This page provides the Mojacar Local News in English brought to you by Levante Lifestyle Magazine

Four years too late to save Priors’ home
Four years after Len and Helen Prior’s Vera villa was demolished due to the Junta de Andalucía revoking the building licence, the regional administration issued a decree designed to pave the way for the legalization of at least some of the more than 11,700 properties built on non-urban land in Almería, many of them in the Almanzora Valley.
The Priors’ lawyer Víctor Martínez-Abarca told the Voz de Almería, “The decree is completely useless to us because the house has already been torn down, but if it hadn’t, yes it would have served to paralyze the demolition.”
The Priors are still pending the courts’ decision on the claim for responsibility which they made against Vera Town Hall for granting the licence to build their home.

Homeowners unconvinced by Junta decree
British owners of properties in the province which don’t comply with planning legislation are unconvinced by the Junta decree.
Abusos Urbanísticos Almanzora No (AUAN) representative Patricia Sampson told Cadena SER the document was “a lost opportunity” to bring an end to the situation.
“According to what we have seen of the final text, it seems it is not going to resolve much for our members”, Ms Sampson commented, estimating it would only benefit around 16 per cent.
AUAN President Maura Hillen described the decree as “very disappointing.”
Commented Hillen, “It’s possible that this fireworks display will dazzle some. But if you look at the detail of the decree you will see that it does not help those with ongoing court proceedings, where perhaps the majority could face the chop.
“If what the Junta wants is more cases like the Priors, the decree certainly does nothing to prevent that.”
Continued Hillen, “I sometimes despair at how little the administration is in contact with the real problems of its citizens. They must know that what looks nice on paper is not always workable in practice. It appears that they don’t and all they want to do is inundate us with a byzantine tangle of laws and, whilst they are about it, completely destroy foreign investment in Spain.”

Not an amnesty
The Junta stressed the decree does not represent an amnesty, and that the possibility of legalizing properties in an irregular situation will be looked at case by case.
The Voz de Almería described the decree as an official document which sets out a process for owners and local authorities so that as a minimum these properties can be connected to electricity and water supplies, although it could be a long and complicated process.

Almería and Murcia celebrate “El Niño” wins
Pulpí, Almería city, Lorca and Balsicas in Torre Pacheco were among the locations celebrating wins in the 6th January “El Niño” lottery. Second prize winning tickets with the number 92.225 were sold in all these localities.
Mojácar was also an El Niño winner due to sales of third prize winning tickets with the number 52.558.

Competition to find best Algarrobico ideas
The non-profit n’UNDO association has organized a competition of ideas for the El
Algarrobico.
The aim is to raise awareness and open up debate about the “controversial situation” of the Carboneras beach, the site of a 21-storey hotel which was all but completed when a court paralyzed the works. The deadline for ideas is 3rd March.

Prize for environmental progress
Environmentally sustainable initiatives in Serón have earned the local authority a national “progress” prize from the Foundation for the Development of the Towns of Andalucía and the Andaluz Federation of Municipalities and Provinces, in collaboration with the Junta de Andalucía’s Government and Justice department.
Among the Town Hall projects which earned the municipality the environmental recognition are: the conservation of the oldest tree in Andalucía (a 25-metre tall holm oak with a circumference of 16 metres at its base); the restoration of an old railway line and its conversion into a green way for walkers and cyclists; restoring the municipality’s mining heritage, measures including works on old buildings and the conversion of a number into visitors’ centres; plans to increase pedestrian safety; and a municipal plan to save energy.

Chacón announces PSOE leadership candidacy in Olula
Former Defence Minister Carme Chacón chose Olula del Río, her father’s birthplace, to officially announce she is standing as a candidate for Socialist Party Secretary General.
Referring to PSOE’s resounding electoral defeat in the recent general election, the ex-minister said her party had to learn and to lift itself up.

Cocaine distribution network uncovered
Guardia Civil arrested an Asturian man living in Garrucha and a Cuevas del Almanzora resident in connection with cocaine received by post from Ecuador and Chile and the distribution of the drug in Spain.

Search of stolen car reveals 200 kilos of hash
A search for a stolen car led to the seizure of more than 200 kilos of hashish. After receiving a call about a vehicle taken in Níjar and travelling in the direction of Puerto Lumbreras, Local Police and Guardia Civil patrols set out in pursuit, catching up with the car in Goñar in Huércal-Overa and detaining the Argentinian driver. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of the drug hidden in a false roof and false floor. The estimated street value of the hash is more than 300,000 euros.

Suspected thieves under arrest
Guardia Civil arrested a man from Puerto Lumbreras and another individual from Huércal-Overa on suspicion of stealing 7,000 euros worth of jewellery from homes in Huércal-Overa, Vélez Rubio and Almería city.
Also this month, Guardia Civil in Albox detained a minor suspected of snatching a wallet containing 110 euros and a mobile phone from a woman on New Year’s Eve. The woman had been walking down the street when she was pushed to the ground by two people, suffering injuries to her hands and face.
There were another three arrests following Guardia Civil investigations into a series of vehicles thefts and house break-ins in the Almanzora Valley: a 20-year old from Albox and two 17-year olds

Murcia high-speed rail link on course
The high-speed rail link is on course to be up and running in Murcia in 2014 despite the Government cuts, newly elected Public Works Minister Ana Pastor told the regional president
Ramón Luis Valcárcel.
The reconstruction of Lorca and the Corvera international airport are among the other priority projects for the region, Valcárcel told the minister; the regional administration reportedly wants the airport up and running this summer.

Challenges for new Tourist Board chief
The newly appointed head of the Almería Tourist Board “will have the challenge of attracting to Almería tourists from around the world to discover the beauty of our province”, commented provincial Government President Gabriel Amat.
Introducing Natalia Díaz Stalenhoef to press, Amat said that after interviewing numerous candidates from all over Spain, she had been chosen “as the most ideal person to head this organization due to her extensive professional experience and contacts with tour operators and travel agencies, within and beyond our frontiers.”
The Diputation President said new Tourist Board director, who speaks English, Dutch and German fluently, will be aiming to raise awareness about Almería’s rich heritage and the attractions of inland areas of the province. He also revealed the Diputation has allocated the Tourist Board an additional one million euros funding this year.
Natalia Díaz told press one of her ideas was to involve the private sector in the promotion of Almería, explaining she already had lined up meetings with various tourism agencies in the province with the aim of “combining efforts so that Almería is recognized as a quality destination, not only in Spain, but also abroad.”
The new director believes it is important “to strengthen the image of the Almería brand and to stress the differentiation of the province in regard to other areas of Spain and the rest of Europe, and in this way market the province overseas, trying to attract quality tourism.”
Although she is from Málaga, Natalia Díaz stressed she is completely up-to-date on what this province has to offer, commenting, “I’m sure that very soon I will also feel Almeriense.”
She also stressed she is non-political and was selected on the basis of her career in the tourism sector and marketing and promoting hotels at international level, “which has allowed me to be in constant contact with foreign tour operators and travel agencies.”

Good Christmas for rural tourism
It was a good Christmas for the provincial rural tourism sector, the Almanzora Tourist Business Association reported, with occupation in country houses at around 90 per cent on holiday days like New Year’s Eve. The news for the tourist sector in coastal regions was less positive however, with occupation closer to 50 per cent, according to the President of the Levante Tourist Business Association, Ramón Ferri.
Both associations have called for greater and more effective promotion of the province in order to attract more visitors. They claim Almería has been particularly hard hit by the economic crisis since it is further away from big cities like Madrid than resorts like Benidorm.

Projects pending financing
Two important projects in Albox are currently on hold due to a lack of financing.
The plans are all in place for a 465-seat, four million euro auditorium, apart from the required two million euro investment from a private company which would manage the theatre. And while the channelling works on the rambla have been completed, plans to create sports and garden areas are pending the necessary funding.

Road widening works temporarily halted
The second phase of works on widening the road running between Vera and Garrucha have been temporarily halted due to technical and financial problems, local press reported.

New school project moves forward
The Junta de Andalucía’s Education Department has awarded the contract for building a new, bigger school building in Sierra Almagrera in Cuevas del Almanzora and demolishing the existing building to the company Cotogarden Construcciones S.L.
The new facility will have a unit for infants and two for juniors, as well as a multiple uses hall and sports ground. The works are expected to take just over eight months.

Provincial population growth
Almería’s population went up last year from just over 700,000 to 703,000, according to the latest figures from the National Institute of Statistics. There was population growth in 61 municipalities, a dip in the number of residents in 37, including Antas, Chirivel, Lubrín, Macael and Vélez Rubio, and no change in four.
Roquetas de Mar registered the biggest increase in residents registered on the municipal “padrón”: up from 85,808 to 89,851 inhabitants.
Roquetas is one of six provincial municipalities with more than 20,000 inhabitants (the other five are Almería city, El Ejido, Níjar, Adra and Vícar), but Huércal-Overa is catching up, with a current official population of 18,580.

Dedicated motorhome zone
Plans are afoot to create a dedicated zone for motorhomes in Tíjola following a meeting between United Left spokesperson Cathy Pinaud, Tíjola Mayor Mario Padilla, and National Motorhome Federation Vice-president Migules Ríos.
A site in the Almoroc area, with a river, close to a restaurant and with space for 20-25 motorhomes, has been earmarked for the zone, according to Pinaud.

Operation wait averages 53 days
Patients in Almería province wait an average of 53 days for one of the 700 operations for which the Andaluz Health Ministry guarantees a maximum wait of six months.

Marine life in safe hands
Marine life along the Almeriense coastline is in safe hands at the recently inaugurated centre dedicated to these types of species.
Junta de Andalucía Regional Environment Minister José Juan Díaz Trillo had the honour of cutting the ribbon on the 1.2 million euro Alborán Sea Andaluz Marine Environment Management Centre, or CEGMA. Located in Carboneras, it is effectively a native Almeriense marine life hospital, equipped with a clinic, operating theatre and X-ray equipment, as well as tanks for the care of threatened species and a swimming pool for larger creatures, such as dolphins.
CEGMA will also participate in Junta Environment Department programmes, including the recovery of Boba tortoise nesting areas. The centre has the facilities to breed Boba tortoises in captivity; one of the first actions will be to care for baby tortoises hatched from artificial nests in Cabo de Gata for the first year of their lives before re-releasing them into the wild in the natural park.
The centre will also play an important education role through collaboration with investigation centres and universities throughout Andalucía, plus there will be guided tours.
The centre was co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Energetic way to end the year
Around 200 runners ended the year by taking part in the VI San Silvestre race in Albox.
Organized by Albox Town Hall Sports Department and the Somos Albojenses Cultural Association, there were significantly more children taking part in the New Year’s Eve competition this year, as well as runners wearing fancy dress.
Huércal-Overa was another provincial municipality to organize a traditional San Silvestre race on 31st December, attracting approximately 450 junior and grown up athletes.

Up, up and away
Among a range of events and activities aimed at children and teenagers in Vera this Christmas, the paper plane competition was a first for the municipality.
Fifteen youngsters took part in the competition, which was divided into two categories. Antonio David was named champion in the distance category, his paper aircraft covering 17.03 metres. Javier was first in the flight time category, the paper plane he made staying airbourne for 5.19 seconds.

Financial backing for art museum
The provincial Government has allocated 50,000 euros of its budget to the Casa Ibáñez art museum in Olula del Río, up from 20,000 last year. The funding will go towards the maintenance of the cultural centre, but also towards exhibitions which the Diputación will take to different towns.

Moors & Christians 2012 Fiesta poster unveiled
The poster for the 2012 Mojácar Moors & Christians fiesta was unveiled in time for the FITUR international tourism fair in Madrid.
For the second time the design is the work of Mojácar-based British artist Jill Bennett.
This year the Moors & Christians celebrations will be held over the weekend of 15th-17th June.

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