A church in the West Fjords of Iceland (Northwestern part of the country) celebrates 150 years of existance today. The church is called in Icelandic Ögurkirkja, which could directly translate into English as “Rocky Inlet Church”. Read the full story

A woman at the age of 20 was killed in a fatal car accident in Alftafjordur in the northwestern part of the country today, according to Morgunbladid. The woman, who was driving the car, died after being transfered over to Reykjavik hospital via an emergency flight. There were two passengers in the car who suffered minor injuries and are currently being treated at a hospital in the city of Isafjordur in the north western fjords. Read the full story

A great number of foreigners have been taking interest in an Icelandic sport of Swamp Soccer or Swampball, better known as Mýrarbolti. A Czech photographer, David Bernard, visited the event in Iceland and has taken photos of this traditional sport being played. His photo album was posted on the Canon website. Read the full story

The mayor of Isafjordur in Iceland’s Westfjords region has revealed that the number of town council committees will be reduced and the remaining ones will have fewer members. The merging and trimming of council committees could save the local government ISK 2.3 million (USD 20,163), according to mbl.is. Read the full story

The increasingly popular Aldrei For Eg Sudur (literally: ‘Never Went I South’) music festival in Isafjordur will take place this year as planned, BB.is reports. The two day indoor festival in the remote Westfjords of Iceland takes place over Easter weekend, and 2009 will be its sixth outing. Read the full story

Bolungarvik Town Council, in the Westfjords of Iceland, has confirmed it is to reduce the wages of its councillors by 20 percent from 1 January 2009. Baldur Smari Einarsson, Independence Party councillor in Bolungarvik, put the motion to the council in response to the difficult financial situation of the Bolungarvik district. Read the full story

A church service was held on Tuesday at 17.00 at the main church in Isafjordur, the largest town in Iceland’s West Fjords region. The service was held for Ossur Ossurarsson, a young man who was found unconscious on Hofdatun in Reykjavik last Saturday morning, Visir.is reports.

Ossurarsson was found with serious head injuries and he has been kept in a coma on a ventilator in Intensive Care ever since. It is not yet known how his head injuries were caused and police are appealing for any information from the public, even if it seems trivial.

As well as the church service, a Facebook group has also been established to unite well-wishers. The site can be seen here.
The police hotline in Reykjavik is +354 444 1000

Several group of hikers travelling around the Hornstrandir area in Iceland reported seeing two “white spots” in the mountain hills, spots that weren’t there when they travelled the same path back.

The local authorities in cooperation with the Icelandic cost guard are on the look-out and have asked all hiking groups to return to base. According to Kristinu Volundadottir, the local district commissioner at Isafjordur, all groups had been reported back except for one that authorities have been trying to contact and brief of the situation.

Mbl.is reported

Highly positive media reviews have appeared for the fifth Aldrei For Eg Sudur (I Never Went South) music festival, which took place last weekend in Isafjordur, Iceland.

NME.com and Clash Magazine have both praised the two day annual event which featured 34 Icelandic acts and attracted thousands of revellers to the remote fishing town in northwest Iceland.

Festival organisers Mugison and Mugipapa have declared the festival “a complete success” and have already begun planning next year’s event.
In an enthusiastic report of the music festival, NME.com praised Mugison, Megas and the BBC World Service Battle of the Bands’ finalists Hraun.

Clash Magazine commented, “I Never Went South is a local delight deliberately hosted both geographically and ideologically from the exhausted and beaten track of corporate sponsored brand w**k fests which appear to be popping up like generic ring fenced mushrooms in increasing propensity.”

Other positive reviews are featured in the German music publications Intro and Laut, while international jet-setter Olaf Furniss described the vibrant atmosphere of Aldrei For Eg Sudur in his article for the Scotsman. Some foreign journalists also documented the festival on Flickr and YouTube.

For more information on music festivals in Iceland and to see Faroese superstar Eivor Palsdottir perform at the festival‘s closing party, visit www.icelandmusic.is