "madness" to break up HITRANS, the strategic transport partnership for the Highlands and Islands, with the creation of a regional partnership for Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles and another for Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray.

They hope the Minister will respond to their representations by reinstating the current HITRANS model, but intend to mount a "vigorous lobbying campaign" if the proposals go ahead.

The statement came a day after Orkney Islands Council backed the proposals for an islands' Regional Transport Partnership (RTP).

A clear-up operation had to take place at Kirkwall Post Office on Thursday after a blocked drain caused flooding and forced staff to close the doors to the public.

A Royal Mail spokesman said it was hoped normal service would be resumed today after rain and sewerage flooded the building, in Kirkwall's Junction Road, at about 11am.

"We would like to apologise for the disruption to the service caused by the flooding," he added.

41-43 Victoria Street, Stromness

Properties belonging to the late Hugh Yorston, a controversial Stromness figure who died three years ago, are to go up for sale.

The properties concerned are 41-43 Victoria Street; a five bedroom town house at 49-51 Victoria Street, Stromness; and the shop, store and grounds at the Finstown crossroads.

A nephew of Mr Yorston's, Stanley Harris, has been in Orkney to help tie up his uncle's estate.

Perth solicitor, Fred Blackie, who will be handling the sale, said this week: "In life, Mr Yorston's affairs were not uncomplicated, and in death they have proved somewhat similar."

Talks were due to take place on Thursday, over how to police official wrecks and war grave sites in Orkney - after renewed allegations of divers plundering relics from the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow.

These wrecks were schedule as ancient monuments by Historic Scotland in 2001.

A spokeswoman from the receiver of wreck headquarters in England said they had received reports of illegal recoveries made from Scapa Flow - reports that seem to refer to the same group of divers.

The talks will involve local police, coastguard, Historic Scotland, the receiver of wreck and chartered boat skippers.

Islands councillors have agreed to a policy allowing uPVC windows to be installed in buildings in conservation zones.

Last month, councillors on the OIC planning committee went against an official recommendation to ban plastic windows and doors on listed buildings.

But at a special meeting of the full council on Wednesday, despite a protest from Councillor Ann Sutherland, who felt further investigation was needed after hearing concerns expressed by Historic Scotland on the matter, members agreed to permit plastic windows.

It was stressed, however, that each application would be handled individually and there would be strict conditions applied where it was felt necessary.

The MSP highlighted Scottish Executive figures showing that although Orkney had no people receiving methadone treatment in 2004, Shetland had 25.

Jamie McGrigor said: "While these figures could be encouraging for Scotland's island communities, no one can afford to be complacent over the size of the drugs problems Scotland faces.

"Only with a no-nonsense approach to the problem can we effectively combat the spread of drug use and free communities and families across Scotland's islands from the fear of drugs and drug related crime".

Home Start Orkney has secured £27,460 for the next three years towards the co-ordinator's salary costs, while the Sanday Afternoon Club has been awarded £4,500 towards the purchase of a new minibus with disabled access.

The foundation is now looking for applications for the next round of funding, and the deadline in September 5. For further information call 0870 9021201.

Islands councillors are backing new Scottish Executive proposals for an islands' Regional Transport Partnership (RTP).

A consultation last year included Orkney as part of a Highlands and Islands transport partnership, but the new proposals could see Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles form their own partnership instead.

But uncertainties remain, such a funding and losing links with the Highland region of Scotland.

Members of the OIC transportation and infrastructure committee agreed with an islands transport system, subject to clarification about the role of the RTPs, the funding and the implication of the Western Isles' rejection of proposals.

As well as biographical notes on Orkney's MSP, there are copies of recent press notices, speeches and articles by Jim Wallace.

Notice is given of forthcoming constituency surgeries and a special feature is an e-mail surgery for Orkney constituents to submit their views and inquiries.

The first, a massed band parade took place on Broad Street on Wednesday night when both bands performed separately, and then together.

The second performance, a concert featuring piping, singing and other music took place outside St Magnus Cathedral on Friday.

The Kirkwall seafront was dominated by the cruise liner Golden Princess again on Wednesday - the massive 18-storey high vessel clearly visible through the mist.

The liner, which lay at anchor in Kirkwall Bay, has a passenger capacity of 2,700.

With these passengers disembarking at the pier, and being transferred to tour buses, Harbour Street, Bridge Street and Albert Street were closed to traffic - a fact that has caused grumblings of discontent among some motorists in the town.

Scottish Water are investigating a means of reducing water pressure along the Junction Road water main in Kirkwall.

The move follows the latest in a series of bursts which have plagued the 80-year-old pipe.

A spokesman confirmed on Monday that no funds were available to replace the main at present, but that the company were looking at ways to bring forward cash from their next investment programme.

The CCTV system at Kirkwall¹s Balfour Hospital is finally up and running.

Nineteen cameras have been placed throughout the hospital and grounds in public areas, and are recording 24 hours a day, following the recent granting of a recording licence.

Recordings will be kept for 28 days, and can be used as evidence, if necessary.

The cameras are for the security and safety of staff, patients and premises, a spokeswoman from NHS Orkney said.

Despite comments to the contrary from consumers, Scottish Water issued a statement on Monday saying that water from the Boardhouse Loch has "improved vastly".

A spokesman said that the carbon dosing treatment has worked and that the algae responsible for the foul tasting water appear to have gone.

He added that any continuing musty taste is residual, from the mains water network, and that many customers have agreed that the water has improved, and is drinkable.

The Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) scheme will make up to £370,000 available in payments over a five-year period.

The scheme is available for the management of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Stromness, west Westray, Papay Westray, Ward Hill Cliffs, South Ronaldsay, Swona, Rousay, and the Holm of Papay.

SNH is now contacting Orkney farmers within eligible areas to provide them with more details. Meanwhile, further information is available from the local SNH office in Kirkwall (01856 875302).

Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie McGrigor has demanded action after figures revealed that the road used by motorists travelling to and from Orkney had the highest number of fatalities in Scotland last year.

Figures released by transport minister, Tavish Scott, showed a total of 17 fatalities on the A9, Perth to Thurso road, in 2004, and 209 accidents.

Calling for an upgrade to the A9, Mr McGrigor said: "Accidents on all these roads, because they provide access to the Northern Isles, the Western Isles and some of Scotland's most remote areas, affect communities across the Highlands and Islands."

At 1.30pm, at the corner of Garrison Road, one unit from Kirkwall attended the fire in the engine compartment of a Peugeot 305.

No one was hurt, but the car was extensively damaged.

The EC135 helicopter - providing the new air ambulance service to Orkney

Orkney MSP Jim Wallace has described a response to his questions about the performance of Orkney's new helicopter air ambulance service as "not reassuring".

Figures received from Scotland's Health Minister would, said Mr Wallace, need to be carefully studied, but added that his initial impression was not reassuring.

He said that two issues were immediately noticeable - the helicopter's lack of range before requiring refuelling, and delays in collecting patients.

Regarding the former, he cited the example of a sick child sitting in the helicopter while it was refuelled with the door open to the freezing wind - a situation described as a safety requirement.

If ministers accept the recommendation, the new testing regime will replace the Over Thirty Months Scheme, which prevents older animals from entering the food chain.

This could pave the way for the return of older beef to the UK market in the next three months - although principle food safety measures will remain in place.

The team previously impressed Orkney audiences with the play, which will now be performed at the Fringe until August 20.

As well as performing for the festival, the club has also been nominated for the Amnesty International Unwin Freedom of Expression Award.

It is understood that the 30-year-old was trying to catch the ferry north, when stopped by police.

He was released with an undertaking to appear at the next available court.

On Saturday morning, two cars were damaged while parked at Weyland Terrace, while on Sunday morning the tyres of a vehicle parked near the Orkney Hotel, Victoria Street, were slashed. About the same time, two windows were also smashed in Victoria Street.

A group of youths kicked slabs off a wall on Palace Road around 3am on Sunday morning, before running off towards the town.

Anyone with information can contact police on 872241.

The woman was taken to Balfour Hospital in Kirkwall in the early hours of Saturday morning after an accident at Melsetter.

It is understood she was discharged after treatment to cuts and bruises.

Motorists in Kirkwall face disruption today after the aging water main on Junction Road burst in two separate occasions on Sunday.

The main has been the source of numerous problems in recent months, the most recent rupture occurring last week.

The road remained closed today, between W. R. Tullock's garage and J. M. Croy's Tower Showroom.

Kirkwall police have praised the behaviour of the County Show night crowds in the town on Saturday night.

Despite an influx of revellers from Shetland and Caithness, there were no arrests, although police were called out to a number of "noisy" parties in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Youngsters let the side down, however, after two groups of under-18 year olds had alcohol confiscated at the Bignold Park on Saturday afternoon.