Updated 19 March 2025: Due to low temperatures works on the A9 at Alness Point have been delayed by a day Therefore the works at Dalmore Distillery will now start on Monday 24 March BEAR Scotland will be carrying out essential works at various locations on the A9 around the Alness area Full programme of works can be found below Daytime tree felling works will be carried out from Monday 10 to Friday 21 February between 7am and 7pm Works will be done under single lane closures controlled by temporary traffic lights during these times There may be periods of up to 15 minutes where traffic will be held at the traffic lights to allow for the safe removal of larger trees The A9 will be fully reopened outwith working times Between 7pm on Tuesday 4 March until 6am on Monday 24 March the road will be fully closed for 600m of carriageway resurfacing The A9 will be reopened outwith working hours with a 30mph speed restriction in place as traffic will be traveling over a temporary road surface No works will take place on Fridays or Saturdays Traffic will be diverted from the A9 at Skiach services onto the B9176 then on to the B817 to Westford roundabout then back onto the A9 where road users will continue to their destination Traffic will be diverted from the A9 on to Teaninich Avenue to Westford roundabout then on to the B817 and then onto the B9176 at Skiach services then back onto the A9 resurfacing will take place from 8pm on the evening of Monday 24 March to 6am on the morning of Friday 4 April No works will take place on Friday or Saturday nights To ensure safety to the travelling public and our workforce works will take place under temporary traffic lights with a 10mph convoy The A9 will be fully reopened outwith working hours with a 30mph speed restriction as traffic will be travelling over a temporary surface Access through works site for emergency services will be maintained at all times on all sites BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative said: “These projects on the A9 will help address defects and greatly improve the area for motorists “Our teams will do all they can to complete the works as quickly and safely as possible and we thank the local community and road users for their patience in advance while we complete these works We encourage motorists to plan ahead before setting out by checking the Traffic Scotland website for up-to-date travel information.” Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.traffic.gov.scot X at @trafficscotland or the new mobile site my.trafficscotland.org Materials removed from the existing carriageway will be recycled using SEPA approved methods Home   News   Article A 36-year-old woman has been charged after a dog attacked a 10-year-old girl in Alness The incident took place yesterday (Tuesday April 22) at around 7pm in the Kirkside area A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 7.10pm on Tuesday we received a report that a dog attacked a 10-year-old girl and another dog in the Kirkside area of Alness “A 36-year-old woman has been charged in connection with the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and will be subject to a report to the Procurator Fiscal.” The A9 Inverness to Thurso road was closed in both directions following a two-car crash near Alness The collision happened at the Skiach Junction It is understood no-one was seriously injuried Pictures taken by The P&J at the scene of the incident show a head-on collision involving a Porsche and a silver car Motorists experienced lengthy tailbacks along the route as a full road closure was in place It’s understood traffic was being filtered through Evanton to prevent tailbacks along the A9 as recovery was arranged A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 1.20pm on Tuesday we received a report of a crash on the A9 at Arduillie roundabout involving two vehicles “Recovery of vehicles is underway.” The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed their attendance no individuals were transferred to hospital A spokesperson said: “We received a call at 13:39 to attend a two-car road traffic collision at on the A9 at Skiach Junction We dispatched one ambulance to the scene.” Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments Officers received a report of a girl and her dog being attacked by another dog in the Kirkside area of Alness around 7.10pm on Tuesday. There were no serious injuries, police said. A 36-year-old woman has been charged in connection with the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. She will be subject to a report to the Procurator Fiscal. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 7.10pm on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, we received a report that a dog attacked a ten-year-old girl and another dog in the Kirkside area of Alness. STV News is now on WhatsAppGet all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Follow STV News on WhatsAppScan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country '+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text+' "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title+" "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text+" Elderly women were targeted by a 30-year-old Ross-shire man who conned them out of money by pretending to offer to carry out house maintenance But Inverness Sheriff Court heard that John Stewart of Thomas MacIver Street Evanton was 'vulnerable' and taken advantage of by others who used his intimidating size to frighten victims out of cash Despite having heard from defence solicitor Rory Gowans about his client's mental health problems Sheriff Gary Aitken decided there was no alternative to a prison sentence and jailed Stewart for a year on several offences one of theft and one of threatening behaviour which occurred from March Sheriff Gary Aitken heard that one of Stewart's victims in Fortrose was 88-year-old and he induced her to pay him £180 by pretending he would carry out cleaning and roof repairs Stewart also entered an 84-year-old neighbour's home to search for money and refused to leave The other frauds occurred in Alness’ Market Square where his victims were 84 and 75 Stewart obtained £40 from one woman by offering to clean her drains and £90 from a second to paint her house — before he induced her to give him her bank card and PIN number so he could withdraw another £250 from her account 2023 he stole a handbag and its contents from a house in Kendal Crescent Stewart also pretended on two occasions at the Newsagents on Alness High Street that he was the holder of a credit card in the name of a woman and obtained goods to the value of £47.80 Mr Gowans told the Sheriff: "He knows he would have caused significant fear and alarm and he is not attempting to use his mental health as a shield But he was not the mastermind in this business and others took advantage of him "Some monies have been paid back but not all "He knows he should not have behaved in this way but he seems to be okay as long as he is on his meds He appears now to be back on the straight and narrow and is here prepared for what may happen." Sheriff Aitken said: "It may not have been the most sophisticated fraud but it is the consistent preying on the elderly which must have been very concerning for the old women in their own home." He then addressed Stewart: "Whatever difficulties you may have in your own life there is no excuse for behaviour of this kind and the courts will not tolerate it." Today along with my partner we travelled up from Ellon in Aberdeenshire to meet some friends who were on holiday in the area We had actually all visited this event before the Inverness half marathon in 2023 and couldn’t resist a repeat visit Alness is one of those events that has it all, mixed terrain, gorgeous views, fantastic volunteers, no hills (maybe a couple of bumps) and most importantly of all treats at the finish line (as pictured). There’s just something about an out and back course that encourages thespirt of parkrun exchange a smile and most importantly a thank you to those amazing volunteers Today we were even treated to TWO human cones at the turning point - thank you to mother and daughter volunteer team jogged and walked on the course plus 18 people volunteered 13 people were doing Alness parkrun for the first time almost all of them were visiting from England or - I’ve now been here 3 times and I live 117 miles away so don’t let distance stop you from coming back for the fun Murdoch Jamieson was the sole person doing his first ever parkrun Murdoch has a personal connection to Alness parkrun and today’s visit meant a lot to him and the core volunteer team Jennifer Mackinnon all recorded personal best times - well done to you all Not official milestones were reached by George Keith (150 runs) and Terry Adams (200 volunteer occasions) - congratulations to both of them After the event we joined the core volunteer team at the Commercial Hotel which is the temporary event cafe due to the normal location being closed We were made to feel very welcome and enjoyed sharing parkrun and race event stories Making the most of a nice day and keen for some more tourism activities we continued our day with a trip up to the fyrish monument where we had a great view out to the end of the pier we had ran on earlier and the beautiful Cromarty Firth We thoroughly recommend this walk to anyone else ever visiting the area © parkrun Limited (Company Number: 07289574) No part of this site may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner A Ross-shire parent has pulled his son out of classes after an alleged attack from bullies left him in hospital The 12-year-old was left with a concussion after a group of fellow Alness Academy pupils attacked him Speaking to the Ross-shire Journal the pupil’s parent – who wanted to remain anonymous – expressed his horror at the situation He also revealed the decision to remove his son and other children from the school. The parent said: “I had to phone an ambulance for him he had a concussion after having his head kicked The bullies also recorded it on their phones “The academy has done nothing to deal with these bullies — they are still in the school My son feels very down and depressed after all this — I feel extremely angry about it “I’m taking all of my children out of that school it is believed several other parents have also removed their children from the school The Alness Academy Facebook page sent out an ill-timed post on November 13 promoting anti-bullying week with blue wristbands It is understood to have received many comments from pupils and parents criticising the “tone-deaf” message Alness Academy have since turned the comments off one parent said: “How are wristbands going to stop bullying?” Maxine Smith said: “The school was getting somewhere last year now it’s worse than ever “The Council need to come up with a properly thought out long-term plan for tackling the issues at Alness Academy “Clearly with many many head teachers over the last decade They need to understand what the root cause is.” A Highland Council spokesperson said: “All of our schools take any complaints about bullying very seriously and follow national policy on dealing with incidents to ensure each school has a safe and supportive learning environment for everyone.” Motorists will face weeks of delays and disruption on the A9 due to roadworks and tree felling near Alness Sections of the Inverness to Thurso road will be subject to closures and restrictions in the coming days as Bear Scotland resurfaces and clears the route A total of three projects will be completed around the Alness area Ian Stewart, Bear Scotland’s North West Representative said: “These projects on the A9 will help address defects and greatly improve the area for motorists “We encourage motorists to plan ahead before setting out by checking the Traffic Scotland website for up-to-date travel information.” We’ve got all the details on what drivers can expect on their daily commute Works on and around the Highland trunk road will begin on February 10 in the form of tree felling A single-lane closure will be in place for six days between the hours of 7am and 7 pm each day Temporary traffic lights will be in place to help mitigate disruption been warned to expect delays of up to 15 minutes at a time to allow for the safe removal of larger trees a 15-day spell of overnight resurfacing works will get underway a 600-metre stretch of the Highland route will shut to motorists turning off at the Skiach services onto the B9176 and B817 before rejoining the trunk road south of the Westford roundabout The A9 will be reopened outside working hours No work will take place on Fridays or Saturdays The works will draw to a close at 6am on Friday March 14 A second spell of resurfacing works will then get underway just 10 days later The six-night project will start from 8pm on Sunday March 23 ahead of scheduled completion by Monday March 31 The works will take place under temporary traffic lights and a 10mph convoy The A9 will be fully reopened outside working hours with a 30mph speed restriction remaining in place Access through the works site for emergency services will be maintained at all times on all sites A "bit player" who was snared by police in a major Highland drugs trafficking operation was jailed for five years today Jason Mackay (37) was found to have provided help in Easter Ross by directing a courier who was delivering a batch of cocaine worth up to £300,000 on the streets Mackay contacted the man transporting the Class A drugs including telling him: "Message me when you are 10 minutes away." • Man admits directing £300K worth of cocaine to Alness • Court reports from Ross-shire cases • Sign up for Ross-shire Journal newsletter A judge told Mackay at the High Court in Edinburgh: "Drugs of this nature cause untold misery in society." Lord Summers said that Mackay's previous offending spanned almost two decades and included a conviction for trafficking in Class A drugs The judge jailed him for four and a half years for his latest drugs crime and sentenced him to a further six months' imprisonment for failing to appear at an earlier court hearing Mackay earlier admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine on September 23 in 2020 at Coul Park He also pled guilty to failing to appear at a sitting of the High Court in Inverness on November 11 last year The court heard that police had launched a surveillance operation targeting an organised crime gang involved in drugs supply in the Highlands and in September 2020 stopped a vehicle transporting cocaine A mobile phone was recovered containing messages between the courier and Mackay The court heard there was no information to indicate that Mackay was aware of the type or value of the drugs involved Defence solicitor advocate Marco Guarino previously told the court that Mackay was "a bit player" whose limited involvement in the offence occurred on a single day Mr Guarino said today: "He was never part of this organised crime group He was a habitual offender at a low level and someone with an alcohol and drug dependency "The only sliver of evidence in support of any crime against him was the evidence of the texts sent on one day," he told the court Mr Guarino said: "I think it is fair to say his upbringing was utterly chaotic." was currently serving a jail sentence but was now drug free Mackay watched the sentencing proceedings via a TV link to prison Armed police and specialist officers from the Central Belt rushed to a siege in Easter Ross when a 24-year-old man claimed he had a firearm and was holding a hostage at knifepoint The drama began in the evening of November 15 last year at a property in Westford Alness after police officers were called to a disturbance involving Patrick Muldoon More Ross-shire court case reports Join 7000-plus others and have Ross-shire newsletter sent straight to your inbox Liam Stewart and although the girlfriend emerged from the door into the safety of police Mr Stewart remained and Muldoon then locked the door Inverness Sheriff Court heard that then began a stand-off lasting several hours when Muldoon eventually gave himself up Fiscal depute Alison Young told Sheriff Gary Aitken that Muldoon was acting erratically as if under the influence of drink or drugs and threatened to stab anyone who entered the property "He then grabbed Mr Stewart and again shouted: "I have a hostage The hostage confirmed to officers that he was unable to escape Mrs Young went on: "The accused held a knife to Liam Stewart's throat and said: 'I have control he is going nowhere.' He also shouted out the window at the girlfriend saying that he would murder her and that he had a firearm "As a result it was declared a firearms incident and the Armed Response Unit was dispatched to the scene along with specialist officers from Glasgow." Muldoon demanded a helicopter fly him to London as negotiators tried to resolve the situation Muldoon also threw items including furniture out of the building and was being aggressive towards the specialist officers before the siege ended about 5am Muldoon admitted a charge of threatening behaviour and assault and abduction Sentence was deferred until March 11 for a background report on Muldoon who was again remanded in custody to Barlinnie Prison AN Easter Ross man who appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court is accused of causing the death of a 59-year-old woman by driving dangerously with cocaine in his system and colliding with her car The charge states that 40-year-old Jamie Little from Alness failed to make proper observations of the road ahead on the A9 at Torepark on April 30 failed to take evasive action despite oncoming traffic and caused his car to collide with that driven by Margaret Sutherland whereby she was so severely injured Little was also charged with driving his vehicle with 800mcgs of a cocaine metabolite in his system when the safe limit is 50mcgs and with 57mcgs of cocaine in his blood which is almost six times the limit of 10mcgs was committed for further examination and had his bail continued A family fun day is set to take place at Dalmore Farm in aid of charity Michaela Newlands (34) is taking part in Strictly Inverness 2025 which sees novice dancers from the Highlands learn three different routines over five months She will perform alongside her dance partner on May 16 at Inverness Ice Centre All of it is in aid of the Highland Hospice and Inverness Ice Centre Michaela has been busy organising various events since January to boost her fundraising efforts and her last event takes place on Saturday The event is a fun day for all the family and includes a food shack getting to meet the animals and meet and greets with Bluey The mum of five from Alness has decided to take part in the competition to give back to the two local charities She said: “I wanted to be part of this once in a lifetime experience learning to dance and most importantly raising as much money as I possibly can for the Inverness Ice Centre and Highland Hospice The event at Dalmore Farm runs from 12pm to 4pm and tickets cost £3 RESIDENTS in an Easter Ross housing estate rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in to collecting a mountain of rubbish around local allotments The clean up in Milnafua came on the back of an earlier roadside rubbish campaign launched by Ross and Cromarty Lord Lieutenant Cromarty Firth ward councillor Sinclair Coghill said: “Most of the volunteers are Milnafua residents keen to make improvements to their community ‘Don’t rubbish Ross-shire: Will YOU back roadside litter drive?’ Nigg and Arabella residents pitch in to rubbish drive Black Isle and Easter Ross volunteers unite for litter blitz “A good number of volunteers were allotments users who have made huge improvements to their site “I hope more communities will be inspired to get involved in tidying Many hands can make a huge difference in a short time.” He expressed thanks to the Highland Council waste operations team for providing bags gloves and litter pickers for the volunteers A 55-year-old Easter Ross man who subjected his now ex-wife to violence torment and abuse over several years between 2005 and 2010 has escaped a jail sentence Inverness Sheriff Court was told that Douglas Jenkins had not re-offended for the past 10 years and his offences were committed in a backdrop of alcohol abuse by him and his partner Jenkins had previously pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman to her severe injury on various occasions at locations in Alness and Invergordon between August 2010 by striking her on the head with a cup seizing her by the throat and sitting on top of her He also admitted that during the same period he repeatedly placed her in a state of fear and alarm by acting aggressively throwing items around and locking her out of the property Sentence had been deferred for a background report Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald decided against a term of imprisonment for Jenkins due to the age of the offences but added after reading the social work report: "Your attitude to the offences is unacceptable." • Cromarty unemployed university lecturer caught drink-driving on Kessock Bridge • Highland road incident leads to lorry driver being branded ‘arrogant, obnoxious and a bully’ • Dingwall woman caught drink-driving on scooter fined £420 The court had been told that the relationship was under strain when the couple and seven children moved into their Alness three bedroom home in 2005 The sheriff went on: "You appeared to be under significant stress at the time but both of you were under stress She sentenced him to remain under social work supervision for two years as an alternative to custody and banned him from contacting his ex-wife for the same period Fiscal depute Pauline Gair said that Jenkins hit his wife on the head with a coffee mug splitting her head which required four stitches her children found her unconscious in the house suffering injuries to her chin and foot and called 999 Mrs Gair added that Jenkins would accuse his wife of being unfaithful His solicitor advocate Clare Russell told the sheriff: "He was dealing with adverse childhood experiences at the time by over-consumption of alcohol which was also being consumed by his wife But he has been out of trouble for 10 years and has got his life back on track." Home   Sport   Article North Caledonian League club Alness United have confirmed Robert MacCormack has returned to the club as their new manager MacCormack returns to Dalmore Park to take charge of the club for the second time in his career after previously being manager before leaving to become boss at Highland League club Strathspey Thistle in February 2023 He was manager at Strathspey Thistle for 13 months before stepping down at Seafield Park in March last year MacCormack will be joined in the dugout by Paul Sangwin who has been named as first team assistant manager Their appointment follows Robert Mitchell standing down as manager at the end of this season when Alness United finished the campaign in sixth place A statement from Alness United said: “Robert brings with him a wealth of experience and a clear vision for the future of Alness United and strong leadership qualities make him the ideal candidate to take the club forward “Joining Robert in the dugout is Paul Sangwin who has been named as First Team assistant manager commitment and ability to connect with players at all levels will be a key asset as the club looks to build on recent progress and compete with ambition in the seasons ahead Robert and Paul form a dynamic new coaching team with a shared belief in hard work and attacking football – values that align perfectly with the identity of Alness United “The club would like to welcome both Robert and Paul to the Alness United family and we look forward to an exciting new chapter under their guidance.” The North Caledonian League season concluded last weekend when Invergordon won the North Caledonian Cup final Invergordon also claimed their third North Caledonian League title in four years Inverness Athletic won a trophy for the first time as North Caledonian League club when they defeated Alness United in the Football Times Cup final in December A curry and beer night is set to take place in Alness in aid of charity Becky Oman (29) is taking part in Strictly Inverness which sees Highlanders take part in intensive dance training over five months All of it is in aid of the Highland Hospice and Inverness Ice Centre. Alongside learning to dance and performing contestants must also host a range of events to boost their fundraising efforts Becky’s beer and curry night is taking place at Cafe India in Alness on April 28 with sittings from 5pm until 9pm She has decided to take part in the competition in memory of her grandfather.Becky said: “I went my whole life not losing any of my family members - to losing my granny auntie and uncle within a few years of each other and very quickly after diagnosis “I couldn’t live with the helpless feeling I had after losing my Granda in October 2024 and trying to raise money for charities and give back to people was the only way I felt like I could be useful “My granny and granda loved to dance and one of my favourite videos is of him shaking his little hips to the Eagles at my wedding I know he would be looking down with a big grin on his face proud as punch The cost of the beer and curry night is £14.95 Places can be booked by contacting Contact Cafe India Alness on Facebook Messenger or by phone 01349 884656 A FORGETFUL Easter Ross woman was arrested in Inverness's Porterfield Prison because she forgot she had an LSD tablet in her pocket It is routine for prison officers to search visitors to prison and when 34-year-old Charlene Seel of Milnafua More court from Ross-shire Get the Ross-shire newsletter sent to your inbox twice a week along with 7000 other people Seel admitted possessing the drug on May 11 2023 and was placed on one year's social work supervision Sheriff Gordon Lamont told her: "Take this is as a warning and make sure there is no repetition This could have resulted in a significant sentence." The A9 is currently closed in both directions at Alness due to a road traffic collision Traffic Scotland has advised motorists to use an alternative route Police Scotland has been contacted for information which previously served as a “coach house” has hit the market seeking offers over £315,000 Fyrish Cottage is a semi-detached property that previously functioned as the stables and coach house for the nearby Dalmore Estate the property is also adjoined with a stabling and coach house set around a courtyard Galbraith estate agents stated that the cottage has been “well-maintained and recent improvements include redecoration and new carpets.” • Campaigners launch petition opposing proposals to build 20-turbine windfarm near Evanton over fears it could dwarf iconic’ Fyrish Monument • Campaigners claim controversial Invergordon housing project work has started prematurely • Highland 15-bedroom 1800s mansion hits market — for under £300,000The selling agent is highlighting its potential as a residential property or a business conversion Although the property currently has a Grade F Energy Efficiency Rating (EPC) A 22-year-old Conon Bridge man appeared in private at Inverness Sheriff Court on a charge of the attempted murder of a man in the Morrison's Daily store in Coulhill Road to have struck the man on the neck with a knife or similar bladed instrument to his severe injury permanent disfigurement and danger of life More court cases from Ross-shire Sign up for free Ross-shire newsletter He was represented by Inverness solicitor David Patterson who confirmed that his client had been released on bail who made no plea and was committed for further examination An angry Easter Ross parent has pulled his son (12) out secondary school after saying he was left in hospital following an attack which has sparked a row over bullying The parent says his son was left with a concussion after attacked on Alness Academy school premises by a large group of fellow pupils a senior Easter Ross councillor is calling for action claiming “it’s now worse than ever” at the school and demanded a “long-term plan for tackling the issues” The Ross-shire Journal was contacted by the parent following an attack on his 12-year-old son said: “I had to phone an ambulance for him The bullies also recorded it on their phone it has been claimed that several other parents have also removed their children from the school This is thought to have been trigged by a Alness Academy Facebook post on November 13 promoting Anti-Bullying Week with blue wristbands The post is understood to have received many comments from pupils and parents criticising the “tone-deaf” post before Alness Academy turned the comments off READ MORE HERE:• Dingwall masterplan could trigger changes to buildings in Ross-shire county town • Tesco Dingwall launches Christmas toy appeal • Fairy Glen Retreats pods bid on Black Isle targets surging visitor demand The Council need to come up with a properly thought out long term plan for tackling the issues at Alness academy Clearly with many many head teachers over the last decade it’s not working A Highland Council spokesperson said: “All of our schools take any complaints about bullying very seriously and follow national policy on dealing with incidents to ensure each school has a safe and supportive learning environment for everyone.” Cromarty Firth councillor Tamala Collier was contacted for comment THE changing of the seasons has put a spring in the step of many - and none more so than organisers of a forthcoming horticultural show taking place in Easter Ross this weekend Alness Horticultural Society stages its Spring Show on Saturday March 22 in the Ardross Alness Bowling Club • Pictures from Alness Horticultural Society Autumn Show • Ben Stoltman lined up for prizegiving at Alness event • Sign up for our newsletter straight to your inbox Secretary Rhona Begg said: “We have bulbs/cut flowers/ baking/preserves/handicrafts and a children’s section “Entries to be staged between 9am and 11am on the day Doors open to the public at 1pm and there is always our legendary tea Prize giving is at 3pm followed by the draw of the raffle.” An Inverness property developer has revealed its plans for former BT buildings in Ross-shire Ark Estates has acquired Ardroy House and Culcraggie House at Teaninich Industrial Estate in Alness The property investment and development firm said the acquisitions secure the future of Fyrish Gymnastics Club It will also transform one of the buildings into three high quality industrial units in close proximity to Cromarty Firth Freeport Ark Estates managing director Willie Gray is anticipating a high level of interest in Ardroy House He also believes the acquisition of the buildings further strengthens the firm’s contribution to local communities Mr Gray said: “It’s a privilege to be able to secure the future of Fyrish Gymnastics Club at Culcraggie House “At Ark Estates we are passionate about making a positive social and environmental contribution to society and the communities we operate in and our environmental social and governance commitments are at the heart of everything we do as the first club in the Scottish Highlands to open a dedicated gymnastics facility “They encourage children and adults to keep healthy and active through gymnastics “We are delighted to be able to help it continue to play its really important role in the local and wider Easter Ross community.” Fyrish Gymnastics Club launched a public campaign to save the organisation after the building was put up for sale by BT Culgraggie House will continue as the home of the popular local gymnastics club in Alness Ark Estates said it has helped to secure the future of the club by offering a heavily discounted lease agreement Ardroy House is a modern single storey detached building It is currently being upgraded by local firms before being made available for let the property provides industrial accommodation with minimum eaves height of 13m with vehicular access The property will be available to interested parties as a whole or split into three units Ark Estates was established in 2003 and has a “diverse portfolio” which includes retail Ross County is supported by Ark Estates and chief executive Steven Ferguson said: “As a successful local businessman Willie understands the landscape and challenges we face in the Highlands and our community has never wavered.” A shop worker was struck on the head with a blade by a Ross-shire man who will be sentenced next week Inverness Sheriff Court was told that 29-year-old Scott Miller of Kirkside Alness was due to be sentenced on other matters on December 18 for which background reports had been prepared More Ross-shire court cases Sign up for our free Ross-shire newsletter Before hearing the facts of the assault to injury which Miller admitted Sheriff Gary Aitken decided to defer again for all cases to be called together The incident occurred in the B&M store in Inverness's Telford Retail Park on November 21 2022 when a male employee challenged Miller who also pleaded guilty to a failure to appear at court for this case on June 19 A former Easter Ross man who subjected his now ex-wife to years of torment and abuse will be sentenced at Inverness Sheriff Court next month pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman to her severe injury on various occasions at locations in Alness and Invergordon between August 2005 and October 2010 by striking her on the head with a cup More court news Crime news Sign up to receive our free email newsletters He also admitted that during the same period he repeatedly placed her in a state of fear and alarm by acting aggressively He was not present when his solicitor advocate She explained to Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald that he was very ill but she had full instructions She added: "The relationship ended 15 years ago and although he has domestic offences on his record there have been no recent convictions - the last being in 2015." Jenkins will appear again on April 22 when a narrative of the facts will be given to the court A woman has been charged after a 10-year-old girl was attacked by a dog in Alness Nobody was seriously injured, and a 36-year-old woman was charged in connection with the Dangerous Dogs Act as is the condition of the other dog which was attacked A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 7.10pm on Tuesday, 22 April, 2025, we received a report that a dog attacked a 10-year-old girl and another dog in the Kirkside area of Alness The future of an Easter Ross hub that’s home to an irreplaceable treasure trove reflecting the area’s proud heritage is hanging in the balance The discovery of dry rot has cast a shadow over the future of Alness Heritage Centre sparking a campaign to find £100,000-plus to secure its future It’s also a base for Alness Community Association (ACA) The ACA also owns the community minibus as well as publishing the Alness and District Times a former teacher named one of the area’s community champions at a recent awards ceremony said: “The centre is facing major funding problems as dry rot has been found in the building and this has put the continuing existence of the ACA in jeopardy “Estimates put the sum needed to be over £100,000 and with Third Sector funding through grant aid proving hard to acquire the ACA is seeking support to address the structural challenges “The Heritage Centre is an important landmark as it houses much of the community’s history in its archives “The ACA hopes that through community support it can gather enough funds to tackle these repairs and secure the centre’s future ensuring that it remains a place where local heritage is celebrated for generations to come.” Community news Subscribe to receive our free email newsletters fascinating exhibits and a shop space that allows local crafters space to sell goods has made it a key visitor attraction and local landmark Mr Stainke said: “This place is like an Aladdin’s Cave It’s a legacy of the local town and the local area It’s been about 20 years we’ve been in this particular building He said of the structural issues: “We are in the process of trying to find funding to get that sorted We don’t know how bad it is but the worst possible scenario is that the place has to close If this building was to close we would have lost a lot of the history of our town “It’s a very important hub for the community and something we want to protect for future generations The building was purchased in 2000 amidst competing interest from a national supermarket with the community getting behind the idea of preserving its heritage restored and painted to create exhibition and shop space and started gathering the photographs documents and memories to tell the social history of Alness Cromarty Firth councillor Maxine Smith said: “I support the heritage centre in their search for funding as they provide a unique service for the community I do hope there is a fund out there that will provide them with money to repair the dry rot issues.” Councillor John Edmondson also pledged to look into possibilities for identifying funding Contact Alness Heritage Centre at alness@alness.com ABUSE and disrepect aimed at staff of an acclaimed Easter Ross youth group has been described as “soul-destroying” - and prompted a drop-in to be put on ice The alarming abuse directed towards staff at The Place in Alness has meantime prompted a surge of support for youth workers in the firing line The group posted its concerns saying it had stayed quiet on social media as it reflected on the youth club The Field - an outdoor area created for community benefit during the coronavirus pandemic - and its current workload • Alness groups put in the frame • Under-threat Alness hub is ‘an Aladdin’s Cave’ of local heritage treasure It posted: “Our concerns have been the increased disrespect to our drop-in and the staff by many of the youngsters that use us regularly “Parents would not believe the level of abuse we take however I say that knowing that we have also had to take some abuse directed at us from some parents lately as well “It is soul destroying as our team give 100 per cent for the young people of the community and we look on distraught as we see the behaviour deteriorate We made the decision to close Drop-In recently and within 30 minuntes received calls from other partners to say they had kids on their roof there were flames on the road and kids throwing glass We can’t be held responsible for your children just because our building is shut “It remains shut until we feel the youngsters are ready to appreciate the building and staff This is not shut down [due] to any one person’s behaviour “I was reluctant to post this however one of our staff has spent the whole day today fielding absolutely disgusting phone calls made to her personal phone her family and members of our team are simply disgusting “As a parent you might want to ask where your child has been today and ask to see their phone as we have evidence of a group of youngsters abusing our staff and we will be contacting the police.” The heartfelt appeal has been shared scores of times and attracted hundreds of comments posted: “It is so disappointing to read that those who are working hard to create a safe and fun place for our young people to meet are not being treated with the respect they deserve “The Place have always supported our young people it is time ALL our young people treat their staff and volunteers with respect.” Addressing her comments to Janette Douglas posted: “I can’t wait to end my innings as a councillor as the years since Covid have seen torrents of abuse from adults towards us Working for the community is absolutely NOT easy or appreciated “My two words of advice: a) think what it would be like for those children if you didn’t do what you do - even if you help one child to lead a happy and fulfilled life you’ve done your job but we know you help hundreds “Second thing is don’t forget there are MANY lovely people and families in the community so don’t let’s think that this area is worse than anywhere else because it isn’t The good ones keep me going and like you I hope I can help some people “Alness would be a worse place if we didn’t have The Place!!” And Lore Smith summed up the feelings of many others when she posted: “Unfortunately the abuse is awful and parents really need to do better “You guys volunteering all these years for the kids and by extent the local community has been wonderful it is not down to The Place or The Field to parent your kids PROPOSALS to create a new active travel path linking two major Easter Ross communities are due to come under the public spotlight next week Sustrans and Highland Council are working together to gauge support for a new footpath between Rosskeen and Invergordon The aim is to extend the existing Alness to Rosskeen shared use footpath and provide a safe wheeling and cycling connection that offers better sustainable travel options between Invergordon and Alness Give blood, save lives - join the Ross-shire Journal campaign Sign up for the free twice weekly Ross-shire news briefing Letting off steam on the long-awaited Peffery Way This route was identified as a priority in the Alness/Invergordon Active Travel Masterplan for improvement A recent feasibility study identified the least environmentally impacting option to be an active travel path on the coast side of the B817 road Two drop-in public engagement sessions will take place next week for people to look over proposals and provide comments and feedback The events take place on Wednesday 4 December 2024 at the following locations: look at the drawings and speak to the staff from Sustrans and the Council who will be there Anyone unable to attend can still contribute to the project design and be kept up to date on progress by visiting this website - https://rosskeeninvergordonat.commonplace.is/ A man who demanded a helicopter to London while armed with a vacuum attachment during a siege in Alness had been jailed Hostage-taker Patrick Muldoon was handed a two-year sentence after he brandished the implement during an incident in the town’s Westford He had already held a knife to a man’s throat and made threats to kill his partner and stab police Muldoon, 24, appeared via videolink at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing having previously admitted charges of threatening behaviour, abduction and assault as well as breaching a bail condition to stay away from his partner Fiscal depute Emily Hood told the court that on November 15 last year police received reports of a domestic incident between Muldoon and his partner They went to a house in Westford where Muldoon was heard shouting and swearing When officers identified themselves a woman came out looking “visibly upset” Muldoon then locked the doors before walking around the property shouting: “It’s a siege!” He appeared at a window and said: “If anyone comes in I will stab them!” Muldoon grabbed a man who was inside the property and placed him in a headlock stating: “I’ve a hostage – if police barge in the door I will stab him and the police” He then began to damage the inside of the property Officers asked the other man if he was able to get out but he told them he couldn’t after which Muldoon grabbed a kitchen knife and held it to the man’s throat stating: “I’m going nowhere.” “The accused was observed to repeatedly hold a knife to the throat of [the hostage]” Ms Love told the court Muldoon then went to the upstairs of the property and began shouting to his partner calling her a “fat c***” and saying he would kill her He told police he had been released from prison and had come to Alness to “get his hole” – in spite of a bail conditions preventing him from approaching or contacting the woman He then stated that he had a firearm in the house before brandishing what was later confirmed to be a vacuum attachment This resulted in a firearms incident being declared Negotiators were brought in and Muldoon made demands including a helicopter to take him to London was eventually brought to an end at around 5am whose address was given as a prisoner in Barlinnie said his client was a young man with a number of mental health issues including autism spectrum disorder and ADHD He said Muldoon was “aware that this course of conduct was completely unacceptable,” and added: “It would have been a terrifying ordeal for the complainer and police officers.” Sheriff Sara Matheson told Muldoon that there was “no alternative” to a custodial sentence “given the siege situation and your appalling record” The sheriff also made Muldoon subject to a non-harrassment order preventing him from contacting the woman involved for five years ROBERT MacCormack said there was no hesitation in accepting the invitation to become manager of Alness United for the second time in his career MacCormack was officially unveiled as the new manager of Alness with Paul Sangwin appointed as assistant manager at Dalmore Park Their appointment comes after the resignation of Robert Mitchell from the role after they finished in sixth place in the North Caledonian League MacCormack was previously manager of Alness United before leaving the club to become manager of Highland League club Strathspey Thistle in 2023. He was at Seafield Park until he stood down from the position in March 2024 He returned to the Alness coaching team working under Mitchell last season and says he is looking forward to holding the reins again He said: “I was helping Rob last season and he was brilliant for the club and it was a massive blow for them when he decided to go we decided that I would give it another go “I am pleased Paul will be my assistant as he has been a good friend of mine he is a good football guy with badges and qualifications He was the first person that I spoke to and I am pleased that he has decided to come in with me.” MacCormack says he enjoyed his time at Strathspey Thistle and says having the opportunity to be in charge of a Highland League club has made him a better coach “Going to Strathspey wasn’t the easiest job in the world but I have learned a lot and it was an experience builder and I feel a better coach for doing it.” Looking ahead to the North Caledonian League next season MacCormack is determined to use the club’s successful youth system to give talented players the chance to play first team football we worked out only a handful of people who didn’t come through the youth system were in the squad “Success is measured in a lot of different ways including playing the bulk of our players who come from the youth system “We want to be challenging for league and cups Invergordon look like they will be a strong force for a few years along with Halkirk United but we also want to give a platform to young boys to play first team football “We had eight guys from the under-18’s from the squad this season and they will get an opportunity to play next season We want to keep our squad as local as we can We will also take in players from elsewhere but the bulk of our squad will be made up from our youth system.” Witnesses are being sought by police investigating vandalism in a Ross-shire town Officers have appealed for information following vandalism outside a property on The Corkscrew Road in Alness The incident occurred sometime between 2pm on Monday Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting ‘incident CR/0069175/25’, or online at www.scotland.police.uk Use the promo code PHILIPMURRAY to get a year of unlimited digital access for just £10 - we really appreciate your support An Alness pub has been crowned Scotland’s Community Pub of the Year The Station, a hotel and bar on the Highland town’s High Street, bagged the title for a second year running at the SLTN Awards on Friday The Dipping Lugger in Ullapool won the Best Restaurant of the Year (Fine Dining) and MacGregor’s in Inverness the Music-led Venue of the Year And the newly opened Tarragon by Graham Mitchell in Aberdeen and Johnny Foxes in Inverness were Highly Commended in the Best Restaurant of the Year (Casual Dining) and Independent Bar of the Year categories respectively “We were not expecting to win it for a second time in a row – I don’t know if anybody has done it before,” said Jill Munro Jill’s dad Billy took over the High Street premises eight years ago while she joined as a manager two years later The 53-year-old worked as a teacher before becoming the manager of the hotel and bar in what she described as a “total career change.” the Munro family has converted the pub into a pillar of the community Manager Jill Munro explained that the pub’s “family” is a mix of locals “It’s like a living room in which everybody talks to everybody,” she said The hotel also hosts a lot of local groups such as the local book club or monthly events for the armed forces veterans Jill said: “I call them The Station family and this award highlights the importance pubs have in rural areas Jill told the Press and Journal she was a teacher before she decided to go for a “total career change’ when her dad Billy needed help with the family business She said: “I decided to take a break from teaching “I just loved managing the hotel and the pub She said there are quite a few similarities between a pub and a classroom “In both places you sometimes need to be a bit strict at times,” she joked The Station also serves some popular dishes from its restaurant “We have an excellent restaurant that uses local products and it’s all freshly cooked by three senior chefs,” Jill explained sourced from their own farm Heathfield Highland Estate is always very popular she revealed that the most “legendary” dish is the Station Hotel macaroni She said: “People ask me for the recipe all the time “About 10 people asked me for the macaroni recipe A RENEWABLE energy company has welcomed the go-ahead for a controversial 45MW battery energy storage plant in Easter Ross RES made its remarks after Highland Council’s decision to approve its 45MW Contullich battery energy storage system It says the consented facility will play an important role in supporting the variable generation of renewable energy technologies by storing energy at times when generation exceeds demand and releasing electricity back to the national grid network when demand exceeds generation More on plans for battery storage plants in Ross-shire Have our newsletter delivered twice a week and join 7000-plus other readers The firm said at the beginning of last year that it had listened to the concerns of the local community before lodging an application They say the project has also been specifically designed to enhance local biodiversity through measures such as the planting of native trees resulting in a biodiversity gain of 65.2 per cent in habitat units and 100 per cent in watercourse units battery energy storage systems will be a vital part of delivering a reliable decarbonised electricity system for the future "Alongside the project’s environmental and ecological benefits RES firmly believes the local communities who host our projects should receive meaningful local benefits from them we asked the local community for ideas for local benefits and priority projects that they would like to see supported or delivered in their community from the Contullich project We look forward to continuing these conversations in the coming months as we progress the project.” As a British company “with a proud history in Scotland” RES claims a strong track record for working with the local supply chain around its projects and maximising inward investment There are expected to be opportunities for local contractors and employees to get involved in the construction phase which is expected to take around 12 months RES has been working in the battery energy storage market for a decade and describes itself as designing safe battery energy storage projects using proven Lithium iron phosphate technology RES has developed over 830MW of energy storage projects across the UK and Ireland and currently manage over 600MW of operational storage projects “with 24/7/365 monitoring provided from our control centre in Glasgow” A man has been convicted of domestic abuse after he tried to smother his former partner Craig Hayden straddled the woman and squeezed her neck restricting her breathing and placed pillows and towels over her face had initially denied the charge of assaulting the woman to her injury but changed his plea following emotional testimony from his former partner at Inverness Sheriff Court the woman spoke of how she had fallen for Hayden and allowed him to move into her Alness home just a month later “It was his smile that got me,” she said But the court heard that the relationship quickly soured as Hayden became controlling affecting the woman’s relationships with family members and introducing her to class A drugs The woman said that initially it was “all mental torture” but Hayden then progressed to assaulting her “He just flipped – he pinned me to the bed He had his hands around my throat,” she said “He got a pillow and he started smothering me with it.” The woman continued: “That happened a lot of times it happened on the staircase as well.” She said: “One time I believed I that I was going to die “I got to the point I though that is it – this is my last breath.” The court heard that during a family break in Spain – described by the woman as “the holiday from Hell” – Hayden had got drunk and hurled insults at her on the beach Hayden’s advocate Bill Martin offered a guilty plea to an amended charge on his client’s behalf He told the court his client had “a lengthy record” that was the result of “a rather tragic upbringing which then moved onto a rather tragic and wasted lifestyle” was “very sorry for what occurred” during 2015 and 2019 Sheriff Sara Matheson said there was no alternative to a custodial sentence due to Hayden’s status Police have issued an appeal after roads and buildings in Alness were defaced with “offensive” and “distressing” graffiti Blue paint was used in the acts of vandalism in three areas of the Easter Ross town in the early hours of Tuesday this week Officers investigating are looking for anyone with potential video evidence of any kind to come forward A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police in Alness are appealing for information regarding graffiti appearing in several areas of Westford “Blue paint has been used to deface roads and buildings with offensive images during the early hours Tuesday “Police are aware of the distress that acts such as this can cause in the community dashcam or door bell camera footage please call 101 25th March 2025 to help us trace those responsible.” The force has not said what the nature of the graffiti was AN Alness Academy pupil has spoken out on behalf of Highland young people in the Houses of Parliament As a Member of Scottish Youth Parliament (MYSP) for Caithness Jamie Dickson was invited to London’s House of Commons The Alness lad spoke out to other members in the chamber about how transport should be freely available to all young people Jamie said: “I’m Jamie and I represent the Highlands and Islands in Scotland In Scotland every young person is entitled to a Young Scot card which allows them to access free buses around Scotland not all young people have easy access to bus stops and sometimes it costs more than an hour of working at national minimum wage — around £12 — to get the bus from my town to the nearest city Young people all over the United Kingdom deserve the right to free transport We need to work together as young representatives to make transport free for all of our constituents.” The Place said: “Well done to our own wee Jamie Dickson who spoke up in the Houses of Parliament today “What a star and you truly represent Highland young people THE efforts of a “passionate and dedicated” Alness man who has devoted over 37 years to the local judo club have been recognised with a prestigious award Alness’ Frazer McBeath (58) has trained multiple generations of Easter Ross judoka as the head coach of Alness and Evanton Judo Club as well as refereeing matches across the country Frazer first got into judo as a child at the first Invergordon judo club where he trained for many years before going to help out at the Alness Judo Club Soon the club were in need of a new head coach Fyrish Gymnastics Club ready to sit down with new landlord after Alness premises twist Highland application lodged for major new storage container site in Alness to meet expected demand from Inverness and Cromarty Green Freeport Alness Heritage Centre future in doubt over £100k dry rot repairs bill “What I enjoy about it is seeing all of the kids’ happy faces,” he said discipline and gives them so much confidence they still take all of that with them for the rest of their lives Frazer’s family have developed a passion for judo too my brother’s got two clubs… it’s like a family affair when we go to competitions “I’ve now promoted my son to head coach of the club and I’m there for advice and helping to get the younger coaches qualified I was coaching their children — now I’m coaching their grandchildren!” In recognition of his passion for the sport Judo Scotland awarded Frazer with the Lifetime Contribution Award on January 28 Frazer said: “I was very humbled to receive the award “I wouldn’t have achieved all this if I didn’t have the support from my wife and all of the other people helping me — we’re all a team and it’s very rewarding seeing all the kids achieve their grades and win medals.” Frazer also works as an instructor at Nigg Skills Academy Judo Scotland said: “Frazer’s lifetime dedication to judo has shaped countless judoka at Alness Judo Club and beyond His passion for both refereeing and coaching is nothing short of remarkable.” THE ‘inspiring” work of a Highland charity that helps thousands of families in need will help motivate a fundraising venture later this year Highland Action for Little Ones (Halo) welcomed Lord Lieutenant of Ross and Cromarty The visit provided an opportunity for the duo to learn more about the vital support Halo provides to families in need across the region guided the pair on an in-depth tour of their newly opened facility in the Teaninich Industrial Estate showcasing the different areas dedicated to their operations Children’s charity Halo praised by MSP Bridge to bridge cycle registrations open as charities to benefit revealed Halo is a children’s charity dedicated to supporting families in need in the Highlands Thanks to donations from the local community they work closely with health professionals and other support organisations on a referral-based system to provide care packages of essential items to children in need They also run free groups for local young mums to build their own peer networks and access a range of professional services the team at Halo have been able to support over 3000 families and expand their presence with offices in Alness These locations help coordinate the growing number of referrals and manage the increasing volume of generous donations received from the community Mrs Joanie Whiteford said: "It's inspiring to see the amazing work happening here first hand We welcomed a new grandson into our family a couple of weeks ago which makes learning about an organisation like Halo even more meaningful I am aware life for some local families is complicated and organisations like Halo are needed more than ever It’s genuinely heartwarming to witness the kindness of the Highland community - driven by Mel and a team of volunteers coming together to make such a real difference." who was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) from Mrs Whiteford earlier this year in recognition of his fundraising also expressed his admiration for the charity’s efforts: “I first learned about Halo last year - also very recently after becoming a new grandfather - and the mission of the charity really touched my heart “In addition to visiting the Alness office, we’ve chosen Halo as one of the beneficiaries of this year’s Bridge to Bridge Highland Cycle a 77-mile ride from the Skye Bridge to the Kessock Bridge I’m more motivated than ever to raise as much as possible to support their essential work.” raising awareness within our local community is vital and having the opportunity to show the Lord Lieutenant and William Gray around our Alness base and speak to them about the work we are doing locally is amazing "We’re thrilled to be among the selected charities for this year’s Bridge to Bridge Highland Cycle This event will not only provide essential funding but also offer a valuable platform to further promote Halo within the community." Halo continues to welcome community support through donations For more information on how to get involved visit their website halohighland.co.uk or follow them on social media SEVERAL Easter Ross groups have become calendar stars following an initiative by a local community hub The Alness Heritage Centre calendar has previously thrown the spotlight on images from yesteryear it was decided to put some present-day local clubs and groups into the spotlight Gairloch calendar ‘flying off the shelves’ Wester Ross garden to feature in new Monty Don series Ross-shire newsletter free to your inbox twice a week These include DNA Dance, a local group responsible for some spectacular crowd-pleasing shows The Anne Noble School of Dance takes the spotlight in March with a variety of images of smartly turned out dancers The Place in Alness gets pride of place in December with a plethora of images reflecting its typically busy year of events and activities an active local group behind a number of activities catering for those with green fingers and an enthusiasm for flowers and gardening And Fyrish Gymnastics Club which spent a substantial chunk of this year trying to secure the future of its premises in Alness The year is started by Alness Angling Club which has also enjoyed an eventful 2024 The calendar that has been on sale at Alness Heritage Centre is one of a number initiatives the group has organised to raise funds and help bind the community together The heritage centre is currently battling to protect its own High Street premises after the discovery of dry rot in one section of the building Its importance within the community has been widely acknowledged Use the code HECTORMACKENZIE to get unlimited online access to all of our titles for just £10 for 12 months. That includes the Ross-shire Journal and the Inverness Courier plus titles across the north and Moray - AND our handy HNM app. Time-limited offer. Subscribe here. A HOSTAGE was held at knifepoint during an hours long siege in Easter Ross which required armed police and specialist officers from the Central Belt being called to the scene Inverness Sheriff Court heard that there was concern that Patrick Muldoon may also have had a firearm as the drama unfolded on the evening of November 15 last year at a property in Westford also demanded a helicopter to fly him to London before the stand-off ended at 5.05am The 24-year-old had previously admitted charges of assault threatening behaviour and a breach of a bail condition not to be in the company of Ms Love Sentence was deferred for a background report and when he appeared before Sheriff Sara Matheson for sentence A five year long non-harassment order to protect Ms Love Ewan Crombie conceded: "It would have been a terrifying ordeal for Mr Stewart and the police His behaviour has been challenging throughout his childhood and into adulthood." The court was told that police officers were called to a disturbance involving Muldoon Liam Stewart and although Lynda Love emerged from the door into the safety of police Fiscal depute Alison Young told Sheriff Gary Aitken that Muldoon was acting erratically as if under the influence of drink or drugs and threatened to stab anyone who entered the property Black Isle teenager ‘addicted to porn’ warned by sheriff to get bag ready for detention Former Inverness church relief organist had photos of girls in states of undress on bedroom shelf Inverness court hears Tain man does not understand “appropriate” behaviour I will stab him and the police." The hostage confirmed to officers that he was unable to escape he is going nowhere.' He also shouted out the window at Lynda Love saying that he would murder her and that he had a firearm A former BT call centre site which shut last year with the loss of around 100 jobs could be split into threer as its owners seek to return it to use Ardroy House in Alness’s Teaninich Industrial Estate has lain vacant since early in 2024 following telecoms giant BT’s controversial decision to shutter its call centre in the building That move was a bitter blow for Alness, with as many as one in 50 of its residents affected by the closure in some form. The decision was also slammed by unions and community leaders, and even led to the matter being raised in Holyrood by concerned MSPs Now Ark Estates has lodged a planning application with Highland Council to split the building into three distinct units/bays as it seeks to increase the chances of finding new occupants for the site the building would be partitioned into three units with floor spaces of 3765 sq ft 3650 sq ft and 2475 sq ft respectively - and its use changed to suit a range of industrial options It is not known if Ark Estates has potential tenants lined up or if the application is merely to increase the site’s attractiveness to a wider range of possible businesses A supporting statement lodged by Ark Estates’ agents Trail Architects said: “Our brief was to minorly adapt the existing building to bring it back to viable use by splitting the large vacant space into three smaller units that linked into the wider industrial estate suitable for use classes four “The brief is led by an energy efficient initiative promoting the use of energy efficient solutions where possible which would include zero carbon strategies to be implemented including solar PVs to improve the energy efficiencies The proposal aims to enhance commercial opportunities within the Teaninich Industrial Estate utilising sustainable design solutions wherever practicalities allow.” They continued: “We understand the current building’s most recent use was as part of the wider business park operated by a national telecoms company although there is evidence within the existing structure of larger goods doors having previously been installed.” Find out more about planning applications that affect you at the Public Notice Portal An Alness company has been awarded a large contract to build vessels for Mowi North Coast Work Boats was established in 2018 by David Skea owner of Leco Marine Two years ago the business took on Graham Campbell in the sales department and now have a team of eight full-time staff The company put in the tender with salmon-fishing giant Mowi in November and was delighted to have been awarded the contract for a fleet of six vessels Mr Campbell said: “Mowi is one of the biggest agricultural companies and workboat regulations were changed last year so lots of their boats were not up to the new standards “They put out a tender and there were quite a few major players but we won that tender “We’re supplying six fully kitted out boats for them with outboards and safety equipment which will be ready for June two south of Fort William and two to the Western Isles “If they like the boats then we expect a big order as they will needing 100 to 120 boats over the next three years If we got the order our business would be doubling in size.” Norway is normally the big contender when supplying vessels of this type so North Coast Work Boats is very proud to bring the business to the north of Scotland Boatbuilder Julian Bainbridge said: “It’s all branching out to local companies and we are taking them with us including David at Cameron Carriers and Aiden and his team at Lochaber Stainless “The people at Mowi are impacting other people’s lives by investing in our company and others in the area.” North Coast Work Boats has also made vessels for Loch Duar and for decommissioning at Kishorn Port the most interesting request the business has had To build a bulletproof boat for the Pakistani government there was too much liability involved so they decided against it Furious residents of an Easter Ross town have slammed mindless vandals who flattened newly-planted trees in a popular local park Residents in Alness awoke to widespread damage in Crowle Park on Saturday with multiple saplings and their supporting frames uprooted and scattered around The damage sparked outrage among a town which has strong community-spirit and a proud history of success in the likes of Britain and Scotland in Bloom for its horticultural and floral displays Cromarty Firth ward councillor John Edmondson said it was disappointing to see especially given the many positive things that are happening within the Alness community “There’s a lot of good things happening in Alness A lot of people are very invested in the community and it’s very upsetting for them to see this,” he said “It’s a great town to live and and work so it’s upsetting.” The Highland councillor added that anti-social behaviour was an issue that seemed to have grown more prevalent in the UK following the pandemic and he felt the causes needed to be explored and addressed by all parts of society Anger at the damage to the trees was also strong on a local community group. Speaking on an Alness Facebook page who resigned from her Cromarty Firth ward seat earlier this month said: "I can't get over how destructive humans can be no shame and no guidance on right and wrong we reap what we sow and my generation would get anything from a skelped **** to a day or two's grounding Natasha Macaskill said: "Awww that's terrible we were down there at 7ish and they were absolutely fine!" Others were hopeful that the culprits might have been caught in the act on local CCTV and urged people to report it and any other incidents of vandalism in the picturesque town Ken MacDonald said: "Trail camera located in different locations will help police find the culprits." Cllr Edmondson’s comments about Alness’s tight community spirit was also firmly in evidence in the aftermath - with the trees already replanted and standing upright once again by Sunday morning thanks to the efforts of others in the town Gemma Lennox added: "Also please report if you haven't already to police as they keep a note of the vandalism occurring." Police said the incident had not yet been reported to them when approached for information on Saturday morning Sign up to our newsletter Inverness Sheriff Court was told that 29-year-old Scott Miller Alness was already serving a jail sentence on other matters so Sheriff Gary Aitken imposed a £840 fine with no time to pay was sentenced to the alternative of 28 days More court cases Fiscal depute Victoria Silver said the incident occurred in the B&M store in Inverness's Telford Retail Park on November 21 2022 when a store manager challenged Miller about what he was doing She said that Miller had a bladed object in his hand and the store manager grabbed him to protect himself "But Miller managed to struggle free and the manager realised later that he had two prong marks on his ring finger," Ms Silver went on A prisoner who tried to exact revenge on an Easter Ross man on his release from a jail term is to be assessed for a drug treatment and testing order Ian Grant had previously had his sentence deferred for a background report which Sheriff Gary Aitken noted and approved the author's recommendation for a DTTO assessment The 29-year-old had already pleaded guilty to offences of threatening behaviour in Alness on November 7 last year and two of breaches of bail More from the sheriff court Ross-shire newsletter twice a week free to your inbox His solicitor Graham Mann at that hearing did not specify to Sheriff Gary Aitken what exactly had happened prior to his client's liberation from serving a prison sentence but told the court: "There was good cause for him to be upset." Fiscal depute Shay Traynor had told the sheriff: "There was an ongoing dispute between the two men repeatedly banged on the door and uttered threats of violence "Police were called and he was brought under control He was threatening to cut the man's throat and said: 'I will slash your face' and called him 'a beast.' Then he made racist remarks to a police officer." Mr Mann said his client was "fixated on sorting him out" adding that alcohol was involved "There is a place for him for rehab in Cale House in Inverness The Sheriff agreed and deferred sentence until January 13 He released Grant on bail to a room at the rehab facility in Millburn Road FORTY years on from making her debut at the first ever Inverness Half Marathon Ros Jemmett is looking to conquer the course once again The Alness runner took part in the inaugural event which happened in 1985 Now four decades on and as she turned 60 this year she wants to commemorate the anniversary of the first time she ran at the event who works as an office manager at Ardross Castle said she only took part in the Inverness Half Marathon after deciding to give up smoking She said: “The reason I started running was because I was previously a smoker and the price of cigarettes had gone up to £2 a packet so I decided to run with a friend and then I saw the Inverness Half Marathon advertised in the Ross-shire Journal and decided to take part “I enjoy running and it was a great reason to give up cigarettes.” Despite not having much experience of running previously she enjoyed the challenge of completing the 13.1km course It started her passion for running for pleasure and she has gone on to be the event director for Alness Park Run as well as being a JOG leader for Alness JOG Scotland I was just running alongside people who were super friendly and who were encouraging but I do remember going out dancing afterwards!” “This will be my third time running at the Inverness Half Marathon the second time was 27 years after the first time I had done it in 1985 But I have also volunteered at the Half Marathon.” Jemmett says that she is looking to continue to run for as long as possible She said: “I am delighted to be able to still run at 60 as a lot of people can’t My intention is to still run at 70 and possibly at 80 if I can.” Read: Grapple Chapel success sees four jiu jitsu medals return to Dingwall. Read: Maryburgh athlete breaks Nairn 10k record to win title. Read: Dingwall Academy pay tribute to graduating members of senior girls’ football team A major new storage container business could open its doors in Easter Ross under plans submitted to Highland Council Pat Munro (Alness) Ltd is seeking to set up the storage container site on vacant land within the new Easter Ross Business Park and sits immediately next to Averon House - which is home to the applicant’s headquarters which is currently arable land but is earmarked for Plot 18 of the business park will house up to 205 self-storage containers for use by businesses and individuals Documents lodged alongside the application say the installation of that total will likely be carried out in phases according to demand In a supporting statement included in the application Pat Munro’s agents Cameron Planning said the addition of this new self-storage facility is needed to meet demand with other local options already at or near capacity and increased need for storage likely to be required in future as a result of the Inverness and Cromarty Freeport They said: “There is considered to be a shortage of suitable storage space within the local area and the use of one of the plots within the approved business park at Alness is ideally located to support the newly established Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport1 which includes the nearby Port of Cromarty Firth Highland Deephaven and Port of Ardesier (Haventus).” They continued: “The proposed development will provide controlled and managed storage containers for use by businesses and individuals operating throughout the area will negate the requirement to travel further afield for storage facilities and will allow business to serve the wider local economy ”The objective of the business is to provide secure and safe storage facilities to the general public and businesses for either short- or long-term rental to suit the customer requirements The container yard will be developed in phases The applicants are aware that both commercial and residential customer storage is at a premium The site will be accessed from Dail Nan Rocas road and Averon House The documents added that Pat Munro are “considering” using green coloured containers to “ensure that they better blend into the local environment” and that existing tree screens from Averon House and Dail Nan Rocas will mean there will be “minimal” need for landscaping works Existing vegetation will also help to screen it from Teaninich Avenue Two metre high “green powder coated palisade style” security fencing would surround the compound although this would be “orientated to avoid excessive light spill” Davine Sutherland captured this monument familiar to many at Fyrish Ross-shire through the Lens is a weekly feature that invites readers to contribute images they have taken while out and about across the county It appears in the print edition of the Ross-shire Journal on our letters page each week and also online That’s also where you’ll find our weekly crossword, sponsored by Glenmorangie and offering up a 10-year old bottle of malt as a prize Getting involved is as easy as emailing us a photo you have taken along with a few brief details about it You can browse some more that readers have submitted here Got something? Email hector.mackenzie@hnmedia.co.uk The A9 near Alness has now reopened following a collision earlier today Emergency services were called to the scene near Tomich junction after being alerted at 6.40am • A9 closed in both directions near Alness following collision Firefighters from Invergordon also went to the scene Diversions were put in place but Traffic Scotland has reported the road has reopened Halkirk United will put their fading title hopes to one side on Saturday as they welcome Alness United to Morrison Park for a North Caledonian Cup quarter-final tie The Anglers dropped to second in the North Caledonian League last weekend when they went down 2-0 to Inverness Athletic at Ferry Brae Park while reigning champions Invergordon were winning 6-1 in Orkney but Halkirk United have only one remaining league fixture while the Easter Ross outfit have three to play and a much better goal difference Having topped the table for much of the campaign winning an impressive 17 of their 21 league matches so far the Anglers look destined for the runners-up spot Manager Ewan McElroy accepts that the title now looks to be out of reach for Halkirk United “I’m not sure if either team really did enough to warrant the three points – there were not many clear-cut opportunities for either side,” he said and we were just undone by two set-pieces in either half – one of them being a bit of a fluke goal but both teams struggled to get a proper foothold in the game and we were obviously disappointed – but the boys have been outstanding and have worked incredibly hard in the league this year and pushed a very good Invergordon side all the way “Obviously we needed Invergordon to drop points this weekend and that was not to be “We now need to dust ourselves down and prepare for a difficult match versus Alness in the North Caledonian Cup.” The Anglers completed a league double over Alness, winning 4-0 at home in October and 7-2 at Dalmore Park at the start of February Alness won 2-1 when the sides met in the first round of the Football Times Cup in September “All teams want to do well in the cups and Alness have already knocked us out the first cup this year,” McElroy said “We can’t feel sorry for ourselves and will of course be looking for a reaction from the boys on Saturday We have a good group and with a strong mentality and I have no doubt that they will put everything into Saturday and attempt to get into another semi-final.” North Caledonian League results: Clachnacuddin “A” 3 March 15 – North Caledonian League: Bonar Bridge v Orkney; Invergordon v Clachnacuddin “A”; Thurso v Bunillidh Thistle (2pm) quarter-finals: Halkirk United v Alness United (2pm); Inverness Athletic v Fort William.