I'm a great believer that FOIs can lead to great articles because they help inform the public on matters organisations might prefer us not to know about. @scottmaclennan.bsky.social www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/number-...

Fergus Ewing to stand down as SNP MSP in 2026 as the Inverness and Nairn MSP says he ‘cannot defend the record of the SNP Government’ but leaves door open to run as an independent: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/fergus-...

This is a development that could be seriously consequential: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/scottis...

And if you tick here, Bernstein, you get the 99p Inauguration Sale Subscription Offer

The number of pupils who receive help with exams has increased sixfold, leading to claims that parents are “gaming the system” by saying that their children have special needs. Exclusive in @thetimes.com www.thetimes.com/article/eb84...

"Disclosures given to the tribunal revealed that the Metropolitan Police, again acting on behalf of the PSNI, obtained more than 4,000 text messages and phone communications belonging to Mr Birney, Mr McCaffrey and more than a dozen journalists working for BBC Northern Ireland’s Spotlight programme"

I've been covering Highland Council since 2018 and this was by far the worst debate I've witnessed. It was ill-tempered, partially factual and the council opted to do nothing: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/educati...

Beautiful Solar eclipse, see from LEO 😍 Did you see it?

Since 2016 Highland Council has been at or near the bottom of primary school attainment and in the bottom third for S3 attainment. On one measure in one year since 2016 the region met the national average. Time councillors did something: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/parents...

Or artists (Hitler) Or journalists (Mussolini) Or trainee priests (Stalin) Or soldiers (Amin/Franco/Pinochet) Or shoemakers (Ceausescu) Or lawyers (Robespierre) Or teachers (Pol Pot) Or really any job frankly… So shall we consign this to utter bollocks clickbait pointless braindead nonsense?

The light this morning was exceptionally beautiful, almost Tupelo Pink

Highland Council poised for 35% tax raid on household budgets over 5 years despite a large increase in Scottish Government funding www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/news/highlan...

Highland Council lost just under £714,000 on scheme to revamp one Inverness street that was eventually cancelled after the Court of Session ruled it 'unlawful'. Normal? www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/highlan...

“Break up Highland Council, I have had enough of it – I want to bring back local democracy" - so says the Provost of Nairn. He is one of half a dozen councillors saying the council's structural problems can't be overcome: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/i-want-...

In what has been an unusually fraught budget setting season Highland Council has unveiled its thinking that it needs a 35% tax raid on households over the next 5 years: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/highlan...

Here's one representation of the current state of additional support needs in Scottish schools. This week @heraldscotland.bsky.social is running a special on the issue. You can find all the stories here: www.heraldscotland.com/news/2478010...

Welcome Cllr Mackie! https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/lib-dems-in-highland-council-score-another-new-member-in-str-368257/ If you're also looking for a new political home, joining the Lib Dems is just £15 a year https://libdems.my.salesforce-sites.com/LiberalDemocrats/NewMemberLocal

Is this the beginning of end (the actual, real life, no nonsense end) of Highland Council the most ridiculously over-sized local authority in Europe? www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/leading...

@ionamjmacdonald.bsky.social Was it you or Hector who started this one off? 👀

I wonder why a financially pressed enterprise agency is 'deeply disappointed'? That is correctly poured millions into the project? That one of those at Orbex called this a win-win?

Scoop by my colleague Caroline McMorran. After the UK and Scottish Governments invested millions in developing the Sutherland spaceport Orbex have paused development, favouring Shetland - a huge blow to the Highland economy: www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/sutherl...

FOI reveals Highland Council has only managed to build an additional 15 classrooms using developer contributions in the last five years despite sitting on more than £13 million of payments from 941 housing projects: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/reveale...

Working for a local newsbrand is all about making a difference to our communities. Sure, we can tell folk what's going on day-in and day-out but having a platform to help people is powerful. #GiveBloodSaveLives

People are often surprised when I tell them this: both Twitter and Facebook/insta/threads are now specifically engineered to downgrade, hide, suppress real journalism. If this platform is different, that's a huge change

Former Highland Council staff say they were ‘intimidated’ to repay wages they got despite leaving the local authority. Auditors found the council paid hundreds of thousands of pounds to ex-employees because they didn't check who worked for them: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/former-...

Etymology of the day: to be ‘blowing a hoolie’ (or ‘hooley’) was probably inspired by the Orkney word ‘hoolan’, a howling gale, with a touch of the ‘hooley’ that is a very noisy party thrown in.

I don't like posting this but Neil MacPhail was a gentleman and brilliant journalist - he was also outstanding company: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/we-will...

My front page of today's Ross-shire Journal: A school boy (12) was left hospitalised with a concussion after being "attacked" by fellow pupils, at Alness Academy.

quite the cover from @politico.eu

Still worth sharing this as more people join, thanks again to @severincarrell.bsky.social for making this easy

Here are all the @invernesscourier.co.uk @johnogroatjournal.co.uk @rossshirejournal.bsky.social and other reporters already on @bsky.app right now:

The most north westerly grocer's shop and post office on mainland Britain is up for sale for £645,000.

Certainly took my holiday at the right time. Snow on the ground, logs about to be delivered, books to be read possibly in the local nursing a Guinness or even at home in front of the fire

‘A road trip like no other’: my epic drive on Kraftwerk’s Autobahn by Tim Jonze Fifty years ago, the electronic pioneers released a 23-minute song about a road – and changed pop music for ever 🚗🎙️🎶 www.theguardian.com/music/2024/n...

Tain bus passengers face delays and cancellations as bus and rail services in north Highlands hit by heavy snow

What bonnie day! But the Pug was disgruntled in the extreme by the cold paws in the morning - I got looks

Might as well start off with a little something I did on the @invernesscourier.bsky.social on behalf of our community hospital radio station www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/mfr-sho...

Some people on here are really helping others to find the right folk to follow, kudos, chapot, thank you @louisewilso.bsky.social

Really looking forward to sharing this important body of work. Proud to be part of @heraldscotland.bsky.social which is investing in quality journalism to highlight these issues.

First post on this thing feels as strange as my first Twitter post. Awkward. Yet hopeful.

Can't say that we didn't see this one coming, but it's still sad that it's come to this. #NC500 www.ross-shirejournal.co.uk/news/downrig...

Brilliant again Severin, thank you for this! A few of us from the Highlands are now on BlueSky too: @niallfh.bsky.social @scottmaclennan.bsky.social @hnm-wclark.bsky.social @ahenderson96.bsky.social @ionamjmacdonald.bsky.social @alfraserreporter.bsky.social

Two undersea cables in the Baltic Sea have been severed in recent days. The German and Finnish foreign ministries said in a joint statement that the incident “raises suspicions of intentional damage” and that an investigation is underway.

And my second post (I will stop counting after this one) is a little lighter but still a bit of a talker. Did Highland Council really spend almost £1m to install Wi-Fi in the Inverness Town House? www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/did-hig...

My first post here so I hope it is worthwhile and I believe this is - attainment in S4 to S6 continues to fall in the Highland Council area: www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/highlan...

Hope you’re having the day you deserve ❤️