4,000 illegal immigrants living in squalor across province

It’s estimated that up to 4,000 people are living in conditions of absolute poverty across Almería province. Mainly illegal immigrants, they form an unknown number of shanty towns or chabolas (shacks) concentrated mainly in the Níjar – Campohermoso or El Ejido areas. Almería Acoge, together with Médicos del Mundo, are two charities that are heavily involved in helping residents of these shanty towns gain access to the very basic services that we take for granted, Continue reading 4,000 illegal immigrants living in squalor across province

Roulette cheats nabbed

Two men from Roquetas de Mar have been arrested for using a radiofrequency device to cheat a roulette machine out of €1,900. The scam was cunning in its technological achievement (unless they just bought the thing off e-.bay) but naive in implementation. The two men arrived at a local casino last March 7 and within 20 minutes had won all the money. As the croupier became suspicious, the two men cashed in their winnings and Continue reading Roulette cheats nabbed

Almería company to export jamón to the USA

The Serón based meat company Jamones Cortijo de Canata has become the first in the province to obtain an import licence from the USA for dried meat products, and intends to start shipping locally produced jamón serrano to the States. Jamones Canata is a new business which was setup some years ago with regional government funding to promote the sale of locally produced meat products abroad. So it looks like it’s doing its job. Last Continue reading Almería company to export jamón to the USA

Jailed for kidnapping and beating a friend after he pinched their Arsenal shirt

Two men have been jailed for kidnapping a friend in 2012, holding him against his will in a cave and beating him over the matter of a lost Arsenal football shirt. The man was seized from his sisters house where he was carrying out some work by the two men, before being beaten and robbed of everything he had. He was left unconscious and bleeding in the cave. He later dragged himself out, sought medical Continue reading Jailed for kidnapping and beating a friend after he pinched their Arsenal shirt

Garrucha roundabout to be built

Finally! The dangerous La Simona crossroads leading into Garrucha port from the by-pass is to become a roundabout. The idea was first mooted eight years ago but no agreement has ever been reached. Mainly because the powerful quarries and lorry guild scupper any attempt to improve road safety, as it would cost them more in fuel as they drive up and down that road exporting the province. Now the city council has agreed to proceed Continue reading Garrucha roundabout to be built

Mesa Roldán in Carboneras is falling down

The watchtower of Mesa Roldán in Carboneras is “neglected and in danger of collapse” according to a complaint filed by the friends of the Cabo de Gata last week. The association accuses the local council and the regional government of wasting the tourism possibilities of the tower, which was built in 1766 to guard the coast.As an interesting side-note, the tower was built to the wrong specifications and when the local militia dragged some massive Continue reading Mesa Roldán in Carboneras is falling down

Almería council criticised for hiring private security guards to control traffic during Holy Week

The town council of Almería has been criticised for allowing private security officers to take over traffic duties during the Holy Week parades as there aren’t enough local police officers to cope. Five unions filed a joint complaint when the situation became apparent.No-one seems sure why the private security people were assigned to traffic duties, but it seems someone has a photo. Nor does the complaint mention if they were on the main roads or Continue reading Almería council criticised for hiring private security guards to control traffic during Holy Week

Someone found a cave painting on a masonry wall block….

Excitement is growing around “ancient” paintings discovered on the blocks of an ancient stone wall in Aulago (Gérgal) which some experts think may be prehistoric cave art. The paintings were discovered by a local man called Miguel Brocal, who alerted the authorities to their presence. What he was doing levering the blocks out of the wall has not been vouchsafed, one hopes he was simply repairing it. A unit formed of architects, conservators and art Continue reading Someone found a cave painting on a masonry wall block….

Teacher fired for porn, sexual comments and misogyny

A supply teacher in Serón has been fired for showing teenagers in his class hard core pornography and advocating extreme violence against women. And now the local magistrate has become involved after parents complained to the Guardia Civil. The teacher worked at IES Sierra de los Filabres secondary school of Serón for just two months before the first complaints started to come in about the man’s “bizarre” behaviour in class. Shoot women, not clay pigeons Continue reading Teacher fired for porn, sexual comments and misogyny

Despotic priest causes revolution amongst the parishioners

Five villages in the Alpujarras who share a priest have united by calling him a “despot”. Things came to a head this weekend when he refused to start the Holy Week processions. Miguel Teruel arrived just over a year ago to become the priest for the villages of Alcolea, Fondón, Fuente Victoria, Laujar and Bayárcal. But his new way of tending to the spiritual needs of his parishioners has not gone down well. He has Continue reading Despotic priest causes revolution amongst the parishioners