The quality of food and drink produced in Orkney was highlighted by MSP Liam McArthur in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.

Speaking during a debate on local food, Mr McArthur also pointed out the health and environmental benefits which would come from the eating of good quality local produce.

Speaking afterwards, Mr McArthur said: "There was unanimity amongst MSPs of the benefits of eating more local food - the producer, the consumer and the environment all benefit. I hope that the public's growing awareness of the importance of what we eat, and of the cost to the environment of food miles, will lead to us all eating more of the good food produced close to where we live."

The Peppermill delicatessen in Kirkwall has changed hands two years after opening.

John Webster and Lisa McAlister, of Kirkwall, were granted the permanent transfer of off-sale licence for the business at last week¹s Orkney area licensing board meeting.

They take over the popular licensed deli and takeaway from Rachael and David Cromarty, of Kirkwall.

The new lighthouse tender, the nlv Pharos, was open to the public during its visit to Orkney at the weekend.

The 84-metre vessel was built at Gdansk, in Poland, and came into service with the Northern Lighthouse Board in May.

The 3,672-tonne Pharos is the tenth lighthouse ship to carry the name and operates out of Oban.

Return the questionnaire and make your views known.

That was the clear message at the launch of a public consultation on the proposed new Kirkwall Grammar School, Stromness Primary and school hostel on Thursday.

The consulation will help the OIC decide whether to refurbish the existing buildings, or build new facilities.

The Orkney Library and Archive has been hailed as one of the best facilities of its kind in the UK.

The building has been highlighted in the book Archive Buildings in the United Kingdom 1993 – 2005, by Christopher Kitching, who visited Orkney last year to have a closer look at the archive facilities.

The book states that ‘Orkney continues to set the pace’.

Orkney Islands Council is set to create a £2 million renewable energy investment fund.

The proposed fund will be used to provide equity investment in renewable energy projects – either initiated by the council or alongside local projects.

Orkney Ferries faces industrial action after RMT union members voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action and an overtime ban.

The dispute has arisen after Orkney Ferries offered 2.5 per cent on rates of pay. The RMT will now be consulting its members over the form of action to take, but warned that industrial action could take place in a week’s time.

Radio Orkney goes international this summer, with daily live broadcasts from the Island Games on the Greek island of Rhodes.

The week of programmes will be the first overseas radio shows produced by the station during its 30-year history.

The Island Games coverage will be followed by live outside broadcasts from the County Show and The Orcadian Parish Cup Final – two more firsts for the station.

In Rhodes, Robbie Fraser and Phil Goodlad will be broadcasting from the Island Games each day, from July 2 to July 5 - first between 5 and 5.30pm and then from 6 to 7pm.

The Government is planning to charge people for help switching from terrestrial TV, according to Orkney MP Alistair Carmichael.

Responding to a question posed by Mr Carmichael, the minister in charge of digital switchover admitted that more than half of those eligible for help would have to pay the Government £40.

Mr Carmichael said: “Digital boxes can be bought for less than £20 these days. This means that vulnerable people who apply for government help could actually be worse off. How can that be fair?

Speaking on Wednesday, the Prime Minister led the House of Commons in sending condolences to the family of missing Stromness man Alex Moar.

Mr Blair was responding to a question from Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael regarding the industrial action affecting the Coastguard, in which he cited Saturday’s tragedy in Hoy Sound.

He said: "I am sure that the whole House will join with me and the honourable gentleman in sending our condolences to the family of his constituent.”

The Papa Westray school is to receive £1,000 worth of books - courtesy of the Scottish Book Trust.

The trust is delivering batches of books, approximately 150 titles, to each of the 20 winners of a prize draw. The books have been selected according to age-group, or ability, that best fits the requirements of the school.

The Stromness and Dounby GP practices are to opt out of providing out-of-hours medical services from July 1.

NHS Orkney has a replacement out-of-hours service in place, which operates between 6pm and 8am on weekdays, weekends and on public holidays and is delivered by GPs, based at a primary care centre at Kirkwall¹s Balfour Hospital.

To access the out-of-hours service contact NHS24 on 08454 242424.

Skara Brae and the Italian Chapel have come out top in two categories of the annual Icons of Scotland awards.

The prehistoric village was named Best Archaeological Site and the World War II chapel declared the Best Historic Attraction of Special Significance.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is in correspondence with police and coastguard following an incident in Hoy Sound on Saturday that left a Stromness man missing.

A spokeswoman from the MAIB said: “It is an administration inquiry at the moment. A decision will be made in due course as to whether or not to carry out an investigation.”

The convener of Orkney Islands Council is to make a renewed appeal to the Scottish Executive on issues affecting the county, including the overall level of grant support.

North Isles Councillor Stephen Hagan has written to Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, and Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing.

Orkney’s Mainland swimming pools are still providing an excellent service, according to customers.

The Kirkwall and Stromness pools carried out their annual customer survey during April and the results show that the facilities are as valued as ever.

More than 85 per cent of responses received indicated that customers were satisfied with what was on offer, including service performance, range of activities, confectionery sold, value for money and customer service.

Two youths have been charged in relation to an alleged vandalism and breach of the peace, which saw a window smashed on Willow Road, Kirkwall, about 10pm on Friday.

Following police inquiries, a 15-year-old youth was detained and charged with a breach of the peace and vandalism. A report is to be submitted to the children’s reporter.

A scaled-down search for missing Stromness man, Alex Moar, is continuing.

A coastguard spokesman confirmed this morning that although the official search was called off at 7.30pm on Saturday night, a smaller "informal" search was ongoing.

Mr Moar's capsized boat was found by the Stromness lifeboat at 1.30am on Saturday morning after a member of the public reported seeing a red emergency flare.

It is believed that the 23-year-old left Stromness on the vessel, alone, on Friday night, with the intention of travelling to Hoy.

The Stromness Golf Club hosted a one-off international event on Monday night, with two professional golfers from South Korea, Yong Jin Shin and Dae Sub Kim, taking on Scotland’s Sandy Lyle and Dean Robertson in the Ballantine’s Midnight Cup.

Graham Bevan, from Stromness Golf Club, commented: “It’s a real privilege to welcome four such distinguished professional golfers to play the course at Stromness and we look forward to the competition.”

Orkney’s former Lord Lieutenant, Mr George Marwick, has been made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Orkney MSP Liam McArthur has called for improved air links to Norway during a recent parliamentary debate.

As well as welcoming the planned Scrabster to Bergen sea route he suggested that money from the Executive’s air route development fund ought to be used for the re-establishment of a seasonal air link between Orkney and Norway.

In the week of the 24th anniversary the Orkney-Hordaland twinning, he noted the change of relationships between the two communities. “It is probably fair to say that the links between Orkney and Norway are now more cultural than economic,” he said.