Dave Dalrymple

Orkney strong man, Dave Dalrymple, has won a place in this year’s Scotland’s Strongest Man competition following a Herculean performance at a special qualifying event.

The 38-year-old from Kirkwall finished seventh out of a field of 21 at last weekend’s qualifying competition in Dumfries.

Dave, an air traffic controller at Kirkwall Airport, will now join the other top 12 finishers from the event, at the Scotland’s Strongest Man final in Fort William on May 3. 

Jim Crisp with Kirkwall postie, Caroline Delday.

Kirkwall postie, Caroline Delday, has been shortlisted for a prestigious award after saving a man from a burning house.

Caroline has made it onto the Scottish shortlist in the bravery category for the Royal Mail¹s First Class People awards 2008, which celebrates postmen and women who are unsung heroes in their communities.

Caroline pulled homeowner, Jim Crisp, 77, to safety after spotting smoke billowing from his home.

She said: "I am absolutely delighted to have been nominated for this award. I just did what anybody else would have done in those circumstances."

The overall winner will be announced in March.

Householders in Orkney will pay the same level of council tax in the coming year, after OIC councillors agreed the rate at a special meeting of the full council on Thursday.

It means people living in a band D property will pay £1,037 in 2008-2009, the same as in 2007-2008.

Councillors also approved a revenue budget of £79.557 million for the coming year.

Ronnie Baillie

An Orkney farm is one of the winners of the 2007 Mey Selections Producer of the Year Awards with two other Orkney farms second and third.

W. R. Baillie & Co, Biggings, Toab, took the award in the Aberdeen-Angus category. Ronnie Baillie attended the ceremony, in Wick, on Monday night to pick up the trophy and £100 prize.

Second and third places in the Aberdeen-Angus category went to H. M. Seatter and Co, of Melsetter, Longhope, and G. R. T. Scarth & Co, of Twatt Farm, Birsay.

Third place in the commercial section also went to an Orkney farm business, N. & B. Isbister, of Feolquoy, Stromness.

The Papa Westray community school will welcome a new head teacher later this year.

Kate Evans will take up her post in April and will be joined by her husband and daughter.

Following a period as head of maths at a secondary school, Kate chose to retrain as a primary teacher.

Currently teaching at Holme St Cuthbert Primary School in Cumbria, she also works part time as an adult education tutor, developing family learning in her local area.

The OIC has published guidance on one-for-one replacements for derelict, or ruinous, dwellings.

The guidance defines a derelict, or ruinous, dwelling as a standing building that has been used as a permanent dwelling house within the last 300 years.

It sets out the two key aspects that the Council will take into consideration in deciding whether a building qualifies.

Copies of the Development Management Guidance are available from the One Stop Shop and the Stromness cash office.  The guidance is also available on the council's website.

Police have issued a new appeal for information relating to a serious sexual assault in Kirkwall in December 2007.

They would now like to trace a man who seen sleeping across seats in the waiting area at Kirkwall Airport between 3pm and 4pm on Sunday, December 16.

He is described as being aged between 20 to 30, tall, slim-built with short brown hair, wearing a woolen hat, dark coloured jacket and trousers and white trainers.

Police are still wanting to talk to three men seen in the area around the time of the incident, in order to eliminate them from the inquiry.

Orkney Islands Council is planning a host of events to celebrate the 850th anniversary of the death of St Rognvald, the founder of St Magnus Cathedral.

The total cost of the celebrations is estimated to be £101,960, of which £48,300 has been secured.

Orkney Islands Council Convener Stephen Hagan has welcomed Tuesday's announcement by John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, that he has been persuaded of the need to continue to provide a special transport grant of £1m to the council in the next financial year.

The decision follows representations made by the Council after the grant settlement announcement in December 2007.  

The OIC has agreed to mark St Magnus Day, April 16, by flying the Orkney community flag over council premises.

Councillors agreed on Tuesday that it was particularly pertinent that the policy be adopted this year – the 850th anniversary of the death of Earl Rognvald Kolsson, the nephew of St Magnus and founder of the St Magnus Cathedral.

Moves for an additional summertime ferry for the South Isles received backing from islands councillors on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the transportation committee approved the enhanced timetable, subject to the policy and resources committee coming up with the extra £54,000 needed.

Officials are recommending that the cash be added to Orkney Ferries budget to be considered by the council.

The proposals will see the mv Thorsvoe operate on South Isles route for three days each week, between May 26 and September 21.

The Pickaquoy Centre Trust looks unlikely to receive its requested funding of £827,300 for 2008-2009.

Instead, councillors at Tuesday's meeting of the OIC policy and resources committee recommended a funding package of £779,000.

The recommendation will now be discussed at the OIC's finance working group.

Councillors have recommended ending the Christmas bonus scheme for pensioners, widows, widowers and people with disabilities.

Members of the OIC's policy and resources committee agreed that the £220,000 saving be redirected to the care facilities revenue development fund.

The decision has to be ratified at the next meeting of the full council.

Work to add an extra 58 spaces to the car park at Kirkwall Airport begins next week - but with it comes extra pressure on an already stretched facility.

As a result, passengers are being urged, where possible, to avoid taking vehicles to the airport.

Kirkwall airport manager, David Blackman explained: “The work is going to take six to eight weeks and will obviously impose additional severe pressure on the available car parking spaces.

"We'd like to ask that people travelling to the airport either get lifts or make use of the bus services wherever humanly possible."

NHS Orkney is to receive funding of £35 million to run the health service in the coming year.

That represents an increase of 3.64 per cent — the second highest rise for any board in Scotland.

However, the increase is only half of what has been given in previous years, according to NHS Orkney chief executive, Iain Crozier.

“It is as good as we could have expected,” he said. “That is the positive message. However the overall settlement, because the increase is half of what we are accustomed to, makes the position very tight.”

A teenager who allegedly drove while over the legal alcohol limit, without a full driver’s licence, has had his case continued without plea until February 28.

Ben William Drever, 19, of Burness, Westray, appeared from custody at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Monday, charged with taking and driving away a car from Garrison Road, Kirkwall, on Saturday, without the consent of the owner.

He is further charged with driving at grossly excessive speeds on various roads in Kirkwall, with an alcohol reading of 116mlg in 100ml of breath, and colliding with a number of traffic island bollards.

A wind turbine could be on the cards for Shapinsay – but only if the residents want it.

A ballot of the islanders began this week as part of the Shapinsay Development Trust’s preliminary explorations into the possibility of erecting a community-owned turbine.

Everyone on Shapinsay, over the age of 16, will receive a voting slip, which will allow them to have their say of the proposal – a project the trust feels could bring substantial benefit to the island, generating income which could be used for the direct benefit of the community.

Police are appealing for information after an altercation in Kirkwall’s Bridge Street on Saturday night.

The incident took place around 11.20pm, and according to police, five  males were seen to be either involved or in a position to have witnessed the incident.

A second workshop on the future role of nurses is to be held at the Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall, on Friday, February 15.

The purpose of the sessions are to inform staff of the local and national drive for change; to explore opportunities for role development locally and to highlight areas of innovation.

Paul Martin, the chief nurse for Scotland, and Mike Sabin, nursing officer with the Scottish Government Health Department, will be among the speakers.

Guided tours led by Historic Scotland¹s expert guides are back by popular demand.

The Orkney World Heritage Site ranger service is offering free guided walks around the Ring of Brodgar.

This year, people of all ages will have the chance to attend the walks every Thursday at 1pm. No advance booking is required for the guided tours and visitors are advised to wear appropriate outdoor clothing.

NHS Orkney is to run a trial home testing service for chlamydia - the most common treatable sexually transmitted infection in the UK.

The project, which will run in February and March, will distribute 500 free, home chlamydia test kits throughout the community.

The kits will be available in discrete locations in a variety of settings on the Mainland, and the isles, including doctors¹ and dentists¹ surgeries, local pharmacies, Orkney College, Support Training, the Pickaquoy Centre and a number of pubs and clubs. Some of the county¹s larger employers are also ordering kits to be available for their staff.

Car insurance premiums in Orkney could be set to soar, as despite repeated warnings, drivers continue to leave their vehicles unlocked, says Detective Sergeant Bob Mackenzie.

In the past seven years, 60 vehicles have been stolen in the county and only one had to be forced open. In all other cases the keys were readily available - in the ignition, the glove compartment, or under a car mat - in unlocked vehicles.

DS Mackenzie said: "The only way people do listen is if it hits them in the pocket! Insurance companies may not pay out if your car has been stolen and left damaged, if the vehicle was not locked and the keys were left inside."

On three separate occasions, between December 21, 2007, and February 7, 2008, an advertising sign outside Busters Diner in KIrkwall has been gradually destroyed.

Kirkwall police are seeking information on those responsible - telephone Kirkwall 872241.