REVIEW OF THE YEAR: A look back at some of the people and events making headlines in Ross-shire during 2022

In a front page exclusive, we revealed how Garve and District Development Company had taken ownership of three plots of land at the recently sold Garve Hotel.

Plans for a new community hub for the land, situated between the hotel and village hall, were being considered. The £275,000 cost came from community benefit funds generated by a wind farm development supported by Lochluichart Development Trust.

Susan Campbell made her own bit of history by becoming Muir of Ord Golf Club's first female captain.

The former Raigmore Hospital A+E charge nurse was anticipating getting back to normal after Covid restrictions.

Tain baker Willie Mackenzie decided to hang up his apron after an astonishing 51 years.

Not many in Tain have yet to sample his rolls, pies and other baked goods at Grants Bakery. He'd miss the lovely people but not the 3am alarm, he told us.

There was a call for calm after a visitor to the Clootie Well in Munlochy carried out a mass tidy-up of the site without any prior consultation.

Friends of the Clootie Well organiser Claire Mackay said she believed the mystery woman should not have acted so "ruthlessly" but said the incident opened up the chance of dialogue on what is appropriate to leave at the site. She had seen face masks, synthetic cleaning clothes and bras.

February

Val MacGregor (81) of Achterneed spoke up for "forgotten" communities after joining our campaign for coordinated action on potholes, revealing three generations of her family have been involved in incidents due to inaction.

Her husband John, who was suffering from dementia, suffered a very nasty fall in one of them. He had subsequently lost confidence to go out by himself.

Then Councillor Ian Cockburn promised to look at it again, saying: "We will do out best."

MSP Kate Forbes said there was a need for Highland Council to listen to families like the MacGregors.

Storms Corrie and Malik wreaked havoc with 450 different electricity faults found as high voltage wires were hit by falling trees.

Strathpeffer Residents Association hit another milestone in plans to transform an area of wasteland into a community park.

Funding from the local area committee was helping create a network of paths on the site taking shape thanks to the hard work of volunteers and contributions from local businesses.

RELATED: Ross-shire Journal photos of the year 2022 part 1

March

The High Street was nose to tail with cars and the roar from engines was deafening and yet no one was complaining. It could only have been the return of the Snowman Rally to Dingwall. Local MSP Kate Forbes said it was a joy to see hundreds line the streets on a feelgood day for the town.

Vandalism to toilets in Muir of Ord was the latest in a long line that included Alness, Strathpeffer, Rosemarkie and Cromarty.

A sign at Muir of Ord said it was closed due to vandalism. It costs Highland Council – and taxpayers – tens of thousands of pounds.

In addition to the impact on locals, the prospect of toilets being closed at the height of the visitor season was unappealing to the tourism trade.

Fortrose Academy's Team Revive was heading to national finals of the Young Enterprise Scotland competition to kindle entrepreneurial spirit.

Their idea of repurposing old washing machine drums as fire pits was proving hot stuff with the public.

Bank of Scotland confirmed plans to close its High Street branch in Alness.

April

Alness and Invergordon Medical Group was at the centre of calls for a probe into its management. It was struggling to recruit, subject to complaints about long waiting times for appointments and had recently been taken over by NHS Highland.

Opponents of plans for a nine-pod development at Braes of Ullapool that had been slated for approval by officials hailed a planning committee decision to turn it down.

Councillors had been lobbied by objectors concerned about the traffic impact on an unclassified road and an 1100-plus signature petition.

May

Catriona Lockhart of Dornie spoke of the "living hell" of losing a loved one killed in a workplace accident on International Workers Memorial Day.

Her partner Clive Hendry drowned after being crushed between two boats on a fish farm run by Mowi Scotland. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch ruled it did not have an adequate marine safety system in place.

Ms Lockhart made her remarks at a ceremony at a memorial in Inverness.

"I am here today to remember the dead and to fight like hell for the living."

The Black Isle branch of Cancer Research UK raised over £30,000 through a golf tournament at Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf club.

June

We revealed at the beginning of June how a well-used Averon footbridge in Alness was closed after an inspection found it to be "completely compromsied" by corrosion.

It was closed with immediate effect by Highland Council sparking questions about how it had been allowed to become so badly compromised.

Ultimately a supporting buttress structure was put in place pending a longer term solution.

A Wester Ross regeneration project won a special accolade for tackling depopulation, declining services and lack of affordable homes and business premises at an award ceremony in Helsinki.

The Achtercairn project in Gairloch scopped the More Than a Roof category for the multi-agency project that includes several tenures of homes, a farm shop, vet clinic and a community hub.

It was hailed an example other areas could follow.

At the end of June we reported how Invergordon's visionary mural trail was set to become an attraction for an even larger audience with the release of an app allowing people to find out more about the history of each piece as they walked around.

Talks from those involved are included in the showcase for what Sonny Rhind of Invergordon Off the Wall called "our amazing outdoor art gallery".

It's hoped it will help tap the NC500 market as well as give an extra reason for the hundreds of thousands of cruise line passengers to linger longer.

More next week.

Keep up to date with the latest local news by subscribing to the Ross-shire Journal.

If you have a picture or story you would like to share with us, get in touch by emailing hector.mackenzie@hnmedia.co.uk

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.