NorthLink's ferry Hjaltland - not the Hrossey as had been previously advised - left for Denmark on Sunday, for its annual dry dock period.

The vessel is expected to return to service on, or around, March 1.

During this period, the Aberdeen – Kirkwall – Lerwick route will be served by one vessel, travelling north one day and south the next. The company say their freight service will be increased during this time to ensure daily cargo operations continue throughout the dry dock period.

The stone circle, part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, will appear on the 68 pence stamp, one of a collection of eight stamps being produced in conjunction with the Australian postal service.

Four of the stamps will feature Australian natural sites, the other four British man-made sites.

The Orkney Business Directory and Access Guide, lists a wide number of Orkney businesses, as well as providing information relating to disabled access at each business.

The proof will be available here until February 28, the completed guide then made available in print and online.

A wide range of foods containing an illegal dye have been recalled from sale, including a number of Somerfield, Morrisons and Heinz products.

The dye could contribute to an increased risk of cancer, says the Food Standard Agency.

The foods are mostly frozen and ready meals, including Weight Watchers brand, Pot Noodles and sauces. The FSA advises anyone who has the affected foods at home to return them to the point of sale for a refund.

A full list of the foods and batches affected is at www.food.gov.uk/sudanlist.

MSP Jim Wallace met with Orkney and Shetland farmers on Friday to try to thrash out arrangements for transporting livestock.

Orkney representatives of NFU Scotland flew to Shetland for the meeting. The joint Orkney-Shetland working group on livestock transport has been working on trying to solve problems including the method of loading animals and the availability of suitable ships.

The livestock contract has now been included as part of the lifeline ferry services which are currently out to tender.

A licence for a new mussel farm in the water of Clestrain Sound was granted by islands councillors on Thursday.

The application from Orkney Mussels Ltd, which had been deferred from May 2004, was for a works licence to cultivate mussels from a World War Two boom defence installation in the water.

Members of the OIC's marine development sub-committee approved the application, subject to a number of conditions aimed at minimising impact on local seal colonies.

The public are being encouraged to air views or concerns regarding Scottish Water at a meeting of the Water Customer Panel in Kirkwall next month.

The Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles Water Customer Panel will be in the Ayre Hotel from 7.30pm until 8.30pm on March 2.

George Eunson, deputy convener, said: "There are several issued affecting the people of Orkney - most notably the problem of development constraints on housing projects and businesses, caused by inadequate sewerage infrastructure."

Visitors to Tullimentan on Thursday afternoon

Orkney’s first major showcase of the arts, Tullimentan 2005, drew to a close in Kirkwall on Friday night.

The two-day event, organised by Orkney Arts Forum and the Orkney Islands Council, has attracted more than 25 arts organisations and individuals to set up displays.

For more information see http://www.orkneyarts.com

The radio-broadcasting ship, mv Communicator, currently berthed in St Margaret's Hope, has been sold.

The vessel was used as studios for the trial run of the Superstation Orkney last year.

Meanwhile, the people behind the Superstation, plan to spend almost £350,000 setting up a commercial radio station in the county.

The woman regarded as the driving force behind the development of Orkney's archaeology in recent years, Mrs Daphne Lorimer MBE, has died, aged 83.

Mrs Lorimer, of Scorradale House, Orphir, died on Tuesday night. She served on the committee of the Orkney Heritage Society for many years and was instrumental in setting up the Orkney Archaeological Trust (OAT) in 1996.

She received an MBE in the 2003 New Year's Honours List, for services to Scottish archaeology.

External Link: Pictures and Papers in Honour
of Daphne Home Lorimer MBE

A local chartered accountant is warning Orkney businesses to beware of a scam currently in circulation.

Alan Long, of the Long Partnership, explained that fraudsters can easily change the registered office of a limited company, whose details can be obtained online.

He said: "The fraudster is then at liberty to start opening trade accounts in the company name and ordering goods to be delivered to a bogus registered office address.

"Cases of this fraud are beginning to appear. The answer is to remain vigilant and to check that the registered office of the company is unchanged on a regular basis. "

The total passengers for the ten months of the 2004/05 operating year, is 97,761, an increase of 1.4 per cent on the same period in 2003/04.

January itself saw 7,837 passengers use the airport, a 6.4 per cent increase over January 2004.

At present, all waste water from St Margaret's Hope is simply discharged in the sea, untreated.

Scottish Water, with a cash contribution from the OIC, are to create a new treatment works to clean up the waste water, as well as extending the outfall so that the new, clean discharge goes further out to sea.

The project is hoped to be completed in the the summer.

But far from Scrooge-like behaviour, the council want to investigate whether they could look at helping a small island community, in the affected area, in the long term.

Members of the OIC's policy and resources committee heard on Tuesday that they had missed their chance to donate money, with a number of overwhelmed charities asking people not to pledge any more.

Councillors have also recommended that local-authority premises be free for tsunami fundraising events.

Sea Pink at Whalgeo, Sanday

The common plant, Sea Pink, was chosen as an emblem for Orkney, by islands councillors on Tuesday.

The idea came from Plantlife International, who wanted to raise awareness of disappearing wildflowers. At a previous meeting of the OIC's policy and resources committee, councillors rejected the adoption of the Alpine Bearberry as an official Orkney emblem.

After local horticultural groups suggested a number of more appropriate plants - including Grass of Parnassus, Marsh Orchid, Oysterplant, Ragged Robin, Red Campion, Rosebay Willow Herb and Yellow Flag Iris - councillors decided on Sea Pink.

The Scottish Executive has confirmed that Orkney Islands Council look set to receive cash to help cover the cost of cleaning up after last month's storms.

The Executive's Bellwin Scheme was triggered on Monday afternoon, and means that Orkney could receive up to 85 per cent of the total repair costs.

The OIC have to pay for the first £68,291 themselves.

Orkney Islands Council's Environmental Health department hosted its first food safety training event on Tuesday.

The event was aimed at informing the county's caterers about new rules and guidelines which come into force in 2006.

A number of alcohol seizures were made over the weekend, and individuals are likely to be charged with supplying drink to underage youngsters.

Police confirmed that the alcohol confiscated, from children between 14 and 16-years-old, was mostly spirits and included rum, home brew, lager and whisky.

Billy Connolly fans queue for tickets at the Pickaquoy Centre on Monday morning.

There were a few disappointed faces at the Pickaquoy Centre on Monday morning, after tickets for comedian Billy Connolly's return to Orkney sold out in 90 minutes.

Only 1,170 tickets were available for the one-night appearance, part of Billy Connelly's 2005 Scottish tour. The queue for tickets began forming at 7am ready for the doors opening at 9am.

But by 10.30am, all the available tickets for the May 3 gig had been snapped up, leaving a number of disgruntled fans.

A report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal and a 31-year-old woman was struck and injured on a Kirkwall pedestrian crossing on Friday afternoon.

The woman was hit by a vehicle while using the Junction Road crossing, near the corner of Castle Street, at 1.20 pm on Friday.

She was taken to the Balfour Hospital suffering from minor injuries.

Orkney MSP, and FREDS chairman, Jim Wallace said reports outlining all the applications in Scotland were scaremongering and ignored the facts.

Mr Wallace said: "Reports suggesting the massive proliferation of windfarms across Scotland are simply nonsense. It is true that a large number of applications are in the system, but a great deal of these will not meet our stringent planning regulations."

Orkney police have launched a campaign, encouraging the public to report any suspected drug dealing activities.

The six-week national campaign, called "Drug Dealers Don't Care" is backed by the Scottish Executive.

Acting inspector Angus MacLeod said: "If anybody has any information in the Orkney area, let Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or contact us on the Kirkwall police confidential line, 870999.

A recruitment open event is being held in the Kirkwall Community Centre on March 9, from 3-5pm. For more details see www.childminding.org.