A crash between two cars at about 9 a.m. Tuesday morning closed one lane of the A-370 Garrucha-Turre road for at least an hour. The crash between a Cirtoen XSara and A Volksagen Golf happened at the junction between the A-370 and the A-1203 road which goes up to the Mojacar petrol station. A fire engine from Turre had to attend the accident as well as several Guardia Civil. At least one person was taken to hospital by ambulance.
The problem is all in the title of the fair; if it is a Feria Comercial Oficial ('official' trade fair) the new legislation applies, if on the other hand the fair becomes a 'Feria de Muestras' (fair of samples or demonstrations) then it can be open to the public in its entirety.
At the moment Vera ayuntamiento is blaming the lack of a fair on the Junta de Andalucia for changing the law while the Junta is blaming the ayuntamiento for not simply changing the character of the fair to another type. Nobody seems to be mentioning the drop in the housing market which of course means the big construction companies don't want to pay the ayuntamiento for the privilege of a space in the fair this year, so the ayuntamiento might not make the profit it has become accustomed to.
The towns of Pulpi, Vicar and Adra will be holding 'Ferias de Muestra' this year
The APEA (Asociacion de Empresarios y Profesionales de Albox/Albox Businesspeople and Professionals Association), with the support of Cajamar have presented a new credit card, available to members of the association and their customers. The card is described by Luis Aurelio Perez Tapia, the president of the AEPA, as a magnificent system for rewarding customer loyalty which is going to permit joint actions, promotional campaigns, prize draws and gifts. The card comes in two colours in order to differentiate between those of associates and employees of associated businesses and the rest of the clients. The card will also allow businesses to offer advantages directly to one another in commerce between them.
One of the main advantages of the card is the four months interest free credit available on purchases made in associated businesses. A representative of Cajamar also commented on the fact that the whole process of emitting a card only takes three four days after the application is received.
The rumour that Walt Disney was born in Mojacar has existed for years now and it is this idea that the producers of this film want to convert from legend to reality. They say that they have several documents which have never before been made public and that they hope during the project to visit the F.B.I. archives to find declassified material, amongst which they hope to find proof of Walt Disney's Spanish nationality and more specifically his origins in Mojacar.
Guardia Civil in Roquetas de Mar have seized 2,300 articles of counterfeit designer clothes after a spending a month watching a private home in the El Parador del Asuncion area of Roquetas. The officers watching the house observed how a large number of people entered and left the dwelling, leaving carrying plastic bags containing articles of clothing.
The decision to search the dwelling came after the Guardia Civil stopped a car which had left the house under suspicion after being loaded with several boxes. The car was stopped and searched and the occupants identified. Inside the car were boxes containing clothing. A judicial expert in counterfeit goods was called to the scene to certify that that the clothing was fake and with this evidence the Guardia Civil was able to obtain a search warrant for the house. Inside the house the Guardia Civil discovered shelves full of shoes, trousers, jeans, shirts, polo shirts, jackets, towels t-shirts, and bags, all copies of well known, high prestige designs and all for sale for below the normal market value. A married couple was arrested in the house.
The merchandise found all came from outside the country, being introduced into Spain through Galicia.
One person was killed and four were injured in a head on collision on the AL-334. The accident happened at 8 a.m. when a car with one occupant was involved in a head on collision with a van carrying seven people. The driver of the car was killed on impact and four of the passengers in the van were injured, one seriously. The accident occurred on the main road that connects the A7 motorway to Albox, Purchena and Baza, at a time when the traffic is particularly heavy.
The accident was attended by the Guardia Civil, the Albox fire brigade, medical teams from the Macael and Olula de Rio medical centres and a helicopter based in Granada. The most seriously injured of the four people hurt, who suffered severe abdominal injuries, was the last to be evacuated due to the time needed by the firefighters to cut them from the remains of the van. The rescue operation took more than two hours to complete.
The driver of the car, who lived in Urracal, was not removed from the scene of the accident until death was confirmed and permission given to move the body by a judge. Not until then could the firefighters cut them from the wreckage of the car. The town of Urracal has announced four days of official mourning.
The cause of the accident is being investigated by the Guardia Civil accident investigation section.
A study from the Junta de Andalucia shows that that the age at which young people start using drugs is falling. The average age at which youngsters first use cannabis has dropped to 17.2 from 18.2 in 2006 and the age for first cocaine use has gone down to 18.6 from 20.3 in 2006. This negative trend is repeated in ecstasy and amphetamine use. Heroin use has shown a rise in the average age of first time users from18.8 years old in 2005 to 20.4.
The study, a result of interviews with more than 2.400 people aged between 12 and 64 living in 87 municipalities in Andalucia, does however show a slight reduction in the consumption of tobacco and alcohol, the most widely used substances. After the introduction of anti-smoking laws here in Spain, the number of people smoking habitually has dropped from 34.4% to 32.4 %. The proportion of risk drinkers, defined as those drinking more than four beers or two spirit and mixer combinations daily, has gone down by 0.8% in the last two years.
There are also more people recognising their addictions, with 18,000 having attended for the first time one of the 122 centres financed by the Junta.
The ex mayor and current mayor's lieutenant of Carboneras Francisco Ruiz Aguado (PSOE)(Socialist Party), Rosario Fernandez (PSOE), the councilor for tourism Josefa Cruz (PSOE), ex-councilor Josefa Ruiz and Juan Cruz have all been accused of fraud in the postal voting for the 2007 municipal elections. The judge in this case has called Ruiz Aguado to give evidence as he was allegedly seen by a local baker throwing a bag containing documentation concerning the postal votes of 40 residents among which were the voting slips of all the parties except the PSOE. The others will be called to give evidence at the beginning of October after their accusation as a result of the declarations of about thirty witnesses alleging coercion or promises to residents in return for postal votes in favour of the PSOE.
Francisco Ruiz Aguado became mayor of Carboneras in November 2006 after Cristobal Fernandez (PSOE) resigned the post as aresult of being condemned to six months disqualifiaction from any political post for the electoral crime of coercion of a municipal employee in the postal voting, commited in 1999.
The robbery took place at 9.45 pm. in the Huercal Overa Mercadona supermarket when two masked men threatened staff with a revolver and made off with 30,716 euros. When the Guardia Civil arrived on the scene they soon discovered the make of the getaway car, a Renault Megane, and its registration number thanks to eyewitnesses. The registration plates were later discovered to have been stolen.
Guardia Civil and local police immediately set up roadblocks in the area and initiated an exhaustive search. As a result of the police efforts a car identical to that described by witnesses was found at about 1 a.m. that night and the Guardia Civil proceeded to interview the owner of the car. After the owner contradicted himself over his use of the car that night the officers searched the suspect's home, discovering hidden inside a wardrobe a bag containing an air pistol, a balaclava and a Mercadona bag containing coins in blister packs and about 13,000 euros in notes as well as the stolen number plates used in the robbery.
After the first suspect's arrest and subsequent interrogation the Guardia Civil discovered the identity of the accomplice who turned out to be an employee of the supermarket, who, thinking himself undiscovered, went to work as normal the next day where he was arrested at 9.20 a.m.
The two men arrested; Javier P.C. and Jaime A.G. have been officially charged by the Juzgado de Instruccion nº 1 in Huercal Overa.
In a demonstration in La Azohia area of Cartagena a Madrid businessman, Francisco Angulo, showed that a normal diesel car could run on the new bio fuel he has invented. The new fuel, called Ecofa, can be made from organic household rubbish or agricultural waste. The process involves mixing shredded waste with water and a bacteria and allowing the mix to ferment for seven days. The result is ecological crude petroleum which can then be used to produce bio-fuel and plastics. During a presentation given to potential investors in the Hotel La Azohia de Isla Plana, Francisco Angulo, aged 30, said that at the moment ten kilos of organic waste generates one litre of ecological crude but with more research that production figure could be tripled. He said that the production cost would not be more than 20 cents a litre which after commercialisation would allow a price of 70 cents a litre at the pumps. The new fuel is free of polluting sulphur, mercury or lead, all present in conventional fossil fuels. If successful the new fuel could free Spain of its dependence on imports from Arab countries and even lead to exports.
Almeria has a total of 78 chiringuitos (beach bars) of which 31 are permanent, not having to be dismantled in winter, the other 37 are taken down at the end of each summer. The Direccion General de Costas is the provincial organisation which ensures that these establishments do not occupy more space than they are allowed or carry out unauthorised activities and that none are opened without permission. There were a total of 30 chiringuitos that were prosecuted for some kind of infraction last year half of which were in mojacar, with the others shared between Vera, Cuevas del Almanzora, Nijar, Carboneras, Garrucha and one in Roquetas de Mar. The most common infraction was that of unauthorised works or installations on public land.
The other 16 sanctions were against unauthorised sun-lounger rental areas or those that exceeded the area designated to them.
Despite the fact that two of Mojacar's beaches have been awarded blue flags this year none of the town's beaches have lifeguards or flags to show the level of safety. This lack of vigilance is due to the fact that the Mojacar Red Cross organisation is still waiting for the ayuntamiento to sign the contract needed to guarantee payment of the professionals involved. the president of the Red Cross in Mojacar, Beatriz Gomez, said that although the Red Cross treats from its base in Mojacar all the cases that arise and will continue to do so, it was highly negative that the beaches do not have protection against possible events and added that last year the Red Cross had to attend to more than thirty very serious cases. The cost to the ayuntamiento for the protection needed is around 130 thousand euros.
Mojacar's beaches have a total of six lookout and rescue posts each of which is staffed by three people plus a lifeguard, these are supported by ambulances and their crews. The team provided by the Red Cross for the beaches consists of 27 people as well as 80 volunteers whose number include health professionals.
The Rural and Marine Environments Ministry has ordered the restoration of the beach La Fabriqilla, and the area of the old mineral loading area in Las Salinas, bothe in the Cabo de Gata natural park. These beaches had both been seriously affected by the storms which affected the coast of Almeria at the beginning of this year with the disappearance of virtually all of the sand. The restoration works involve transporting four thousand cubic metres of sand of the correct characteristics and grain size from quarries in Nijar. The works have a total cost of 60,000 euros.
The national television channel Telecinco is working on a new project, due to begin at the end of July, a big brother style show called La Caja Roja (The Red Box) is said by its production company to be 'the only television programme capable of changing your life in only fifteen minutes.'
Although they have the first ten participants they are still looking. They want people who are suffering; who have recently lost a family member (and still haven't got over their period of mourning, then they would be of no interest), people who have been abandoned by their partners in the last 30 days and even those who have been diagnosed as having a terminal illness.
The red box of the title is a 36 square metre capsule that will 'revolutionise your emotions', according to the production web site. If you go in happy you come out a thousand times happier, if you go in depressed you reach rock bottom even faster. A team of engineers and psychologists have been working on it two years and have developed pioneering technology that allows a domination of the emotions. 'The results are spectacular' we are assurred.
The Murcia Economic and Social Council (CES) expressed their favour for the new airport near Corvira over the existing San Javier airport. The Corvira airport, with construction scheduled to begin at the end of June and to be in operation by 2010, will have a total area of 326 hectares (805 acres) and will be used by 200,000 passengers in its first year, increasing to 1.5 million passengers in four years. The CES Socioeconomic and Labour Report considers the competition between the two airports to be 'unfavourable' in a region with a population of 1.5 million people and criticises the recent investments in San Javier Airport made since the announcement of the new airport. It states that the airport at San Javier does not meet the necessary requirements to satisfy the transport demands of the region as a result of its difficulties for expansion and its limitations of use due to being primarily a military airport. The report favours the reaching of an agreement between the regional and state administrations to take into account the labour situation of the present employees in San Javier Airport and the offer of work in the new airport.
Codeur, the company which has taken over the management of water supply and sewage treatment in most of the Vera area, has inaugurated two new water storage tanks. The installation of the tanks is the last stage in the creation of two separate networks for water for human consumption and water for irrigation in the Vera coast area. The installation of the tanks should mean a saving of at least a million litres of drinking water a day. The drinking water tank has a capacity of 20 million litres (about 4,400,000 gallons), with automatic chlorine level detection and injection system powered by photovoltaic solar panels. The irrigation water deposit has a capacity of eleven million litres and its power needs are met by solar panels.
Galasa will be increasing their charges for water supply and sewage disposal by 10.9 per cent, to be applied immediately. This rise will affect residents of Antas, Arboleas, Bedar, Carboneras, Cuevas del Almanzora, Garrucha, Huercal Overa, Los Gallardos, Mojacar, Pulpi, Taberno, Turre, Vera and Zurgena. The increase was approved in a meeting of the Diputacion de Almeria where it was hotly debated by the opposition Popular Party who accused the Socialist PSOE/Andalucia Party coalition of not looking for an alternative to what they described as a disproportionate rise. The socialist's spokesperson responded that 6.91% of the increase corresponded to the official inflation rate for 2006 and 2007 and pointed out that the change of customers to CODEUR in the Vera Playa area meant a loss of more than a million euros for Galasa. She went on to add that the rise would mean only an extra 1.50 euros on the average bill.
Last Saturday the first of the 'Jornadas formativas para AMPAS' (workshops for parents organised by the local parent's association) was held at the Valle del Este Hotel in Vera.
This event and others in the pipeline area free service intended for parents concerned about the education and upbringing of their children and for teachers and others working in the field of education. They focus on the educational and social challenges that exist for families today and on communication within the family. During the morning session representatives from the Guardia Civil talked about the dangers of the internet and about drug use amongst adolescents. After the lunch which was included as part of the program, Maria del Mar Romera, a specialist in emotional intelligence, spoke about how to improve communication within the family using awareness of what is happiness for the other person as a way to establish a common communication route. To finish the workshop Gabriela Moral, psychologist, explained the different educational models which can be followed.
Although these workshops, promoted by the Junta de Andalucia, are exclusively in Spanish anyone can attend and they would welcome any suggestions or proposals for their improvement in the future.
Summer is now officially here and a group of nineteen people from yoga groups in Mojacar and Vera gathered to celebrate the solstice at the El Molino Centre near Turre. The centre is a two hundred year old restored olive mill in the canyon of the Rio Aguas in the foothills of the Sierra Cabrera and is frequently used for organised yoga and meditation activities and other similar events. The evening commenced in the swimming pool with an aqua yoga class led by local yoga teacher Sharon Fisher. The class had to be adapted to the watery environment as some postures, such as head and shoulder stands, were not suitable. However relaxation, which is an essential part of yoga, was found to be enhanced by the water. The next activity was a walking meditation along the river valley which was followed by a circle of meditation for world peace. The evening was completed with a vegetarian buffet meal provided by all the evening's participants. All funds raised by the evening will be going to the Sivananda Home for destitute and leprosy in Rishikesh, India.
The Spanish centre for environmental and technological energy research (CIEMAT) started their Environmental Research Plan in March consisting of checking radiation levels after the accident involving nuclear weapons which happened over forty years ago in Palomares. The first stage of the plan is the drawing up of a map of superficial radiation, measuring radiation levels on the surface and then in the areas showing the highest levels taking samples of topsoil, up to a depth of 15 cm, for later analysis in the laboratory. This first stage is on the point of completion.
The second stage will be defined by the results of the first, with surveys and significant samples being taken at different depths. The complexity of the work to be carried out means that the final results will not be available until the end of the year. To draw up the map the CIEMAT will use the most up to date scientific tools available and are working in cooperation with the United States Department of Energy.
The CIEMAT has carried out constant supervision of residents and the environment in the area since the acident occurred and highlight the fact that the results obtained are situated within normal ranges and there exists no significant risk from radiation.
The accident happened January 16 1966 when a B-52 carrying four 70 kiloton nuclear bombs collided with the plane it was refuelling from. Only four of the total of eleven crew members of the two planes survived and two of the bombs hit the ground near Palomares, causing their conventional charges to explode, spreading their radioactive cargo over an area of 220 hectares. One other bomb was found intact in a dry river bed and the other fell into the sea.
The president of the Diputacion de Almeria has inaugarated the new Multiple Use Building in Turre. Also present at the ceremony were Francisco Ortega, mayor of Turre, and Rodrigo Sanchez Haro, the mayor's first lieutenant. The building, which was built on the town's old market building has a total area of 1,079 square metres.
The ground floor will be used as a senior citizens day care centre and the new medical centre, which will replace the present medical centre currently housed in the neighbouring building. The upper floor will be used as the municipal library, with a computer room, archives and a reading zone. The first floor will also accommodate the Centro Guadalinfo, the Andalucian project for improving computer literacy in the province. The Multiple Use Building will also boast installations for use for holding meetings, an exhibition hall, storage space and offices.
In a meeting held recently between the mayor of Albox, the councillor responsible for security and the Sub inspector Chief of the Albox local police several options were studied to improve policing in the municipality.
One of the points raised was that of the possibility of more police officers. At the moment the local force consists of 14 agents, four officers and a sub inspector. The mayor said that one more agent has been budgeted for and the position should be filled before the end of the year and that there is a vacancy for a replacement for one who died recently. He added that ideally the town should have between 22 and 25 local police.
The chief of police commented that a priority was the formation of a rural patrol which would control illegal construction and tipping and would provide extra security for those living in the areas outside the urban centre.
Another measure being worked on is the installation of a free telephone service with the number 092, connected directly to the local police, to improve the response time to emergency calls.
The mayor remarked that closed circuit cameras were soon to be installed in avenues, public spaces, plazas and public gardens in the town as a deterrent to those thinking of committing crimes in those areas.
16 schools from Andalucia took part in the Benalmadena tournament froma: Conil de la Frontera, Teba, Rota, Cazalla de la Sierra, Puebla de Don Fadrique, Belmez, La Linea de la Concepcion, Roquetas de Mar, El Cuervo, La Carlota, Alcala de Guadaira, Arahal, Coria del Rio, Cabra, Antequera and Mojacar.
As well as taking part in the competition the children were able to visit the Tivoli World theme park as areward for their work.
Juan Fernández, the coordinator for sporting activities, said that the tournament was a reward for all the effort the children have made throughout the year, and thanked them for their exemplary behaviour during this championship.
The ayuntamiento of Mojacar approved in a recent meeting the setting up of a register of 'parejas de hecho', something which will allow unmarried couples to register the fact that they live together, and to specify any particular legal conditions of their relationship such as shared assets or inheritance issues.
Parejas de hecho also have similar rights to married couples regarding things such as adoption of children or resolution of issues arising in the case of separation. The concept is somewhat similar to that of common law husband and wife in Britain.
The first council in the area to introduce this kind of register was that of Los Gallardos in 2005. The following year they were joined by Carboneras and in 2007 Antas. This year as well as Mojacar, Cuevas del Almanzora are introducing such a register.
THE ayuntamiento of Garrucha, during a meeting laced with controversy, has awarded the contract for the works which are to be carried out in the castle in Garrucha, castillo de Jesus Nazareno, in the creation of an 'Aula del Mar'. The contract, worth 324 thousand Euros, was awarded to a company named Sprint and the works are to be completed within a time span of three months. The Aula del Mar will consist of exhibition halls, educational areas, areas dedicated to the fishing industry and entertainment and audiovisual areas.The opposition Socialist party abstained during the vote, arguing that the awarding of the contract was irregular due to the lack of a technical report, the lack of technical criteria and irregularities in the adjudication of offers tendered for the works.
The governing party, the PP, explained the steps taken in publicising the offer for quotes to be tendered for the works, and the formation of the board, consisting of the mayor, the town planning officer and a technical expert from the University of Almeria, which adjudicated between the two companies which submitted projects.
WHETHER it started as a joke or not is unclear but an e-mail calling for a general strike on July 15 is being received and then forwarded by people to their contacts list converting it into one of the most distributed messages of the last few weeks.
The mail makes reference to the rises in mortgage rates as well as electricity and fuel prices and goes on to say 'let this be the first general strike convoked on the internet ... for everything they are doing to us ... this date should pass into history, we will stop the country'
The mail is completely anonymous and appears to have no connection to any trade union or political movement and makes no call for demonstrations or meetings of any kind. Should it be successful it would be a landmark event in the power internet has over our lives.
LA NOCHE de San Juan is a celebration in style of the start of Summer. This year in Garrucha the party was bigger and better than ever. The fun started a 6 pm. With a party for the kids on the beach; bouncy castles, organised activities and to finish it all off a foam cannon and lots of white, froth-covered children. Those that still had the energy could go to the fair set right next to the beach. All the while people were setting up on the sand, bringing their barbeques, lighting fires and weighing down camping tables with food and drink. At about eleven the music started with a band set up right on the beach next to the port, playing paso dobles, Spanish hits from the sixties and more typical Spanish fiesta music, further along the beach there was a change of style with DJs playing dance music accompanied by percussionists, go-go dancers (male and female) a giant screen and hallucinogenic light displays.The climax came at midnight, signalled by an enormous bang that sent everyone scurrying down to the shore where the first spectacle was the Garrucha tradition of an enormous bonfire at the centre of which surrounded by palettes, what looked like last years boardwalks off the beach and even a tree, was an old wooden fishing boat. Once the flames had taken hold it was time for the fireworks, a stunning display that must have lasted fifteen minutes and left everybody gasping. Then it was time for a swim, or a paddle for the less brave, something said to bring you good luck for the rest of the year. And then – back to the party. Summer has officially started.
The Julie Bruce Dance Academy delighted audiences at the weekend with their interpretation of Annie at the Centro de Cultura in Garrucha. Annie, a musical for all the family, was originally adapted for Broadway in 1977 from the Little Orphan Annie comic strip and was winner of a Tony on stage and nominated for two Oscars on film.The local cast, aged from three to fifteen, showed real talent and a professionalism that only comes from dedication and hard work. The title role was played by Tamara Coffey who played a mix of sweetness and street-toughness perfectly. Beth Tallis was outstanding in the role of Miss Hannigan the cruel, bitter, hard-drinking orphanage matron, showing a capacity for comic acting and a great singing voice. With a total cast of 28, the boys were outnumbered by six to one with Xaverlino Von Braun ideal in the role of Mr. Warbucks and Peter Campbell giving an outstanding performance as Rooster, Miss Hannigan's no-good brother. Taylor Dodd who played Grace, Mr. Warbucks secretary, gave another exemplary performance.
The show these young people put on was made all the more impressive by the fact that many of them were up at six in the morning that day to attend a rhythmic gymnastics competition in Vera, coming away with one cup and several medals. If that were not enough on top of the preparation and rehearsals for Annie and the preparation for the gymnastics competition the academy students have recently taken their dance exams and are now waiting for the results.
Julie Bruce said that she was really proud of all of the children and thanked them for all their hard work. The Julie Bruce Dance Academy's next project is The Wizard of Oz, to be staged at the end of the year. The academy is open all through the summer. You can contact Julie Bruce on 950 462215/697 861071.
A FIRE, described by Spanish national television news as the first forest fire in Spain this year, left 120 hectares (300 acres) of mountainside blackened last week. The fire in the area of Sierra Cabrera known as Los Murtales, about five km East of Cortijo Grande golf course, started at about 1.00 pm and was brought under control by 9.00 pm, with the residents of cortijo 'Los Alemanes' having to be evacuated when the flames came within 300 metres of their home. The area burnt was one of low lying vegetation and scrubland although there was some concern that it could spread to a nearby pine forest, one of the few remaining forests in the Levante area.
The alarm was raised by residents in the area calling the emergency 112 telephone number, provoking the mobilisation of fire fighting services not only from Turre but also from a large area of the Levante coast. The fire was extinguished due to the efforts of three fire engines with seven fire-fighters from the Turre fire station and a response force from Infoca (the Andalucian forest fire prevention and response scheme) which included 74 fire-fighters under the supervision of seven technicians and an environmental protection agent, four pump vehicles, earth moving machinery, seven helicopters and four planes. The efforts of the firefighters were hampered by high winds which changed direction several times during the afternoon, but due to the long daylight hours the helicopters and planes were able to work continuously for five hours dropping water or fire retardant every four minutes.
A local man was arrested only 48 hours after the fire for the presumed crime of starting a forest fire. Evidence suggests that the fire started as a result of negligence during the burning of agricultural waste.
Despite the fact that water is no longer going to be sent to Barcelona by tanker ships, the money destined for the port in Carboneras for a special loading area for the tankers is still going to be invested there. The money will now be spent on a more ambitious project and the amount to be invested has increased form the original 11 million to 25 million euros. The money will be used for the construction of a new 220 m long dock cargo boats of up to 100,000 tonnes will be able to dock. The president of the Almeria Ports Authority, Trinidad Cabeo, said that the new dock could generate up to 400 new jobs and business worth around 120 million euros. In 2007 the port in Carboneras moved 5.5 million tonnes of goods, consisting mainly of calcium carbonates, coal, cement and wood, generating an income for the Almeria Ports Authority of about 2 million euros, about 13 per cent of its total income. The new dock, which could be started work on this year, will double the capacity of the Carboneras port. The port will still attain the capacity to export water from the desalination plant allowing its transport to any area of the country that may need it in the future.
THIRTY SEVEN companies have tendered quotes to the Junta de Andalucia for the job of straightening the A-1200 road which connects Vera and Garrucha and which is used by 18,000 vehicles every day. This will be the continuation of the work already done from Vera to a point about 500 metres past the Hotel Vera.
The works will affect 4.3 kilometres of the road from km. 2.7 to km. 6.5, the Buganvillas roundabout, where the road connects to the Villaricos-Garrucha-Turre road.
The works, which have a budget of 15.4 million euros and which should take 26 months to be completed, involve the construction of two new bridges over the River Antas, one for each direction of traffic flow, and a flyover at the junction with the road to Puerto Rey. Service roads will also be built alongside the main road and a new junction will have to constructed to allow traffic access to the petrol station currently right next to the existing road.
These works form part of the MASCERA Plan (Mejora de la Accesibilidad, la Seguridad vial y la Conservación En la Red de Carreteras de Andalucía/Improvement of accessibility, road safety and conservation of the Andalucia road network). This plan has an overall budget of more than 100 million euros and is co-financed with funds from the European Union.
ORO DEL DESIERTO (Desert Gold), an olive oil organically produced in the province of Almeria, has won two important prizes in a national competition organised by the Biocordoba fair and the Cordoba provincial government. The Ecotrama national ecological extra virgin olive oil contest was judged by a panel of more than ten experts in the field and the prizes, one gold medal and one silver medal, will be awarded during the Biocordoba 2008 Fair to be celebrated in the city of Cordoba in September.
Oro del Desierto has also won second prize in the BIOL Ecoliva 2008 competition, celebrated in Jaen. The top three from this contest will compete in the final phase of the BIOL international prize, celebrated each year in Italy.
The Oro del Desierto estate near Tabernas obtains its organic certification by demonstrating respect for the environment in all stages of production ensuring adequate, sustainable water usage, use of natural, organic fertilisers, encouraging natural predators of pests and recycling waste resulting from the oil production process (the olive stones are burnt to provide heat needed in the production process and the olive pulp left after pressing is fed to pigs reared on the estate).
Spain produces 36 per cent of the world's olive oil and the annual per capita consumption of olive oil in Spain is 36.6 kilos.
