Orkney has a new Deputy Lieutenant – Graham Bevan from Stromness.

Born in Stromness, Mr Bevan became a teacher of Maths and taught first in Edinburgh before returning to his home ground at Stromness Academy in 1982. 

In 1987, he became principal teacher of computing studies and continued in that post until 1998, when he moved to the OIC's education department and is now Service Improvement Officer. 

He is vice-chairman of the Stromness Community Council and the board of directors of the Pier Arts Centre.

Stromness poet and writer George Mackay Brown has been judged one of the top 50 greatest British writers since 1945.

At number 39, he comes before number 42 – J. K. Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter.

The first ten writers include Ted Hughes, who visited Orkney several times for the St Magnus Festival, William Golding, J. R. R. Tolkien and George Orwell.

The owner of Kirkwall nightclub Fusion is looking for new faces to man the decks.

The club has a number of DJs on its books, but the owner, Mark Ridgway, explained: “We are looking for two or three new faces with some fresh ideas.”

He said he would be interested in hearing suggestions from people with an interest in indie/alternative music.

“Anyone interested can drop into us a mix CD of a set, or even write down a set list and hand it in,” he said.

Following Friday's special meeting of the OIC's transportation committee the council has issued the following statement:

"A special meeting of the transport and infrastructure committee was held in private today to discuss department of harbours staffing. The recommendations of this meeting will now be taken to a special meeting of the full council on January 15, 2008."

Two new members have been appointed to the board of David MacBrayne Ltd – the parent company of NorthLink Ferries.

Dr Robert Sinclair lives in Aberdeenshire and is the principal of Banff and Buchan College of Further Education. Mr Norman Quirk lives in Aberfoyle and is the chair of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, president of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and president of the Glasgow Junior Chamber of Commerce.

A special meeting of the full council has been called for Tuesday afternoon.

The meeting is to discuss the minutes of Friday's private meeting of the transportation committee, which will look at Harbours Department staffing, following the loss of the Foinaven oil handling contract.

Following a spate of domestic heating oil thefts in South Walls, police are asking to hear from anyone experiencing similar problems.

Over the past few months several incidents of theft have been reported to the police. As a result they would now like to anyone with information or who thinks they may have had fuel stolen.

Kirkwall police station can be contacted on 872241.

Police in Caithness are investigating the death of a man found on the foreshore of the Pentland Firth on Thursday.

The body was found at John o' Groats and police inquiries are continuing into the circumstances surrounding the death and also to identify the male.

A report is being submitted to the procurator fiscal in Wick.

A car hire manager who wrote off his friend’s £28,000 car was banned from driving for 18 months at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Thursday.

At his trial, Raymond Manson Shearer, 23, of Victoria Street, Kirkwall, denied driving a car with 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

He was also found guilty of driving the car when it was in an unsafe and unroadworthy condition. Shearer had already pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, colliding with a wall, failing to stop and give details and failing to report the accident.

Jobs must go at Orkney Towage, or the company risks becoming insolvent.

That’s according to managing director Captain Nigel Mills, who has prepared a report on the situation. Last month’s news that oil from the Foinaven field would no longer be handled at the Flotta oil terminal left the company facing a substantial loss of revenue.

The report recommends radical changes to the current levels of staffing through redundancy and alterations to the present terms and conditions. It is understood the staffing change proposals could see 20 jobs go – cutting staffing levels from 36 to 16.

Orkney residents are being warned of a “significant” increase in low-flying aircraft over the next few weeks.

According to MP Alistair Carmichael, a NATO military exercise will take place between January 14 and February 2008.

He said: “If anyone has any specific concerns that arise from this exercise, I would be more than happy to take them up with the MoD.”

The OIC’s environmental health department is calling on the public to help in the battle against dog fouling.

Although patrolling community wardens do warn offending dog owners, it’s difficult to catch offenders in the act  - so they need the public to help.

Ideally, the OIC needs the name and address of the person in charge of the dog, a description of the dog and details of the date, time and location of the offence.

While welcoming Tuesday ’s news on the extension of the Air Discount Scheme (ADS), Orkney MSP Liam McArthur has highlighted serious concerns remaining over the funding of the county's internal air and ferry services.

Mr McArthur said: "While this extension of the Air Discount Scheme will maintain access for Orcadians to reduced air fares on the lifeline services to the south, very real worries remain about our internal services.

The Scottish Government is seeking European Commission approval to continue the Air Discount Scheme beyond 2008, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson confirmed on Tuesday.

Established in May 2006, the Air Discount Scheme (ADS) gives residents of Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Islay, Jura, Caithness and North West Sutherland a 40 per cent discount on the price of core air fares.

With a membership of 87 per cent, the Scottish Government wants the scheme to continue.

A second whale carcass is ashore at Newark in Deerness.

The remains of a whale washed up on Skaill Beach are that of a pilot whale. Orkney’s cetacean recorder, Chris Booth, said the whale was probably the same one which was ashore near Billia Croo, Stromness, early in December.

Thea Lawson, from Rendall, said there was so little left of the whale that it looked like a huge worm.

“I thought I’d come across a sea monster, but I guess it’s either a basking shark or whale,” she said. Only the spine and head of the whale were left, coated in the remains of sinew and blubber.

Police have thanked the members of the public who came forward with information regarding last month's serious sexual assault on a young woman.

Inquiries are continuing into the incident, which occurred at Quoybanks Crescent, in Kirkwall, in the early hours of Sunday, December 16, 2007.

A police spokesman said: “A number of lines of inquiry are ongoing and even the smallest piece of information may provide vital to the investigation.”

The OIC’s legal clerks are expecting a busy year and a reminder has gone out, urging licensees to make appointments now.

Licensees will be required to submit operating and layout plans for their premises to the clerks between February 2008 and September 2009.

There will be four groups of applications throughout this time, with roughly 40 applicants within each group.

Applicants will be given individual appointments. Accordingly, licensees and members of the public will now be required to set a time with the officer rather than just drop in.

To make an appointment, email licensing@orkney.gov.uk or telephone 873535 extensions 2232 or 2229.

Security restrictions relating to hand luggage have been relaxed at Kirkwall Airport, but Orkney passengers are advised that the one bag rule remains, due to a lack of space on the aircraft.

The Department for Transport has approved new security arrangements at a number of airports in the UK. This means that from today the restrictions previously imposed limiting hand luggage to one item per person will no longer apply.

Passengers are also advised to check what hand luggage restrictions apply with other airlines before travelling.

The Orkney Traditional Dance Association is to receive £5,000 from the National Lottery award scheme.

The grant, part of a £1 million payout nationally, will go towards funding the association's second ceilidh weekend between April 11 and 13.

The cash will also allow the association to bring dance tutors and musicians to Orkney.

Police are appealing for witnesses after the attempted theft of a car at Vasa, Papdale last Wednesday night.

The Vauxhall Corsa had been tampered with at around 10.45pm, when an individual was seen near the vehicle.

Police say he is described as being 5ft 8in or 5ft 9in, slim build, wearing a black hooded jacket and a white/cream hat, possibly turned up in a peak at the front.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police on 872241.

Police are warning motorists to check their tyres and lights for potentially lethal defects.

Sergeant Gregor Hay said: “I have been out over the past few weeks checking tyres and lights and been disappointed with what I have found. A lot of them have been illegal.

“Potentially checking these sorts of things could save lives and a court appearance,” he added.