Another unique eco-system in province killed off

One of the largest surviving “artineras” ecosystems left in the province has been destroyed by farmers. The 2,64 square kilometre artinera outside El Ejido is a protected space under Spanish legislation, but Ecologistas en Acción say that invasion by builders and farmers has illegally destroyed it. Artineras are grouping of several types of indigenous grasses that form small inter-dependent ecosystems around a shrub known in Spanish as the Arto. Animal and insect life within the Continue reading Another unique eco-system in province killed off

El Gordo 640 million euro first prize went to Roquetas and Laujar

The first prize in Tuesday’s El Gordo lottery was sold in Roquetas del Mar and Laujar. The total first prize was worth 640 million euros, split amongst everyone who held ticket number 79,140. In all, the holder of every decimo (tenth) of that ticket won 400,000 euros. Six out of the thirteen top prizes were fully or partially sold in the province. The total in prize money topped 666 million euros. Many of the tickets Continue reading El Gordo 640 million euro first prize went to Roquetas and Laujar

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

Civil Protection equipment lost – Garrucha says resources were ‘squandered’

Garrucha council claims the previous administration “squandered” resources of the town’s civil protection units by allowed equipment to be “abandoned and ransacked”. An internal audit has laid bare the true cost of not properly maintaining emergency equipment. The council says the worst example is that of two zodiac boats used by lifeguards. The sea patrols have not been in use since 2011 due to budget cutbacks, and the boats have been found in a terrible Continue reading Civil Protection equipment lost – Garrucha says resources were ‘squandered’

News in brief

NO COMPENSATION The Supreme Court has ruled that an insurance company does not need to pay out a €60,000 life insurance whose holder had died after playing a friendly game of paddle. His insurers refused to pay out claiming that the man’s death, caused by a pulmonary thrombosis after he damaged his knee, was “not an accident”. Although the family initially won the backing of a local court, the insurance company appealed and the Supreme Continue reading News in brief

Lottery again favours Roquetas

Just days after the El Gordo went to Roquetas del Mar (452 million euros…), the El Niño lottery has also favoured the town – two tickets of first prize 22654 were sold in the town, worth 200,000 euros apiece. El Mundo says one man bought both tickets, and that he had earlier won on El Gordo, so that’s a nice Christmas for him. It’s small beans compared to the El Gordo win. The first prize Continue reading Lottery again favours Roquetas

It WAS you!

The first prize in Tuesday’s El Gordo lottery was sold in Roquetas del Mar and Laujar. The total first prize was worth 640 million euros, split amongst everyone who held ticket number 79,140. In all, the holder of every decimo (tenth) of that ticket won 400,000 euros. Six out of the thirteen top prizes were fully or partially sold in the province. The total in prize money topped 666 million euros. Many of the tickets Continue reading It WAS you!

Arrested for stealing 10 tons of lemons

Two men were arrested for driving two vans full of lemons around early one morning recently in Roquetas. Unable to explain what they were up to, the police  decided to nick them and let justice sort it out. The two van had 2,6 tons of freshly picked lemons (someone had been busy). Further investigations revealed that a local farm had lost some 10 tons of lemons in a night, valued at some 8.000 euros. Police Continue reading Arrested for stealing 10 tons of lemons

Roquetas drugs arrest

The Guardia Civil have arrested two men running a home delivery drug service in Roquetas del Mar. The police became suspicious after noting a large number of non residents driving through an urbanisation in the outskirts of the city, and mounted a surveillance operation. They quickly noted that people were going to the same flat for very short periods of time. Uniformed officers swooped on clients throughout the course of a day and seized drugs Continue reading Roquetas drugs arrest

Leroy Merlin must pay €6,5 million compensation for not coming to Almería city

Leroy Merlin has been ordered to pay €6.5 million euros in compensation to a builder in Almería for breach of contract, after it decided against setting up a new superstore in the city. Bogaris Retail SL,, the company behind the Torrecardenas retail park, had arranged in 2007 that Leroy would be setting up there; the company reserved 12,500 metres for their superstore and gave a cheque for €600,000. The licenses had to be in place Continue reading Leroy Merlin must pay €6,5 million compensation for not coming to Almería city