Two people were arrested in Kirkwall's Harbour Street, near midnight on Thursday night.

One male and one female have been charged with a police assault and breach of the peace. They will be reported to the procurator fiscal

Another GP has been recruited for the new Kirkwall practice.

An Orkney-based agronomy research institute is to receive £802,000 as part of a grant awarded to the UHI Millennium Institute (UHI).

The Institute, based mainly at Orkney College, comes from a pot of £11.4 million that will enable the future university of the Highlands and Islands to develop its research capacity over the next four years.

The damaged car in Stromness

Kirkwall police are appealing for witnesses following a "hit and run" accident in Stromness on Wednesday night.

A BMW was parked on the Back Road when it was struck by another vehicle, which failed to stop.

Stromness Fire Brigade attended after concerns were raised about petrol leaking from the damaged car.

A white Ford Transit van was stolen from outside a house in Burray in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The vehicle, which was taken sometime between midnight and 8am, was later found abandoned a short distance away.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Kirkwall police on 872241.

The Auditor General for Scotland has published his report on the Scottish Executive's handling of the five-year contract to run the lifeline ferry service to the Northern Isles.

The investigation followed reports in August this year that the total subsidy paid to service operator, NorthLink, had reached £71 million.

The Auditor General found no fault in the action taken when financial difficulties emerged, but he did find criticism in the tendering process leading up to the appointment of NorthLink in December 2000.

As NorthLink's financial difficulties surfaced, the Executive considered that it had little option other than to provide additional subsidy under a revised contract to ensure the service continued and to bring forward the early re-tendering of the routes.

The full report can be found on Audit Scotland’s website
Full details in this week's The Orcadian

Mr Scott said: "In September I undertook to implement any recommendations that had implications for funding in future tender contracts. I will fulfil that commitment.

He added: "I will now consider the report fully and reflect further on any additional measures we need to take to ensure that the same difficulties do not arise again - whether it is in the current re-tendering of the Northern Isles contract, or in the imminent tendering of the contract for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services."

Police inquiries are continuing after a minor road accident on Wednesday morning, involving a school bus and a van.

The Orkney Coaches bus, on a school run, and an Orkney Islands Council van collided on the Holm straight.

There were no injuries.

Hydro Electric engineers have repaired the fault that left almost 750 homes in South Ronaldsay and Burray without power at the weekend.

The fault was finally traced, on Tuesday morning, to a damaged joint on a section of cable under the second Churchill Barrier

The Kirkwall Squash Club is one of a 28 organisations across Scotland to benefit from the BT Community Champions Award Scheme.

The club is to receive £200 as part of the £6,150 national scheme.

Orkney is to receive £293,000 from the Scottish Executive to employ extra teachers over the next two years.

According to Education Minister, Peter Peacock, Orkney would have to employ some 280 teachers in total by 2007 to meet their share of the Executive's plans to reduce class sizes.

The new moves will also help councils give teachers more time for marking and preparation and to employ extra visiting specialists.

The OIC will receive £86,000 in 2006/07 and £207,000 in 2007/08.

The completion of a waste water treatment project in Evie looks set to have a benefit to the local environment and wildlife, according to Scottish Water.

Previously, sewage from eight houses collected in a septic tank which discharged into the Burn of Desso, beneath the road bridge.

Now a new system is in place in which a reed bed uses natural, chemical-free, methods to break down sewage and recycle it into clean water.

A Scottish Water spokesman said the new system would see a big improvement in water quality in the Burn of Desso.

A 21-year-old man, charged with a series of offences, including assault and brandishing a knife, was remanded in custody at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Tuesday.

Daniel Joe Whitfield of Westpark Drive East, Leeds, England, pleaded not guilty to the charges, which all allegedly occurred in Stromness.

Whitfield is charged with assaulting a man on Dundas Street before threatening to stab another. He is also charged with unlawfully carrying two knives, as well as resisting three police constables, injuring one and butting a police car window, breaking it.

Another Orkney school has enjoyed a positive inspection report from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIe).

According to the report, St Margaret's Hope pupils are given stimulating and challenging work. Other key strengths identified included the interaction between staff and pupils, the quality of teaching and the pupils' positive attitude to learning. The school's principal teacher was highlighted as a model of good practice within the school.

Improving the use of information technology to support learning and ensuring staffs are aware of current legislation and procedures relating to the care and welfare of children.

Men in Orkney work an average of 45.8 hours per week - putting them at the top of the UK league in for average working hours.

This, says the report from the GMB Union, contrasts with London which averages 37.3 hours per week. According to the union, the average working hours for men for the UK is 40.6 hours per week

Full details of working hours are available at www.gmb.org.uk.

A 24-year-old motorist was released on bail at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Monday afternoon, accused of a series of motor offences.

Appearing from custody, Bernard Peter Wishart, 24, of Sunnyside Cottage, St Ola, was charged with refusing to provide police with a breath specimen and driving without insurance, 'L' plates and a qualified driver.

The case was continued without plea until January 11.

A vehicle taken from Sparrowhawk Road in Hatston on Saturday morning, was later found crashed in Finstown, according to Kirkwall police.

Three teenage girls have been reported to the procurator fiscal for various road traffic offences.

Hydro Electric engineers spent Monday trying to locate a fault that left hundreds of homes in South Ronaldsay and Burray without power on Sunday.

A Hydro Electric spokesman confirmed on Monday that engineers were examining a 2km section of cable from Glimsholm to Burray.

A generator was put in place to restore power to those affected, but the load in the area was too great to ensure a stable supply. Engineers were on site on Monday afternoon installing a larger generator, which was transferred from Sanday.

The Banff registered fishing boat Aquarius had suffered main engine failure in heavy seas close to the shore to the east of Papa Westray.

The volunteer lifeboat crew were mustered and the RNLI relief lifeboat, The Will, departed at 1.38am. It arrived at the stricken vessel and a tow line was passed at 3am.

The Aquarius was then towed to Pierowall, arriving at 8.25am.