Skye pylons petition
Plans to put a new stretch of pylons in south Skye has sparked an online petition.
Residents of Kylerhea have attracted over 1500 signatures in their petition objecting to Scottish and Southern Elecetricity Networks planned upgrade of the power line from Fort Augustus to Ardmore in Skye.
The residents are concerned about the presence of new steel pylons near the township of Kylerhea and through Glen Arroch.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks is planning to replace the existing electricity powerline that runs from Fort Augustus to Ardmore in the north of Skye.
Last week SSEN Transmission held online consultation events to discuss the planned upgrades.
The company says that steel structures will be required to meet the required capacity all the way from Fort Augustus to Edinbane.
SSEN has said some consideration could be given to undergrounding the cable along the most environmentally sensitive sections.
The company told the WHFP it would give a formal response to the concerns raised when consultation events finish at the end of this month.
Sabhal Mòr teachers
11 students from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s teaching courses concluded their formal education there last Thursday, ready to start their probationary year as new teachers in primary and secondary schools across the country come August.
The students were on the BA Gaelic and Education degree programme and also the PGDE (Gaelic pathway – primary, secondary and secondary subjects through the medium of Gaelic) and received an online farewell from their teacher education lecturers at the college.
As they had been unable to undertake their final school placement due to Covid-19, the teaching staff organised opportunities for them to take part in Professional Training before completing the course and continuing on to their probationary year.
Applications for the Teacher Education courses at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig are still being accepted and further information can be obtained from Shona Cormack: snc.smo@uhi.ac.uk
Plockton news
For the first time since the war the Plockton Regatta has been cancelled.
Plockton correspondent Charlie M MacRae said the village’s sixth regatta was held in 1939, before the second world war, but events started up again in 1946.
The club was kept alive in the war years by having races with the Navy who had boats at Kyle.
Charlie also reports the death of Robert Burr, Headmaster at Plockton High School from 1972-1976.
Kyle road closure
Kyle’s Main Street will be closed to traffic for three weeks for building work.
The road closure, which started at 8am on Monday 22 June, will last for for three weeks, until 5pm on Monday 13th July.
Contractors Compass are working on new flats for the local Housing Association.
Access for pedestrians, local residents and emergency vehicles will be maintained.
An alternative route is available via the A87 and Stoney Road.
Advice on funerals
From Monday, 22 June, places of worship in Scotland reopened for individual prayer or contemplation, subject to physical distancing and hygiene safeguards.
However, restrictions on those attending funeral services are still limited to only one household members of the person who has died and close family.
Where no household members or close family are attending, those who are a friend of the person who has died can attend.
Government guidance states that in-person attendance to a funeral “should be kept to the minimum number of people possible”.
Face visors is the islands
Point and Sandwick Trust have this week completed delivery of protective face visors to all care homes and hospitals in the Western Isles.
The kit has now been supplied for the seven local authority care homes, three private care homes and the three hospitals in Stornoway, Benbecula and Barra.
Tony Robson, PST’s engineering consultant, delivered the final batches of visors to Bethesda Care Home and Hospice and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar on Wednesday – a move which came almost 15 years to the day after the community wind farm organisation held its first public meeting.