Standards of learning, teaching and achievement continue to be high at Dounby Primary School.

Local authorities now have the opportunity to publish their own follow-through reports after an official inspection, and Dounby’s is the first such report to be produced by the council, and the report has been approved by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education.

A council spokesman said: “Dounby is the type of school where the head teacher and staff team demonstrate a complete commitment to ensuring every child enjoys a high quality learning experience and the authority is pleased to be invited to publish this report.”

A Peterhead-registered fishing boat sank early on Friday morning - an hour-and-a-half after being struck by a Norwegian cargo vessel.

The Harvester was pair trawling with the Ocean Harvest, also from Peterhead, 73 miles south east of Sumburgh Head, Shetland, when involved in a collision with the oil cargo supply ship, Stirlmoey, just after 6am. The crew of six transferred safely to the Ocean Harvest, before the damaged boat sank at 7.45am.

An investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch into the collision will be held.

Three Peace Sweet's third album was launched on Friday night, with a performance in Fusion Nightclub in Kirkwall.

Entitled Blue Skies, the CD contains mainly original tunes and songs, inspired greatly by local events and experiences. However, the musicianship is perhaps more diverse than on previous releases as session players, both local and from the USA, are featured.

Orkney Meat is set to become one of just four companies in Scotland to gain approval to process over thirty month (OTM) cattle.

The Scottish Executive’s rural affairs minister, Ross Finnie, said the Kirkwall company was in the final stages of the approval process and should be in a position to process OTM cattle from next week.

Cattle over 30 months were banned from entering the food chain as a result of the BSE outbreak, but in August, the Food Standards Agency announced that an effective system to test such livestock had been successfully trialled - meaning older animals could again be slaughtered for human consumption.

Alistair Carmichael, MP for Orkney and Shetland, has criticised the Government for excluding women pensioners aged 60 to 64 from the £200 winter payment announced before the last election.

The Chancellor intends to make the payment only to pensioners over the age of 65, and not to women who claim the state pension from 60.

Mr Carmichael said: “The refusal of Gordon Brown to pay the £200 to some women pensioners only adds insult to injury. The current pension system already discriminates against women who take time out of paid employment to bring up their family or care for relatives.”

Orkney Islands Council has agreed to pay £17,288 to cover Scottish Natural Heritage’s legal expenses following the Gruf Hill wind turbine planning fiasco.

SNH were awarded costs after a successful appeal against the council’s decision to grant planning permission for a wind turbine development at Gruf Hill, in Orphir - a decision taken against the advice of the authority’s planning officials.

On Wednesday, the planning committee, in private session, agreed to pay the bill, subject to ratification at the full council meeting on December 6.

Mv Communicator - the former home to the Superstation Orkney radio station - may have to be beached in South Ronaldsay to prevent her sinking.

Kirkwall Sergeant Eddie Graham said: “The ship was taking on water last night (Wednesday). The Fire Brigade and police attended and pumped her out. The pumping out continues, but the intention is to beach her if that proves unsuccessful.”

The 477-tonne ship, which was built in 1954, poses no pollution risk.

Orkney Islands Council is to consider lending cash to Scottish Water - a Scottish Executive-funded organisation - to help sort out the current infrastructure troubles plaguing the county.

Councillors are also looking at whether or not to dip into Orkney’s oil reserve fund to help pay for works to improve the drainage system, allowing development works to get off the ground.

Members at Wednesday's, OIC planning committee heard that it will cost £4.1 million to carry out improvements to 15 stretches of pipework throughout the county to alleviate potential flooding problems and to upgrade three pumping stations.

Kirkwall police were called to Burray earlier this week after Billy Dass, of Bu Farm, discovered some bones while digging.

Kirkwall Sergeant Eddie Graham said: “Billy Dass was asked to stop work until the bones could be put through the usual checks. It is not anticipated that it is a recent burial.”

Councillors have refused planning permission for a new pub in Kirkwall’s Junction Road.

Brian and Val Flett, of BVF Properties, had hoped to turn the Tower Showroom, a furniture shop into a bar, serving food.

However, 17 letters of objections from residents in the area and nearby businesses were received by planning officials, and councillors unanimously turned down the application at Wednesday's OIC planning committee meeting.

Supermarket giants Lidl have been given the go-ahead for the construction of a discount store on Kirkwall's Pickaquoy Road.

However, the company will have to contribute towards improving wider traffic issues in the area, councillors recommended at Wednesday's OIC planning committee meeting. The application had stalled at an earlier meeting in August for resolution to traffic difficulties.

If the full council ratify the decision early in December, Lidl hope to begin work on the building early next year.

The family-run company’s original ice-cream beat off stiff competition from across the UK to take the accolade for the second time, the first being in 2002.

Creamery production director, Graham Bichan, said: “The win gives everybody here a bit of a pat on the back and gives staff a pride in making one of the best ice-creams in the UK.”

One container from the Rosita which lost cargo in heavy seas on Monday last week, has been retrieved.

Shetland coastguard have been monitoring where the containers were drifting to and the vessel, Fennica, was sent out to retrieve the containers on Monday.

One container has been found by the Fennica, three have been washed ashore in Shetland, Fair Isle and Isbister Holm, while two containers and one tank are still out at sea.

Householders in Orkney are being urged to return their annual canvass forms for this year’s Register of Electors.

The registration office in Orkney will be issuing final reminders this week to nearly 1500 householders who have not yet returned their forms. Failure to return forms means many people could find their names missing from the revised register - published on December 1.

Anyone in Orkney who has not returned a canvass form should do so immediately or, if they have not received a form, they should contact the electoral registration office at 8 Albert Street, Kirkwall, or call 876222.

Transport Minister, Tavish Scott, has confirmed that Orkney will have an additional transport grant of £500,000 for next year.

During his visit to Orkney last week, the Minister told Councillors and officials that the award, the same as in 2005/06, would be guaranteed.

Councillor Bob Sclater, chairman of the transportation and infrastructure committee, said: “While the Council welcomes the early confirmation of the additional transport grant for 2006/07, it must be highlighted that this grant only helps to finance the present costs of running the services.”

Plans to create an Orkney Boat Museum moved on a step when members of the OIC recreation and cultural services committee agreed that the project should be considered, through the council’s budget process.

However, councillors said new squash and indoor bowls facilities and a leisure pool at the Pickaquoy Centre should be put on hold until there is clarification on where the new Kirkwall Grammar School will be situated and how it will be financed.

It was recommended that plans for an Orkney museums store should go to the next stage for further consideration and also a scheme which helps fund community buildings.

Esther Pawley

Scottish Natural Heritage have appointed a new area officer for Orkney.

Esther Pawley, originally from Nottingham, moved to Orkney from Derbyshire where she worked as an ecologist.

Esther will be developing links with land managers, community groups, rangers and individuals across the county to help deliver the SNH remit of working with Scotland’s people to care for the area’s natural heritage.

Commenting on her new role, Esther said: “I am very pleased with my new role and look forward to getting to know the people, wildlife and habitats of Orkney.”

Councillors have agreed to put £10,000 towards a new play area at the North Walls Centre in Hoy.

The centre has plans for a new play area for children aged between five and 14 and will cost a total of £46,330.

Members at the OIC recreational and cultural services committee on Tuesday agreed to part fund the project.

Orkney police have condemned the “irresponsible and stupid” actions of Hallowe’en pranksters on Monday night.

Fourteen police officers were kept busy clearing blocked roads of items including concrete bollards, a skip, bins, planks of wood and scaffolding.

Officers were also called out eight times in relation to fireworks being set off, and on several more occasions to groups of youths throwing flour and eggs at houses and passing cars.

Kirkwall Sergeant Eddie Graham said: “We would like to emphasise the sheer stupidity of the individuals dragging items on to the road, particularly for emergency vehicles getting through. It could have had very serious consequences.”

A lollipop man was “clipped” by a car while on duty at the Meadows in Kirkwall on Monday afternoon.

He was taken to Kirkwall’s Balfour Hospital and treated for minor injuries, according to Kirkwall Sergeant Eddie Graham. “He was clipped by the wing mirror and fell over,” he added.

Police are taking no action.

Police are appealing for the driver of a vehicle involved in a collision within the Castle Street car park, in Kirkwall, on Monday morning, to come forward. The male was driving what police believe to be an H-registered burgundy Ford Escort.

Kirkwall Sergeant Eddie Graham said: “The car was distinctive and had what appeared to be three raised lines on the rear of the vehicle running between the light clusters.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 872241.

A Finstown resident, who admitted assaulting a woman and committing a breach of the peace, was released on bail from Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Monday afternoon.

Bruce Alexander McCoulough, 43, of Fettercairn, Finstown, assaulted the woman at the above address on October 28.

Sentencing was deferred until November 30 to allow the court to obtain a social inquiry report and a community service assessment.

Police inquiries are ongoing into two separate road accidents in the county at the weekend.

The first saw a man taken to Kirkwall’s Balfour Hospital after his Rover car left the road at Milldam in Tankerness early on Sunday morning. He was discharged after being examined.

Later the same day, a Vauxhall Astra, clipped the verge at Hatston Brae, colliding with a fence. The female driver was unhurt.

Stromness lifeboat was called out to assist a creel boat in danger of drifting onto rocks in Swanbister Bay at the weekend.

The 30ft boat, Gemini, with just the skipper on board, got into difficulty after the propeller fouled near Toy Ness, about lunchtime on Saturday.

Stromness lifeboat managed to secure a tow line and took the boat safely to Houton pier.

Liberal Democrat members in Orkney will have a choice of four candidates from which to choose the successor to MSP Jim Wallace.

The four shortlisted candidates are: Alistair Bruce, solicitor at Lows Orkney and chairman of the Orkney Liberal Democrats, Linda Gorn, Liberal Democrat Council for Keith and Moray, Liam McArthur, former advisor to Jim Wallace, and John Ross Scott, editor of Orkney Today and former Liberal Democrat councillor in the Borders.

Eoin Scott, chairman of the shortlisting committee, said: “We are very impressed with all four of the shortlisted candidates. It is a tribute to the strength of the party locally that we have been able to attract such a high calibre of applicant.

Orkney’s popularity as a cruise liner destination is increasing, according to new harbour authority figures.

After another busy summer season, figures reveal that the authority has seen a 25 per cent rise in both the number of liner calls and passenger visits since last year.

In total, 75 liners visited the country this year and 30,708 passengers set foot on Orkney shores.

The harbour authority made more than £268,000 from the visits, which goes towards the upkeep of Orkney’s ports - such as pier maintenance and improvement and the general running of harbours.

British Summer Time ended on Sunday, but as usual, there have been calls for Britain to remain on BST - giving an extra hour of daylight in the winter afternoons. However, in Orkney this would see the sun in December only rising after 10am.

One of the most vocal, printed in The Times newspaper on Friday, blames "Orkney crofters" for blocking moves to keep BST in place all year round.