The Longhope lifeboat and the Coastguard tug, Anglian Sovereign, were called to the aid of a vessel drifting in the Pentland Firth on Friday morning.

The Antigua-registered Esmerelda, with seven crew on board, had suffered engine failure at 5.30am, one mile west of Muckleskerry.

MSPs have heard that a decision on whether to use e-counting to count the votes in the 2007 Scottish Parliament and Council elections would be made soon.

Orkney Islands Council is one of the island authorities opposed to the idea of a central Highlands & Islands e-counting centre. Instead, the OIC would like to continue holding their counts in Kirkwall.

Orkney MSP Jim Wallace commented: “Orkney Islands Council have, quite rightly, made it clear that the Orkney count should be held in Orkney, and I backed them in representations I made to the Minister earlier this year.”

In a debate on the Scottish Executive’s Rural Development Programme for Scotland 2007-2013, Orkney MSP, Jim Wallace, questioned the Rural Development Minister about the future of the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme, (LFASS).

Speaking afterwards, Mr Wallace said he would continue to work with the NFUSS in Orkney to make the case that LFASS support must reflect the real position of Orkney farmers, relative to those farming in the south on better land, with a kinder climate and with easier access to the market.

A man was banned from driving for eight years at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Thursday, after being caught drink-driving for the third time.

Malcolm Drever, 22, of George Street, Kirkwall, admitted driving in various Kirkwall streets while almost three times over the limit, on March 12. Drever, who spent a night in custody after he was caught, admitted he is “too immature” to drive.

Sheriff Desmond Leslie said: “The impact on sending you to jail would be very significant for other people, it is only because of that you won't be sent into custody.”

Papdale Primary School pupils will welcome a familiar face as their new head teacher.

Jane Bruce, who has taught at the school for 26 years, has been appointed following interviews this week.

She had been working as acting head teacher and has already led a number of in-school initiatives, including developing programmes for citizenship and maths.

As a member of the school’s senior management team, Mrs Bruce has been given increasing levels of responsibility for quality assurance procedures and will face her first school inspection as head teacher from HMIe next week.

The arrival of a tall ship in Kirkwall later this month will give the people of Orkney a taste of things to come in 2007.

Ships from Germany, Iceland and Faroe will visit Orkney and Shetland next summer, offering people the chance to sample life on the high seas.

Members of the public will be able to take a tour of the ships when they’re docked and mini cruises will be available through the Orkney and Shetland Touring Company.

More information will be available closer to the visit.

Police and road safety campaigners hit out at speeding motorists who blatantly ignore warning signs on a notorious stretch of road in Stenness.

Three motorists appeared in court this week, all of whom had been caught driving at more than 85mph on the Kirkwall to Stromness road at Tormiston.

In the worst case a man was banned from driving and fined £400 after being caught driving at 96mph.

The Orkney cardiovascular disease study has moved to Stronsay, with the first clinics getting under way on Thursday.

Last summer, nearly 200 people in Westray took part in the study, getting a free cardiovascular health check, while at the same time, helping medical science.

Two thousand adults with a bloodline stemming from a grandparent in the North Isles are being sought in all. The research should help improve the health of future generations by giving a better understanding of three of Scotland’s killer diseases - stroke, diabetes and heart disease.

The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) is due to visit Orkney next week.

The visit, on May 11 and 12, described as an information gathering exercise for the committee, which was set up to provide advice to Scottish Ministers on how to improve access for people with mobility problems to Scotland's transport services.

The committee includes OIC Councillor Roderick McLeod.

The handover of the Kirkwall marina is scheduled to take place later this month.

The OIC will pass the facility on to Orkney Marinas on May 17 - Norwegian Constitution Day. It is hoped that a number of boat owners from Norway will make the trip to take part in the celebrations.

In addition, the marina is set for a facelift in time for the new summer sailing season. Decorative trees and bushes will be planted and wooden benches placed along the shorefront.

The man struck by a car on Kirkwall to Stromness road on Monday night has been moved to hospital in Aberdeen.

Paul Shearer, 20, was transferred from the Balfour Hospital to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for further treatment to his injuries.

A hospital spokesman confirmed his condition remains "stable."

The number of OIC social work staff in Orkney rose from 327 in 2004 to 370 in 2005.

The 13 per cent increase is, say the council, due to the opening of the Westray and Dounby care homes.

Deputy Education Minister Robert Brown said: "The role of social work services staff in protecting vulnerable people in our society is extremely important.  

"That's why I am glad to see an increase in staff numbers in Orkney. This will help ensure people get the services they need, when they need them.”

Police have named the 20-year-old man seriously injured in a road accident at Quanterness on Monday night.

He is Paul Shearer of Wellington Street, Kirkwall. He was transferred to the Balfour Hospital where his condition was described as “comfortable and stable”.

Meanwhile, four officers from the Inverness road accident investigation squad arrived in the county on Tuesday morning to carry out a standard examination of the scene. This was completed, and the road reopened, at 2pm on Tuesday.

Kirkwall police have praised the public response for information following the serious road accident in St Ola on Monday night.

Following an appeal on Tuesday, up to 20 calls were received by police. However, they would still like to hear from anyone (tel 872241) who may have seen two male pedestrians on the Kirkwall-Stromness road throughout the evening.

Kirkwall Sergeant Gordon Deans said: "This helps us build up a picture as to what actually happened."

A weekend charity event in memory of a Stromness woman has raised £4,000 for cancer charities.

Ingrid Rosie died aged 25 after a battle against breast cancer but her memory will live on thanks to the efforts of her family and friends.

Adrian Harray, of the Ferry Inn, which hosted much of the weekend's events, confirmed that the latest fundraiser has brought the running total to over £21,000 raised in the past three years.

A collaboration between VisitOrkney, VisitShetland and NorthLink received an award at last week’s VisitScotland Expo in Glasgow.

The joint Northern Isles stand was awarded "Most Effective Stand For Doing Business" at the two-day event, which is widely recognised as Scotland's premier event for the travel trade.

Also attending Expo was Loganair, the Orkney Tourist Guides Association, the Orkney and Shetland Touring Company, and a number of accommodation providers including the Stromness, Lynnfield and Albert Hotels.

Orkney has twice as many buildings at risk as Edinburgh.

A total of 36 Orkney buildings are listed on the register maintained by the Scottish Civic Trust. The register shows Edinburgh has only 16.

The number of buildings at risk in Orkney has dropped from 42 in 2001. Twenty-five of the 36 on the register are judged to be at high risk of being lost, with the Hall of Clestrain listed as critical.

The buildings on the list include the Firth Meal Mill, the Graemsay old parish kirk and Geramount House, Sanday.

An Orkney College student has been elected president of the UHI Millennium Institute Students’ Association.

Amy Allen, of Kirkwall, has been the student representative on the Orkney College management council in recent months.

Councillor Roderick McLeod, chairman of Orkney College management council, said: “Her election success is good news for Amy, for the College and for Orkney.

“It is important that as the UHIMI approaches the time when it achieves full university status, its student body will be led by someone who understands the needs of one of the smaller, more remote colleges.”

Orkney’s Ad Hoc Players, with their production of Harold Pinters' Celebration, were placed second in the Scottish Finals of the SCDA one-act drama festival, held in Pitlochry last weekend.

The team were told by the adjudicator that they "they just missed out by a whisker". However, they did pick up two trophies - the one for second place and the one for the best set.

The winners of the festival, Kirkintilloch Players, with their production of Shakers by John Godber, will represent Scotland at the British Finals, which will be held in Perth Theatre, on June 30 and July 1.

Robert Bosch, the German engineering group, has revealed it will be backing a pilot tidal power plant to be started in Orkney this year.

The company said it was helping to provide stable turbines for the experimental wave power station, which will generate up to 5MW of electricity.

Franz Fahrenbach, Bosh chief executive, said: “The technology of sea-current energy is still not mature, but is roughly on the level of wind-energy know-how 20 years ago.

“Their worldwide electricity-generating potential is the equivalent of as many as 100 nuclear power stations.”