Nwicker60
11-Jan-12, 11:32
Caithness Courier review: January 11, 2012
THE front page lead story records the Milnes family’s response to the enormous public support they have received following the death of their son, Stewart in a road accident at the weekend. He was killed when his car left the A836 Reay to Thurso road at Scrabster Brae and hit a section of dry-stone dyke. His father, Derrick Milnes, said that the 26-year-old, a community mental health nurse, wanted to get involved in the local community. He added: “ Stewart thoroughly enjoyed his work and had a real commitment to it.” Mr Milnes described his son as a family person who was always there, if somebody needed him.”
A CONSULTATION at Wick High School could result in pupils finishing early, one day a week. Rector Thomas McIntyre sent out a letter to parents at the start of December, looking at reducing the amount of time wasted, through the current school set-up of a 40-period week. He laid out a range of options proposing a move to a 33-period week at the start of the 2012/13 school year and extending classes by 10 minutes. This could result in four days of seven periods and one day of five periods. Other schools in Highland and across Scotland have already implemented a similar structure including Dingwall and Alness. Highland Council’s education, culture and sport committee chairman, Bill Fernie, thinks the move could benefit the school. He said: “The idea is that the pupils would get more time in front of the teachers in the classrooms, than they would under the current system”.
A POPULAR Thurso pub has become a fully-fledged live music venue. The Newmarket Bar in Traill Street is the only place in the county with live music four nights a week. Owner Isla Mackay said local appreciation for live music and the success of other dedicated venues, prompted the change. She said: “The audiences in Caithness are fantastic and we are excited to be making this move. We looked at how established small music venues such as Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh and Mad Hatters in Inverness operate, not offering day-time trade but opening purely to offer live music. We fully embrace this trend and are looking forward to attracting a range of high-quality acts to Caithness.”
A LOCAL councillor is championing a scheme to give free computers to community groups and children being looked after by the Highland Council. Education, culture and sport chairman, Bill Fernie, of Wick, is backing an innovative project launched by the local authority over the festive period to recycle thousands of computers for use by communities and deserving youngsters across the Highlands. The initiative to renovate equipment for reuse instead of being consigned to landfill, is being funded by technology company Fujitsu and the council, and should see over 1000 computers put back into good use in each of the next three years.
CAITHNESS motorists have been offered a glimmer of hope that they could also benefit from a new fuel discount scheme which is set to start soon on Scottish islands-but they should not hold their breath. Highland MP Danny Alexander said attempts to extend the UK Government initiative to rural mainland areas could be made, depending on the success of the pilot which starts in the Northern Isles, Hebrides and Argyll island in March. However, Mr Alexander, the chief secretary to the Treasury, warned it could be tough persuading Brussels that it should be rolled out to the mainland and could take years.
TENANTS living in council houses across the Highlands are facing a rent hike of almost two per cent, it has emerged. They could see an average increase of 1.9 per cent which would mean them paying £67.45 per week, up from the current £66.19. Highland Council rents are currently the third highest in Scotland and it comes on the back of last year’s three per cent increase. Members of the authority’s housing and social work committee, which meets in Inverness, today will be asked to approve a proposal to raise rent at a level which is more than three per cent below the rate of inflation. In a report to the committee, the council’s head of housing, David Goldie, said 53p sought from each tenant per week in the increase, would be directed towards a fund to build more homes. The council agreed in principle last May, to construct 750 properties in the next five years and is seeking funding from the Scottish Government.
THE country’s most northern railway stations have been commended for their green credentials. The Keep Scotland Beautiful Tidy Station Standards Programme awarded Wick silver status while Thurso achieved a bronze. During the last six months, representatives of the environmental charity visited all 346 stations across Scotland to asses each facility’s performance on issues ranging from clearing litter and recycling to waste management and community links. Judges then awarded each station gold, silver or bronze status, depending on the amount of effort each had made on improving the environment and the available facilitities.
THE front page lead story records the Milnes family’s response to the enormous public support they have received following the death of their son, Stewart in a road accident at the weekend. He was killed when his car left the A836 Reay to Thurso road at Scrabster Brae and hit a section of dry-stone dyke. His father, Derrick Milnes, said that the 26-year-old, a community mental health nurse, wanted to get involved in the local community. He added: “ Stewart thoroughly enjoyed his work and had a real commitment to it.” Mr Milnes described his son as a family person who was always there, if somebody needed him.”
A CONSULTATION at Wick High School could result in pupils finishing early, one day a week. Rector Thomas McIntyre sent out a letter to parents at the start of December, looking at reducing the amount of time wasted, through the current school set-up of a 40-period week. He laid out a range of options proposing a move to a 33-period week at the start of the 2012/13 school year and extending classes by 10 minutes. This could result in four days of seven periods and one day of five periods. Other schools in Highland and across Scotland have already implemented a similar structure including Dingwall and Alness. Highland Council’s education, culture and sport committee chairman, Bill Fernie, thinks the move could benefit the school. He said: “The idea is that the pupils would get more time in front of the teachers in the classrooms, than they would under the current system”.
A POPULAR Thurso pub has become a fully-fledged live music venue. The Newmarket Bar in Traill Street is the only place in the county with live music four nights a week. Owner Isla Mackay said local appreciation for live music and the success of other dedicated venues, prompted the change. She said: “The audiences in Caithness are fantastic and we are excited to be making this move. We looked at how established small music venues such as Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh and Mad Hatters in Inverness operate, not offering day-time trade but opening purely to offer live music. We fully embrace this trend and are looking forward to attracting a range of high-quality acts to Caithness.”
A LOCAL councillor is championing a scheme to give free computers to community groups and children being looked after by the Highland Council. Education, culture and sport chairman, Bill Fernie, of Wick, is backing an innovative project launched by the local authority over the festive period to recycle thousands of computers for use by communities and deserving youngsters across the Highlands. The initiative to renovate equipment for reuse instead of being consigned to landfill, is being funded by technology company Fujitsu and the council, and should see over 1000 computers put back into good use in each of the next three years.
CAITHNESS motorists have been offered a glimmer of hope that they could also benefit from a new fuel discount scheme which is set to start soon on Scottish islands-but they should not hold their breath. Highland MP Danny Alexander said attempts to extend the UK Government initiative to rural mainland areas could be made, depending on the success of the pilot which starts in the Northern Isles, Hebrides and Argyll island in March. However, Mr Alexander, the chief secretary to the Treasury, warned it could be tough persuading Brussels that it should be rolled out to the mainland and could take years.
TENANTS living in council houses across the Highlands are facing a rent hike of almost two per cent, it has emerged. They could see an average increase of 1.9 per cent which would mean them paying £67.45 per week, up from the current £66.19. Highland Council rents are currently the third highest in Scotland and it comes on the back of last year’s three per cent increase. Members of the authority’s housing and social work committee, which meets in Inverness, today will be asked to approve a proposal to raise rent at a level which is more than three per cent below the rate of inflation. In a report to the committee, the council’s head of housing, David Goldie, said 53p sought from each tenant per week in the increase, would be directed towards a fund to build more homes. The council agreed in principle last May, to construct 750 properties in the next five years and is seeking funding from the Scottish Government.
THE country’s most northern railway stations have been commended for their green credentials. The Keep Scotland Beautiful Tidy Station Standards Programme awarded Wick silver status while Thurso achieved a bronze. During the last six months, representatives of the environmental charity visited all 346 stations across Scotland to asses each facility’s performance on issues ranging from clearing litter and recycling to waste management and community links. Judges then awarded each station gold, silver or bronze status, depending on the amount of effort each had made on improving the environment and the available facilitities.