Nwicker60
04-May-11, 10:28
Caithness Courier review: May 4, 2011
THE 16-page paper leads with the opening of a public local inquiry at Halkirk, into a plan to site 30 turbines at Spittal Hill, which would be the biggest development of its kind in the county. The story is the subject a separate post, in Doanalsin’s Diary.
A CONTRASTINGLY lighter story is the main photo feature on page one. Young Castletown couple, Leah Calder and Matthew Murray played the roles of Prince William and Kate, during their school’s royal wedding celebrations. The story also features the reaction of the county’s Lord Lieuteneant, Anne Dunnett, who attended the wedding in Westminster Abbey. She described it as “an experience of a lifetime”. A separate story on the front page reveals that Prince William and his bride sampled beef from the Far North at their post-wedding lunch, hosted by the Queen.
INSIDE, concern is expressed over an election candidate’s claim that the programme to build the new Wick High School has been put back. The claim by Robbie Rowantree, who is bidding to occupy the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat for the Lib Dems, was attacked as untrue, by his SNP opponent, Rob Gibson and Bill Fernie, chairman of Highland Council’s education, culture and sport committee. He said that normal negotiations were taking place and, so far as he was concerned, it was “all go” for the new school.
THE paper reports regrets expressed at a meeting of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council over the decision by its H.A.P.P.Y sub-committee to pull the plug on the annual Hogmanay street bash, because of a lack of volunteers to run it. However, it was stressed that there are funds available for anyone who wants to keep the popular party going.
BUS services from Castletown have taken “a backward step” it has been claimed, following changes introduced to the timetable, by Stagecoach. Castletown community council chairman, Doug Fraser, said that villagers were getting a poorer service from the bus company following the alterations, which were introduced, a week last Monday. Mr Fraser was at a loss to know what Castletown was being discriminated against, while services in other areas in the county were being retained or even enhanced. Councillor John Crowden expressed concern about timetable alterations which meant that Castletown people would now have to catch a bus to Thurso to get the connection to Inverness.
THE county is preparing for the biggest fundraising event in the North, the Caithness Relay for Life, which is on course to become the largest event of its kind the country. This summer’s attraction, which takes place at Sir George’s Park, in Thurso, already has the same number of teams entered, with three months still to go. Officials from Cancer Research UK, say that the relay currently has the most teams taking part out of any similar event in the country. Audrey Gunn, chair of the local committee, said that the organisers have been thrilled with the response they have received. First held in 2008, the relay saw 54 teams raise over £120,000 for the cancer charity.
THERE are photo spreads on pages six and seven featuring more local celebrations of the royal wedding and on page eight the paper reports that an Edwardian concert is to be staged in Castletown, later this year, 100 years after a similar was held to raise cash for a street lighting fund. The idea came about, after members of the Castletown Heritage Society discovered a newspaper report about the original concert which was held in 1911. It was compered by Capt. John Calder and featured artistes from the village and others from Thurso and Wick. Society chairwoman, Muriel Murray, said that they had managed to discover most of the material performed and plan to put on a re-enactment. Collaboration in the form of vocal tuition for performers, will come from the Royal Scottish School of Music and Drama, courtesy of North Highland connections.
CAMPS Bar 2 have completed the double by winning both the Wick and District Pool League division one title, and the Rockwater Cup, repeating last season’s feat and making it three doubles in four years.
THE 16-page paper leads with the opening of a public local inquiry at Halkirk, into a plan to site 30 turbines at Spittal Hill, which would be the biggest development of its kind in the county. The story is the subject a separate post, in Doanalsin’s Diary.
A CONTRASTINGLY lighter story is the main photo feature on page one. Young Castletown couple, Leah Calder and Matthew Murray played the roles of Prince William and Kate, during their school’s royal wedding celebrations. The story also features the reaction of the county’s Lord Lieuteneant, Anne Dunnett, who attended the wedding in Westminster Abbey. She described it as “an experience of a lifetime”. A separate story on the front page reveals that Prince William and his bride sampled beef from the Far North at their post-wedding lunch, hosted by the Queen.
INSIDE, concern is expressed over an election candidate’s claim that the programme to build the new Wick High School has been put back. The claim by Robbie Rowantree, who is bidding to occupy the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat for the Lib Dems, was attacked as untrue, by his SNP opponent, Rob Gibson and Bill Fernie, chairman of Highland Council’s education, culture and sport committee. He said that normal negotiations were taking place and, so far as he was concerned, it was “all go” for the new school.
THE paper reports regrets expressed at a meeting of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council over the decision by its H.A.P.P.Y sub-committee to pull the plug on the annual Hogmanay street bash, because of a lack of volunteers to run it. However, it was stressed that there are funds available for anyone who wants to keep the popular party going.
BUS services from Castletown have taken “a backward step” it has been claimed, following changes introduced to the timetable, by Stagecoach. Castletown community council chairman, Doug Fraser, said that villagers were getting a poorer service from the bus company following the alterations, which were introduced, a week last Monday. Mr Fraser was at a loss to know what Castletown was being discriminated against, while services in other areas in the county were being retained or even enhanced. Councillor John Crowden expressed concern about timetable alterations which meant that Castletown people would now have to catch a bus to Thurso to get the connection to Inverness.
THE county is preparing for the biggest fundraising event in the North, the Caithness Relay for Life, which is on course to become the largest event of its kind the country. This summer’s attraction, which takes place at Sir George’s Park, in Thurso, already has the same number of teams entered, with three months still to go. Officials from Cancer Research UK, say that the relay currently has the most teams taking part out of any similar event in the country. Audrey Gunn, chair of the local committee, said that the organisers have been thrilled with the response they have received. First held in 2008, the relay saw 54 teams raise over £120,000 for the cancer charity.
THERE are photo spreads on pages six and seven featuring more local celebrations of the royal wedding and on page eight the paper reports that an Edwardian concert is to be staged in Castletown, later this year, 100 years after a similar was held to raise cash for a street lighting fund. The idea came about, after members of the Castletown Heritage Society discovered a newspaper report about the original concert which was held in 1911. It was compered by Capt. John Calder and featured artistes from the village and others from Thurso and Wick. Society chairwoman, Muriel Murray, said that they had managed to discover most of the material performed and plan to put on a re-enactment. Collaboration in the form of vocal tuition for performers, will come from the Royal Scottish School of Music and Drama, courtesy of North Highland connections.
CAMPS Bar 2 have completed the double by winning both the Wick and District Pool League division one title, and the Rockwater Cup, repeating last season’s feat and making it three doubles in four years.