Casting started at the weekend for a new play written by Alan Plater for the 2007 St Magnus Festival.

Tales from the Golden Slipper centres on the infamous unlicensed Stenness drinking house, near the Brig o' Waithe, run by Willie Farquhar.  Popular with servicemen during the Second World War, the Golden Slipper "tea shop" continued after the war and was a well-known meeting place for the youth of the county.

It is Mr Plater's third play written specifically for the festival.

The Orkney Brewery has picked up three medals in the National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester.

Skullsplitter, from the Quoyloo brewery in Sandwick, received bronze in the Champion Winter Beer of Britain 2007 and a gold in the “Barley Wines” category.

Their Dark Island took silver in the Old Ales & Strong Mild category.

Families in Orkney are helping in a Scottish Executive study on the reality of growing up in Scotland today.

Eight thousand youngsters and their parents, including some from Orkney, are taking part in the Growing Up in Scotland study, which tracks families' experiences, including attitudes towards children's services, pregnancy and birth, childcare, parenting, health and education.

In one of the largest studies ever done in Scotland, the youngsters' lives are being followed from infancy to adolescence.

Four thousand households in Orkney and Shetland are entitled to help with the switch from analogue to digital televisions, according to Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael.

From 2010, people in northern Scotland will no longer receive an analogue signal.

Mr Carmichael said that people over 75 and those with “significant disabilities” would be provided with equipment to convert a TV.  There will also be help with installation and follow-up support.

While the assistance will be free to the households on Income Support, Job Seeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit, other eligible households will need to pay a one-off fee.

A Holm resident was jailed for 14 days at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Thursday.

Appearing from custody Jonathan Hodgson, 28, admitted failing to pay a £280 fine handed out by the court in September last year.

Some of Orkney’s finest musicians came together on Thursday night at one of the biggest showcases of the county’s talent ever to take place in Scotland.

Headlined by the Wrigley Sisters, The Orkney Night at this year’s Celtic Connections also featured Kris Drever and Saltfishforty.  Hoy’s Sarah McFadyen, and Eamonn Coyne also appeared, and one of Orkney’s favourite personalities, Billy Jolly compered the event.

Even Orcadian students studying south performed in the foyer, welcoming guests on their way in to Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, Strathclyde Suite.

Two motorists are to be reported to the procurator fiscal for alleged speeding offences on the road through Norseman Village, in Rendall, on Wednesday.

The future of the Big Tree in Kirkwall is under question again, after concerns have been expressed over the current health of the sycamore.

The OIC has commissioned an expert to examine the Albert Street tree, who hopes it might be possible to preserve it.

A spokesman added: “If, however, it proves necessary for the Big Tree to be removed there will be a consultation on whether or not a new tree should be planted, or if some other feature should be installed in its place.”

A second ship has been drafted in to remove the ferrosilicon from the Sunna – the boat which ran aground on Swona on January 2.

The transfer vessel Haukur was due in Lyness last weekend, but after being stormbound in Ireland, the ship damaged her hull leaving port.

Now, the Savahill will be used for the transfer and is expected to arrive in the county early next week.

Police confirmed today that the 1994 Mumutaz murder in Kirkwall has been under review.

A statement was issued following rumours that an arrest was pending. They would not, however, confirm whether new evidence exists, or that any arrest will be made.

A spokesman said: “Northern Constabulary, in keeping with national protocols and best practice, carry out regular reviews of unsolved serious crimes, and follow up on information which comes to light.

“This is an ongoing process and a number of outstanding crimes have been reviewed in recent months, including the murder of Shamsuddin Mahmood, in Kirkwall, in July 1994.

Orkney MSP, Jim Wallace, has welcomed news that the Faroese company, Føroya Tele, has signed a contract to lay a telecoms cable from Faroe to Scotland, via Orkney and Shetland.

However, he stressed that improvements to the external links must be matched by an improved internal network in Orkney.

He said: “I have just received assurances from the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, Nicol Stephen, that the needs of island communities will be fully considered when programming the work to connect up broadband blackspots.”

Motorists in the county are to benefit from a new 24-hour fill-up service at an established petrol station in Kirkwall.

The Ayre Service Station, on Burnmouth Road, belonging to John G. Shearer & Sons, has been awarded nearly £75,000 from the Scottish Executive¹s rural petrol station grant scheme ­ half the estimated total cost of the works.

The firm currently provide three pumps at the Ayre station, but under the plans, the forecourt will be enlarged and four, four-hose pumps put in place. The company also plan to install a state-of-the-art credit card pump drivers can use at any time of the day or night.

Loganair has launched a series of new one-way fares from Orkney to the Scottish mainland.

The new single fares will see flights from Kirkwall to Aberdeen/Inverness costing £26 and to Edinburgh/Glasgow £37.

For passengers eligible for the Air Discount Scheme, the fares are bookable via BA.com/ads and will be available for travel from March 25.

Orkney and Shetland continue to have the lowest unemployment rates in Scotland.

According to the latest monthly figures from the Highlands and Islands monthly economic report, 105 men and 58 women were out of work in Orkney.

Just over £327,000 worth of grants were approved by HIE Orkney in December 2006.

Among the £327,440 total was a £74,650 grant to John G. Shearer and Sons to upgrade their filling station. A sum of £90,000 was approved for Malcolm Stout to upgrade the Lynnfield Hotel in Kirkwall while the trustees of the St Margaret’s Hope pier were granted £42,500 for the construction of a finger pier.

The T&G union plan to fight Orkney Islands Council, in a bid to have all care workers included in the equal pay offer.

“We believe that they come under the category of manual workers, should have been included and this will be contested strongly,” Stephen Rendall, T&G representative in Orkney, said on Monday.

Mr Rendall dismissed the warning of job losses within the OIC, if the payments were increased, as an “empty threat”.

A motorist has been charged with speeding on the main Kirkwall-Stromness road.

The driver was allegedly driving at 85mph on the stretch of road at Quanterness, St Ola, on Monday afternoon.

A further two motorists were issued with fixed penalty fines for speeding – one at Tormiston in Stenness, travelling at 82 mph, and another at Quanterness, travelling at 71mph.

Meanwhile, a female driver is to be reported to the procurator fiscal for alleged careless driving at Rennibister on Tuesday morning.

Containers specifically designed for transporting livestock will be trialled by NorthLink next month.

Three prototype containers, one of which is pictured, will be transported to Orkney and Shetland for inspection and trials on the company’s freight vessels Hascosay and Clare.

The search to find the first George Mackay Brown Writing Fellow is over.

Pam Beasant has been appointed to the post following significant interest from around the world.

Ms Beasant is a long-term resident of Stromness, George Mackay Brown’s home town, where the fellowship will be based – in the Stromness Library.

Twenty-six Orkney residents, as well as NorthLink, are to receive honorary awards from the RNLI in recognition of their "outstanding support" of the charity.

Orkney fundraisers will make up one fifth of the Scottish RNLI volunteers receiving awards in Perth in June. The two gold badge winners, Mrs M Bain and Mrs A Hutchinson, from the Westray Guild, will be invited to the annual presentation awards in London, in May.

NorthLink has been named as a national finalist for the charity's Supporter Award - Corporate category. The ferry company was nominated  for its support through fundraising and promotional opportunities.

Feature story: Dedicated fundraisers who help keep the RNLI afloat

NorthLink has confirmed this year’s dry-dock schedule for the MV Hamnavoe.

The vessel will travel to the Danish port Fredericia for its annual maintenance, coming out of service on Saturday, February 3, returning on Wednesday, February 14.

During this period, the chartered ferry MV Hebridean Isles will operate to a revised schedule across the Pentland Firth, due to the longer crossing times.

Click here for full details of revised timetable

Parents of Papdale Primary School pupils are being asked not to drive their children to school - because refurbishment works are adding to congestion problems.

Business manager Kevin Balfour said the school was losing a number of car parking spaces, resulting in motorists parking “inappropriately” and increasing the risk of an accident.

Anyone who witnessed an assault on a man in Kirkwall on Sunday morning is asked to contact Kirkwall police.

The incident occurred out the Indian Garden takeaway in Junction Road at 2.30am on Sunday morning.

Police are appealing for the driver of a tractor to come forward after damage was caused to a coach and a minibus near the Bossack turn-off in St Andrews.

The tractor was towing a trailer, which it is understood struck the vehicles causing damage.

Increasing the equal pay offer to OIC staff could threaten jobs, council officials have claimed.

While the GMB union are calling for workers to reject the deal, which they claim is only half of what could be awarded at an employment tribunal, the OIC say that the figure is closer to 80 per cent of a possible tribunal award.

An OIC statement said: “The council is offering the maximum it can afford without causing any effect on jobs.

Information sessions outlining changes to Orkney’s electoral system got off to a disappointing start on Saturday, when nobody turned up to the meeting in Rousay.

This, however, is not thought to be due to a lack of interest but a lack of prior publicity.

Over the next few months the sessions are being combined with Community Council meetings across the county, with all areas to be visited by March 31.

The number of women reporting attacks from abusive partners has doubled in Orkney in recent years.

According to figures, provided under the Freedom of Information Act, 30 women were victims of domestic violence in the county in 2005. This compares to 14 in 2004 and 17 in 2003.