Caithness Courier headlines: January 16, 2013

MORE expectant mothers from Caithness are having their babies delivered in Inverness, as a result of a lack of specialist facilities within the maternity unit at Caithness General Hospital, to cater for high-risk pregnancies. Almost a third of women last year, either chose, or were advised by staff, to have their births at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness due to the limited services available at Wick. Out of the 288 pregnancies by women, who are registered to live in Caithness, 89 of those gave birth at Raigmore, 30 per cent of the total and the highest rate on record.

THE bill to repair Highland Council-owned harbours in Caithness, battered by last month’s storms, is being put at £330,000. But the total damage wreaked in ports in the east of the county, which bore the brunt of the freak weather, is presently unknown. Wick Harbour Authority has still to complete its investigations though its final estimate is expected to dwarf that figure.

A MOTORIST from Caithness has spoken of his “nightmare journey” to Inverness Airport, which resulted in his future daughter-in-law missing a flight to London due to over-running roadworks. Philip Butler blasted the lack of information put out by Transerv Scotland, to drivers and the media about the obstruction at Longman Roundabout near the Kessock Bridge, which led to horrendous tailbacks on Monday.

CREATING 5000 new jobs in the Highlands over the next five years has emerged as a key target of the local authority’s proposed economic “recovery” strategy. The ambitious figure is included in a new blueprint drawn up by Highland Council which wants to stimulate and grow the public and private sectors so the region can leave the recession and economic downturn of recent years, behind.

SELLING off a Thurso medical practice for which it has assumed temporary responsibility, remains one of NHS Highland’s main priorities in the north. Area community care manager Bob Silverwood said the authority has no intention of making the arrangement permanent but vowed to continue to offer patients an acceptable standard of service until the new partnership is formed.

BEING top of the Highland League means that Wick Academy are there to be shot at by the rest of the division according to manager Barry Wilson. However he believes the high-flying Scorries could be on target themselves, to finish the season with their first every championship. He said the club has now to accept and embrace the fact that they are genuine contenders to win the league admitting the expectation would add pressure in the months ahead.