We have lots of interesting stories and lovely photographs for you online and in this week’s edition of The Oban Times.
Oban’s new lifeboat has arrived and was piped into Oban Bay on Sunday. Five Oban RNLI crew members sailed the Shannon Class 1350 ‘Campbell Watson’ from the RNLI headquarters in Poole, Dorset to its new home, after stopping off in Cornwall and Ireland.
Over on Mull, community councillors have unanimously backed a move for Dervaig to have an outdoors war memorial after pressure from several local residents.
A consultation over the future arrangements for the proposed Argyll and Bute Council-run Oban Harbour is ongoing and will end on January 10. However, people have been encouraged to have their say on the harbour now, with a public meeting at the Rockfield Centre on Thursday (December 14) evening.
The First Minister has been urged to intervene over blood cancer patients facing lengthy journeys due to a specialist shortage in Oban.
In other news, conservationists have warned that a flood of planned digital masts across the Highlands risks damaging some of its most beautiful landscapes.
An MSP has grilled the Co-op on its food prices in the Western Isles, and a young rapper and songwriter from Mozambique, who found peace and inspiration on the Morvern Peninsula, has released a single.
Morvern has also been struck by a number of minor earthquakes over the last few months, culminating in a loud rumble on Lismore last weekend.
A row has also erupted between Morvern Community Council and the Royal Mail over a consultation to change local postcode address to Lochaline, and we have the latest on the Corran ferry.
Elsewhere, GMB Scotland has raised concerns about issues at the Tighe A Ride care home on Tiree after Argyll and Bute Council was accused of bullying staff and spending nearly £600,000 on agency workers.
The union has reported that four of their members employed at the home in Scarinish are off work with stress after a long-running dispute.
Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland managed Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership has said it is “deeply concerned about any cultural issues related to allegations of bullying and victimisation”.
And Oban’s schools welcomed golfing hero, Bob MacIntyre back to his hometown on Friday. The Ryder Cup winner visited Park, Rockfield and St Columba’s primary schools, before attending a civic ceremony and Q&A session at Oban High School.
Meanwhile, one of shinty’s top whistlers has retired after 15 years, with a playing career that also saw him win every honour in the game. We pay tribute to Fort William-based referee Deek Cameron’s successful career in the sport.
In this week’s shinty round-up, Oban Camanachd are also pleased after their assistant manager, Iain MacMillan agreed to stayed in his position and Skye Camanachd has wasted no time in organising their pre-season fixtures.
Badminton players from across the West Coast also descended on Oban last weekend for the Yonex & Scottish Sea Farms Oban Doubles (Grade C) competition, while Oban Saints reds also pipped the greys in a competitive training match.
The Oban Ravens Squash Team also learned some valuable skills in a Scottish Squash Women & Girls Only Level 1 Coaching course last month.
Don’t forget you can read all these stories and much more by picking up a newspaper in local shops and petrol stations from Thursday and if you have a story please get in touch.
You can call us on 01631 568000, email us at editor@obantimes.co.uk or message us on our Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly Twitter) pages.