ORKNEY and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael has reiterated the commitment of the Coalition Government to cutting fuel prices in rural areas after Treasury Minister Danny Alexander announced that he expected that pilot schemes to help reduce costs will be brought forward within months.

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This will include information about the 200-year anniversary of Kirkwall Pier and The Tall Ships Races which it's hoped will attract race competitors and enthusiasts to the county.]]>
The Pauline was towed to the test site on Friday, but following concerns that the barge's legs might not be long enough to work in high tide, she was returned to Kirkwall Harbour.]]>
The sections of the five Enercon E44 turbines were offloaded at Hatston pier last week and deliveries to Hammars Hill are due to start on Tuesday, August 3.]]>
The Youth Café brings together NHS Orkney with a number of local partner organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of local young people. The café also features a health hub giving young people information on drinking, drugs, smoking, sexual health, and weight management.

The health fair will be open from 9.30am to 12 noon, where young people from S1 and above can try a free big breakfast featuring smoothies, muffins, fruit salad and porridge. There will also be lots of other activities and health freebies at the fair.]]>
]]> EFFORTS to create more affordable housing in the county have taken a major step forward today, Friday, with the contract to build 40 new homes in Kirkwall for Orkney Islands Council and Orkney Housing Association Ltd awarded to local firm Orkney Builders (Contractors) Ltd.

The joint project between OIC and OHAL will deliver a range of homes in the Grainbank area of Kirkwall over the next two and a half years. The Grainbank development will include 29 two-bedroom houses, two four-bedroom houses and nine three-bedroom houses.

More details in Orkney Today on Thursday.
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]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> ]]> Shedding light on ancient days

During the last digging season at the Ness of Brodgar excavations, the Orkney Archaeology Society was able to establish a wee shop to sell publications, replica ancient pots, T-shirts and the like to help fund Orkney's Archaeology. The shop was similar to a horsebox and was quite good, but limited in its scope to really make the best of our wonderful opportunity. We did, however raise a goodly sum to put back into several projects and especially our Daphne Lorimer Student Bursary Fund. We sold Lottery Tickets by the hundred. We sold many copies of Julie Gibson and Frank Bradford's book, Rising Tides. We had huge interest in our replica prehistoric pottery and flints, along with ceramic brooches and other interesting artefacts.
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Like many other folk, I left last month's health board meeting with a sense of hope that we were heading in the right direction. The assessment of the financial outlook could not have been clearer or foreboding and yet everyone there on the day showed a real sense of ownership as we set out our recovery plans to deliver better health, better care and make better use of our resources.
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The £1 million funding package has been used to build an additional cheese store at the factory site on Crowness Road which can hold up to 750 tonnes of cheese. It will also be used to boost working capital and support ongoing growth.

The £5 million turnover business employs 24 staff and sources its milk from 20 diary farms around Orkney.
More details in Orkney Today.
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This Fund has been set up as part of the Proceeds of Crime (Act) Investment, which takes funds confiscated as part of the proceeds of crime, and reinvests them back into local communities.]]>
An Orkney police spokesman said: "During a recent period of enforcement the Orkney Area Command carried out numerous road side breath tests. During this same period no drink related offences were detected.

"Northern Constabulary is committed to making its roads safer with reduced death, injury and crime. In order to achieve this we will provide a highly visible police response to encourage responsible driver behaviour and reduce vehicle crime. We take this opportunity to remind drivers not to even consider drinking and driving."]]>
Sanday's Lifeboat Guild held its inaugural meeting on October 18 1955, a fact that an audience of over 70 folk were reminded of this week by the current president, Sue McArthur when a special reception was held in honour of one of the longest-serving members, Mary Brown of Colligarth. ]]>