Orkney Rugby Club’s First XV were beaten 8-15 by Mackie Academy FP at Pickaquoy on Saturday afternoon.

With Mackie Academy leading 0-5 at half-time, Roger Hall scored all the home side's points in the second half.

Orkney band Lazy Boy Chair performed at Celtic Connections' famous open stage on Saturday night, adding to a wealth of Orcadian talent that has already gone on show at the festival.

One of the county's most popular acts, the eight-piece band have revealed that this is the start of a string of plans for 2007, which will hopefully increase their profile.

The introduction of new housing legislation in Scotland could see costs in Orkney spiraling to £21 million by 2012.

Orkney currently receives £5.5 million funding for housing.

Members of the OIC’s housing and social work committee heard on Thursday that changes to legislation meant the authority and Orkney Housing Association could no longer prioritise housing allocation to local people presenting themselves as homeless.

People in Orkney were asked to join the weekend’s RSPB survey to help build a national picture of how garden birds are faring.

Big Garden Birdwatch 2007, on Saturday and Sunday, aimed to find out which birds are most common in Orkney. Anyone can take part, by recording the highest number of each bird species seen in the garden at any one time.

Last year, Orkney’s most common bird was the starling, which pushed house sparrow off the top of the list after three years.

In an effort to break even this financial year, NHS Orkney is looking to sell Garden House and the nearby Graham House accommodation block – before leasing them back from the buyer.

Members of the NHS Orkney board heard on Thursday morning that the health board faces an overspend in the region of £3 million, but that money from the sale of the properties would help the organisation break even by the end of the 2006-2007 financial year.

The quality of the county’s bulls was praised on Thursday at a show and sale of the Orkney Bull Breeders’ Association at the Orkney Auction Mart.

The champion Charolais was Baillieston Albert shown by W. R. Baillie, Biggings, Toab, while champion in the Limousin class was Sebay Ambition shown by H. & B. Baillie, Sebay Cottage, Tankerness.

The Aberdeen Angus champ was Quanterness Prince Ivor, shown by E. S. H. Harcus & Co, Quanterness, St Ola.

Judge, Mr Arnott Coghill, from Halkirk, said: “There were good classes of bulls – good commercial bulls. The Charolais champion and champion limousin were two bulls that could have stood in any show.”

NFU Scotland is launching a new information leaflet providing farmers with a brief introduction on their rights and responsibilities regarding public access to farmland.

The leaflet, which can be downloaded from www.nfus.org.uk, briefly outlines the key principles of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and explains what is required in terms of actions and responsibilities for land managers.

A monitoring committee is to be set up to oversee further sand extraction at the Bu Sands in Burray.

An application to continue extraction at the South Links, and an area to the east of the Bu, was made by Mr William Dass. However, the RSPB has raised concerns over the proposal and wanted an environmental impact assessment undertaken.

An RSPB spokesman wrote: “The saga of Bu sand extraction has been a very long and involved one, now we have a chance to gain control over what is happening here.”

A notable wartime Kirkwall landmark could be flattened to make way for housing.

OIC councillors at Wednesday afternoon ’s meeting of the planning committee heard that it will cost the OIC £615,000 to clear and decontaminate the site of the “Black Building”, off Berstane Loan. The building was a Second World War RAF sector operations and gun control room and was the main communications centre for the defence of Orkney.

Orkney Housing Association’s controversial application to convert a building in Kirkwall’s Victoria Street was approved by islands councillors on Wednesday.

The original planning application for a four-storey building was withdrawn last year so members of the OIC’s planning committee were presented with revised plans for a three-storey structure today.

Despite renewed objections to the revised application, members granted full planning permission, although conditions were imposed.

The Orkney and Shetland Touring Company has confirmed it is to cease trading.

In a statement issued last night, company director Annette Scharkosi said that a potential buyer and investor has withdrawn leaving the company with "no option but to stop trading".

"As there is no alternative in sight within the given time frame, the company is now taking steps to wind down."

NorthLink Ferries is to consult with Orkney businesses on the demand for, and benefits to be obtained from, holiday and tour package provision in the Northern Isles.

The move follows the demise of the Orkney and Shetland Touring Company, with NorthLink now considering how to secure ferry travel sales previously supplied as part of packages to touring groups and individuals.

The company is seeking the views of local businesses on whether the provision of holiday and tour packages is considered an appropriate route to market. A short questionnaire on the subject is available online and from NorthLink offices.

Police are appealing for information after a motorist struck a parked van in Dounby and failed to stop.

The red Mercedes Veto van was parked at the Dounby Community Centre and was damaged during school hours on Monday.

Some of the “doubters” who had attended the consultation meetings on the future development of Stromness, have changed their minds.

OIC councillor James Stockan told the Community Council on Monday that several people had told him that what they had seen had altered their views on the matter.

Kirkwall Fire Brigade were called to a vehicle fire on Dundas Crescent on Sunday morning.

The long-established antiques collection at Graemeshall in Holm is to be sold.

The pieces, collected by Norrie Wood throughout his lifetime, first went on display in the early 1960s and have been enjoyed by Orcadians and visitors from all over the world.

One motorist is to be reported to the procurator fiscal, while another two have been issued with fixed penalties as police continue their road safety crackdown.

All were detected at Zion’s Loan in Firth on Friday night, with alleged speeds ranging from 77mph to 86 mph.

A third consultation event on future development in Stromness attracted over 70 members of the public to workshop sessions at Stromness Academy on Saturday.

Members of the Stromness Town Centre Partnership led discussions on various aspects and detailed questionnaires were completed, which invited comment on the many possibilities.

Neil Firth of the Pier Arts Centre, said what needed to emerge was a clear list of priorities and a clear understanding of what was possible. To be successful that vision had to be shared by both the community and those responsible for developing those ideas.

Orkney's First XV rugby team went down fighting in their Scottish Cup fourth round match against Aberdeen Grammar School FPs on Sunday.

In atrocious weather, Orkney, playing with the wind in the first half, were trailing by only 12 points at half time, but a further four second half tries by the Aberdeen side saw the match end with a 0-36 scoreline.

The Orkney team showed total commitment in the game, and it was a very respectable score, considering the Aberdeen side play in the Scottish Premiership 1 league.

The number of harbour seals in Orkney and Shetland has inexplicably dropped by 40 per cent over the last five years, according to new research carried out by the University of St Andrews.

Professor Ian Boyd, Director of the Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews, said:  “These are long-lived animals and this level of decline represents a loss of about 10 per cent of the seals each year.

"We have no evidence that there has been a short-term, catastrophic event, like an epidemic, but we retain an open mind about what might be the cause. “