Nwicker60
13-Jul-12, 09:28
John O’ Groat Journal review: July 13, 2012
AIRPORT chiefs are being urged to upgrade landing gear at Wick after 23 flights were cancelled due to thick fog. Rob Gibson MSP has made the appeal to Highlands and Islands Airports Limited after poor weather affected arrivals and departures last week. The Caithness, Sutherland and Ross SNP MSP claims the facility is not good enough for an area which is expected to experience economic growth in the energy sector, within the next decade. He is now calling on HIAL chiefs to focus on the Caithness airport and make the necessary improvements and to open the airport seven days a week.
PLANS to develop another wind farm in north Caithness have been shelved in favour of establishing a new development a few miles south. Eurowind UK is mothballing its plans to develop on ground at Earl’s Cairn in Barrock, and is now looking at a site in Lyth instead. The company, which has established wind farms in France and Scandinavia, originally scoped the area at Barrock for potentially installing 13 wind turbines that would generate up to 39 megawatts.
FAR NORTH MP John Thurso could play a role in the Parliamentary inquiry into the banking system. It is understood the Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross MP is being considered as one of the inquiry members. The Lib Dem MP is a member of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee and took part in the questioning of former Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond, last week.
NUCLEAR waste from Dounreay could be cemented up into blocks and moved underground if current proposals are firmed up. The Babcock Dounreay Partnership has applied to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency for permission to carry out a technique called Big Blocking to deal with low level waste from the site.
AN inquiry into the deaths of three pensioners at a level crossing outside Halkirk has been ruled out. Angus and Margaret Mackay who were 81 and formerly of Wick and Mr Mackay’s 65-year-old brother Donald, who stayed at Forse House residential nursing home, at Latheron, were killed when their car collided with the Inverness to Wick train at the open crossing at Bridge Street, in September 2009. A Crown Office spokesman told the Groat the case is now closed and there will not be a fatal accident inquiry.
THE £6 million redevelopment of John O’ Groats will take a significant step forward, next month with the opening of 23 luxury self-catering apartments. They are expected to be ready for occupation in early August, according to a spokeswoman for Natural Retreats, the upmarket holiday company which is involved in the project along with Heritage Great Britain. The spokeswoman told the Groat this week, the next stage of the development would focus on creating residences at the site of the former hotel.
THE wet summer is proving a hit with anglers as a Caithness river has reported a record catch for salmon fishing. More fish were caught on Thurso River last month than in any other June since records began over 110 years ago. The number of fish grassed was more than three times the monthly average – a record 316 fish were landed, comprising salmon and grilse trouncing the usual 110. The total for the month beat the previous record of 309 that was reported in June 1927.
NO major signings are expected to walk through the gates of Harmsworth Park in time for the start of the new season as David Kirkwood is confident his current squad can do the business. The Wick Academy boss believes his side’s performances last season in the Highland League, has earned the incumbents the right to keep their first team places.
AND finally...five north bus drivers have struck gold with an assignment that will take them to the Olympic Games in London. Stagecoach employees Simon Verity from Scarfskerry, William Mackenzie, who stays in Thurso, Neil Callan from Achscrabster, John Munro, of Wick and Iain Gunn, from Strathy, will be part of a large-scale operation to provide transport for the athletes and the media during the games. They left Caithness on Saturday and will return in the middle of August. The operation will not impact on the services the company provides in the county.
AIRPORT chiefs are being urged to upgrade landing gear at Wick after 23 flights were cancelled due to thick fog. Rob Gibson MSP has made the appeal to Highlands and Islands Airports Limited after poor weather affected arrivals and departures last week. The Caithness, Sutherland and Ross SNP MSP claims the facility is not good enough for an area which is expected to experience economic growth in the energy sector, within the next decade. He is now calling on HIAL chiefs to focus on the Caithness airport and make the necessary improvements and to open the airport seven days a week.
PLANS to develop another wind farm in north Caithness have been shelved in favour of establishing a new development a few miles south. Eurowind UK is mothballing its plans to develop on ground at Earl’s Cairn in Barrock, and is now looking at a site in Lyth instead. The company, which has established wind farms in France and Scandinavia, originally scoped the area at Barrock for potentially installing 13 wind turbines that would generate up to 39 megawatts.
FAR NORTH MP John Thurso could play a role in the Parliamentary inquiry into the banking system. It is understood the Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross MP is being considered as one of the inquiry members. The Lib Dem MP is a member of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee and took part in the questioning of former Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond, last week.
NUCLEAR waste from Dounreay could be cemented up into blocks and moved underground if current proposals are firmed up. The Babcock Dounreay Partnership has applied to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency for permission to carry out a technique called Big Blocking to deal with low level waste from the site.
AN inquiry into the deaths of three pensioners at a level crossing outside Halkirk has been ruled out. Angus and Margaret Mackay who were 81 and formerly of Wick and Mr Mackay’s 65-year-old brother Donald, who stayed at Forse House residential nursing home, at Latheron, were killed when their car collided with the Inverness to Wick train at the open crossing at Bridge Street, in September 2009. A Crown Office spokesman told the Groat the case is now closed and there will not be a fatal accident inquiry.
THE £6 million redevelopment of John O’ Groats will take a significant step forward, next month with the opening of 23 luxury self-catering apartments. They are expected to be ready for occupation in early August, according to a spokeswoman for Natural Retreats, the upmarket holiday company which is involved in the project along with Heritage Great Britain. The spokeswoman told the Groat this week, the next stage of the development would focus on creating residences at the site of the former hotel.
THE wet summer is proving a hit with anglers as a Caithness river has reported a record catch for salmon fishing. More fish were caught on Thurso River last month than in any other June since records began over 110 years ago. The number of fish grassed was more than three times the monthly average – a record 316 fish were landed, comprising salmon and grilse trouncing the usual 110. The total for the month beat the previous record of 309 that was reported in June 1927.
NO major signings are expected to walk through the gates of Harmsworth Park in time for the start of the new season as David Kirkwood is confident his current squad can do the business. The Wick Academy boss believes his side’s performances last season in the Highland League, has earned the incumbents the right to keep their first team places.
AND finally...five north bus drivers have struck gold with an assignment that will take them to the Olympic Games in London. Stagecoach employees Simon Verity from Scarfskerry, William Mackenzie, who stays in Thurso, Neil Callan from Achscrabster, John Munro, of Wick and Iain Gunn, from Strathy, will be part of a large-scale operation to provide transport for the athletes and the media during the games. They left Caithness on Saturday and will return in the middle of August. The operation will not impact on the services the company provides in the county.