John O' Groat Journal headlines for December 30, 2016

CAITHNESS Health Action Team has expressed concerns about ambulance cover in the county following what a local family says was an 11-hour wait for one to take their sick boy to Raigmore Hospital for treatment. The group has highlighted the story of Thomas whose family do not wish to be identified, who in December 20, was taken to his GP with breathing problems resulting from a lung infection.

A THURSO woman is appealing for fundraising help to let her take part in a volunteering placement working with disadvantaged children on a South Pacific island. Gemma Wares has always wanted to go abroad and help people and for a while, has been searching for something she felt was really worthwhile and that she would gain a lot from too.

A BID to fund a youth officer's post at Wick High School has been put on hold due to the time taken by Highland Council to process the application. Parent council representative Linda Malik yesterday hit out at the delay as "wholly unacceptable".

A CAITHNESS man has been appointed to a senior position at a Malaysian university. Karl Stephen, a former Miller Academy and Thurso High School pupil, has become a professor and chair of petroleum engineering at the Universiti Teknologi Petronas, near Ipoh.
DOUNREAY staff took on the role of Santa Claus when they helped support a local children's gift appeal. They dug into their pockets and raised £3,500 for the Caithness FM Christmas gift appeal fund at their Christmas lunches.