“Come and have fun just like the Victorians used to,” was the invitation from Stromness Museum to their open day on Saturday.

"A Victorian Encounter at Stromness Museum" saw the Stromness Drama Club bringing some of the town’s colourful characters from the past, back to life. Ingirid Morrison was Lady Jane Franklin, Morris Davidson was John Rae and Fraser Dixon was the Rev Charles Clouston.

There was also a chance to experience Stromness by carriage, from the pierhead to the museum, or to try photographic techniques.

The OIC’s revised Supplementary Guidance for On-Shore Wind Energy Development is now available for the public to read and comment on.

The consultation period runs until June 13, the document will also be discussed at the Council’s Sustainable Energy Consultation Event on May 9 at the Picky Centre.

The draft guidance aims to maximise the potential for wind energy development in Orkney and provide applicants and the public with a framework for new development.

The document is available from the libraries, the Council’s customer services, Kirkwall and the cash office, Stromness.  Copies can also be downloaded from www.orkney.gov.uk.

Tickets for the 26th Orkney Folk Festival went on sale at the weekend – with organisers promising that this year’s event will be the best that the county has ever seen.

Booking is available online at www.orkneyfolkfestival.com, by post via the booking form on the programme, or through the Box Office at the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness. This year’s Orkney Folk Festival will run from May 22 until May 25 and it promises to be another fine weekend of music and song.

Police are warning Orkney residents to be on the lookout for bogus salesmen.

Northern Constabulary have advised that individuals going from door to door offering generators, televisions and other goods are operating in the region.

Inspector Neil Mackinnon from Northern Constabulary said: “These activities are illegal and the items sold are of substandard quality.”

He added: “We are also experiencing complaints from residents about ‘tarring contractors’ who unsolicited offer to undertake work and thereafter charge excessive fees for extremely poor standards of workmanship.”

Broadband blackspots in the county could be tackled by June this year, according to Orkney MSP, Liam McArthur.

Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather, says the Scottish Government hopes to award the contract soon to bring the technology to all.

Identified blackspots in Orkney include some areas of Birsay, Finstown, Holm, Hoy, Kirkwall, North Ronaldsay, Papa Westray, Rousay, Sanday, Sandwick, Shapinsay, St Margaret's Hope, Stromness, Stronsay and Westray.

The KGS Young Enterprise team at their trade stand, with Cameron Stout, one of the guest speakers.

Kirkwall Grammar School's Horizons company were, on Thursday night, chosen as the winners at the annual Young Enterprise Scotland Innovations Awards Evening, following what the judges described as a very difficult decision. The KGS team had produced a 'Then and Noo' calendar.

They beat the team from Stromness Academy - Stromnavoe - who had produced a book - A Fereday Collection - featuring the best of the Fereday Project submissions from over the years.

There was also a non-competitive team of students from Orkney College - Savour the Flavour.

The winning team qualify for the Awards ceremony in Glasgow, in June.

Police are investigating a case of vandalism in Stromness.

During the early hours of Thursday morning, someone sprayed paint on the property at 16 Citadel Drive. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kirkwall police on 872241.

The trial of a man charged with assault was not proven at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Thursday morning.

Nineteen-year-old, Daniel Patrick Henry, of 12711 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, denied assaulting a male at the Pickaquoy Centre on County Show night last year, saying that he was acting as peacekeeper during an argument between his brother, Jonathan Henry, and the complainer.

Henry¹s case was not proven as Sheriff Graeme Napier admitted he had doubt in his mind after considering all the evidence.

He said to Henry: "I¹m not convinced that you were not involved. Your evidence was not convincing but it was enough to bring a reasonable doubt in my mind. I am finding the case against you not proven."

Bus company, Rapsons, could be poised to be taken over by rival operator Stagecoach.

Talks have been held about a proposed sale of the Inverness-based group, which runs services in the Highlands and Orkney.

Rapsons have informed its staff of the negotiations, but is making no further comment.

Stagecoach confirmed the two were in negotiation but said that they may or may not reach an agreement.

The climate change debate took on a new dimension in Orkney on Friday when specialists from leading universities and the British Geological Survey gathered to discuss changing sea levels in the past and the present.

The event at Orkney College UHI was hosted by the Department of Archaeology and was organised by the project team which has been examining the feasibility of establishing a research centre for northern cultural environments.

Highland Park has released its oldest ever whisky to be part of its core range of single malts.

The company¹s 40-year-old will be a permanent fixture in their whisky line-up, unlike some which are often limited editions.

Jason Craig, global controller of Highland Park, said: "Through foresight, we are blessed with stocks of aged whisky. Many other distilleries would love to be in this enviable position. Rather than launch a series of limited editions, we felt it was important to share our 40-year-old with all whisky enthusiasts."

The 40-year-old Highland Park will be available in the UK for £899.

Orkney Islands Council is proposing to start work this week on converting the lorry park off Pickaquoy Road in Kirkwall into long stay car parking.

The council is appealing to the owners of any of the vehicles and trailers currently parked there to remove them as soon as possible so that work can begin.

A number of vehicles have been parked there for some time and the council have no way of identifying the owners.

Owners have until Tuesday, May 6, to move their vehicles. If there is anything left at this point it will be removed by the council.

Tesco confirmed on Tuesday that it is seeking permission from Orkney Islands Council this week to extend the store it has purchased from Somerfield in Kirkwall.

It is hoped that between 20-30 job opportunities will be created as a result, although the store is now expected to close for between two and three months for development.

Commenting on the new Kirkwall Tesco, Doug Wilson, corporate affairs manager for Tesco said: "The reaction we have had coming to Orkney has been very positive. The proposals to extend the store will deliver a Tesco which will offer much better facilities and an enhanced shopping environment."

The existing store, which closes on May 3, is expected to reopen in the summer if all goes to plan.

The new Stromness Primary School is likely to be sited at the town's lorry park.

Statutory consultation over the proposed re-siting resulted in five responses - of which only one was valid.

Project manager for the schools investment programme, Alan Moar, told councillors at Tuesday¹s full Orkney Islands Council meeting that 146 families had been contacted directly.

Four responses were received from residents of the community who do not have pupils at the school. Of the one valid response, concerns were raised about the lorry park site due to exposure to the weather.

Councillors recommended the preferred site be submitted to Scottish Ministers for their approval.

Members of OIC's full council meeting have agreed to delay approving the controversial Orkney retail study until the outcome of the retailers¹ own survey is known.

Councillors at Tuesday¹s meeting agreed unanimously to refer the matter back, after hearing representations from several councillors.

Retailers in the county had expressed a lack of confidence in the council¹s £23,000 study. The results of the traders¹ study could be available at the beginning of June, councillors heard.

Orkney is joint second in the rankings for the cleanest streets in Scotland, according to new figures.

The Audit Commission Scotland reports that the Western Isles top the list with 78 per cent of their streets clean. Orkney is joint second with Dundee City and East Renfrewshire, with 74 per cent.

The report covers a 12 month period, ending March 31, last year.

Bottom of the list was the City of Edinburgh which had 36 per cent of its streets dirty.

Kirkwall police are looking for two people who stole alcohol from the Co-op on Pickaquoy Road on Monday night.

About 9.50pm, two people entered the store at the back of the supermarket and removed the alcohol.

The police would like to hear from anyone with information on 872241.

The refuelling delay of an Orkney-bound air ambulance in March was raised in the Scottish Parliament last week.

Orkney MSP, Liam McArthur, raised the issue with Health Minister Shona Robison, at Question Time in the Scottish Parliament.

The Minister assured him she was aware of the incident and that she was waiting for the full report into what happened.

Commenting on the reply, Mr McArthur said: “Like the Minister, I am awaiting the Ambulance Service’s full report into the issue, which I hope will be ready soon.

“It is vital that the report not only sets out what went wrong at Glasgow airport, explaining why the aircraft had a long wait to be refuelled, but that it also sets out what action has been taken to avoid a repetition of the event.”

In the early hours of Saturday morning, a male was arrested in Kirkwall on suspicion of assault. The assault was not of a serious nature and he was released from custody when enquiries were completed.

Also, in the early hours of Saturday morning, a man was arrested in Stromness, on suspicion of drink-driving. He was later released from custody.

The circumstances of both incidents are being reported to the Procurator Fiscal.

At 5.54am on Saturday morning, a blue Rover car was found abandoned on the Old Finstown Road.

The vehicle was subsequently reported stolen from Somerville Square in Kirkwall.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact Kirkwall police on 872241.

On Friday, members of the Grampian Police Dive team attempted to locate the car which went over the cliffs at Yesnaby, on Wednesday, April 23.

The team were unable to locate the vehicle, due to the prevailing swell and weather conditions making it too hazardous. Diving operations have now ceased on safety grounds.

Orkney police have confirmed that as a result of this incident, 20-year-old Darren Kirkness remains missing, and shore searches will be carried out over the forthcoming days.

Kirkwall Fire Brigade were called out on Friday morning after reports of a car on fire beside Papdale Halls of Residence.

The fire, which involved a Toyota RAV4, was extinguished without incident and there were no suspicious circumstances.