From "The Strathspey and Badenoch Herald" of Thursday, January 29, 1987.
THE battle of the corries is over - downhill skiing in Drumochter will be developed on the Dalwhinnie Corries, not Jean's Gully.
Drumochter Estate owners Mr and Mrs John Drysdale have given the green light to Drumochter Ski Development Group plans for skiing on the Dalwhinnie Corries (or Northern Corries) by the winter of 1988
1989.
The Development Group - which comprises Mr Glen Ferrier and Mr Roddy MacRae, both Newtonmore, and Mr David Craig and Mr Cameron Ormiston, of Kingussie - is naturally "delighted" with the news.
They estimate their £1,500,000 scheme will provide 12 direct full and part-time jobs and up to 50 more in various related industries throughout the valley.
"It should also help reduce long queues on the Cairngorm ski slopes, which are becoming increasingly overcrowded as the sport's popularity mushrooms," said Mr Ferrier.
"Dalwhinnie will be the main beneficiary of our scheme, but there will undoubtedly also be benefits for Newtonmore, Kingussie and Laggan."
Grantown faces solo fight
GRANTOWN will have to "go it alone" if it decides to pursue demands for a change in its boundaries and a transfer to Moray District Council and the Grampian regional authority.
Neighbouring community councillors have this week given a united "We're happy where we are" response to suggestions that the Boundary Commission should review Strathspey's borders. The call has come from local historian Mr George Dixon, who claims Grantown is getting a raw deal from the Kingussie-based Badenoch and Strathspey District Council and would fare better under the Moray authority.
He has suggested the transfer to Moray District of the catchment area of Grantown Grammar School, which would include Carrbridge, Nethy Bridge, Boat of Garten, Dulnain Bridge and Cromdale.
Now Grantown Community Council is to hold a special meeting on February 3 to discuss Mr Dixon's proposals. It will decide whether to put the issue before a public meeting in the spring.
But it has already brought a response from the chairmen of neighbouring community councils, who are now likely to discuss the suggestions at meetings next month.
Warning to dog owners
A STRATHSPEY farmer was this week counting the cost of a marauding dog attack which left him with two sheep dead and five others mauled.
And with fears that other ewes may abort lambs as a result of the attack, the bill at the end of the day could amount to £3,000.
Now the farmer, Mr Iain Grant, of Higher Tullochgribban, Dulnain Bridge, has warned dog owners: "I will shoot on sight any dog seen on my land."
The attack by an Alsatian dog happened on Thursday at Easter Curr, Dulnain Bridge, where Mr Grant has a flock of 105 sheep grazing.
One of the dead sheep was chased into the River Dulnain, where the dog tore out the beast's neck before attacking others in the field. All seven sheep which were attacked were in lamb.
Mr Grant puts a market price on them of £50 for the sheep and £35 each for the lambs.
It is the fourth time his flock has been attacked by dogs, resulting in the loss of 17 sheep, and the second incident at Dulnain Bridge, in three months which, together, have led to the deaths of three sheep.
"It's heartbreaking that there should be this slaughter just because of the irresponsibility of certain dog owners," said Mr Grant, who has 300 head of sheep.
"Dogs are being allowed to roam at will in the Dulnain Bridge area and in future I will have no hesitation in shooting any which set foot on my land."
School life will change
THE EIS Yes vote has been greeted with "relief", if not wild enthusiasm, by local teachers.
Local EIS secretary Mr Ken Deans said most members were relieved the dispute was behind them now and that they could get back to normal contractual working.
But he believed school life might never again be quite as it was before the dispute.
"I don't think schools will be returning initially to the full extra-curricular life they led in the past," he told the 'Herald'.
"During the dispute teachers have realised what lunch times are, and many have filled new-found free time with other activities.
"Teachers have always taken part in extra-curricular activities because they believed it worthwhile, but I don't see there being a great rush back to that situation."
EIS members voted by a large majority to accept the pay and conditions deal recommended by the leadership.
That vote should bring peace to Scottish schools in the months ahead, although the findings of the various working parties are anxiously awaited by all.
Snow fair on sled dogs!
HUSKY sled drivers from all over the country dug themselves out of snow drifts and battled through Arctic conditions to reach their annual snow race at Aviemore last weekend - where there was no snow.
For the first time in the four years that Britain's only sled dog race on snow has been held at Aviemore, there was no snow.
In previous years contestants have had to practice without snow but the real thing has always arrived on time to create perfect race conditions.
Conditions over the weekend were far from what was anticipated, with reasonable temperatures and the occasional blue sky.
Some 60 teams from all over Britain took part in the weekend races on wheels instead of snow, with two runs over a four-mile course in Glenmore Forest.
