Nwicker60
29-Feb-12, 11:04
Caithness Courier review: February 29, 2012
A DECISION to scrap planned repair work on one of Wick’s busiest roads has been met with fury. Scotland TranServ proposed to resurface South Road this summer but the work will not go ahead amid claims it has run out of money. The company, says the paper in its front-page lead story, is responsible for the section of road on the A99 which forms one of the main gateways into the town. Councillors were given assurances maintenance work would start later this year, but on Monday night they were notified by ward manager David Sutherland it will no longer be possible due to a lack of cash. Wick councillor Bill Fernie said the decision has sparked anger among local people who have been calling for the road to be repaired.
THE amount of rubbish being discarded around Castletown is “horrendous” according to a community councillor. John Crowden hit out at Thursday night’s meeting, after hearing that local man, John Calder, had gathered over 700 empty cans from around the village over a three-week period. Mr Calder collected 754 cans in an area stretching from the harbour to Olrig Cemetery, along by the primary school and on to Harland Road. He also picked up 75 empty half bottles of vodka and 50 other bottles as well as nine bags of plastic bottles. However, Mr Calder said the number of cans he collected, was down by half, compared to the figure for last year.
A TWO-MAN modern take, on a Shakespearean classic, swept the boards at this year’s premier drama festival in Caithness. Thurso Players “C” walked away with the title of best play at the Scottish Community Drama Association’s Caithness festival of one-act plays held at Thurso High School on Friday and Saturday nights. I am Hamlet took the top award along with the highest direction mark as Andrew Crawford and Ken Murphy stole the show during the sellout two nights. They delivered an edgy performance which started off light-hearted but resulted in a dramatic climax, shocking the entire audience which responded with thunderous applause.
A BID to erect a sign in English and Gaelic at Wick Airport has been slammed as “unnecessary nonsense” by a Highland councillor. Graeme smith opposed the plan and described it as “a political statement” which would mislead visitors about the area’s heritage rather than enhance it. His Thurso colleague, Donnie Mackay, took a similar view and said the money would be better spent on more pressing issues at a time of economic restraint.
PLANS for a £110 million wind farm near Reay are to go on display at two open days in the village next week. Infinergy, the company behind the 26-turbine proposal at Limekiln, is staging the events in Reay Hall to give the public the opportunity to view and comment on the draft plans. According to the firm, the development will create jobs during the construction and maintenance phases and could bring £9.75m to support community initiatives over its 25-year lifetime. The annual figure would be around £390,000.
DEVELOPMENTS in the Pentland Firth will be used to promote the latest technological developments in green energy at an event in South America next month. Two members of the Environmental Research Institute in Thurso, will be heading to Chile at the end of March to highlight Scottish renewable capabilities to the Chilean government. The meeting is being organised by Scottish Development International which has asked Dr Angus and Jackie Black from the ERI to put forward the case for marine and tidal energy, using examples of the progress that has been made in the Far North.
THE threat of closure to fire stations in the Highlands has been lifted because senior officers realised the controversial move would have been politically unacceptable, according to the fire board’s convener. In a remarkable U-turn, Highlands and Islands fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that no stations will be suspended or closed because of training deficiencies in staff or understaffed bases. A major training programme for the region’s firefighters is now underway after it emerged last year, that standards were not up to national guidelines. Specialist trainers will be provided from other Scottish brigades.
DOGS in the Castletown area could be DNA tested as a way of combating the problem of fouling in public places. Landward Caithness Highland councillor, Robert Coghill, told Castletown and District Community Council on Thursday night, that an organisation called Green Paws carries out such tests and may be interested in undertaking a pilot project the Far North. The London-based company has developed technology to identify dog waste through the animal’s DNA and has carried out testing in parts of Europe. Mr Coghill, who had originally suggested the idea at a community council meeting at the end of last year, pointed out that DNA testing is carried out in countries such as Italy, Germany and the USA.
DAVIE Kirkwood blasted his payers for complacency after he described Wick Academy’s 4-3 defeat to Turiff United as his side’s worst performance of the season. Despite goal machine Davie Allan scoring twice in the first three minutes, the manager said his team was “all over the place” and never really looked in the match, even though it was in the lead after an hour. He reprimanded his players in the dressing room, saying they thought they simply had to turn up and win after going on a run of eight wins after 12 games.
A DECISION to scrap planned repair work on one of Wick’s busiest roads has been met with fury. Scotland TranServ proposed to resurface South Road this summer but the work will not go ahead amid claims it has run out of money. The company, says the paper in its front-page lead story, is responsible for the section of road on the A99 which forms one of the main gateways into the town. Councillors were given assurances maintenance work would start later this year, but on Monday night they were notified by ward manager David Sutherland it will no longer be possible due to a lack of cash. Wick councillor Bill Fernie said the decision has sparked anger among local people who have been calling for the road to be repaired.
THE amount of rubbish being discarded around Castletown is “horrendous” according to a community councillor. John Crowden hit out at Thursday night’s meeting, after hearing that local man, John Calder, had gathered over 700 empty cans from around the village over a three-week period. Mr Calder collected 754 cans in an area stretching from the harbour to Olrig Cemetery, along by the primary school and on to Harland Road. He also picked up 75 empty half bottles of vodka and 50 other bottles as well as nine bags of plastic bottles. However, Mr Calder said the number of cans he collected, was down by half, compared to the figure for last year.
A TWO-MAN modern take, on a Shakespearean classic, swept the boards at this year’s premier drama festival in Caithness. Thurso Players “C” walked away with the title of best play at the Scottish Community Drama Association’s Caithness festival of one-act plays held at Thurso High School on Friday and Saturday nights. I am Hamlet took the top award along with the highest direction mark as Andrew Crawford and Ken Murphy stole the show during the sellout two nights. They delivered an edgy performance which started off light-hearted but resulted in a dramatic climax, shocking the entire audience which responded with thunderous applause.
A BID to erect a sign in English and Gaelic at Wick Airport has been slammed as “unnecessary nonsense” by a Highland councillor. Graeme smith opposed the plan and described it as “a political statement” which would mislead visitors about the area’s heritage rather than enhance it. His Thurso colleague, Donnie Mackay, took a similar view and said the money would be better spent on more pressing issues at a time of economic restraint.
PLANS for a £110 million wind farm near Reay are to go on display at two open days in the village next week. Infinergy, the company behind the 26-turbine proposal at Limekiln, is staging the events in Reay Hall to give the public the opportunity to view and comment on the draft plans. According to the firm, the development will create jobs during the construction and maintenance phases and could bring £9.75m to support community initiatives over its 25-year lifetime. The annual figure would be around £390,000.
DEVELOPMENTS in the Pentland Firth will be used to promote the latest technological developments in green energy at an event in South America next month. Two members of the Environmental Research Institute in Thurso, will be heading to Chile at the end of March to highlight Scottish renewable capabilities to the Chilean government. The meeting is being organised by Scottish Development International which has asked Dr Angus and Jackie Black from the ERI to put forward the case for marine and tidal energy, using examples of the progress that has been made in the Far North.
THE threat of closure to fire stations in the Highlands has been lifted because senior officers realised the controversial move would have been politically unacceptable, according to the fire board’s convener. In a remarkable U-turn, Highlands and Islands fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that no stations will be suspended or closed because of training deficiencies in staff or understaffed bases. A major training programme for the region’s firefighters is now underway after it emerged last year, that standards were not up to national guidelines. Specialist trainers will be provided from other Scottish brigades.
DOGS in the Castletown area could be DNA tested as a way of combating the problem of fouling in public places. Landward Caithness Highland councillor, Robert Coghill, told Castletown and District Community Council on Thursday night, that an organisation called Green Paws carries out such tests and may be interested in undertaking a pilot project the Far North. The London-based company has developed technology to identify dog waste through the animal’s DNA and has carried out testing in parts of Europe. Mr Coghill, who had originally suggested the idea at a community council meeting at the end of last year, pointed out that DNA testing is carried out in countries such as Italy, Germany and the USA.
DAVIE Kirkwood blasted his payers for complacency after he described Wick Academy’s 4-3 defeat to Turiff United as his side’s worst performance of the season. Despite goal machine Davie Allan scoring twice in the first three minutes, the manager said his team was “all over the place” and never really looked in the match, even though it was in the lead after an hour. He reprimanded his players in the dressing room, saying they thought they simply had to turn up and win after going on a run of eight wins after 12 games.