NIJAR SEAFRONT
San José in Nijar is to get a new sea front promenade thanks for a 400.000 euro grant from the national government. Senator Rafael Hernandez (PP) said it was an important investment into a major tourism zone and would help improve tourism figures in an area that was economically dependent upon this sector. Work on the promenade started in 1999 but were cancelled for budget reasons in 2000 by the local council. Work has never recommenced due to a lack of money, but the council has been in negotiations for the last two years to obtain financing.
SEABED CO2
A new study called “Blue Natura” is being launched in Almeria aimed to measuring the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) being absorbed by the Mediterranean seabed along the Andalusian seafront. Part of the LIFE studies across the EU, the 2,5 million euro project is being financed 60% by an EU grant, and the rest coming from Spanish universities and research groups. The intention is to quantify the economic value of the CO2 reservoirs in order to appropriately guide marine exploitation policies. It will also assign, for the first time, carbon capture credits to the seabed allowing companies to protect the seabed.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE
Almeria has hosted a unique judicial conference on the implementation of environmental laws. A dozen senior Judges from across Spain, together with the head of Seprona, the environmental police, and several public prosecutors spent two days discussing the state and condition of environmental and history laws. The participants were also invited to the Cabo de Gata nature park to see how these laws are applied in practise. A workshop on “environmental crimes” also discussed appropriate sentencing guidelines for infringements of said laws. The Secretary General of the Justice Department, Mercedes Fernández Ordóñez, opened the Congress.
VERA MUGGING
A man has mugged an 83 year old lady of 2.500 euros in Vera last Friday. The attacker knew the lady was going to withdraw the money from her bank, and lay in wait for her. When she emerged from the bank he pushed her over and stole her handbag. Officers of the local police who assisted the lady quickly recognised her description of the man and went after him. He was arrested with a thousand euros in his pocket, and the rest of the money was quickly found in a nearby garage belonging to him. The pensioner was shocked and slightly bruised but otherwise unharmed.
MUSICAL ANIMALS
The Veterinary College of Almeria organised a free concert entitled “Animales muy musicales” (most musical animals), in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi last Sunday. The concert, which did not use any animals, was performed by the symphonic orchestra of Jaen in the Maestro Padilla concert hall. The concert was a selection of animal based musical pieces linked together with a narration aimed at younger people. Peter and the wolf by Prokofiev merged seamlessly together with Oscar Navarro’s classic poem “Noah’s Ark”. It was described by one young family as “an ideal Sunday afternoon out”.
FILM TAX
Carboneras council has voted to lower the municipal film tax from 700 euros a day to just twenty. The stated aim is to encourage more production companies to the area, who will hopefully hire locals as extras. Other taxes which have been lowered include an 18% drop in IBI (property tax), plusvalia (capital gains) which has been lowered at all stages up to a maximum of 42%, and the slashing of vehicle tax for efficient vehicles. Families in poverty can also apply for IBI exemption. The new levels will all take effect as from the first of January 2016.
GERGAL MINES
The opposition councillors of the PSOE have submitted a motion for the town council of Gergal to support the reopening of the iron mines in the municipality. These mines were closed in the first quarter of the twentieth century, but there has been a recent interest in the possibility of exploiting them again, using modern and more efficient mining methods to make them viable. The PSOE say that the council should be inviting tenders from mining companies and that they would be an important source of jobs and revenue for the town.
FRUIT AND VEG
Almeria produced 43% of all fruit and vegetables exports from Andalusia during the first half of this year, to a total value of over 1,5 billion euros. Exports are stronger than ever, being 12% higher than this time last year. The Spanish exterior chamber of commerce ICEX confirmed that Almeria is the regional leader in this category of exports. In the first six months of this year sales were equivalent to 73.4% of last years 2 billion euros. In all, Andalusia exported 3.5 billion euros worth of produce in the first six months of this year. 25% of the exports go to Germany.
PENNY DREADFUL
The hit US series “Penny Dreadful”, a Victorian era drama show directed by Spanish director Paco Cabezas, is to film part of its third season here in the province of Almeria. The show narrates the fight against the forces of darkness set in a Victorian era London. To date, the show has only ever been filmed in London and Dublin. It is produced by US channel “Showtime”. No further information on filming dates has been released but it is expected to be here in spring 2016. The stars of the show are Eva Green and Timothy Dalton.
FIESTA ACCIDENT
An accident at the Turre fiesta has left a woman with 10 stitches in her head. During the traditional “ribbon catching” event on Saturday, during which young men on horseback attempt to snatch a ribbon from a suspended wire to give to their beau, a horse threw its horseshoe which hit a 45 year old local Spanish woman in the face. She needed seven stitches to her nose and a further three to her head. Doctors say she was lucky, as if it had hit two millimetres to the left it would have impacted upon the eyeball. She was taken to hospital and released the next day.