Orkney's First XV suffered another defeat in their Caledonia Division One league match against Aberdeenshire, on Saturday afternoon, at Pickaquoy, going down by 9-20.

Aberdeenshire opened the scoring with an early, unconverted try by their hooker, S. Mountain. This proved to be the only try of the match, the rest of Aberdeenshire's points coming from two drop goals and three penalty kicks.

James Linklater scored all of Orkney's points through three penalty kicks.

Access to legal aid in Scotland is to be increased by creating new Public Defence Solicitors Offices (PDSOs) in Scotland, including one in Kirkwall.

Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry has announced that a further six PDSOs are to be set up by the Scottish Executive, in addition to the three existing offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. The new locations are Dundee, Aberdeen, Falkirk, Ayr, Dumfries and Kirkwall.

PDSOs offer a different way of providing criminal legal aid with solicitors directly employed by the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

Orkney's Island Games team travelling to Rhodes next year has been further depleted after the withdrawal of the county's swimming and small bore sides.

The two teams have become the latest casualties, after the county's footballers decided to abandon the trip last month. Again the Greek location has been identified as one of the influential factors.

However, Orkney's small bore representatives have pulled out after the games' organisers took too long to confirm if the event was actually going ahead.

John Mowat

Kirkwall Grammar School teacher John Mowat is to fight the Orkney seat for the SNP at next year's Scottish Parliament elections.

It will be the third time Mr Mowat, 61, has contested the seat. In addition, he has also stood as SNP candidate at two General Elections.

He said he expected the campaign to be dominated by a mix of local and national issues, adding: "Control over our own destiny is key."

Due to a problem with Orkney Islands Council's usual supplier, the annual distribution of black bin bags will be later than usual this year.

In the meantime, there are still some black bin bags available at the council's customer services reception for anyone in urgent need.

It is hoped that the new supply of bags will be distributed to households by the beginning of December.

On average, more than five people every day contact the Orkney branch of the Samaritans in need of help, which is why the local group is appealing for people in the county to come forward to train as volunteers.

They will be aided in their search by a little "Smart Car" decorated in Samaritans colours which is currently touring the UK, and arrived in Orkney on Friday.

Local chairman, Liz Towers, said: "We are hoping to recruit new volunteers and are looking for people who can reach out to those who are hurting, depressed or in despair."

Using a whisky barrel as their starting point, a number of Orkney artists have come together to work on a new project.

The barrel which was being collected from the Highland Park distillery on Friday morning, will be broken up into its individual staves and distributed among the artists.

The individual pieces will then come back together for an exhibition at the Highland Park, at the beginning of December, having been worked on by the artists, the only limitations being their imaginations.

The Co-op Community Fund has awarded a grant of £368 to Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO) towards the cost of staging the annual Charities Christmas Bazaar. The event is organised by VAO to provide a fundraising and promotional opportunity for small, local, voluntary organisations.

A VAO spokeswoman said: “The grant will help with the rising costs of organising the event and ensure that most of the money raised on the day will be used to sustain the work of local organisations.

This year’s bazaar will be held on Saturday, November 11, in Kirkwall Town Hall and Cavern Games Room.

A number of Loganair’s Saab aircraft are to be replaced with larger 50-seat aircraft.

The increased frequency of flights, coupled with the air discount scheme, has seen passenger numbers soar to a level that warrants bigger planes, according to the airline’s chairman, Scott Grier.

Fears that the Saab aircraft may be coming to the end of its lifespan had been raised after two planes were grounded in Orkney last weekend.

But Mr Grier said: “We will be looking to change in due course - but not because of unserviceability. They are absolutely reliable. It is one of the most successful, if not the most successful, turbo prop aircraft.”

The shortlist for the 2006 Orkney Sports Awards was finalised this week.

Despite difficulties in attracting enough nominations, the ten categories have been filled, and judges will pick between three in each section.

An independent judging panel, representing a wide range of sports in Orkney, considered 74 nominations for the the ceremony, which will be held at the Pickaquoy Centre on November 10. A further independent judging panel will select the winner of each category before the ceremony.

Click here for the full list of nominations

A female motorist was transferred to the Balfour Hospital on Thursday morning after two vehicles collided outside Stromness.

A fire engine from Stromness attended the scene of the accident, near the Sandwick junction, at 9.30am. As a result, traffic on the main Kirkwall-Stromness road was disrupted for about an hour.

A hospital spokeswoman described the driver’s condition as "comfortable".

Parents are being warning of "significant disruption” to school transport if Orkney Coaches drivers vote for industrial action.

An OIC spokesman said on Wednesday: "The Education Department is currently looking at the resources that will be available to us and further information will be sent out to parents, once the result of the ballot is known."

Transport Minister Tavish Scott has refuted remarks concerning changes to the availability of free ferry berths to Shetland and Orkney concessionary travel cardholders.

Mr Scott said: “We have always said what we didn't want was families to be disadvantaged during school holidays.

“However, at these times in the year, we ensured the policy for the free berths scheme created a level playing-field for older people holding concessionary cards. Still allowing free passage, but as with everyone else, the berth would have to be paid for.

The OIC is calling on those who have yet to return an electoral registration form to do so as soon as possible.

Twenty-five per cent of Orkney households are being issued with reminder forms this week. Anyone whose name is not on the Register of Electors will be unable to exercise their right to vote.

A bequest for merchant seafarers is looking to hear from applicants who might benefit from an award.

The British & International Sailors’ Society is administrating a sum of money left by a Mrs Elizabeth Bibby. Anyone meeting any of the following criteria, may qualify to receive assistance from this fund:

• A past or present employee of the North of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Shipping Company Limited
• Are a native of, or have lived in, the counties of Aberdeen, Orkney or Shetland

The new hangar at Kirkwall Airport was officially opened on Tuesday afternoon.

The £1.05 million facility, which was funded by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and Orkney Islands Council, will provide an operating base for Loganair’s Islander inter-island aircraft.

A new service to help people with disabilities, and other support needs, find work is launched in Kirkwall next week.

Employability Orkney aims to match disadvantaged people with job opportunities across the islands and will be launched in the Kirkwall Town Hall next Friday - October 27.

A local diabetes project begins next week, thanks to the generosity of local shoppers at Kirkwall’s The Blue Door charity shop.

The group aims to improve the lives of people with diabetes in Orkney by offering support, friendship and educational sessions. 

Secretary Michael Mahoney explained that the money to form the group was raised by The Blue Door volunteers and shoppers, adding: “With this assistance, we can organise venues and refreshments and bring specialist speakers from south without needing to charge people to attend.”

The inaugural meeting is in the Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall, next Wednesday evening.

Public transport in Orkney could be hit by serious disruptions next week, if bus drivers vote to go on strike.

Tommy Campbell, of the T&G union, said the results of a vote by Rapson's Coaches drivers, including Orkney Coaches, over a pay dispute were expected next Wednesday.

He said: “The union will not tolerate the company treating the Orkney drivers as second-class citizens. People have made millions at the expense of the workers. It is now payback time.

“We do regret if any action does take place which would result in disruptions to services to the public and schools, but the responsibility for this lies with the company.”

A diver was transferred to the Stromness hyperbaric chamber on Monday night suffering from suspected decompression sickness.

The man had surfaced after completing a dive and was heading back to Stromness on the local dive boat Jean Elaine when he began feeling unwell.

The Stromness pierhead is returning to normal this week, after the removal of tonnes of infill linking the rear of the Pier Arts Centre to the main road.

Falklands War veteran, Mr Simon Weston, was one of those paying tribute on Sunday to the 833 men who perished on the HMS Royal Oak in 1939.

Mr Weston, who was badly injured in an attack on RFA Sir Galahad, in 1982, laid a wreath in the water above the Scapa Flow wreck.

On Saturday, Mr Weston officially opened the new Orkney Food Company factory in Stromness.

The £1.86 million factory, at Garson, now employs over 20 staff and will allow the company, formerly known as the Orkney Herring Company, to expand their range of products.

A 31-year-old man was arrested for alleged drink driving on Hillside Road in Stromness in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Orkney’s teachers are looking forward to the first Orkney Learning Festival – ‘A Curriculum for Excellence’.

The programme for the October event features two days of practical workshops, group sessions and displays by over 20 exhibitors, including publishers and software providers.

OIC education director, Leslie Manson, said: “The investment in the Learning Festival is proof that ‘A Curriculum for Excellence’ is a top priority in Orkney and we hope that there will be something for everyone. Afterwards, all staff should be aware of the key issues, and should be clear about areas where they want to develop their own ideas, interests and practices.”

Northern Isles MP, Alistair Carmichael, has backed calls for the government to make decisions needed to plan for the future of the Post Office network.

This follows the publication of a Postcomm, the postal market regulator, report showing that post offices urgently need direction from the government and for ministers to take into account the wider social role played by post offices in local communities.

He said: “This is the second report in a week to highlight how important rural post offices are, and the failure of government ministers to have a strategy which will ensure their survival.”