Caithness Courier review: July 27, 2011

THE
paper leads with a local angle into the Norwegian tragedies. Harald Ramsey (48) a Norwegian living at Mid-Clyth, was “numbed” by the twin terror attacks on his homeland, in which 76 people died. Mr Ramsey, who works as a field manager, is originally from a community near Oslo. He immediately contacted family there, to make sure they were okay and spoke to his father, who was stuck in a traffic jam. Mr Ramsey senior said that when the bomb exploded outside the Verdens Gang newspaper offices in Oslo’s city centre, he could hear and feel the impact. The force was so strong that he initially thought that someone had crashed into the back of his car.

RESCUERS
“gave everything they had” to try to save the whales stranded at Kyle of Durness, according to a local woman involved in the bid to keep them alive. Audrey Gunn, who is a trained British Divers Marine Life Rescue medic and a local SSPCA inspector, spoke about the “tremendous effort that was made to try and save more than 60 cetaceans over the weekend. Their efforts ensured that 45 of the long-finned pilot whales which got into difficulties after getting caught at low tide, were guided back to deep water, but 16 died.

A DOUBLE
-picture taster for Wick gala, shows the town’s version of Lady Gaga and one of the floats, completes the front page coverage and links inside to a two-page photo spread.
THE promised six new coaches costing £1.5 million, will be the subject of an official launch in Caithness later this week. Bus operator, Stagecoach, confirmed the vehicles will be used on the X99 service between Caithness and Inverness. The company pointed out each bus is fitted with a toilet, a special wheelchair lift for easy boarding, and CCTV for passenger safety and security.

THE
Wick tax office should be given “a cast-iron assurance” by the UK Government that it will not be threatened with closure again. That is the view of local MSP Rob Gibson who was “delighted” that 20 staff have been given a two-year reprieve by HM Revenue and Customs. The office had been due to close in March 2012 but, after a well-supported campaign against the move, HMRC decided to keep it open temporarily.

THE
group responsible for Wick’s flower baskets is going for gold this year with its second entry to the Scotland in Bloom competition. Volunteers have been working hard to ensure the judges leave with the best impression possible, said chairwoman Joanna Coghill. The group gained a silver at their first attempt last year and is hoping for sunny weather on judgement day, to show the blooms at their best.

A TRAGIC
accident could occur in Caithness because of muck left on roads by farmers, according to a Thurso community councillor. Mike Potts is concerned that the mud left on roads by tractors and other vehicles as they leave fields, poses a danger to traffic and has called on the police to do something about it. He maintains that farmers should have to clean up the muck they leave behind them, to avoid any possible problems. Chief Inspector Matthew Reiss agreed that that it could pose a potential threat but added that the vast majority of farmers do their best to clean up after them, or put out warning signs. Generally, the agricultural community was “co-operative and helpful”.

WICK ACADEMY
manager is getting the response he has been asking for, at just the right time. As Wick Academy head into competitive action for the first time this season, the new manager said that issues at the back are being resolved. The Scorries were in Dingwall, last Saturday, to take on North Junior Division 1 champions, Inverness City at the Highland Football Academy’s pitch. Academy produced their best pre-season performance as they took the game by the scruff of the neck and finished 3-1 victors.