Caithness Courier headlines for June 22, 2016

THE county's hard-working farmers and food producers are firmly in favour of staying in the EU ahead of tomorrow's EU referendum. Access to export markets, farm subsidies and the xenophobia created by the referendum, were some of the concerns voiced by local businesses yesterday.

IT was fourth time lucky for Castletown teenager Andrew Harper when he landed the junior singing title at Caithness Music Festival. Andrew topped his age group to make the sing-off in the closing night finale to the week-long festival, in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

RENEWED pressure is to be put on the Scottish government by a north politician to improve the rail service between Caithness and Inverness. Rhoda Grant the Labour MSP for the Highlands and Islands is to highlight the need for loops on the line at Kinbrace and Lentran near Inverness.

AN urgent call has been made for volunteers to come forward and fill spots on the local branch of a charity involved in the opening of gardens across Scotland. Judith Middlemas has been the volunteer district organiser for Caithness, Sutherland Orkney and Shetland gardens, opening for Scotland's Gardens for 10 years but now the time has come for her to retire.

THE lookout tower in the midst of the Flow Country has won another architectural accolade. The wooden observatory on the RSPB Flows nature reserve at Forsinard was recognised at the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland Awards ceremony, in Edinburgh last week.

CARE inspectors have given a glowing report to Highland Hospice for the standard of care it is providing at its temporary home in Invergordon. The staff culture was commended as excellent with users and families describing the service as respectful and compassionate and staff feeling supported and respected by colleagues.

AMBITIONS to enter Caithness in the national shinty league set-kup remain firmly on track after their second involvement in a knock-out cup this season. They followed up a 6-0 reverse in Beauly in the Sutherland Cup in April, with an exit at the hands of Kinlochshiel in Thurso, on Saturday.