John O' Groat Journal headlines: December 14, 2012

A Highland
Council blunder has dashed initial hopes of festive revellers partying until 4am over Christmas. News of the extension to the late-night opening of the two nightclubs in Caithness spread like wildfire over social networking sites, earlier this week, prompting the Groat to investigate the claims. But yesterday, the county's sole councillor on the licensing board, claimed he'd never heard of such a policy. And, late yesterday afternoon it emerged why Landward Caithness councillor Willie Mackay was in the dark - it was because the application had not been approved by the board and were invalid.

THE
Caithness economy was given "a big boost" this week when it was confirmed the UK's first national nuclear archive is, after all, to be built in Wick. The Nuclear Decommissioning Auithority facility, which is to be built near Wick John O' Groats Airport, will cost between £15 million and £20 million and is expected to create 20 long-term jobs. The purpose-built archive will be operated on NDA's behalf, by a specialist commercial partner and is due to be operational by early 2016. It will be built on ground currently owned by Highland Council.

A CALL
to ban recreational spring salmon fishing on the River Thurso has been described as "a wee bit of insanity" by the water's chief ghillie. Veteran river superintendent Eddie McCarthy said a bid from a Manchester-based consultancy group, to call time on the spring fishing of salmon stock, would hurt the fishing tourism trade and also take away associated business from the wider Caithness community.


THE
Vulcan nuclear plant will remain operational until 2015 and will continue to support the Royal Navy's submarine programme until around 2020, according to Bristol-based Ministry of Defence official ,Tom Smith. He said the future of the site, beyond that year, is being assessed with a decision expected in 2016.

A GROUP
of Highland councillors have come unstuck in their bid to block grant, previously awarded to a national bird charity, for a peatland restoration scheme. The decision to award the Highland Council cash to an RSPB Scotland project in the Flow Country came under fire from Caithness councillors Roberft Coghill and Bill Fernie, who tabled an amendment to scrap the payment, at a meeting in Inverness, yesterday.

STAFF
at the Icetech freezer firm in Castletown have been put on a three-day week. The move was made by the company after its main customer, electrical retail giant, Comet went into administration. Icetech managing director, David Morrill this week confirmed the short-time working, at the factory.

THE
number of adults in Caithness over the age of 75, will increase by 40 per cent by 2020. That was said by Highland Council's community care manager, Bob Silverwood, at the launch of a new Caithness-wide health review held in Halkirk last Friday. He explained the population of the county in 2010, was 25,124 with 1655 people in the 75-84 age range but that figure is expected to rise by 40 per cent in the next eight years.