Nwicker60
20-Dec-13, 11:16
John O' Groat Journal headlines for December 20, 2013
A GROUP of Dounreay workers are heading into the festive break unsure about the future at the site as they wait to hear whether their firm is to have its contract renewed. Nuvia Ltd, part of a French-based international engineering conglomerate, provides on and off-site radiation monitoring cover to the former fast reactor complex.
THURSO residents have been advised to catch a ferry to post their parcels, renew their car tax, collection their pensions and apply for a passport while the town's post office shuts for refurbishment. Thurso Post Office is to close for nine days while it undergoes renovation to expand and modernise its services. In the meantime, staff at Post Office headquarters in London are advising customers to travel to their nearest alternative branch which they say is at Longhope, Orkney!
STAFF at the Tesco supermarket in Thurso have been blowing hot and cold this week following a problem with the store's heating system. They had to contend with freezing temperatures and wear extra clothing to keep warm after the boiler borke down. However after it was fixed, staff were finding the supermarket too hot.
SHOPPERS flocking to the high street this festive season, in preparation for Christmas Day according to Caithness businesses. Butchers, restaurants, and bars appear to be the big winners but even high street shops are said to be faring well against a backdrop of online retailing and out of town retail parks.
THE number of people in Caithness struggling to pay back extortionate interest rates on pay day loans, is on the increase. Caithness Citizens Advice Bureau has reported up to 10 people a week are coming into its offices in Thurso and Wick having difficulty with the loans.
AN A to Z whistlestop guide to Wick has been produced by a local primary school which pupils are hoping will end up in a lot of local Christmas stockings. The Primary 7 class of Hillhead school are responsible for the full-colour 32 page, A4 booklet which contains photographs of the town and the surrounding area, with each picture linked to a letter of the alphabet.
HIGHLAND posties have been kicked off their bikes by Royal Mail bosses in a health and safety move, it has emerged. As postal workers across the region enter their busiest period of the year in the run-up to Christmass, the recently privatised company has confirmed it has axed the distinctive red bikes. Staff have been ordered off two wheels and will now carry out their rounds using delivery trolleys instead.
WATTEN Primary pupil Ava Mae Fulton dreams one day she will be able to go skating on an ice rink in the village. Her vision of what money could be spent on from the E.ON Camster Community Fund to benefit her local comunity, won her first prize in a competition.
A NEW social enterprise has been established to benefit the young people of Wick Call'Ed is short for Wick Education, the social enterprise is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to ensure that, faced with a range of challenges including geography, young people in the town have access to the same opportunities as those elsewhere.
LYING in fourth place, seven points off the leading pack is not where Barry Wilson wants his Wick Academy to be at the halfway point of the season. After an excellent start to the campaign, the Scorries have dropped off the perch in recent weeks, having failed to win their last four matches. With Deveronvale heading to Harmsworth Park tomorrow followed by the far north derby double header with Brora Rangers over the festive period, the next three games could resucicate Academy's title ambitions - or kill it off for another season.
A GROUP of Dounreay workers are heading into the festive break unsure about the future at the site as they wait to hear whether their firm is to have its contract renewed. Nuvia Ltd, part of a French-based international engineering conglomerate, provides on and off-site radiation monitoring cover to the former fast reactor complex.
THURSO residents have been advised to catch a ferry to post their parcels, renew their car tax, collection their pensions and apply for a passport while the town's post office shuts for refurbishment. Thurso Post Office is to close for nine days while it undergoes renovation to expand and modernise its services. In the meantime, staff at Post Office headquarters in London are advising customers to travel to their nearest alternative branch which they say is at Longhope, Orkney!
STAFF at the Tesco supermarket in Thurso have been blowing hot and cold this week following a problem with the store's heating system. They had to contend with freezing temperatures and wear extra clothing to keep warm after the boiler borke down. However after it was fixed, staff were finding the supermarket too hot.
SHOPPERS flocking to the high street this festive season, in preparation for Christmas Day according to Caithness businesses. Butchers, restaurants, and bars appear to be the big winners but even high street shops are said to be faring well against a backdrop of online retailing and out of town retail parks.
THE number of people in Caithness struggling to pay back extortionate interest rates on pay day loans, is on the increase. Caithness Citizens Advice Bureau has reported up to 10 people a week are coming into its offices in Thurso and Wick having difficulty with the loans.
AN A to Z whistlestop guide to Wick has been produced by a local primary school which pupils are hoping will end up in a lot of local Christmas stockings. The Primary 7 class of Hillhead school are responsible for the full-colour 32 page, A4 booklet which contains photographs of the town and the surrounding area, with each picture linked to a letter of the alphabet.
HIGHLAND posties have been kicked off their bikes by Royal Mail bosses in a health and safety move, it has emerged. As postal workers across the region enter their busiest period of the year in the run-up to Christmass, the recently privatised company has confirmed it has axed the distinctive red bikes. Staff have been ordered off two wheels and will now carry out their rounds using delivery trolleys instead.
WATTEN Primary pupil Ava Mae Fulton dreams one day she will be able to go skating on an ice rink in the village. Her vision of what money could be spent on from the E.ON Camster Community Fund to benefit her local comunity, won her first prize in a competition.
A NEW social enterprise has been established to benefit the young people of Wick Call'Ed is short for Wick Education, the social enterprise is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to ensure that, faced with a range of challenges including geography, young people in the town have access to the same opportunities as those elsewhere.
LYING in fourth place, seven points off the leading pack is not where Barry Wilson wants his Wick Academy to be at the halfway point of the season. After an excellent start to the campaign, the Scorries have dropped off the perch in recent weeks, having failed to win their last four matches. With Deveronvale heading to Harmsworth Park tomorrow followed by the far north derby double header with Brora Rangers over the festive period, the next three games could resucicate Academy's title ambitions - or kill it off for another season.