Orkney is an "idyllic" destination says French newspaper

Orkney has been featured in a French Sunday newspaper as an idyllic family holiday destination.

The article was written for a Sunday paper circulated in the Normandy area Dimanche Ouest France.

Among the visitor attractions highlighted in the full page feature is the Highland Park Distillery, the Italian Chapel and ancient monuments such as Skara Brae, Maeshowe and the Ring of Brodgar.

Russian vessel sheds cargo off Orkney

The Mikhail Tchermnykh in the Bay of Skaill. (Picture: orkneyphotographic.co.uk)

The coastguard assisted a Russian cargo vessel in trouble in gale force winds to the west of Orkney on Thursday night.

The Mikhail Tchermnykh, with 19 crew on board, called for help around 10pm after developing a 30 degree list to its starboard side.

The captain jettisoned around 100 cubic metres of its timber cargo and the ship made its way to the Bay of Skaill in Sandwick, escorted by the Stromness lifeboat.

Sunday arrival for Claymore?

Pentland Ferries' second vessel won't be arriving in St Margaret's Hope until Sunday, according to owner Andrew Banks.

The vessel is remaining in Scrabster until the winds, that prevented the final leg of her homeward journal, drop.

After being plagued by a series of delays, the Claymore was expected in Orkney on Thursday afternoon, but had to berth at Scrabster because of weather conditions.

Bus driver assaulted

Police are appealing for witnesses after a bus driver was assaulted on Thursday night.

The incident took place at 5.20pm at the Great Western Road bus station in Kirkwall. An ambulance attended the scene and the driver was taken to Balfour Hospital.

A man has been arrested and a report is to be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

Hospital ward hit by sick bug

The male ward at the Balfour Hospital has been closed to new admissions following an outbreak of sickness and diarrhoea.

A member of the public visiting at the weekend is believed to have led to the latest cluster, which has affected around ten staff and seven patients. New admissions are now being placed in the female ward or day hospital.

Orkney’s director of public health, Dr John Curnow, has appealed for people suffering to stay away from the hospital for 48 hours after the symptoms have disappeared.

More delays for Claymore service

Pentland Ferries' second vessel spent another night away from home last night, after weather and tidal conditions prevented the final leg of her homeward journey.

After being plagued by a series of delays, the Claymore was expected in Orkney on Thursday afternoon, but had to berth at Scrabster.

She is now expected to make the journey to St Margaret's Hope today.

Mass slaughter feared after discovery of seal corpses

Police investigations are continuing today following the discovery of a number of dead seals in South Ronaldsay. It is believed the animals may have been shot.

Around 20 grey seals, including a number of pregnant females, were found washed up at the Pool of Cletts, south of St Peter's Kirk, just after 12 noon on Wednesday.

The delay in completing the new terminal at Scrabster could be costing the contractor concerned £50,000 a week in penalties, it has been claimed this week.

The claim appeared in the trade journal New Civil Engineer.

Click here for full details

Hamnavoe arrives in Leith

The ferry that will eventually serve on the Stromness-Scrabster route arrived safely in Leith on Wednesday, where she will be "mothballed" until pier work at Scrabster is complete.

NorthLink's Hamnavoe left Finland earlier this week, and in a poignant moment, passed the St Ola south of Sweden. The former Pentland Firth vessel was en-route to her new home in the Baltic.

Talisman shares drop

Shares in Talisman, operators of Orkney’s Flotta oil terminal, fell to a near year-low this week.

Shares in the Canadian oil firm dropped yesterday, Wednesday, on both the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, with shares in Canada down 14% at £21.57.

Talisman said that they expected productions next year to average 440,000-450,000 barrels of oil equipment per day, with capital spending estimated at around £899 million – around 10% lower than previous forecasts.

OIC analyse new information on £4.3 million mart loan

Orkney Islands Council are currently studying new information on the £4.3 million loan given to a subsidiary of Orkney Auction Mart to build the new livestock shipping cassettes.

Assistant chief executive Malcolm Burr told councillors at Tuesday’s full council meeting that “a considerable amount of information” had been received since the special full council meeting at which the loan was agreed.

Convener, Councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston assured councillors that if anything untoward came to light in the new information, a report would be brought back to the council.

Relief in Burray as councillors reinstate school construction plans

Islands councillors who voted to postpone rebuilding the Burray School were accused on Tuesday of subjecting locals to “mass community stress.”

The criticism came from Burray and Holm councillor, Mac Petrie, who said that people in Burray felt “betrayed and let down” by those who had voted to give priority to a refurbishment of Rousay School over the new Burray School.

But at Tuesday’s full council meeting, councillors agreed to reinstate Burray School onto the OIC spending programme, with the work due to begin in 2004.

Archive story: Councillors postpone new Burray school

Look to the heavens with Sky Notes astronomy mini-site

Launched on Tuesday, a new section of The Orcadian Online promises to keep local skywatchers informed of the latest astronomical events.

Written by Rousay astronomer John Vetterlein, Sky Notes will be updated regularly with the latest news and information, all with a local perspective.

The first "edition" features Mercury and Venus and can be found at www.orcadian.co.uk/skynotes

Christmas bonus agreed at £30

The amount of Christmas bonus paid to senior citizens and disabled people in Orkney this year will be £30.

Orkney Islands councillors agreed that figure for this year, but it was also decided to consider a report on the whole future of the Christmas bonus early in 2003.

Demonstrators gather outside OIC to protest about Burray school proposals

Some of the young Burray School protesters outside the OIC on Tuesday.

Around 60 protesters stood outside Orkney Islands Council on Tuesday morning, campaigning for a new Burray Primary School – two years after they held similar demonstrations there.

The protest followed the recent recommendation that the refurbishment of the Rousay Primary should take priority over a new Burray school.

NorthLink apologise for phone failure but urge customers to 'stick with us'

To alleviate the problems, NorthLink say they have hired new Stromness staff as well as retraining staff at a call-handling centre used to cope with overspill calls.

Chief executive, Bill Davidson, said: "This is not the standard of service we wish to provide. I want to call on our customers, and potential customers, to stick with us while we get this right, which we will do."

Interim finance director to remain at helm until March 2003

The OIC are likely to be advertising for a new director of finance and housing within the next few weeks.

Interviews for the post were held earlier this year but councillors agreed not to make an appointment, and instead to re-advertise at a later date.

OIC chief executive, Mr Alistair Buchan, told The Orcadian: “As we stand at the moment, the acting director, Albert Tait, has kindly agreed to stay on with us until the end of the financial year, at the end of March – perhaps a bit longer, depending how things go."

Archive story: OIC fail to appoint new finance director
OIC appoint interim finance director

The Orkney branch of the Scottish Socialist Party are planning a protest this weekend against military action in Iraq.

They are inviting protesters to join them on the steps of St Magnus Cathedral on Saturday at noon.

In a letter to The Orcadian this week, branch chairman Rob Crichton says: "We wholeheartedly oppose the current Iraqi regime that seeks to gas and brutalise its own people, but do not believe that the answer lies in killing even more innocent Iraqis."

Engine problems mean further delay to start of Claymore service

MV Claymore

The former CalMac ferry was expected in Orkney on Sunday, to go into service on Monday.

However, a piston liner in the main engine failed during the voyage north.

First league points to Orkney Rugby Club

A win over Stirling University in Kirkwall on Saturday afternoon has earned Orkney Rugby Club their first National League Division Four points of the season.

The final score was 15-0 to Orkney. With the home side being 3-0 up at half-time, two second-half tries, one of which was converted, gave Orkney their first win of the season.

Orkney previously faced Stirling in the play-off game that secured them their league promotion.

Second place for Kirkwall fencer

Mrs Maggie Tait, of East Road, Kirkwall, came second in the recent Highland Open Ladies Epee Championship.

Since February 2001 Maggie has been a pupil of former German National 'A' team coach for West Berlin, Leonard Cain, who now lives in Rendall.