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View Full Version : Fit's in 'e Groat 'e day?



Nwicker60
01-Apr-11, 14:19
Review April 1, 2011

THE lead story on the front page of the paper is concerned with a row over a delay in the replacement of the gates at Old St Peter’s Church, in Thurso. The gates were vandalised several years ago and Thurso Heritage Society planned to replace them. However, Historic Scotland was unhappy with the plan drawn up by Dounreay apprentices as, they said, it didn’t meet its technical and design specifications. This attracted a blistering attack from Thurso community councillor, Don Smith. He accused HS of “dragging their feet” and being “obstructive”. Mr Smith continued: “It is bureaucracy gone mad. Another tourist season is almost upon us and the gates at the church are still locked.”


OPERATORS of the Dounreay nuclear plant have donated specialist equipment to help their Japanese counterparts cope with the ongoing emergencies at the crippled Fukushima reactor site. The materials were shipped out at the weekend as part of the British nuclear industry’s response to the crisis.


THE anchor story on Page 1 gives the good news that the threatened Wick gala has had a reprieve. An emergency general meeting on Tuesday night attracted some 21 volunteers, enough to replace the main office bearers and provide a strong committee.


NOT so bright news, inside, was voiced by Thurso community councillor Ian Wright who claimed that the health service in Caithness is “going down the drain, bit by bit”. He said that the public can’t get an audiology clinic at the town’s Dunbar Hospital. Although two are held at Caithness General Hopital in Wick, bookings for them have to be made through Raigmore Hospital. Mr Wright also pointed out he had to travel to Sutherland to attend an eye clinic recently. He complained that clinics were held in Wick, but he had to go to Golspie. Mr Wright added: “Services are being cut back while there has been a 12 per cent increase in management. The NHS is going down the drain bit by bit.”


UNWANTED items which are destined for the tip, could find a new home thanks to a newly-formed local group. Freecycle Wick has set up a brand new website to enable people in Caithness to hand over belongings to those who could find a used for them, instead of throwing them away. Freecycle is an international charitable organisation which started in North America and has grown internationally. Its goal is to keep useable items out of landfills, reduce consumerism, manufacture fewer goods and lessen the impact on the environment.

A LOCAL landowner has claimed there will be a furious backlash over the “blighting” of the countryside with windfarms. Islay MacLeod, of Thrumster Estate, hit out this week after Highland councillors granted consent for a new turbine wind farm development, at Burn of Whilk which opponents argued would impact on one of the best preserved archaeological sites in the country. The developers are RWE npower renewables.


TWO Far North trade unionists were among the furthest travelled, on the mass rally in London, last weekend, staged to protest about jobs being lost as a result of government funding cuts. Unite duo John Deighan and Malky Ness walked alongside full-time regional officer Lyn turner on the demonstration which was addressed by Labour leader, Ed Miliband.


THE seven candidates in the by-election to replace the vacant Wick seat on Highland Council have their say in a two-page spread.


THE 70th anniversary of a freak storm in which three Far North shepherds perished was commemorated at the weekend. Over 60 people attended the unveiling of a memorial at the cemetery at Strath-Halladale, the scene of one of the tragedies. Several relatives were present at the poignant ceremony which recalled the devastating impact of the blizzard which enveloped parts of the Far North on March 26, 1941.


“WE need to come out fighting”. That was the clarion call issued by Wick Academy co-manager, Richard Hughes who said it’s the remedy for a team that’s hurting.
He is at pains not to underestimate their next opponents, Clach, at Harmsworth Park, on tomorrow and warned: “ A lot of people may be thinking that, because Clach lost a lot of goals, last weekend and because we should be closer to full strength, that we can go on with home advantage and and get a few goals ourselves. That’s not the way it works.”