TIMES PAST: Shetland College merger; Shetland Recreational Trust funds leisure report; Brae car fires; Levenwick road improvements; devolution must bring Shetland independence
10 YEARS AGO Uncertainty hangs over moves to establish an alliance between Shetland College, the NAFC and Train Shetland. Councillors have backed a report recommending closer working between the three institutions following years of delays over a possible link-up.
Elected members are expected to ratify the decision to adopt a shared management structure at next week's Full Council. But The Shetland Times understands getting backing from the NAFC board, which is necessary before the link-up can progress, will be anything but a formality. Councillors voted narrowly in favour of prioritising works to a notorious stretch of road at Levenwick.
A show of hands at the town hall on Monday backed George Smith by five votes to four, after the South Mainland member argued for the job to be included on the SIC's on asset investment plan as soon as funding becomes available. The A970 between the north and south Levenwick junctions has been under the spotlight since a 2009 road safety check and, especially, following an incident last year when a lorry toppled over at the scene.
Investment in sport and leisure provision could be earning three times what it costs, besides any health and social benefits it brings, according to a consultant's report. The study by RSM consultants says over GBP10m is either saved or generated for the local economy by sport and leisure and that every GBP1 invested in such a way generates more than triple that amount in social and economic benefit.
The 92-page GBP15,000 report, commissioned by Shetland Recreational Trust and the SIC, with one third funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, is aimed at proving the value of sports investment at a time when across the board budget cuts are looming.
25 YEARS AGO
Police are carrying out investigations after four vehicles were believed to have been set on fire at Brae in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The cars parked in the Gallowburn area of the village were all destroyed in the incident, which occurred around 4.45am. Gallowburn residents have claimed that Tuesday's car fire is just the latest in a series of fires which have struck them in the past year.
Later in the evening at the hall, for a few exotic minutes, Northmavine was treated to a display of feminine charm that has rarely been equalled in the form of a Miss Shetland contest. Ollaberry man Bruce Williamson portrayed Miss Faan Hill, a hill close to his homeland, and raised more than a few eyebrows and smiles from the crowd as he sashayed across the floor. Photo: Dennis Coutts
50 YEARS AGO
Shetland Islands Council's Policy Committee has reaffirmed its stated policy on devolution - the council sees no benefit accruing to Shetland from any devolution other than devolution involving the independence of Shetland. They wish, for the time being, the continuation of their direct links with the Westminster Government. The committee is to accept an offer by Mr H.
Ewing, Under Secretary of State for Scotland responsible for devolution, to visit Shetland.
75 YEARS AGO Forty-three year old James Stephen Anderson, Hunchibanks, Bressay, died in an Inverness hospital on Tuesday, following an accident at Beauly the previous day. While Mr Anderson was working with the Hydro Electric Board, lead piping fell on his head, and he was taken to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, for an operation.
But his condition was very serious and he died early on Tuesday. Unmarried, Mr Anderson was the son of Mrs Anderson and the late Mr William Anderson, who lost his life in a fishing boat disaster two days before his son was born in 2008.
100 YEARS AGO
Fraudulent Charity Collector - At Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday of last week, John Robert Penrose, who was arrested at Maud, Aberdeenshire, in January when on his way to preach in a church at New Deer, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for fraud in connection with a collection taken in a Glasgow picture house. In passing sentence the Sheriff said that accused could congratulate himself very warmly on the fact that the Crown officials had elected to charge him under a summary complaint.
Had he been charged under formal indictment and tried by jury he imagined that his sentence would have been very much more substantial. The accused is well-known in Lerwick, which he visited on two occasions, the last being some three years ago. On both occasions he styled himself Reverend J.R.
Penrose and wore clerical garb, and he preached from local pulpits.
He and his wife on both occasions took up subscriptions for the provision of meals for poor children in Aberdeen - the type of fraud for which Penrose was sentenced on Wednesday. From the evidence brought forward in the case, it appeared that Penrose had no authority to wear clerical garb. He admitted that between August and January last his collections amounted to GBP161 10s 6d, and of that GBP16 10s was spent on benevolence and about GBP1 in gifts to the sick.
Up-Helly-A' Festival - The film of the Up-Helly-A' procession, taken by Mr J.C. Harding, of the Gaumont Graphic Co., was shown in Edinburgh last weekend. It forms part of the Gaumont Graphic "news" service.
Early Lambing at Walls - A ewe belonging to Mr Peter Law dropped a fine healthy Leicester lamb at Tootabrough on 7th instant.
The Doctor's "Do Nots" - Do not buy a headache powder when what your brain wants is sleep. Do not buy a stomach-ache powder when your teeth are incapable of masticating your food. Do not scold your little girl for being inattentive when her adenoids make her deaf and sleepy: scold yourself until the adenoids have been removed.
Do not say you have a cold in the eye and buy a bottle of cold cure when a speck of coal is stuck on the front of the sight.
Do not have the lobes of your child's ears pierced as a cure for weak eyes.
Do not put pointed boots on square toes.
Do not put tobacco in your ears.