What we learned this week…
FERRY problems have cast a cloud over the Scottish Government – and the island communities which rely on them – but there was still shock at Holyrood over the resignation of Transport Minister Kevin Stewart just two months after his appointment.
In his letter to First Minister, Humza Yousaf, the MSP for Aberdeen Central cited “bouts of poor mental health” had impacted on his ability to continue in the role.
FAREWELL too – or it will be soon enough – to Ian Blackford, the SNP’s former Westminster leader, who is standing down as an MP at the next general election.
Mr Blackford has been the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber since 2015, when he defeated the late Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy in a controversial campaign.
He led the SNP’s Westminster group for five years and faced four different Conservative prime ministers at question time. But now, it’s him heading for the exit.
DRS delayed
ANOTHER goodbye was given to the much-criticised deposit return scheme which has now been delayed by the Scottish Government until at least October 2025.
The flagship recycling policy was meant to launch in March next year, but it has been mired in controversy and Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater – who has borne the brunt of the brickbats – confirmed she had been left with no choice after the UK government excluded glass from the Scottish scheme.
The Federation of Small Businesses said the announcement was the “final admission that Scotland’s deposit return scheme has met its inevitable demise”.
ON a sadder note, Astrud Gilberto, the jazz singer who famously recorded The Girl from Ipanema and other bossa nova classics, died at the age of 83.
Her version of the classic Brazilian song has become immortal across the world – but Gilberto was only paid the standard studio rate of $120 for her performance.
New turf for Union Terrace Gardens
WAR and Peace was a short story by comparison, but the central lawn of Aberdeen’s historic Union Terrace Gardens will be turfed within the next few weeks.
The gardens at the heart of the Granite city – which were originally unveiled in 1879 – have been undergoing a £28million redevelopment since 2019 and, although they finally reopened in December, the addition of what might be deemed by many people as an essential ingredient – grass – had been put on hold.
However, Aberdeen City Council indicated that preparatory groundworks had been launched in order to allow turf to be laid in a “couple of weeks”.
ACTRESS Jodie Comer abruptly walked off stage during a Broadway performance after telling the audience she had trouble breathing due to wildfire smoke.
Comer’s acclaimed one-woman show, Prima Facie, continued after her understudy stepped in to complete the matinee performance, but her response demonstrated how the fires, hundreds of miles away, had sparked a cross-border crisis.
Thick plumes of smoke blanketed New York City last week, prompting official pleas to the public to start wearing face masks to avoid smoke inhalation.
Anger over park memorial rules
Caley Thistle boss Billy Dodds delighted fans in the Highland capital by signing a new two-year contract with the Scottish Cup finalists.
Just days after leading his team into the big game at Hampden Park, which ended in a 3-1 defeat to treble-winners Celtic, the Championship club announced he will the staying at the helm until the summer of 2025.
TRIBUTES to lost loved ones will be removed from Aberdeen’s parks as part of a council clampdown which has sparked anger in many quarters.
Strict new rules have been drawn up by the authority to stop visitors from leaving behind memorials including plaques, vases, ornaments and plastic flowers.
Aberdeen City Council insisted it was tightening regulations due to an increasing number of tributes piling up across the city, but were accused of being insensitive.
One respondent said: “How can a plaque on a park bench cause any problems?”
Work done to improve Skye attraction
A SKYE tourist attraction has undergone an extensive makeover in response to soaring visitor numbers. Accessibility to the Fairy Pools on Skye has been drastically improved following a series of extensive renovations in the area.
Two new steel and timber clad bridges were airlifted and installed at the island hotspot, restoring the site’s popular viewpoints.
This was coupled with the creation of a pristine new path network.
THE Doune The Rabbit Hole festival is facing an uncertain future after the Bectu union called on artists, contractors and festival-goers to boycott the event, which still owes hundreds of thousands of pounds to performers and crews from last year.
And its organisers faced an angry backlash in April after asking volunteers to pay a deposit to work at the festival in order to “show your commitment”.
