Orkney Rugby Club’s First XV had a comfortable win against Glenrothes on Saturday, in the first round of the Scottish Hydro Electric Cup.

They won by 49-19, with Al Watson scoring five tries in a match which Orkney dominated.

The Seconds also had a high-scoring 79-7 victory over Lochaber in the Sinclair Moorings Cup.

The weekend saw a number of events take place as part of the Rognvald 850 programme – commemorating the 850th anniversary of the death of St Rognvald, who founded St Magnus Cathedral in memory of his uncle.

Over 30 visitors from St Rognvald’s birthplace, Grimstad, in Norway, attended and participated in the festivities, as well as the Norwegian Consul General from Edinburgh.

The events included a performance of Riders of Sea Horses, a celebration of Rognvald’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land and a performance of A Johnsmas Foy - Poet, Warrior Saint in St Rognvald Chapel, St Magnus Cathedral.

A commemorative service took place on Sunday, in St Magnus Cathedral. Conducted by cathedral minister Reverend Fraser Macnaughton and the Bishop Elect of Nidaros, it included the premiere of a specially commissioned piece for the cathedral choir, written by Orkney composer Gemma McGregor.

The OIC roads and transportation sub-committee have agreed to introduce a 20mph speed limit on all roads covering the Quoybanks and Kirklands Road area of Kirkwall and to make Manse Lane one way.

Other traffic calming measures, such as speed cushions and raised junctions will also be introduced.

A 20mph speed limit on a number of roads close by Orkney’s biggest primary school looks set to be introduced.

Councillors on the roads and transportation sub-committee meeting heard that there had been concerns raised regarding road safety around Papdale Primary School in Kirkwall. They related mainly to mornings and afternoons when parents were dropping off children.

Councillors recommended that Garrioch Street, Slater Street, White Street, Willow Road, a section of Willowburn Road and a section of Mill Street will become 20mph zones.There will also be restricted waiting in part of White Street and no waiting in part of Thoms Street.

The Kirkwall lifeboat was launched on Wednesday afternoon to go to the assistance of a diver on board the dive vessel, Karin.

The lifeboat launched at 5.31pm, with coxswain Geoff Garden and five volunteer crew aboard. The Karin was off Mull Head in Deerness and heading towards Kirkwall.

The lifeboat reached the dive boat at 5.50pm and the casualty transferred. With the diver onboard, the lifeboat arrived back in Kirkwall at 6:12pm, where an ambulance was waiting.

The line-up for the final of Fusion and The Orcadian’s Battle of the Bands has been announced.

Superego and Follow Through went through as the last two finalists, while Killing Tuesday who also performed at heat two last night, were this year’s wildcard act — they will also  compete in the final next Thursday. 

The running order for the final was drawn out of a hat this morning. E-Merjj, Follow Through, Killing Tuesday, Superego and Chugg will take to the stage in that order.

Owner of Fusion, Mark Ridgway said: “Everything is now to play for in the  competition. We are expecting a full house next week and I would advise people to get their tickets early.”

Tickets are available from Ridgway Travel Centre. 

The people behind the new Eday Heritage Centre Association were commended at Thursday’s Orkney Area Licensing Board for a “splendid” facility.

Members of the board granted permission for a public house licence, which permits both on and off-sale trading in alcohol, to the association and Katrina Byers.

Permission was also given for the regular extension of permitted hours from 11pm-1am on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons, from 2.30pm-6.30pm.

Permission was also granted for the transfer of the licence for the  Pierowall Hotel, in Westray, to the new owners, Alan and Alison Drever.

Staff at the Flotta oil terminal have pledged to try and raise £10,000 over the next year for urological cancer charity, UCAN.

Fundraising manager, Kate Synott, spent five days in the county, raising awareness of the charity’s work and the four main urological cancers — kidney, bladder, testicular, and prostate.

She gave a number of presentations to terminal staff.

Five rifle rounds have been found in the Berstane Road area of Kirkwall.

Police described the ammunition as "mangled and unusable" and said it was handed in to the police station by a member of the public, who found it at the junction of Carter's Park and Berstane Road.

A spokesman confirmed the rifle rounds will be destroyed.

A number of OIC services were affected by strike action on Wednesday.

The strike was part of nationwide action by Unite the Union, GMB and Unison members, in respect of the 2008 pay award. However, union members agreed previously that some lifeline services should not be affected.

Care workers in care home, or home carers, were not to be affected, along with emergency cover in the technical services department. People within one year of retirement or pregnant will also be exempt..

Ferry linkspan operations were to be permitted. Streamline, which is regarded as a lifeline service by the Scottish Government, operated and the berthing of cruise liners was permitted.

Police have named the man who drowned in St Margaret's Hope on Monday night as William George Tait, 39, from the Meadowbank area of Kirkwall.

Sergeant Eddie Graham said: "This is a tragedy for the local community and the family and we would ask, at this moment in time, if anyone has any information in relation to this incident, that has not been contacted by the police already, to get in touch."

A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal as a matter of course.

The Energy Efficiency Advice Centre is hosting an event in the Kirkwall Town Hall supper room on Wednesday, August 27, from 10am-1pm.

Programme manager, Amanda Bruce, from the Warm Deal and Central Heating Programme has been invited to the county and will be able to offer assistance and advice.

Anyone with concerns about their heating system under the Scottish Government Central Heating Programme is invited to go along and speak to Amanda.

There will be advisors on hand from local agencies available to discuss issues arising from increased fuel bills, lack of insulation, benefit advice and small repair services.

Three males were onboard a small rowing boat within the bay of St Margaret's Hope, when it capsized, around 11pm on Monday night.

Although two of the men were able to swim ashore, the third, William Tait, 38, from Kirkwall, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Northern Constabulary, Shetland Coastguard and the Scottish Ambulance Service and, it is understood, the Longhope Lifeboat, all responded to this incident.

Government Minister for Energy, Enterprise & Tourism, Jim Mather, met with local tourism representatives in Kirkwall on Monday afternoon.

During a reception at the new travel centre in Kirkwall, the minister met VisitOrkney staff, and also talked with representatives of local five star accommodation providers Rickla House and Sebay Mill.

A 39-year-old Orkney man was remanded in custody at Kirkwall Sheriff Court on Monday.

Norman Garson Wood, of no fixed abode, admitted stealing a bottle of whisky from Tesco supermarket in Kirkwall on July 25. He further pled guilty to conducting himself in a disorderly manner and refusing to leave Seaview Stores, in Burray, on August 15, placing a female employee in a state of fear and alarm, shouting, swearing and committing a breach of the peace. He was on bail at the time of the offences.

Declining bail, Honorary Sheriff Bill Wright deferred sentence on Wood until September 3 to allow the court to obtain background reports.

The OIC has confirmed that this week's planned strike action will not affect the Papdale Halls of Residence. 

Staff met on Monday morning and agreed to keep the school hostel open during the strike.

Between 11pm last Tuesday and 9.15am on Wednesday, a red and blue Honda CBR 600 motorcycle was stolen from outside a house in St Margaret’s Hope.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Kirkwall police on 872241.

Between 8pm on Friday and 8.10am on Saturday, the locks to the external doors of the Launderama in Kirkwall were filled with glue.

A cement-like substance was also applied to the soap drawers of washing machines.

Anyone with information should call police on 872241.

Find out more about what’s happening in your local NHS services by accepting NHS Orkney’s invitation to its next board meeting at the Gable End Theatre, in Hoy, next Thursday.

The Board takes its monthly Board meetings on the road whenever possible with a view to getting more people interested in local health services.

The meeting runs from 9.30am until noon on Thursday, August 28.