Sir — Shortly after setting off from Dingwall to Thurso on Tuesday I approached the Tomich junction to Invergordon on the A9. There were blue flashing lights up ahead - an accident.

Sir — I wonder if you would let your readers and our many customers plus supporters, know, as soon as possible, that our Breast Cancer Scanner at the Ross-shire Health Protection Trust building, 6 Stafford Street, Tain, has closed for the rest of the winter.

Sir — How good it was to hear the Ross County supporters cheering their team to the echo each time the ball hit the back of the net on Saturday afternoon.

Sir — Following from SNP MSP Mr Dave Thompson's consultation on open level crossings within the Highlands, I have done a little research myself.

Sir — It is with great sadness that we have taken the decision to look for a new tenant for our premises.

Sir — I refer to Mr Alan MacRae's letter to you (Ross-shire Journal, January 15) about Conon Bridge Railway Station in which he resorts to personal insults and misinformation to try to make his point.

Sir — Further to your report of January 15 in relation to the Highland Rheumatology Unit, I am one of the three patient representatives that has been involved in the review process, and I am currently an in-patient at the Rheumatology Unit.

Sir — People in Northern Scotland generally don't like to make a fuss but the state of the Highland Council maintained roads coupled with the poor snow (slow) clearing service has tipped us over the ice-edge!

Sir — The snows affecting the country have had a massive impact.

Sir — Northern Constabulary takes the issue of motorists driving whilst using mobile phones very seriously and places the appropriate level of priority on policing this offence.

Sir — Inverness Airport bosses are going on a trip to look at airports in Scandinavia. They might like to look closer to home to see where they could do more to provide a better service for passengers.

Sir — It seems our roads have not been gritted as the snow fell on a public holiday, a source from the Highland Council said.

Sir — Despite our slogan "A Dog is For Life, Not Just for Christmas" and warnings against buying puppies as Christmas presents, there will be some families who received a puppy as a gift this Christmas.

Sir — Burning waste is the most dangerous way of disposing of our rubbish. It produces dangerous chemicals - dioxin being just one which cannot be safely captured by any means.

Sir — When politicians talk about Scottish culture and heritage on TV, they might mention our natural resources and beauty spots. Or folk music. Maybe even Gaelic and multicultural diversity.

Sir - I would like to draw your readers' attention to an NHS review into the Highland Rheumatology Unit at Dingwall which could result in cuts to the service provided. It is the only one of its kind in the country and I am sure that it is a facility that has been used by many of your readers and their friends and relatives.

Sir - I agree with Ann Bolton and others about the flooding affecting the sports grounds of the new Dingwall Academy.

Sir - I had the misfortune of having two wreaths stolen from Tore Cemetery around this time last year.

Sir - It is now clear that Highland Council is to push for a pay freeze for much of its lower paid workers next year. At the same time, part privatisation and cuts to essential and much needed services are also under active consideration from the Indy/Labour/Liberal council. We are told these drastic steps are needed to meet a massive budget shortfall estimated over the next few years.

Sir - Anne Bolton, in your last edition, writing concerning the present situation regarding Dingwall Academy playing fields, put her case very well indeed - as always. On the general points she makes I have little to add save to endorse her claim that the area in front of the school was earmarked by the local authority and the school as a sports field - part of their case to refute the accusation that the new layout gave inadequate provision for the playing of major games. At that time I questioned the likelihood of this frontal area becoming a "pitch" and have been proved right.

Sir - As the Christmas season approaches, reindeer are being transported up and down the country to be used as entertainment in parades, Santa's grottos and other festive events.

Sir — What a totally misleading editorial in last week's edition of the Ross-shire journal on the proposed waste to energy plant in Invergordon.

Sir — Following on from your front page article in last week's Journal, Frederico Bollero wrote that he is descended from Colin Bain Calder, the first president of the Club Atlético Rosario Central, which had been started when British companies were building the Argentine railway network in the mid/late nineteenth century.

Sir — I refer to Mr Slater's letter last week, describing the Fairburn wind farm "as a hideous monstrosity, even in its partially completed state".

Sir — Inevitably light aircraft flying near Dingwall are frequently attributed to the existence of our airstrip at Knockbain Farm.

Sir — We are disgusted by the Council's decision to discontinue road gritting to Torridon and Diabaig.

Sir — I refer to the item in the Journal of October 30 about Highland Council's refusal to unlock the way to funding for a much-needed swimming pool in the Black Isle.

Sir — As one brought up in the age of horse-drawn ploughs and paraffin-powered tractors, and now through the miracle and magic of modern-day technology, I regularly watch BBC ALBA.

Sir — I noticed that David Reynolds, the creator of the largest matchstick model in the world, is searching for somewhere to house his oil rig masterpiece.

Sir — I was interested in the article which appeared on Page 3 of the Ross-shire Journal, dated October 16, entitled "New power plans are unveiled".

Sir — Due to the unprecedented amount of stray and abandoned kittens taken in by the Tain and District branch of Cat's Protection this year, we are running a neutering campaign during the month of November.

Sir — It is now over a year (September 5, 2008 to be exact) since Tesco were awarded Outline Planning Permission on their site in Shore Road, Tain.

Sir — My letter is in reference to an article printed in the Ross-shire Journal dated Friday, October 16, entitled, Pensioners choke on lunch travel charge.

Sir — I wonder if readers can assist in providing information and/or memorabilia (photographs would be of particular interest) for a research project into the Women's Suffrage Campaign in the Highlands currently being undertaken by the Inverness branch of the Workers' Educational Association.

Sir — I am writing to tell of a heartwarming incident that happened to me recently.

Sir — On behalf of God's Golden Acre and my family, I would like to thank the people of Easter Ross for their hospitality and generosity to our Zulu visitors.

Sir — As a motorist who regularly drives the A9 through Easter Ross, I sympathise with your correspondent (name and address supplied) who is frustrated with cyclists on the A9.

Sir — The rant by the contributor (name and address supplied) in the letters column last week calling for a ban on cyclists exemplifies the attitude of a few petrol-headed extremists who believe that everything which moves must be subordinated to their convenience.

Sir — I entirely agree with the idea of taxing cyclists. They should also have insurance as a road user.

Sir — If and when the Conservatives win the next general election it will be all our pensioners, schools, hospitals, NHS, disabled, sick, infirm, all of Scotland's industrial heartland and the long term unemployed that will suffer.

Sir — In November 2007, delegates at the Cycling Scotland Conference voted overwhelmingly for the production of a Cycling Action Plan for Scotland.

Sir — I was bemused to hear Gordon Brown, in his recent address to the TUC Conference, talk about cuts in public spending after the recovery has started. The reality is that the UK Government is making real cuts, right now.

Sir — No problem now? ASDA with access from one end of the Tain by-pass and Tesco from the other end.

Sir — The Nurse's League of Inverness Hospitals are holding a reunion in the Beaufort Hotel, Culduthel Road, Inverness on Saturday, October 3 at 2pm. Registration commences at 1pm.

Sir — This year sees the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign mark its 50th anniversary.

Sir — As a 75-year-old great-grandfather I was beginning to believe that life's excitements had passed me by.

Sir — The UK Government's 2p rise in fuel duty will only serve to hinder economic recovery, negating any potential additional income to the Treasury.

Sir — Invergordon Community Council, would like to express sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to stopping an incinerator being built in our historic town.

Sir — Since mid-June, Lewis and Harris were chock-a-block with visitors.

Sir — Last week a well-attended public meeting in Fortrose heard about plans by a local developer (Tulloch) to build 152 houses there.

Sir — The planning application for Ness Gap, Ness Road, Fortrose, is for 152 houses whereas the recommendation when the land was zoned for housing was for 120 maximum.

Sir — If politicians spent more time looking at issues and less time slating their opponents, crofting might not be in the position it is (letters August 7).

Sir — Firstly, congratulations to Asda on a successful application at Slackbuie, Inverness. Well done!

Sir — The last thing crofting needs in 2009 is another LibDem peddling Victorian platitudes (letter July 31) – 129 years after the 1886 Crofting Act its strengths and weaknesses are all too apparent in today's conditions.

Sir — As your readers and the public will no doubt be aware a judge has made a landmark ruling in Corby, in relation to sixteen children age range nine to 22 who suffered deformities due to a potent toxic dust that was released when the council renovated the steel site there.

Sir — What is it about a village school that brings a place alive?

Sir — This letter is being written in response to the planning application for an incinerator in Invergordon along with others in places such as Peterhead.

Sir — Following Highland Council's half-baked Option Appraisal, I read with interest the article in last week's Ross-shire Journal covering the acrimony surrounding their proposal to merge Conon and Maryburgh Primary Schools.

Sir — Re Tesco set for new battle over Tain appeal.

Sir — I am writing with regards to the youth of Invergordon and whether they are being sucked into something that they know nothing about by very well meaning persons who apparently are dipping their toes into international politics.

Sir — With reference to the article published on Friday, May 29 in the Journal entitled Facelift for the Fairy Glen, Rosemarkie (Page 5).

Sir — We, Cllrs Maclean, Paterson and Chisholm, are taking the unusual step of writing to you, because the record needs to be set straight concerning the merger of Maryburgh and Conon Bridge schools and our actions as local councillors for both communities.

Sir — To whom it may concern.

Sir — I would like to inform all householders, especially the elderly, and the more vulnerable residents, there are a lot of bogus workmen going around at present – very noticeable in Black Isle areas, including Beauly and Muir of Ord.

Sir — How lucky can the residents of one Highland community be? At least three times lucky!
1 — Lucky that our community has been chosen to site a large waste incinerator. Poor old Inverness, they normally attract all the high profile new industries. Not this time — they’re obviously not lucky enough.

Sir — How on earth can anyone consider that waste incineration is a good idea? No matter how you look at it, and however much technology you throw at it, the bottom line is you are consigning the product of combustion to the atmosphere, and creating a toxic ash which still requires disposal.

Sir — Regarding The Help for Heroes march by the army cadets, Scouts, Guides, Cubs, Brownies, Rainbows, youth cafe and senior pupils from Tain Royal Academy. Led by the Massed Tain and Army Cadet Pipe bands the parade left Knockbreck School and marched through the town past the Royal Hotel where our Lord Lieutenant Janet Bowen took the Salute then onward to Duthac House where they were formed up in Open Square to be addressed by the Cadet C Major Ivan Warwick who then called for two-minute silence in memory of the fallen.

Sir — I am amazed at the latest spin emanating from Platform PR on behalf of Combined Power and Heat (CPH) suggesting that the proposed Invergordon incinerator site could attract visitors to the area. (Journal, June 19).

Sir — On Sunday, June 21 my daughter was riding her bicycle through Invergordon on the last but two lap of her three-week journey from Land's End to John o'Groats.

Sir — I travel into Inverness on a daily basis. I traverse the Kessock Bridge at around 7.45 am and have never been held up by any traffic that was stuck on the bridge carriageway.

Sir — Having attended two public meetings regarding Highland Council's waste bulking transfer site and a private company's proposal for an incinerator, I have carried out some basic research to find the following:

Sir – I have been involved in community work in the Invergordon area for longer than I care to remember and in all that time I have come across many pillars of the community, stalwarts, activists for a good cause and volunteers who give up their time for the good of others.

Sir – I fully back the efforts in support of our armed forces personnel around Armed Forces Day and through Help for Heroes. Like most families in this country we have relations and friends serving today in places like Afghanistan. They need all our support.

Sir — I, along with many hundreds (thousands?) of others, have received a letter (2nd class post) from MSPs Rhoda Grant, David Stewart and Peter Peacock urging me to help them "End the Kessock Queues"!

Sir — I feel sorry for the people of Maryburgh.

Sir — Many readers will know the landscape of the Highlands is underpinned by deer management.

Sir — The Highland Badminton Group are in the process of collating as complete a list of badminton clubs in Highland as possible. This is to help us with our work of supporting the Highland clubs. To do this we need your readers' help.

Sir — The proposed Waste to Energy £43m incinerator scheme, at the smelter site north of Invergordon, seems to me, to be a very sensible project.

Sir — Last Friday morning, I stopped my car in the car park of Dingwall Tesco and was promptly approached by a man (who according to his green rosette was named Gordon Campbell) handing out election literature.

Sir — This morning, on my way back from Dingwall, I turned to cross the Moy Bridge. A large Land Rover, with orange lights flashing on its roof, pulling a trailer with a small digger on board, had almost crossed the bridge and was ready to progress up the road to Moy.

Sir — Thank you for drawing attention this week to the further destruction of our democracy.

Sir — We have become increasingly concerned about the continuing decaying state of the Ord Wood pond area, caused by residents and their gardeners.

Sir — In reply to Ian Stuart's letter (Journal, May 1) I have been checking out certain facts.

Sir — In last week's Journal, in the piece on MPs' expenses, Easter Ross MP John Thurso stated, "What is clear is that the whole system is rotten and we need a fair and open system urgently."

Sir — How on earth in today's financial climate can our Council and local councillors justify a 'Dial a Bus' plan to Dingwall?

Sir — The conflict between CFPA and Port Services is not new.

Sir — In spite of your correspondent John Jappy's fuzzy assertions to the contrary there are many of us who know full well the shortcomings of the nationalist administration at Holyrood.

Sir — I read a feature this Bank Holiday Monday in an English national newspaper about collecting seagull eggs. It brought back memories of my youth in the 1940s and 1950s.

Sir — I have rarely seen a letter with such outpourings of anger and disillusionment as that of John Boocock (Letters, April 17).

Sir — As the 65th anniversary of D-Day approaches, it is time to reflect on the courage of those who fought so bravely to protect our way of life.

Sir — Dave Thompson and the rest of his cronies in the SNP just can't seem to get their stories straight when they are trying to cover up their failure to secure the funding to dual the A9 for the people of the Highlands (Letters, April 10).

Sir — The oft-repeated statements by the Tesco spokesman relating to the Tain project, do not stand up to scrutiny.

Sir — I must take one last bite at this old pedestrianising chestnut. And take issue with Ian Macnab and all others who want cars back on Dingwall High Street. For convenience. For the shops.

Sir — I wish to set the record straight with regard to this week's Ross-shire Journal front page headline "Luxury steam train runs out of puff!"

Sir — I felt I must respond to the letter last week from John Douglas of Edinburgh who was "astounded" to discover smashed hard-boiled eggs "littering a park" whilst out walking on Easter Sunday.

Sir — I am writing to implore the gentleman who continues to litter the beautiful areas of Contin, Silverbridge and Strathpeffer with religious tracts to please stop. It is still littering and not welcome.

Sir — When David Thompson, the nationalist list MSP, suggests that Ian Stuart "smells the coffee" (letters, April 10) perhaps Mr Thompson should check out his own less than satisfactory olifactory senses.

Sir — Undertaking a short perambulation on Easter Sunday, I was astounded to find the smashed and grubby remains of dozens of hard-boiled eggs littering a local park.

Sir — The second letter from Ian Stuart (letters, March 27) continues his ill-informed name calling and false accusations against our SNP government.

Sir — I'm afraid John Eoin Douglas's solution to Scotland's drinking problems will not be solved by reverting to the old system of pub measures eg gills for spirits (letters, April 3).

Sir — I am well aware that the Red Cross, an excellent organisation in worldwide terms, is supported by voluntary contribution.

Sir — The other night my wife and I were returning home along Craig Road in a violent rainstorm.

Sir — I was appalled to hear that Mhairi Matherson, our support worker, will be made redundant this summer from the Companas Outreach Service, Wester Ross due to funding being withdrawn.

Sir — At its meeting on March 16, the Committee of the Tain and Easter Ross Civic Trust resolved to offer its support to the campaign organised by Highland Councillor Craig Fraser to keep open Hugh Miller's Cottage and Museum at Cromarty and has written the National Trust for Scotland urging it to do what it possibly can to secure the future of the premises.

Sir — I was delighted to read on the front page of the Ross-shire Journal that Invergordon is at last on the upturn.

Sir — There may be some of your readers who like me have received unsolicited phone calls offering to reduce my bill and saying they are from BT.

Sir — Having written previously on the subject of speeding on the Shore Road between Alness and Invergordon in the aftermath of Barbara Rhind's fatal accident in 2007, I feel I must write again.

Sir — Many thanks to Councillor Alisdair Rhind and all the planning committee for refusing the Tesco application in the industrial site.

Sir — The decision by the National Trust for Scotland to include Hugh Miller's cottage in Cromarty on its list of properties earmarked for closure is completely unacceptable.

Sir — I got some stick this past weekend from some of your readers on my views on 'Tesco for Tain'. Also, I read your report on Mr Rhind being excluded from a planning vote on the issue.

Sir — Dave Thompson, the SNP MSP, in his recent diatribe (Ross-shire Journal March, 6), called for there to be a little more honesty in politics.

Sir — Around half past seven this morning, listening to the radio, I heard that the Highland councillors were going to debate as to whether they should have more bilingual signs.