Imported species endanger Palmones turtles

LOS BARRIOS / Palmones The native species of turtle on the Palmones River is being taken over by two species imported from America. The latter (trachemys Scripta Elegans and trachemys Scripta Scripta) are the type bought at pet shops or won as prizes at fairs - and then tossed into the river because they've grown. The environmental pressure group, Verdemar-Ecologistas en acción, have asked the Junta's Department of the Environment for permission to remove them and take them to the zoo at Castellar. Behind the request is a study of two important parts of the river. The first was at the old dam close to the now-closed Celupal factory, where the invading species accounts for between 20% and 30% of the turtle population. The second tranche of the river inspected, was between the Mirador del Río urbanization and Cortijo Jaramillo, where the invasion accounted for 5%. The problem is that the American species reproduce more rapidly than the native species, and there is a fear that this could be a repetition of a severe invasion of non-native red crab, which is proving extremely difficult to eradicate because of its adaptability.

Ice-cream as an example of solidarity

ALGECIRAS / LOS BARRIOS Much as this item may seem like an advertorial, it is in fact a way to express our admiration for a business that has been setting an example for some time. A family ice-cream business based in Algeciras is an example of solidarity with the less fortunate: it donates one third of its profits and cooperates with numerous charities. So far this year Heladísimo, 'La Gourmet del Helado', has bought and distributed over four tons of food, that, as well as toys of a line that develops and encourages proper values among the young. However, that's not enough, either: they were one of the organisers of last year's Campeonísimo sports event, which they want to make an annual event. There are several other things they've organised, including charity cycling routes, help for child victims of cancer and MS. They can do with our support. In Algeciras, the Heladísimo shop is at Avenida de España, 13, in San José Artesano; in Los Barrios at Calle Plata, 24, both of which offer Italian ice-creams improved with local resources. Worth a try, right?

Arrested for paying with false €200 at feria

LOS BARRIOS A couple was arrested last Sunday for using false €200 notes to pay for things at the feria. The couple, of about 50 years old, allege that they did so unaware that the notes were false. The police arrested the couple just before midnight, after being told of a false note by the manager of one of the casetas (marquees). They traced another two notes at different places, and obtained descriptions of the couple, who were found at yet another marquee. On them, the police found another false €200 note, and €450 in other legal tender. They allegedly paid for small things, such as a couple of drinks, with the false notes, and obtained change in 'proper' money. (Coming soon: Can you identify false euros?)

Specialist rice cooks gather for new competition

Rice, the beginning of something good

LOS BARRIOS The first edition of the Certámen Gastronómico Maestros del Arroz, which brings together some of Spain's best rice cooking specialists, is to be held from today at the La Montera Hotel. Dishes ranging from a risotto of fennel with prawns and mango, by young chef Juan Rueda Santiago and scheduled for today, to the menu to be prepared on Sunday by Juan Antonio González Ruiz that includes a sweet rice with king prawns and baby squid. On Friday, Diego Rivero Collado and Fernando Torrejón Camacho, of Tarifa, present a seafood rice preceded by baby clams 'with a hint of olive oil', artichokes with jamón serrano cubes, and other delicacies. On Saturday it is the turn of Antonio Trillo Lara, who has worked at the Royal household and the Moncloa Palace, the seat of government.

Twenty-five brothel owners arrested in police operation

Platinium brothel, Los Cortijillos (Los Barrios)

Establishments in Cádiz, Sevilla, Huelva and Córdoba are closed · Platinium Club in Los Cortijillos is one of them

SEVILLA A network of six brothels located in Andalucía were closed on the instructions of a court in Sevilla. There are 25 people arrested and another 50 on various charges. All of the detained went before the judge, and all made use of their right not to speak. Among them are a former PSOE Councillor of Ayamonte, Huelva, and the president of the Chamber of Commerce there. Most of them have had their ID documents and passports confiscated, so they can't leave the country, and they must report to the court regularly. Charges variously include belonging to a criminal organization, several degrees of crimes related to prostitution, tax evasion, money laundering, against the rights of foreigners, traffic of influence and in human beings.

Another reason Spain is in the mess it's in: Dinner for three at €600

Ex-Mayor Alonso Rojas resigns,
May, 2009

LOS BARRIOS Most of the stories coming out of this beleaguered municipality of the Campo de Gibraltar has to do with money. Or the lack of it. But here's and exception uncovered while researching something else. The present government (it's hard to know what party is in government this week) has denounced the previous government (it was the PSOE) for spending on lavish dinners and lunches, as well as on almost anything else. Some €25,300 was spent on 'food and beverages' at a well known -and expensive- restaurant at Los Cortijillos by former mayor Alonso Rojas and Councillor Diego Manzano. Among the most salient expenses under that column was a dinner for three people back in 2004 totaling about €600 that included €126 for a Reserva wine, plus €52.60 for good cigars. But the bill was put on the municipal slate and the present people in charge have had to pay for it, and all the rest. Another bill for two amounting to €157.30 in May 2004 included €70 on drinks alone. Great management. It partly explains why ex-Mayor Rojas has been sentenced and still has several cases pending.

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."

Politics, business and social agencies put differences aside to back need for rail improvements

La Almoraima station

Over fifty regional and national institutions sign request for immediate tenders on Algeciras-La Almoraima

LOS BARRIOS A meeting took place recently in Los Barrios that brought together 50 representatives of institutions with a major interest in getting the railway authorities to keep their word of improving the system between Algeciras and Bobadilla. They are unusually united in their understanding of the need for the country's largest container port, Algeciras, with the rest of Spain's network. This, they insist, would open up the Bay of Algeciras area, and by extension all the towns and villages along the line, to access from different parts of the country. The first item on the agenda was the urgency to put out to tender the first section of the line, from Algeciras to La Almoraima. Various budget matters were discussed, including the fact that only €13m have been allocated to this first section in the 2013 national budgets, which by their reckoning would put the matter back by at least two years, given that it is very far from adequate for the job.

Aareal Bank is Factory Guadacorte's new owner

Headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, has property business in 17 European countries, the US and Singapore

LOS BARRIOS The 'factory outlet' shopping centre has been anaemic for some time. There are only a couple of franchises, a bookshop and little else left, out of what used to be a bustling, reasonable place to shop. It couldn't have been making any money, and it began to look that way three or four years ago. But things may changeSOON YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO

Three minors arrested for severely injuring a mare and several dogs

Illustration only

LOS BARRIOS The Guardia Civil has arrested three underage boys who allegedly killed several birds and caused severe injuries to a mare and several dogs, all with an air rifle. The arrests came as the result of a complaint by the owner of the property. The GC say that they forced an entry into the property in question. The three are now in the hands of the Youth Court.

Carrefour shopping centre damaged by fire

(Photo: europasur.es)

LOS BARRIOS (Agencies) One of the shops in the gallery at the Carrefour shopping centre at Palmones, selling materials, was destroyed by a fire yesterday. The firefighters reported that it had been caused by a spark from the next door shop that was under renovation. The fire started shortly before 9am, when the centre was still closed to the public. By the time the fire brigade from the nearby Guadacorte station, workers had already used the extinguishers and the sprinklers had come into play. About one third of the merchandise in the shop was completely burned and practically all of the rest  was damaged by smoke and water. Some of the shops in the same area were also damaged, though less so.

Arrested for illegal detention and sexual abuse

A street in Guadacorte

LOS BARRIOS / Guadacorte (Agencies) The Local Police arrested a man recently -no date on press release- for holding a woman against her will and sexually abusing her. While they were patrolling the urbanization at Guadacorte on routine duty, they received information that a woman was being held against her will in a house nearby and was being sexually abused. They were able to locate the home and the victim, and proceeded to set her free and arrest the man, who is now 'at the disposal of the courts'.

Ten municipalities of Cádiz owe over €700 per inhabitant

Jimena de la Frontera
(c)2012 Alberto Bullrich

At the 'good' end of the scale are Jimena, Algar, Chipiona and Zahara de la Sierra

CÁDIZ (Agencies) Ten of the 44 municipalities that make up the province of Cádiz are in debt to the tune of over €700 per inhabitant, according to the latest 2011 figures. The worst debtors are Cádiz,  the capital city itself, Los Barrios, Algodonales and San Roque. The information comes from the Ministerio de Hacienda y Administraciones Públicas (Treasury, for short-ish), which publishes the 'live' debt of every municipality in Spain every year. The figures reveal that on December 31, 2011, the municipalities of the province owe almost €663m, which is>>>

Top restaurateurs get together at Guadacorte

Cocktails at Guadacorte Park Hotel
(Photo: europasur.es)

LOS BARRIOS Some of the best cooks and restaurateurs in Spain are gathering at the Guadacorte Park Hotel under the auspices of the Asociación de Restaurantes de la Buena Mesa. A total of 170 of them were welcomed over the weekend -they're staying until Wednesday- by Manolo, of  Mesón El Copo, whose turn it is to host the annual event. Three new member restaurants are being invested this year , sponsored by El Copo: El Faro and El Ventorrillo del Chato, both in Cádiz, and El Faro del Puerto, in El Puerto de Santa María.

Los Barrios is closed tomorrow

LOS BARRIOS Well, not exactly. It just happens to be the municipality's Patron Saint Day, in honour of San Isidro Labrador. This means that all municipal offices and a lot more besides, are closed. So don't plan to do any shopping at the likes of Carrefour, Mercadona, Decathlon, MediaMarkt, etc. etc. in the Palmones area shopping centres, including all those little shops behind the larger ones. Chances are the cinemas will be open but very little else. This, of course, does not apply to other places outside the municipality.

Los Barrios man invents dog poo vacuum cleaner

(Photo: europasur.es)

LOS BARRIOS (Agencies) Juan José Gómez has invented and patented a vacuum cleaner that will make taking the dog for a walk much easier. After years in development and much approval from the market, the Turbidog is going into production in two models. At a recent presentation of his invention in his home town, Gómez, of Los Cortijillos, said that it will be manufactured in Logroño by a specialist company. The invention looks much like a car vacuum cleaner but will avoid having to bend over to pick up the dog's excrement, by simple suction. The dog poo goes into a cylindrical filter that makes it recyclable and the operator has only to press a button for it to work. Two models are going into manufacture, the smaller one with a capacity of 50 grams and weighing just half a kilo; and a larger one, for 150 grams, that weighs a kilo. The bigger model of the Turbidog also includes a light for night use, and can emit a squirt of liquid to clean the affected area. Both models come with a bandoleer with which to carry them, and a battery that lasts about a month per charge. Gómez received bank finance as well as development grants from the Junta de Andalucía, and there are already firm orders coming in from Mexico and the US, among other countries. (Prospero note: Let us hope orders flow in from dog owners all over this country!)

Sunday's running of the bulls has one man severely injured

(Photo: europasur.es)

LOS BARRIOS There was a lot of bull running last Sunday. A strange (un-connected?) Easter tradition in many places, and no less so in the Campo de Gibraltar. However, at the toro embolao festivities in Los Barrios an 8 year old bull called Pajarillo ('Little Bird', from the Gavira breeders) gored a young man from La Línea, catching him in the throat. The 26 year old was taken to the Puerta del Mar Hospital in Cádiz, where he remains in 'unstable condition' (pronóstico reservado). PLEASE BE AWARE THAT ITEMS SUCH AS THIS MAY BE SUBJECT TO SUBSCRIPTION IN THE FUTURE but you can make a donation NOW, too! Please click here for more information on how to help us continue.

'These dumps don't recycle, they contaminate'

(Photo: europasur.es)

LOS BARRIOS With a banner that reads 'THESE DUMPS DON'T RECYCLE, THEY CONTAMINATE' some twenty people turned up at the rubbish dump in Los Barrios on Saturday to protest about the pollution (contaminación in Spanish) that comes from the area's major 'recycling' plant. (See A walk in the muck ...). Even the environmental authorities have agreed that there is significant pollution from leaching of heavy metals, but "can't be exact as to where it comes from," said one of the demonstrators. The protest was decided on spontaneously and there was not enough time to advise more people. More demos are planned.

Animal shelter needs volunteers urgently!

LOS BARRIOS The animal rescue centre in Los Barrios needs volunteers urgently. You can email: amee@spanishstraydogs.com or contact via Facebook: http://facebook.com/spanishstray. Their website is under construction, but Facebook has plenty of details about this organization's excellent work.

A walk in the muck as environmental protest

LOS BARRIOS An environmental protest group has organized a 'protest march' at Arroyo del Chorreón, the tributary of the Guadacortes River that runs through the area's rubbish tip in Los Barrios, for which there are plans to extend it. They are calling it 'a real environmental disaster' particularly because they have detected large quantities of leached heavy metals including chrome, nickel and cadmium, among others. The route's organizers will be handing out masks and protective gear - and for those who wish to have the 'water' analysed, they will provide containers. This promises to be an important environmental protest march with good media coverage. The protest march is scheduled for this Saturday, March 3, at the site, starting at 11.30am.