Caithness Courier headlines for October 8, 2014

EMERGENCY services and port authorities were anxiously hoping the east Caithness coastline would be spared major damage from a tidal storm which was expected to hit last night. A flood warning was issued for Wick, Lybster and Dunbeath for high tide at 11pm.

WICK High School has a deficit of £203,000 it emerged this week. Confirmation of the shortfall came at a meeting of the Wick stakeholders’ group on Monday. The news was met with dismay by parents who are concerned about the delays and increased cost of the new Wick High School campus. They are also worried the main contract for the project has not yet been signed.

THE era of new schools in Wick is fast coming into view as a head teacher has now been appointed for the soon-to-be built, Noss Primary. Ally Budge has been head at the town’s Hillhead school, chosen By Highland Council to take on the new role which will be created following the merging of the North and Hillhead primaries.

UNACCEPTABLE is the word which has been used to describe the high level of cancellations, disruptions and delays to rail services in recent weeks between Inverness and Caithness. Caithness and Sutherland area committee leader, Deidre Mackay, has written to the Scottish Government highlighting the strong feelings felt throughout the Highlands about the disruptions which have affected hundreds of ScotRail passengers.

THURSO library will move back to its historic home in Davidson’s Lane but not for another eight months, its operator has confirmed. High Life has announced repair work at the 19th century building, which has been closed to the public for 22 months, will begin at the end of the month.

THE challenges a Wick vet comes across in his daily working life are to feature in a new BBC television series. Iain Maclean works at Donald S McGregor and Partners Wick surgery and was invited to take part in Gaelic language channel BBC Alba’s Vets Creutair Boo series which takes viewers on a journey across Scotland, following vets as they tend to small, large and even very wild animals.

OFFICE staff at Dounreay could be shifted off site into new purpose-built premises in Thurso as part of the site’s decommissioning programme. Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd is looking at the potential for office development in the town, to allow demolition work to proceed at the nuclear site.

WICK youngsters have been treated to a day working with a world-renowned motivational speaker. Andy McKechnie travelled to Caithness from his Edinburgh base, last week, to visit the pupils of north school.

IT wasn’t the number of goals Wick academy scored that impressed Gordon Connelly most in their 9-2 victory against Strathspey, it was the players who scored them which delighted the boss. Richard Macadie and Gary Weir are the club’s record goal scorers but a hat-trick from Sam Mackay, doubles form James Pickles and Lukasz Geruzel, a wonder free kick from Ross Allan and a debut goal from Steven Anderson, displayed the firepower within the Harmsworth team’s ranks.