10 April: Lifeboat station back in action after walk out

No one can plan for the unknown - well the unknown unknowns anyway...

Alderney's Economic Development Plan highlights some of the know unknowns the island will have to face in the coming years:

• The impact of Brexit on Alderney's relationships with its neighbours
• Completion or abandonment of the FAB (France, Alderney and Britain) link
• Whether tidal energy plans for the island materialise
• Competition and regulatory changes impacting the island's e-gaming industry

The hobby, which involves using a smart phone or GPS to find hidden boxes, is being promoted as part of the Channel Islands Heritage Festival, which began in Guernsey on Saturday. 

Local geocacher Chris Meinke said the phenomenon is popular for visitors, and can help attract people to the Bailiwick.

Quote Message: If you follow the logs you can see who's been to which caches, and every time a cruise liner comes in you see a flurry of activity where the first thing they've done is find the caches around the town and around the harbour. from Chris Meinke

If you follow the logs you can see who's been to which caches, and every time a cruise liner comes in you see a flurry of activity where the first thing they've done is find the caches around the town and around the harbour.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

The annual Higher Education Fair, which usually runs in March, could be pushed back by a month in 2018 to avoid "disruptive weather", a Careers Jersey spokesperson has said.

The fair went ahead in March this year - its 25th anniversary - with about 1,000 people visiting 52 exhibitors in the Hotel de France.

Jeremy Field from Careers Jersey, said: "The stormy weather conditions on the day certainly made it a memorable event for some of our representatives, such as Northbrook College, who had to charter a fishing vessel from Guernsey just get to Jersey, due to flights and ferries not running." 

The chairman of the economic affairs panel has said the formation of a new "political force" could be a good thing for the States.

The Jersey Action Group (JAG), formerly the St. Helier Waterfront Action Group, said it wanted to be "an incubator for political ideas and we intend to assist and aid the development and preparation of political candidates for the May 2018 elections". 

Deputy Simon Bree said: "Any group that wants to sensibly engage with politicians and politics is a good thing."

He added that he found from the last election that most people "didn't engage" with politics, and that he hopes the group will be able to bring out more political discussion.

He also said that he hoped the party would not become politically biased "one way or the other". 

It's no surprise that transport is the first item on Alderney's Economic Development Plan with a runway upgrade, working with Aurigny and Air Alderney on air links and the future of ferry services all in the mix.

Ben ChappleCopyright: Ben Chapple

A move to widening and rehabilitation of the 877m main runway is due to be decided on by Policy and Finance this month.

The aspiration for the States of Alderney to eventually own an airline is also mentioned as well as moves to replace the memorandum of understanding signed with Aurigny and the States of Guernsey with a public service obligation.

On the sea a tender will go out this year for an operator to start next year offering freight and passenger services.

The Saffery Guernsey Panthers have received confirmation last night that they are to be promoted to Division Two of the South Regional Netball League.

The team were automatically promoted due to the Sussex NRG Pumas having to withdraw from the division play-offs.

Quote Message: A little bit of good luck at last, mixed with the girls’ hard work and consistency has given them the promotion they deserve. I have watched many Division Two games and I can’t see any reason why Saffery Guernsey Panthers will not now continue on from strength to strength. It is totally what the squad deserve." from Tracie Hards Coach, Saffery Guernsey Panthers

A little bit of good luck at last, mixed with the girls’ hard work and consistency has given them the promotion they deserve. I have watched many Division Two games and I can’t see any reason why Saffery Guernsey Panthers will not now continue on from strength to strength. It is totally what the squad deserve."

In Jersey around 60 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year, with around 20 people losing their lives to this potentially preventable disease. 

Doctors in Jersey are encouraging people to visit their GP for bowel cancer screening tests.

John De Gruchy was 59 when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014 and is now in recovery.  

He said before noticing blood in his stool he was completely unaware there was a problem.

Quote Message: I was unaware that any of it was any problem, I felt absolutely fine, I didn't notice a thing. After the tests I was taken to a private room and told, you've got bowel cancer. It was like being hit by a freight train, my head was spinning. The tests only take about 15-20 minutes, there's no pain, no problems. from John De Gruchy

I was unaware that any of it was any problem, I felt absolutely fine, I didn't notice a thing. After the tests I was taken to a private room and told, you've got bowel cancer. It was like being hit by a freight train, my head was spinning. The tests only take about 15-20 minutes, there's no pain, no problems.

Visiting one of the oldest stone carvings in north-west Europe and seeing how a casemate bunker worked during the Occupation, were two of the opportunities available to the public on the first weekend of the Channel Islands Heritage Festival.

A group who has campaigned against the development of Jersey's Finance Centre is broadening its focus to look at island-wide issues. 

The Jersey Waterfront Action Group has changed its name to the Jersey Action Group, and has said it wants to become a "political force" in Jersey to address wider issues such as tax and discontent with the current government.

A number of those involved are previous States members and say they are going to help people stand in the May 2018 elections. 

Quote Message: We are more like a political pressure group, a political forum or even a coalition of like minded people who feel they want to do something about what's happening in Jersey right now." from Sean Power Chairman, Jersey Action Group

We are more like a political pressure group, a political forum or even a coalition of like minded people who feel they want to do something about what's happening in Jersey right now."

States of JerseyCopyright: States of Jersey

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has completed the resurfacing on La Route de la Trinité, a States spokesperson said.

The road fully opened on Friday.

The project took longer than expected due to "additional work encountered", bosses said.

The DfI said: "We would like to thank the residents and businesses who were affected by the work and the diversion routes, and also Trinity Primary School pupils, parents and teachers."

An appeal against planning permission to convert the grade-three listed La Rocque Methodist Chapel and an adjoining hall in Grouville into a workshop and showroom has been refused.

The Chairman of Alderney's Policy and Finance Committee, James Dent, said the government had "acknowledged" that their latest economic plans for the island were "vulnerable" to unknowns such as Brexit and changes in key markets such as the e-gaming industry.  

The plans for the growth and development of Alderney's economy identifies key areas where the government wishes to develop, such as transport links, digital connectivity and increasing the working age population.

BBCCopyright: BBC

The deputy who's started a campaign to deter motorists from pavement surfing says re-introducing motor tax, with incentives for drivers with smaller vehicles, could help reduce the problem. 

A recent operation by Guernsey Police resulted in two drivers being issued with fixed penalty notices and another six being cautioned. 

Deputy Peter Roffey says introducing a tax for large people carriers could entice people to buy smaller cars, which are easier to use on Guernsey's narrow roads.

A teenager accused of sexually assaulting two women in Jersey on Friday has appeared before Jersey's Magistrates Court. 

The 16-year-old has been charged with two counts of indecent assault. 

The boy appeared with his father and a duty advocate before Magistrate Peter Harris. 

He was charged with sexually assaulting a woman near the Sugar Basin slipway in St Brelade on Friday. 

Later the same day he allegedly made a similar assault on another woman in the gardens of Jardins de la Mer in St Helier. 

The teenager remains in custody at Greenfields until his next appearance tomorrow. 

Runners from as far afield as Trinidad, Tobago and Malaysia have signed up for the island's annual marathon.

Organisers said entries were up on 2016. This year the marathon is supporting the charities Macmillan Jersey and Seeing is Believing.

It will take place on Sunday 1 October.