From next week, family researchers in the county can borrow from the world’s largest genealogy collection through a new service launched by the Orkney Library and Archive.

The library has teamed up with the Family History Library of the Genealogical Society of Utah to open a Family History Centre.

Principal archivist for Orkney Library and Archive, Alison Fraser, said: “Our new Family History Centre means that people who are interested in their connections around the world can look for clues into their family tree using FamilySearch, a huge database of genealogy resources run by the Family History Library in Utah, and order the materials here to the Kirkwall Library & Archive, all without leaving Orkney.

“They’ll be able use our Family History Centre either themselves or with help from archive staff to order microfiche or microfilm on 90 day loan for around £7. Once they arrive, the resources will be kept here in the Archive and Local Studies section where we have the specialist equipment to read the various types of microform."

Members of the public should be wary after a letter which is part of a scam was sent to an Orkney resident.

The letter was posted to the recipient, from an organisation claiming that he had won £225,000 in a European lottery.

The company said the lottery was supporting the London 2012 bid - the 2012 Olympics have, of course, already been awarded to London.

The company claim that they are supported by several international lottery institutions and the letter came addressed with the recipients full name and address.

The letter, which at first reading may appear genuine, states that the prize must be claimed soon or it shall be returned to a non-existent organisation.

Household pet owners are being warned to be on the lookout for illegal snares - after a cat was caught in a gin trap, in Stromness, this week.

The type of gin trap used has been illegal since 1951, local SSPCA officer, Mike Lynch, said.

The cat - the second household pet to be caught in an illegal snare in recent weeks - was fortunate to suffer only minor injuries, and is currently on painkillers, Mr Lynch said.

He has appealed for anyone in possession of illegal traps or snares to contact himself on 761267 or the police on 872241, so the devices can be destroyed.

Efforts to create more affordable housing in Orkney took a major step forward today, Friday, with a contract to build 40 homes in Kirkwall awarded to Orkney Builders.

The joint project, between Orkney Islands Council and Orkney Housing Association, will see a range of houses created in the Grainbank area of the town over the next two and a half years.

The development will include:

• 29 two-bedroom houses,
• two four-bedroom houses, and
• nine three-bedroom houses.

The OIC received £500,000 - £25,000 towards each house - from the Scottish Government's kick start programme for the project.

OHAL's building programme is funded through a mix of private finance, the housing association grant scheme, and proceeds of sales and shared equity houses.

Noctilucent clouds imaged looking due north from Springfield, Rousay, 23h 50m UT July 22 2010 (00h 50m BST July 23).

The clouds are usually to be seen in our late-night summer skies between late May to early August.

This year, bad weather has prevented any sightings until now. Please This event lasted around 50 minutes. See Sky Notes for further details on the noctilucent clouds.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison will visit Orkney on Tuesday, July 27, to attend a health fair at Kirkwall's Youth Cafe and the NHS Orkney annual review.

During her trip, Ms Robison will also see a presentation on some of the benefits the "quality strategy" is bringing to care in Orkney.

Speaking ahead of the review, Ms Robison said: "Our NHS is cherished by all of us. It should always strive to give quality care to every patient, every time.

"Health boards deserve credit for their many successes, and should take the opportunity to learn where improvements can be made and make changes."

NHS Orkney Chief Executive Cathie Cowan added: "The Board regards the review as a very important barometer of how the organisation has performed over the last year. I very much hope that the community will take the opportunity to attend."

The annual review begins at the King Street Halls, at 12.30 pm on Tuesday.

The West's teams emerged victorious in three of the Stromness Shopping Week sports clashes.

In Monday's senior football match, West defeated East 2-1 to reclaim the Brown Cup and doubled their scoring tally in last night's junior football match by winning 4-1.

In the annual hockey fixtures held at Stromness Academy, West won the junior clash but the senior East team were the stronger side in their match and won 3-0.

Police in Kirkwall are feeling positive this week, after a Northern Constabulary summer safety campaign saw no drink-drivers in Orkney.

Sergeant Gordon Deans said that over the fortnight of the campaign, which finished on Monday, drivers were being breathalysed, but no-one was found under the influence.

He said that the result was reassuring, and hopefully means that "the message is getting across and the roads are much safer".

Orkney Islands Council has started the process of examining how best to make substantial cuts to its budget.

Like every other local authority in Scotland, OIC faces an unprecedented reduction in the funding it receives from the Scottish Government to pay for Council services across the county.

“In difficult times, difficult choices will need to be made,” said Albert Tait, OIC chief executive.

“To help us make well informed decisions I have asked our service Directors to look at options for reducing their budgets by 20 per cent over a three year period. It is important to stress, though, that no decisions have been taken on the level of savings that will eventually be required – or on how cuts could be made.

“We won’t know how much our grant has been reduced by the Scottish Government until much later this year. Only then can our own spending decisions be made, but it is important that we start to examine the potential impact now."

A man has been sentenced for threatening to shoot police officers with a nail gun during a 13-hour incident in the Hatston Industrial Estate last month.

At Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Laurence James Leonard was sentenced to an 18-month probation order, with the condition that he carries out 160 hours community service.

On July 5, Leonard, 50, appeared in court, from custody, following the incident, which saw trained police negotiators and armed officers being called to the county.

Leonard pleaded guilty to committing himself in a disorderly manner, admitted threatening to shoot two police constables with a nail gun at the office premises of SL Construction, Crowness Crescent, Hatston, Kirkwall, and stating a wish to cause harm to a woman.

The "largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found" has been named the Best Archaeological Discovery at the 2010 British Archaeological Awards in London.

The Orkney Venus, which was in the running for the award, lost out to the Staffordshire Hoard at the awards ceremony in the British Museum on Monday.

The Best Archaeological Discovery Award is for an archaeological discovery which "advances understanding and stimulates public imagination of the past".

Data gathered to aid the development of wave energy technologies is now freely available to help other users of the seas around Orkney.

EMEC, the European Marine Energy Centre, collects the information using a special "wave rider" buoy to the west of the Black Craig near Stromness.

The data on conditions at the test site for wave energy devices is fed back to EMEC's base in Stromness and almost immediately published on the centre's website.

The wave information can be seen at www.emec.org.uk under Site Wave Data.

Orkney Islands Council is due to carry out operations on various roads, this week, weather permitting.

Surface dressing and road making operations are due to be carried out on Tankerness side roads and the Sandyhill to Ostoft road, and Steaquoy to Hill roads, on Shapinsay, today, Monday.

A fatal accident inquiry into the death of Stromness man Alec Moar has been adjourned until September 20.

At Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Monday, a motion to adjourn was made on behalf of Mr Moar's family.

The five-day inquiry will now begin on September 20.

Mr Moar's boat capsized in Hoy Sound in June, 2007. An air, sea and land search was launched after a red distress flare was spotted just after 12.30am on Saturday, June 16, 2007, off the Point of Ness.

The search was eventually called off with no sign of the 23-year-old. Just over a month later his remains were found on the Calf of Flotta.

The sun shone for the official opening of the 62nd annual Stromness Shopping Week on Monday.

The opening speech was given by Gareth Davies, before the Shopping Week Queen, Amy Firth, is crowned by last year's queen, Inga Nicolson.

Highland Amateur Cup holders Thorfinn missed out on securing their place in the final of the Highland Amateur Cup for the second time in two years at the weekend.

The Kirkwall side lost 4-1, after extra time, to Pentland United, in Thurso, on Saturday.

It started well for Thorfinn, who went ahead in the first half thanks to a Steven Miller strike, but Paddy Highley was sent off on the hour mark for the visitors when he received his second caution of the match.

The Dunnet-based side equalised with ten minutes remaining - forcing the game into extra time, before netting three goals in quick succession in the second half of extra time.

Thorfinn won the MacLeod IFA Highland Amateur Cup last year, beating Avoch on penalties, following a 2-2 draw.

A second figurine has been uncovered at the ongoing excavations at the Links of Notland in Westray.

Discovered by archaeologist Sean Rice, the second, headless, figurine is the same size and shape as the Orkney Venus, which was found last year.

But while the Orkney Venus was made from sandstone, the latest figurine is made of clay.

Young people in Orkney are being given the opportunity to take part in the excavations at the Ness of Brodgar.

Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology (ORCA) and World Heritage Site (WHS) Rangers Service have teamed up to offer young people the chance to learn more about the Ness of Brodgar excavations by taking part in a series of archaeology workshops running this summer.

Open to anyone between 12-16 years, the workshops will provide them with the opportunity to find out more about archaeology, excavation techniques and have a chance to be part of one of the most exciting digs in the world.

The archaeological workshops are being held on July 27, and August 3 and 10. There are a limited number of places available each day so booking is essential. Contact the rangers on 841732 for further information.