Nwicker60
25-Jan-12, 10:31
Caithness Courier review: January 25, 2012
A GLOWING report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education heralds a new era for Wick High School, says the lead story on the paper’s front page. That is according to parent council chair, Linda Malik, who spoke yesterday following the publication of a follow-up report to the 2008 inspection. The school was officially signed off from yearly visits for the first time since concerns were raised nearly four years ago. Mrs Malik welcomed the “extremely positive” inspection report and explained that the school has improved to the stage where annual inspections are no longer necessary. She added: “This endorses what we as a parent council feel is a very positive new era for Wick High School.”
GRANTS totalling almost £500,000 are to help bring derelict buildings in an historic part of Wick, back to life. The Pulteneytown Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme is to hand out £486 to revitalise run-down areas at Harbour Quay and Telford Street. The scheme, which was first launched in 2007, is a joint venture between Historic Scotland and Highland Council and aims to regenerate areas through the reuse and repair of historic buildings. Members of the local authority’s planning, environment and development committee, have approved a grant of £369,940 to the Highland Housing Alliance, towards a project to stabilise properties at Harbour Quay which are in need of repair.
ALSO on page one...a Halkirk woman narrowly missed out on a shock at the weekend when lightning struck her holiday home and caused an oil tank to burst into flames. Just after 9am on Saturday morning, lightning hit the gable end of Ola Todd’s unoccupied croft house in the Aird area of Betty hill. The huge electrical discharge seared through the circuits and up the outside fuel line to the heating oil storage tank, causing a fire that could be seen for miles. Mrs Todd, of Hoy Farm, told the Courier that if she had been running just 30 minutes earlier, she would have been inside, when radiators and doors flew off wall and electrical sockets exploded.
FORMER Woolworths staff in Caithness have hit out, after learning that they will not receive a share of a multi-million-pound compensation deal. Workers at the company’ former branches in Wick and Thurso have been told, along with 3000 other employees from 180 branches across the UK, that they do not qualify for the a share of the £67.8 million compensation payout which was agreed last week. And the move to only pay compensation of 24,000 members who worked at stores of more than 20 employees, has been branded by union officials as “an injustice”.
WICK is set to have its very own queen for the diamond jubilee from the ranks of the senior girls at Wick High School. The search has begun for the 2012 Wick Diamond Jubilee HarbourFest Queen and ladies-in-waiting and the organising committee are hoping there will be a host of applicants for the royal roles. Two ladies-in-waiting will escort the queen on her regal duties during the HarbourFest weekend on June 16 and 17. Councillor Gail Ross, chair of the HarbourFest committee, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for three young ladies to become the centre of attention during the HarbourFest.”
SCENES of surfing in Caithness feature in a new film which is to be screened in Thurso this week. Following the success of last year’s Wave North Festival, Caithness Horizons is working with the Scottish Surfing Federation to support the sport in Scotland. They have got together to organise a local premiere of the eagerly anticipated debut film by Scottish film-maker and surfer Allyn Harper-Through the Whisky Barrel. Many of the locations included in the film, are in Caithness and locally known surfers, Christ Clarke and Mark Boyd, are seen riding some of the famous waves that break on the county’s shores.
ANOTHER point on the road against one of the Highland League’s top teams has pleased Academy manager Davie Kirkwood but he believes his side could have won. The draw at Kynoch Park against Keith was hard fought and it was Davie Allan’s 42nd-minute goal that ensured the Scorries returned north on Saturday with one point. He still believes that his side can step it up another gear and be more ruthless in front of goal to make the Scorries a force in North football. Kirkwood said that his defence deserved a lot of credit for keeping the likes of Cammy Keith and Jamie Lennox quiet during the game, but he headed home reflecting that the win was there for the taking.
A GLOWING report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education heralds a new era for Wick High School, says the lead story on the paper’s front page. That is according to parent council chair, Linda Malik, who spoke yesterday following the publication of a follow-up report to the 2008 inspection. The school was officially signed off from yearly visits for the first time since concerns were raised nearly four years ago. Mrs Malik welcomed the “extremely positive” inspection report and explained that the school has improved to the stage where annual inspections are no longer necessary. She added: “This endorses what we as a parent council feel is a very positive new era for Wick High School.”
GRANTS totalling almost £500,000 are to help bring derelict buildings in an historic part of Wick, back to life. The Pulteneytown Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme is to hand out £486 to revitalise run-down areas at Harbour Quay and Telford Street. The scheme, which was first launched in 2007, is a joint venture between Historic Scotland and Highland Council and aims to regenerate areas through the reuse and repair of historic buildings. Members of the local authority’s planning, environment and development committee, have approved a grant of £369,940 to the Highland Housing Alliance, towards a project to stabilise properties at Harbour Quay which are in need of repair.
ALSO on page one...a Halkirk woman narrowly missed out on a shock at the weekend when lightning struck her holiday home and caused an oil tank to burst into flames. Just after 9am on Saturday morning, lightning hit the gable end of Ola Todd’s unoccupied croft house in the Aird area of Betty hill. The huge electrical discharge seared through the circuits and up the outside fuel line to the heating oil storage tank, causing a fire that could be seen for miles. Mrs Todd, of Hoy Farm, told the Courier that if she had been running just 30 minutes earlier, she would have been inside, when radiators and doors flew off wall and electrical sockets exploded.
FORMER Woolworths staff in Caithness have hit out, after learning that they will not receive a share of a multi-million-pound compensation deal. Workers at the company’ former branches in Wick and Thurso have been told, along with 3000 other employees from 180 branches across the UK, that they do not qualify for the a share of the £67.8 million compensation payout which was agreed last week. And the move to only pay compensation of 24,000 members who worked at stores of more than 20 employees, has been branded by union officials as “an injustice”.
WICK is set to have its very own queen for the diamond jubilee from the ranks of the senior girls at Wick High School. The search has begun for the 2012 Wick Diamond Jubilee HarbourFest Queen and ladies-in-waiting and the organising committee are hoping there will be a host of applicants for the royal roles. Two ladies-in-waiting will escort the queen on her regal duties during the HarbourFest weekend on June 16 and 17. Councillor Gail Ross, chair of the HarbourFest committee, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for three young ladies to become the centre of attention during the HarbourFest.”
SCENES of surfing in Caithness feature in a new film which is to be screened in Thurso this week. Following the success of last year’s Wave North Festival, Caithness Horizons is working with the Scottish Surfing Federation to support the sport in Scotland. They have got together to organise a local premiere of the eagerly anticipated debut film by Scottish film-maker and surfer Allyn Harper-Through the Whisky Barrel. Many of the locations included in the film, are in Caithness and locally known surfers, Christ Clarke and Mark Boyd, are seen riding some of the famous waves that break on the county’s shores.
ANOTHER point on the road against one of the Highland League’s top teams has pleased Academy manager Davie Kirkwood but he believes his side could have won. The draw at Kynoch Park against Keith was hard fought and it was Davie Allan’s 42nd-minute goal that ensured the Scorries returned north on Saturday with one point. He still believes that his side can step it up another gear and be more ruthless in front of goal to make the Scorries a force in North football. Kirkwood said that his defence deserved a lot of credit for keeping the likes of Cammy Keith and Jamie Lennox quiet during the game, but he headed home reflecting that the win was there for the taking.