Nwicker60
09-Nov-12, 11:20
John O’ Groat Journal headlines: November 9
CASTLETOWN freezer firm, Icetech, has been “kicked in the teeth by rogue venture capitalists”. That was the claim made yesterday by far North MP John Thurso, after the company had to pay off around 30 of its staff when its main customer, electrical retail giant Comet went into administration. Comet was taken over by a private equity company about a year ago. The Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP hit out at what has happened to Icetech and urged the UK and Scottish governments, the local enterprise company and Highland Council, to do all they can to save the remaining jobs at the Murrayfield plant.
NUCLEAR industry chief are keeping tight-lipped about the latest in a recent series of security upgrades at Dounreay. The first of a planned cluster of guard posts, resembling Second World War machine gun nests, has become established just inside the main gate which leads on to the licensed site. Commonly known as pillboxes, the structures consist of a raised platform and concrete shelter with sandbags piled around them. It is understood they are designed to be deployed during an incident when the security of the former fast reactor complex is compromised from outside.
A CAITHNESS farmer, who was struck by cancer, has celebrated getting his health back, by jumping out of a plane for charity. Sheep farmer Alastair Alexander (43) of Nipster Farm, Watten, raised £1015 for the Lymphoma association having suffered for nearly a year with Hodgkin lymphoma before being diagnosed in April 2009 and fighting his way back to health. After six months of exhausting chemotherapy at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, Alastair, who is now coming up on two years in remission, was due for one more check-up explained his wife Alana.
A THURSO-based offshore renewable company is in talks with an international partner in the hope of staking a claim in the future of the industry off the Caithness coast. Marine5 and associate company EnergyHunt, attended the RenewableUK 2012 conference in Glasgow last week, where talks took place with an international partner in order to try and secure several future Pentland Firth marine projects from the Crown Estate.
AXING a nine-year long curfew, preventing drinkers going into pubs and clubs after midnight, is a “boozers charter” according to a Thurso councillor against the move. John Rosie has blasted the about-turn which hinged on Highland Council’s Licensing Board chair, Maxine Smith’s casting vote, at Tuesday’s meeting in Inverness. The controversial “Cinderella” curfew prevents revellers from entering a number of late-night entertainment venues after midnight. These premises include Skinandi’s nightclub and the Newmarket Bar in Thurso. The decision will overstretch local law enforcement and lead to danger and disorder on the streets of Thurso, claims Mr Rosie.
THE latest batch of Dounreay’s newly-qualified skilled workers have been told to enjoy the best years of their working lives as their apprenticeship is just the beginning of their continuous professional development. Giving the keynote speech at the annual awards ceremony, staged at the Pentland Hotel in Thurso, Derek Andrews, an external verifier with awarding organisation EAL, talked about his own career history, spanning more than 42 years.
UP to 400 people could be employed in the far north over the next 10 years as over £1 billion is invested in upgrading the national grid. That was confirmed this week by Scottish and Southern Energy which was in Caithness last week to give the public an overview of its proposals. The company also gave a presentation about its plans for a switching station at Sinclair’s Bay, near Keiss on Wednesday.
LOCAL communities should get help on how to invest windfalls from renewable energy projects. That was the plea made by Caithness Sutherland and Ross SNP MSP, Rob Gibson. It comes in the wake of the news that the unspent Causwaymire community benefit fund currently stands at £600,000. Mr Gibson said renewable benefits offered real opportunities for improvements to local communities especially in times of austerity. However, he said there should be help for the community so they could best invest their windfall.
IN the wake of the UK Pro Surf Tour hitting the Caithness coastline, last month, a newly-established British branch of a charity, helping street kids over 5000 miles away in Mexico, is looking for support in the far north. For Mission Mexico UK chairwoman Deborah Grossman, the cold, wet spray of Thurso Bay on a Saturday afternoon in October could not be further away from her memories of helping Australian couple Pam and Alan Skuse at their refuge for disadvantaged kids in Tapachula in the south of Mexico.
WICK Academy’s new manager, Barry Wilson says he can’t wait for his fix of tomorrow’s football fever. His squad is looking to further secure its position at the top of the league with a win away to Forres Mechanics in what will be his second game in charge, but he knows that the Can Cans will be looking to shoot down the Scorries. He added that he might make a few changes to combat Forres’s strength as they are a big, physical team, more, so than Keith and the Academy outfit.
CASTLETOWN freezer firm, Icetech, has been “kicked in the teeth by rogue venture capitalists”. That was the claim made yesterday by far North MP John Thurso, after the company had to pay off around 30 of its staff when its main customer, electrical retail giant Comet went into administration. Comet was taken over by a private equity company about a year ago. The Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP hit out at what has happened to Icetech and urged the UK and Scottish governments, the local enterprise company and Highland Council, to do all they can to save the remaining jobs at the Murrayfield plant.
NUCLEAR industry chief are keeping tight-lipped about the latest in a recent series of security upgrades at Dounreay. The first of a planned cluster of guard posts, resembling Second World War machine gun nests, has become established just inside the main gate which leads on to the licensed site. Commonly known as pillboxes, the structures consist of a raised platform and concrete shelter with sandbags piled around them. It is understood they are designed to be deployed during an incident when the security of the former fast reactor complex is compromised from outside.
A CAITHNESS farmer, who was struck by cancer, has celebrated getting his health back, by jumping out of a plane for charity. Sheep farmer Alastair Alexander (43) of Nipster Farm, Watten, raised £1015 for the Lymphoma association having suffered for nearly a year with Hodgkin lymphoma before being diagnosed in April 2009 and fighting his way back to health. After six months of exhausting chemotherapy at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, Alastair, who is now coming up on two years in remission, was due for one more check-up explained his wife Alana.
A THURSO-based offshore renewable company is in talks with an international partner in the hope of staking a claim in the future of the industry off the Caithness coast. Marine5 and associate company EnergyHunt, attended the RenewableUK 2012 conference in Glasgow last week, where talks took place with an international partner in order to try and secure several future Pentland Firth marine projects from the Crown Estate.
AXING a nine-year long curfew, preventing drinkers going into pubs and clubs after midnight, is a “boozers charter” according to a Thurso councillor against the move. John Rosie has blasted the about-turn which hinged on Highland Council’s Licensing Board chair, Maxine Smith’s casting vote, at Tuesday’s meeting in Inverness. The controversial “Cinderella” curfew prevents revellers from entering a number of late-night entertainment venues after midnight. These premises include Skinandi’s nightclub and the Newmarket Bar in Thurso. The decision will overstretch local law enforcement and lead to danger and disorder on the streets of Thurso, claims Mr Rosie.
THE latest batch of Dounreay’s newly-qualified skilled workers have been told to enjoy the best years of their working lives as their apprenticeship is just the beginning of their continuous professional development. Giving the keynote speech at the annual awards ceremony, staged at the Pentland Hotel in Thurso, Derek Andrews, an external verifier with awarding organisation EAL, talked about his own career history, spanning more than 42 years.
UP to 400 people could be employed in the far north over the next 10 years as over £1 billion is invested in upgrading the national grid. That was confirmed this week by Scottish and Southern Energy which was in Caithness last week to give the public an overview of its proposals. The company also gave a presentation about its plans for a switching station at Sinclair’s Bay, near Keiss on Wednesday.
LOCAL communities should get help on how to invest windfalls from renewable energy projects. That was the plea made by Caithness Sutherland and Ross SNP MSP, Rob Gibson. It comes in the wake of the news that the unspent Causwaymire community benefit fund currently stands at £600,000. Mr Gibson said renewable benefits offered real opportunities for improvements to local communities especially in times of austerity. However, he said there should be help for the community so they could best invest their windfall.
IN the wake of the UK Pro Surf Tour hitting the Caithness coastline, last month, a newly-established British branch of a charity, helping street kids over 5000 miles away in Mexico, is looking for support in the far north. For Mission Mexico UK chairwoman Deborah Grossman, the cold, wet spray of Thurso Bay on a Saturday afternoon in October could not be further away from her memories of helping Australian couple Pam and Alan Skuse at their refuge for disadvantaged kids in Tapachula in the south of Mexico.
WICK Academy’s new manager, Barry Wilson says he can’t wait for his fix of tomorrow’s football fever. His squad is looking to further secure its position at the top of the league with a win away to Forres Mechanics in what will be his second game in charge, but he knows that the Can Cans will be looking to shoot down the Scorries. He added that he might make a few changes to combat Forres’s strength as they are a big, physical team, more, so than Keith and the Academy outfit.