Yes, it's Henrietta's Christmas Fair on Sunday

JIMENA Henrietta, that peculiar girl with the big eyes, is having her annual Christmas Fair this coming Sunday, December 2, from 12 noon onwards. Needless to say it is to be held at Casa Henrietta, that lovely hostelry on the main street, Calle Sevilla, 44, just up from the village's main square and convenient parking. All kinds of stalls have booked their space and will be setting up - just the right things to be getting on with your Christmas shopping. Of particular interest to CampoPulse, are the several stalls taken by contributors and backers of J.A.W.S., whose sales will be going to the Jimena Animal Welfare Society, as we announced here.

'An animal is not a toy' says J.A.W.S.

Click to enlarge

JIMENA J.A.W.S. (Jimena Animal Welfare Society) has created this campaign, in English and Spanish, for this year's Christmas giving season.  In common with other similar organizations all over the world, J.A.W.S. believes that it is necessary to remind people that a pet is not just a gift, but a living, breathing being that needs care, attention and love for its whole life. If you think this is true, please link this item to all your friends. Below you will find the objectives under which J.A.W.S. has been working since the famous luncheon last July. (Also, if you type 'animal welfare' into the search facility on the sidebar, you will see many CampoPulse items on the subject. And don't forget this coming Sunday's Christmas Fayre at Casa Henrietta, where J.A.W.S. has several stalls.)>>>

Today is a dog day, find out why

JIMENA There are three dog items in this article. The illustration on the left is by Spanish Stray Dogs, who say: "For this Reason Spanish Stray Dogs has taken the decision as it does every year NOT to rehome any Puppy under 3 months old until after the 7th Jan 2013. DOGS ARE FOR LIFE NOT FOR CHRISTMAS. Remember older dogs make better pets!!!!" Below you will find a photo of a puppy that was found in Jimena, and two older dogs that belonged to a lady who passed away recently, and are looking for a home.

Jimena's prettiest street holds market on Friday in aid of La Estrella

JIMENA Last week we announced a Christmas Bazaar in aid of La Estrella to be held at a home on Calle San Sebastián this coming Friday, November 30, in the morning. Demand for stall space has grown so much that it has been decided to hold the bazaar out on the street. Given that this is the most-photographed street in the village, it is surely just the right place to help Jimena's handicapped group. La Estrella need the money for numerous extra-curricular activities (see here and here, for examples). The image illustrating this piece is one of two posters used in the campaign. (Also, don't forget Sunday's Christmas Fair at Henrietta's, where J.A.W.S., the animal welfare society, has booked several tables)

The hard work it takes to get a cork into your bottle

JIMENA Isidoro Herrera, retired foreman of Jimena municipal maintenance workers, has just created this lovely piece on YouTube about the workers in the cork oak hills that are in and around Jimena, including several Campo municipalities that border on them. You will have read that the Council voted unanimously to seek help from the European Commission to investigate what is happening to the trees that are drying up for no apparent reason. If the cork oak disappears it will mean the ruin of many local families, not only of Jimena but of all municipalities that have part of the Los Alcornocales Nature Park within their boundaries. And this is a very good reason to insist on buying ONLY those wines that use real cork, not those nasty plasticky wannabes. (To get the perspective of Isidoro's movie, you might also want to read How did that cork get in your bottle? one of several in-depth articles published first on JimenaPulse several years ago. (Thanks to TioJimeno for putting this up so we could find it.)

Residency permits to be allowed to foreigners buying properties over €160,000

Illustration only

MADRID Earlier this week the Secretary of State for Trade, Jaime García-Legaz, announced that the government is studying changes to the Foreigners Law in order to issue residency permits to foreigners purchasing properties for over €160,000. It is aimed, he added, at the Russian and Chinese markets, and that the changes will take place 'in a few weeks time.' The established purchase price is, said García-Legaz, at a 'balanced level' that is not expected to cause a 'massive demand for residency permits' and a lower price could serve as an 'excuse' to obtain residency.>>>

This is NOT the Mingo logo but they're opening anyway

JIMENA The newest bar is opening in Jimena, but we only have a few sketchy details, though we know they're getting a new logo together as we write. The most important detail is that it is opening TONIGHT, with drinks and snackeroos from 8pm. No doubt you'll be able to get all the relevant details when you speak to Mirella or Laurent, who have been working hard to get everything ready. Oh, another detail: the new place is on Calle Sevilla, 18, in Jimena village and a few meters up the hill from the main square and convenient parking.

First Christmas Bazaar on Friday, November 30

JIMENA The first of several area Christmas fairs, bazaars, fayres, markets and such is in Jimena (at least, the ones we've heard about). Monica Forrester-Becko is holding one in aid of La Estrella, the handicapped organization in Jimena, in the courtyard of her lovely home, El Antiguo Juzgado (Calle San Sebastián, 15, just off the main square) on the morning of Friday, November 30. The idea is that you can drop in on the way to or from the Friday market. There are lots more coming up, so we will be putting up a guide so you can choose which and where you want to do that last minute Christmas shopping. Also, remember that in Spain the tradition is for gift-giving on January 6, Three Kings, so there will be markets during the holidays as well. (Please let us know if you're holding one, or know of any, preferably within the Campo de Gibraltar or just outside it.)

Sotogrande porter detained for robbery

SAN ROQUE/Sotogrande The porter of an urbanization within Sotogrande was arrested recently and accused of stealing jewelry from inside a home to a value of €1,500. Having checked the alarm system of the home, the Guardia Civil discovered that it had been switched off during the time frame of the robbery, without the owner's permission. A spare key to the alarm was kept in the safe at the porter's lodge, and a log kept of its use. However, the log did not mention this incident. Furthermore, the GC from Guadiaro in cooperation with the National Police of  La Línea, checked local pawn shops, to find that one of them had indeed received jewelry of the same description, which lead back to the porter on duty on the day and during the time robbery had taken place. Details of the man's name or that of the urbanization in question have not been released.

Yet another e-mail scam - watch out!

This one's a neat one. But the grammar fails miserably. Not to mention that we have never ever had an account at Three.co.uk or anything like it. But if we unzipped the zipped file attached, we are very likely to unleash a whole can of filthy worms in the shape of viruses, bacteria, malware, phishes, etc. etc. So what did we do? We binned it immediately and suggest you do the same if you get it. (click on 'warnings' on the labels cloud on the sidebar and see lots more)

Castellar Mayor and Gibraltar Health and Environment Minister get together

Juan Casanova (l.) and John Cortes

GIBRALTAR (Press release) The first meeting between the Mayor of Castellar de la Frontera, Juan Casanova, and the Minister for Health the Environment  John Cortes, took place yesterday morning at Josua Hassan House. The idea was to find common ground between the Campo village and the Rock that might be used as a bridge between the two communities. Castellar believes that 'green' strategies would help both to confront the present crisis, so the first item on the agenda was Finca Majarambú and the possibilities of developing that area -recently 'returned' to Castellar- in terms of the environment and ecologically.>>>

Weekend of Christmas Fair in Gaucín

GAUCÍN The weekend of Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 will be busy in Gaucín. It's their annual Christmas Fair to be held at El Convento de Gaucín from 10 am to 5pm. As you will see from the poster (click to enlarge and find the venue) it will be offering 'unique gifts, festive foods, bar and lunch'. There are lots of fairs around now, so we will be putting up a guide so you can choose.

Two years' 'moratorium' on evictions

MADRID The Government agreed last week on allowing a delay of two years to families whose income is below €19,200 per year, and are defined as large families (familia numerosa, a legal definition) or with small children or other dependents, are unemployed or are victims of domestic violence. The mortgaged property must in all cases be the primary residence. A social housing pool is also being created. The Council of Ministers approved the Royal Decree-Law to protect mortgagees from being evicted for non-payment, and the housing fund to house those who do get evicted. Evictions are stopped for those coming under the above definitions, for two years. There are a number of requirements to qualify for protection under the decree. The housing pool will be created from properties the banks have repossessed by banks. The new law comes as a quick response to numerous evictions and the suicide of at least two people who were about to be evicted, as we reported here.

'Spanish Armada acts in Spanish waters'

The Vencedora near Gibraltar

Ministry denies existence of incidents with the Vencedora, which is only on 'routine operations'

MADRID (Agencies) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has once more defended its naval activity in the 'Spanish waters' surrounding Gibraltar, against accusations by the Picardo Government on the Rock, which has denounced 'incursions' of armed shipping and Customs vessels, which it considers a 'frontal challenge' and an 'intolerable affront on British sovereignty', according to Spanish media. The Spanish ministry says in a communiqué that it has no news of any incident and that the Armada (the name for the Spanish navy) is only carrying out routine manouvres in 'Spanish waters'. These so-called 'incursions' have increased in the past couple of weeks and the respective ambassadors of Spain and Britain have been called in to hear formal diplomatic complaints about the matter. In the meantime, the group calling itself Defenders of Gibraltar has raised some 8,000 signatures to demand that the Governor, Sir Adrian Jones, act against these 'incursions' by Spain into what it, and Gibraltar and Britain, say are its territorial waters.

15 charged with using Food Bank aid to feed elderly patients

One of the homes involved

They also allegedly used deceased pensioners' cards to obtain medicines and other items valued at over €9,000

CÁDIZ The Guardia Civil's Operation Pócima, which continues open, has so far resulted in charges against fifteen people involved in a fraudulent scheme run by several private residential homes for the elderly costing up to €1,800 a month per pensioner. Apparently, the patients were being fed with food obtained from Food Bank charities, from which a total of 140 tons were taken and distributed to various homes throughout the province. In addition, the fifteen are accused of using pensioners' discount and health cards belonging to 66 people who had died, which is how the scheme came to light.>>>

Wild mushroom enthusiasts gather in Jimena for the annual Mycology Workshops

The full programme, in English, is below

JIMENA Jimena's annual Mycology Workshops (that we have called Mushroom Days in the past) get under way on Friday, November 23, and ends on Sunday, 25th. This is an event that attracts wild mushroom enthusiasts to the village every year. They come from all over the country to look for and learn about them. You may not see many wild mushroom pickers about, but you will be able to sample wild mushrooms (or setas) at local restaurants, most if not all of which make an effort at having them on their menus for a few days. Aside from the actual picking out in the cork oak forest, and a visit to the first mushroom market in Spain (yes, it's in Jimena), there are lectures and discussions, as well as a full programme for children. (See full programme below)>>>

Tree Day in Jimena at a very special place

JIMENA This year's Día del Árbol (Tree Day) is on Sunday, November 25 and as always, well organized by Agadén. The place where we will be planting trees and bushes is very special, as anyone who knows El Risco will tell you. Towards the end of the beautiful path is the botanical garden that was ransacked by stupid vandals some years ago. It needs us there. Bring your gardening (tough ones, it's pretty rocky) for planting, and your eating tools for, you guessed it, eating a lovely paella after all the hard work. You are also advised to bring drinks and a mac and wellies just in case. More importantly, bring a big smile and a willingness to share. Below you will see the map that is linked to this reference, use them to get there. It's well worth a visit, promise!>>>

Book now for Christmas and New Year

JIMENA Henrietta and her alter ego Melissa (not sure which one it is in the picture), are getting ready for Christmas and New Year. So they are now taking bookings for Christmas Lunch and New Year's Eve Dinner Party. Both events are sure to be great fun and good food, so book early in case you miss out later. Call Melissa or Henrietta on 956 648 130 or email either of them at info@casahenrietta.com to book and find out more.

No more cash payments from today

SPAIN As we said when the subject was first mooted, cash payments of over €2,500 when one or more of the parties to a transaction is a professional (dentist, doctor, lawyer, etc.), self-employed or representing a business, is forbidden from today. The idea is to do away with an underground economy that pervades the country and detracts from its income. The part of the new anti-tax evasion law that now comes fully into effect in fact began on October 31, but this section was delayed mainly in order to allow small businesses to adapt to it. The maximum amount of cash as part of a transaction allowed to non-residents is €15,000 because the Government does not want to interfere in the tourism business. Fines for infringement>>>

San Martín del Tesorillo, land of bandits (this weekend)

Illustration only

JIMENA / Tesorillo Traditional crafts, food and music of then and now, and plenty of fun are on at the typical market set up for this weekend at the sports pavilion at San Martín del Tesorillo. The themed event is based on the bandoleros (bandoleers, bandits) of the past couple of centuries that frequented the Ronda mountains, of which there were plenty. Over twenty stalls will be set up from Friday to Sunday, offering local foodstuffs and crafts, as well as a demonstration of falconry and the birds involved, and even a riding display. (Take the A-405 Algeciras-Ronda road and about 20 minutes from the coast is Tesorillo. You can't really miss it.)

JAWS prez says, 'No clothes, please!'

Click on image to copy
and print and spread the word!

JIMENA In an email we received this morning from Val Jubb, President of the Jimena Animal Welfare Society (J.A.W.S.), one item caught our eye at the very end (yes, we read our e-mails backwards, don't you?) it says in screaming capital letters 'NO CLOTHES, PLEASE!' On calming down and finding our brain again, we read the whole thing fully, to find that Val was announcing the J.A.W.S. Christmas Fayre to be held in conjunction with Casa Henrietta on Sunday, December 2 - well, see for yourself:

Hi to everyone!!

JAWS are holding our Xmas Fayre in Henrietta's on 2nd December from 12 noon.

We are sharing the venue  with Melissa from Henrietta's as she is organising a Xmas Fayre for the same day.

PLEASE COME ALONG AND SUPPORT US. There's more:>>>

Gibraltar: Continuing maritime incursions by Spanish state agencies are intolerable

Vencedora near Gibraltar
(Photo: chronicle.gi)

Warning that 'maritime assets' are available to RGP · Defence of Gib integrity is UK responsibility

GIBRALTAR Government press release of 13/11/12 in full: The Government considers that the continuing incursions by vessels of the Spanish navy and other agencies of the Spanish state into the territorial waters of Gibraltar are totally unacceptable. This follows incursions by both the Spanish navy and the Spanish SVA today. The incursions follow a general pattern which has been established over the last few years where the Spanish agencies pretend to behave as if  British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW) did not exist and as if the waters around Gibraltar belong to Spain. These incursions constitute a frontal challenge and an affront to British sovereignty and are intolerable.>>>

Pickets seal locks at various businesses and offices

Jimena and Estación
(Phot: Juanlu González,
verfotosde.org)

70 arrests so far · Portugal: 'massive following' · 

CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR The first news we had this morning of how the General Strike has affected the Campo is when we went down to buy some glue (!!) at Tobi Castilla's, the builder's merchant in Jimena village. It was closed, but nearby was Manuel Castilla, who told us the locks to their premises had been sealed with glue (!!!), presumably by pickets coming through in the dark hours of the night. Since then, more offices and such have been reported with the same problem, including the unemployment offices just down from the medical centre, the other builders' merchant in Estación (Macías), as well as the La Canastera olive oil merchants and several other places. There is even an unconfirmed report of the Chinese shops being 'sealed'.. Also, similar reports have been coming in of other spots throughout the Campo. In other places in Spain, at last report, there have been at least 70 arrests, 202 flights cancelled at various airports. As usual, unions say the strike is 'an enormous success' and Business organizations that it is 'hardly noticeable'. The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle (truth/lies; lies/truth, who knows?)

Power cuts in Jimena on Friday

JIMENA The Town Hall has advised of a power cut on Friday, November 16, between 11am and 8,30pm that will impact the following areas: the bottom part of the village including Pasada de Alcalá, El Gaditano, Las Limas, as well as some streets in the village, including Llana. The image is of the letter received by the Town Hall, but, as usual, is not particularly clear as to which streets exactly. In any case, be advised, although, from past experience, the power cut is unlikely to last the whole of the time they have said.

Cádiz food bank sends eight tons to San Roque

Illustration only

SAN ROQUE Protección Civil (PC) volunteers transported a total of eight tons of foodstuffs from the Cádiz provincial Food Bank at Puerto Real, to be distributed as ordered by the municipal Social Welfare offices. Among the food brought in are olive oil, white rice, baby, tins of tuna, biscuits, tinned fruit, baby continuation milk, tinned green beans, lentils, milk, pasta, tinned tomato, juices, and other items. The procedure to obtain help from the food bank is as follows: each case must be evaluated by the social workers at the municipal Welfare and Equality office, who will establish lack of resources and/or family; PC will distribute the boxes to residents who do not live in the main part of the town - these can pick them up at the PC centre at Cuatro Vientos. Others will receive their boxes at home, having previously established time and place.

88.5% of lost jobs were Spanish workers'

Monument to Spanish frontier
workers, La Línea
(Photo: lalineadigital.es)

Picardo government often denied that stopped projects mainly impacted Spanish workers

GIBRALTAR Statistics issued by Government reveal that of the  total 998 jobs lost in the construction industry on the Rock between September 2011 and September 2012, 884 were held by Spanish nationals. Last year, there were 1,566 full time Spanish workers in the building trade, out of a total registered workers of 3,335. Of these, 1,121 were British. Twelve months later, the construction business had lost 998, for a total of 2,337 employed. While 884 Spaniards lost their jobs in that year, the number of British construction workers had risen by six to 1,127.  As local Spanish media says, Fabian Picardo's government has denied on several occasions that projects put on hold since the beginning of his mandate would mainly impact Spanish frontier workers.

Arcgisa to collect used domestic oil

One litre of oil can contaminate 1000 litres of water

CAMPO DE GIBRALTAR Arcgisa, the Campo's waste management company, yesterday signed an agreement with a subcontractor, Hermanos Padilla, who has the concession to pick up and recycle used domestic oil for the next five years. 114 containers, with a 420-capacity each, will be installed at permanent public markets and Puntos Limpios recycling centres, as well as in certain streets or other locations in the seven municipalities in the area. All we have to do is put the oil into a plastic bottle (image), sel it with its top, and place it in a container. That way, both the oil and the bottle get recycled. The oil will be used for making bio-fuel, according to the concessionaires. To start with, the containers will be emptied once a month, until an information campaign is finished and the best routes have been determined. They also pointed out that a single litre of oil poured down the drain can contaminate over 1,000 litres of water, aside from creating blockages and problems at the water purifying plants. Bars and restaurants can apply for a free 25-litre container that will be identified and controlled, so they can be properly registered and then removed, with a certificate of proper usage, which is required by law.

Lee Andreason's invitation for Open Day

Click to enlarge

JIMENA Jimena resident Lee Andreason is holding an Open Day at her studio, Casa Sonata Gitana (instructions to get there are on the invitation) on Sunday, November 25th from 12 noon. She is showing her new work including original sculptures in the ceramic Tang style, as well as her well known bronzes, many of which she has assembled from distant collections. As she says, this will be an exclusive showing of many unique pieces for sale and personalised for the last time in Spain. Find out more on Lee's website. Also, 'googling' her name comes up with over 4 million entries ... intriguing!

Constitutional Court okays same-sex marriages

Spain's first gay marriage, July 2005

Over 20,000 marriages between July 2005 and December 2011

MADRID Same-sex marriages, a manifesto priority of the PSOE at the elections that brought in José Luis R. Zapatero for a second term in 2008, became legal in Spain seven years ago, but the party then in opposition and now in power, PP, sent it for scrutiny to the Constitutional Court alleging that it infringed Article 32 of the Constitution. The principal allegation was that marriage of people of the same sex 'de-natured' the basic institution of marriage as it has been understood until now. There have been>>>

Drug storage unit 'security'

Broomstick, bottom left

CÁDIZ Last month we reported on a robbery that had occurred at the drug storage facilities in Cádiz, where some 300 kilos of cocaine and 100 of hashish were 'lifted'. From the supposedly secure official storage place that keeps about half of all drug hauls in the country.This photograph was sent out by the Sindicato Unificado de Policía (SUP, the police union). Since the robbery, the sliding window through which the burglars may have escaped has been fastened with a broomstick. Yes, a broomstick. The union wants to point to the negligence and abandon some of the Policía Nacional's facilities are suffering.>>>

PP and PSOE come together to stop evictions

Illustration only

Woman's suicide prompted immediate reaction · Police union 'will defend' conscientious objectors · Only primary homes affected

MADRID In an unusual political move Government and Opposition got together on Friday to negotiate a law that will temporarily stop evictions for families unable to pay their mortgages. The move follows rapidly on an incident on Friday in Baracaldo, Navarre, in which a woman jumped from the balcony of her home when the police and other forces had come to evict her and her family. Over the weekend several banks gave orders to stop evictions before the law was in place, others have suspended the carrying out of orders until they know exactly what the new regulations say. The idea, according to PSOE Secretary General, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, is to 'correct the abuses that have been happening' and 'nobody will not have a home in Spain'.>>>

Update on General Strike:Europe too?

MADRID As was announced in October, the two main unions, CC.OO. and UGT, called a General Strike for next Wednesday, November 14. The media has since been finding out who is and who is not coming out. The union system in Spain is complex and dense. Small union groups are affiliated, or not, with one or other of the Big Two, and it requires a great deal of time to make the connections as not all of them reveal their political connections. However, an overview of the situation indicates that the General Strike may not be as general as the unions hope. Several of the larger affiliates have said they are not coming out, including two that group many teachers and civil servants, but not all. So what can we expect?>>>

Two arrested for causing abortion on minor

Punta de Europa Hospital, Algeciras

Prescription medication obtained online · Hospital calls in National Police

ALGECIRAS The Family Attention Service (SAF in its Spanish acronym) of the National Police were called in last week by the Punta de Europa emergency staff, who were concerned that an under-age girl had had an illegal abortion. Investigation ha so far resulted in two arrests, with charges of provoking an illegal abortion on a minor. The girl arrived at the hospital complaining of severe stomach pain and it turns out she had taken a very large dose of medication intended for digestive problems. The medication needs a doctor's prescription. However, the two people now under arrest are also accused of obtaining medication under false pretenses, although the medicine is freely available online.

19 firearms seized from tobacco smugglers

21 people under arrest and 60,000 cigarette packs confiscated · La Línea connection

SEVILLA The Guardia Civil have arrested 12 people allegedly belonging to a tobacco smuggling gang in the first phase of Operation Pisonova carried out in the provinces of Sevilla and Cádiz, where the gang has been dismantled. More arrests are expected. Aside from the tobacco, the GC also confiscated ten vehicles, six real firearms and 13 simulated ones that could be made to fire real bullets, plus €166,000. The operation began several months ago, when the GC received a tip-off that there was a gang in the Aljarafe area of Sevilla possibly involved in criminal activity. Further investigation led to a well organized and structured with close connections to another gang based in La Línea and another in the centre of Sevilla, both used for distribution purposes. So far, nine properties, homes and storage units, have been searched in several areas of Sevilla, as well as La Línea. Other searches have been made at shops, presumably looking for contraband tobacco.

Another reason Spain is in the mess it's in: cheap lunches at €3.55

Illustration only

Employers Association boss has concessions for Congress restaurants

MADRID The headline might surprise you - until you know who the lunches are for: Deputies and Senators at the Senators' restaurant. A few days ago, journalist Melchor Mirales, who works for ABC (a Right wing newspaper, it must be said) was interviewing the head of the Madrid Employers Association, Arturo Fernández, who is also the concessionaire of the Senate, Deputies and Madrid Assembly restaurants. Mirales asked him how it was possible to offer a three-course Menu of the Day for only €3,55. Fernández began denying that this was tue, that that was not the right amount, that it would be impossible to do so. And so on. What he didn't know was>>>

Are the Paradores headed for privatization?

Parador at León, in the old
Monastery of San Marcos

Paradores, one of the jewels of Spanish tourism

MADRID The Minister for Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, confirmed earlier this week that 'logically' the Paradores that under renovation or construction would be finished. But at the same time he said that the Government was 'not contemplating any new building work'. He even said that, given the 'delicate' situation they are going through, privatization has not been eliminated. The Minister, interviewed at the World Travel Market fair in London, added that there are 'restrictions' surrounding privatization, as some of the Paradores are within buildings that are not owned by the State. "We'd have to look into it on a case by case basis, but nothing has been discarded.">>>

Gibraltar girl was fourth death in Madrid Arena tragedy

Funeral held on Monday
(Nicky Langdon, centre)

Parents were called back from a trip to Brazil

MADRID A stampede in an arena where thousands of people were attending a Halloween dance party killed three women and critically injured two others early last Thursday, officials said. However, the fourth person to die was Belén Langdon, of Gibraltar, who died on Saturday morning. She was the daughter of Nicky Langdon, the well-known architect. Nicky and his wife were in Brazil when they were told of their daughter being in serious condition in hospital. They returned immediately and went straight to the hospital from Barajas airport.  Belén, the youngest of seven siblings, died on Sunday. Her funeral was held on Monday. The other three girls, all aged 18, were Katia Esteban Casielles, Rocío Oña Pineda and Cristina Arce de la Fuente. The other girl, who is still in intensive care, is María Teresa Alonso, aged 20.>>>

Council is 'stable' after political coalition pact

Mayor Jorge Romero

PA-PP agree to get together to 'solve the municipality's problems

LOS BARRIOS Mayor Jorge Romero (PA, Partido Andalucista) said yesterday that the political pact between his party and the PP (Partido Popular) would allow the Council to sort out the problems, particularly those related to salaries unpaid for four months. There are now 15 Councillors (15 PA plus 5 PP) in the coalition, out of a total of 21. New Council jobs will be debated and approved at a meeting scheduled for today. "A majority working together," said Romero, " is bound to be more effective."

Government cuts back on official vehicles

MADRID Following our item on the vast number of official vehicles in Spain, the government announced earlier this week that it would be cutting back 'significantly' on this expense. (We'd like to claim some credit, but don't.) The announcement came from the Vice-President Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, who said that the measure was passing committees at 'record speed' and is part of the general reforms to Public Administrations. No details were forthcoming but she said that it would principally affect senior officials. This, she added was 'a guideline as to the philosophy of what the Government is doing.' One objective, added the V-P, is for public entities and administrations to 're-examine' themselves so that they become more efficient and 'work within different parameters.' (See also: top of sidebar for Spain's in a mess. Here's Why)

Barack Obama: four more years

We refrained from any comment on Barack Obama's election yesterday because we didn't want to influence the polls in any way (Ed.: there's a tongue in a cheek here somewhere) but today we can, and will, say: Yes you can if they'll let you. (Also we liked this photo of the victory celebrations.)

Can you offer foster care for a dog or cat?

They may not all be this cute

JIMENA J.A.W.S. (Jimena Animal Welfare Society) is asking for help with taking care of a dog (occasionally a cat) for a few days -maximum 10 days- because although the society is already doing a good job, the law says that every effort must be made to find the owner, if it has one, and this means a time during which the animal can't be taken to a refuge. There is also a need for donations of cash (J.A.W.S. now has a bank account), dog food and old blankets and/or towels (which are donated to local refuge centres where our animals are taken eventually). J.A.W.S. is holding a Christmas Fayre jointly with Casa Henrietta, on Sunday, December 2, from 12 noon, about which more info will be available soon. (Contact J.A.W.S. on Facebook, or at http://jimenajaws.webs.com/.)

At last! We found the snag on Facebook

We? Whose we? It was Prospero himself (a.k.a. Alberto Bullrich) who found the way to get back into his usual Facebook account. Something to do with e-mails and Fb's BF way of doing things we don't understand. Anyway, you are now invited to 'like', be'friend' and, of course, visit http://www.facebook.com/alberto.bullrich, which is where we shared most if not all our stuff off CampoPulse. If you need to catch up, just scroll down on this page until you say to yourself, "This is where I came in!" (Remember when you could spend hours at the same movie theatre and see a film twice on the same rainy afternoon? I digress...)

Computer classes for kids in Jimena

JIMENA Antonio Sierra is an old friend of Prospero's. He's an expert with the computer (I know, he's helped me many times) and now he is offering children lessons in basic computer literacy, principally to get them familiar with computers. The kids will be grouped according to age and need. And, to make it even better, he is only charging €5 per hour, a monthly cost of just €40. Where and when? At the Cámara de Comercio building (just pass the fire station). There is no need for your child to bring his/her computer, but he/she can if she wants to. Call Antonio on >609 736 026 or contact him at info@anjsierra.com. Lessons are in Spanish but Antonio speaks English.

Inspectors to check rental properties for tax evasion

Holiday rentals, main target

MADRID The head of the Agencia Tributaria, Beatriz Viana, announced last week that her agents will be visiting rental properties to verify paperwork. They will also be checking the internet to identify properties in the rental market. She warned that if a property is rented, Income Tax must be paid on the profits, something, said Viana, that is not happening particularly in the short-term holiday sector. Other measures in the plan include, and it's a long list:>>>

Police to multiply driving test questions by 20

Taking the test

Objective: to make future drivers think rather than memorise

MADRID For years most people taking the theoretical driving test ('teórica') memorised the answers to around 800 questions. Those days are numbered: the head of the National Confederation of Driving Schools, José Miguel Báez, announced last week that the Guardia Civil's Traffic Unit ('Tráfico', or DGT) had multiplied the number of questions by 20, to 15,500 that will be set randomly. This is already being applied at several provincial test centres and would probably be completed nationwide by the end of this month.>>>

Three pharmacists and 23 doctors in fraud scandal

Doing their job
(Photo: Guardia Civil)

Doctors prescribed expensive medicine in pensioners' names without their knowledge · Chemists sold on black market

SAN PEDRO DE ALCÁNTARA  It worked like this: the doctors prescribed medication -often costing over €5,000- to pensioners without their knowledge; later, a pharmacist's assistant, allegedly the head of the scam, would pick the prescriptions up and sell them on the black market, principally to sports people as anabolic steroids. At the same time, the medication was charged to the SAS (Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Andalucía's health service) and to a civil servants' health care system, Muface.>>>

Abandoned, starving mare's owner is denounced

(Photo: europasur.es)

She was feeding a foal somewhere · Couldn't walk, hobbled

LA LÍNEA Prodean, the animal rescue centre, last week denounced the owner of a mare that appeared the week before at their gates. She was malnourished and hobbled. As she couldn't stand, the firefighters had to be called in to hoist her into the centre. She was probably also breast feeding a foal, which did not appear at the same time. The centre's vet decided that the animal was in pain, having probably been beaten with a metal object and may have had her hip broken as she had trouble staying upright.. The hobble had bitten into her skin and she had been that way for some time. Ana Borrallo, representing Prodean, said that it was decided to put her down. "It was very sad," she said. "We hope the owner is found (she was chipped) and punished." This is not an uncommon thing: horses are abandoned frequently. It is essential that the matter be reported to the Servicio de Protección de la Naturaleza de la Guardia Civil (Seprona), so they can act.

Fed up with paying for a service they don't get

One of the urbanizations involved
(Photo: europasur.es)

SAN ROQUE / Pueblo Nuevo Residents of several urbanizations in Pueblo Nuevo de Guadiaro are seeking legal advice about the fact that they are being asked to pay an increase in the rubbish collection service by Arcgisa, which they do not receive. The 'door-to-door' service they see on their bills is being charged at €71,81 every three months, or €287 per year. They have complained to the company several times, but have received no corrections on their bills and fear that they will be asked to pay the next period as well. According to the PIVG Councillor in San Roque, Jesús Mayoral, "they should not be charged for this item as they all have containers in which they place their rubbish." He is advising the residents to denounce Arcgisa and Mancomunidad.

Queen sues dating service for using her image

MADRID 'You don't have to spend the night alone any more,' says the ad for the Ashley Madison online dating service. And that's the Queen of Spain, Doña Sofía, looking over the man's shoulder. Her Majesty was not pleased so she is suing the company, according to recent reports. Her attorney, Antonio Hernández-Gil, Dean of the College of Lawyers of Madrid is representing her in suit for using her image without permission in such a way that it is 'harmful to the dignity and honour of Her majesty,' a conclusion also arrived at by the self regulating body Autocontrol (Asociación para la Autorregulación de la Comunicación Comercial), which also said that it should be removed immediately. 

Jimena airport on the books - yet again!

Demo at the castle - ten years ago

Project began ten years ago · Now officially on P.O.T. but not located

JIMENA Ten years ago next month, it was announced that an Irish Businessman, Robert Noonan, was planning to build an airport just outside Jimena de la Frontera, or possibly in Castellar. There was as much support for the idea as there was for its rejection. Environmentalists on one side, Council and employment needs on the other. After a push-me-pull-you three years the idea fell for matters environmental. Before that, it all seemed to be sewn up. Noonan estimated an investment of €36m and 2 million passengers by 2015, who chose Jimena instead of an overwhelmed Málaga airport. Joint use of the Gibraltar airport was a pipe dream back then, too.COMING SOON: