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NOVEMBER 2nd - NOVEMBER 8th

MALAGA CASASOLA DAM OPENS

The new Casasola Dam, one of the most eagerly awaited infrastructure projects in Málaga, finally came into service and was officially opened on Monday by Minister for the Environment, Jaume Matas.

The dam has been placed across the Campanillas River and gives the Southern Water Board the ability to control the flow of the main feed into the Guadalhorce - the river which has previously been to blame for the city's serious flooding.

The whole project had to be abandoned for a time in 1996 when unforeseen difficulties resulted in a large increase of the cost. Work was initiated by former Mayoress Celia Villalobos. Total cost for the project has now amounted to 4,000 million pesetas. |Jaume Matas said he blamed the delays in the dam's construction on regional government.

WATER NEEDS MET

Although the new construction is not the largest dam in the province it will still be able to hold 23.64 cubic hectometres when full and has an expected average capacity of 11.6 cubic hectometres.

It's the seventh dam to be built in the province of Malaga and the first to be constructed since 1989. It was originally proposed in a water plan for Malaga published back in 1902.

TROPICAL TIME FOR UK PENSIONERS

Saga holidays have announced that over 6000 pensioners will spend their autumn, winter or spring holidays on the Costa Tropical this year. The UK Company uses the Hotel Helios in Almunecar and the Hotel Salobrena. Manager of the Helios, Rafael Lamelas has said that this is the seventh year that they have benefited from off peak tourism.

ASTRONAUTS FOOD TO LAND IN GRANADA

The opening of a new theme restaurant in the Granada Science Park next year will allow visitors to try the packaged food given to NASA and European Space Agency astronauts. The new restaurant will include new displays with scientific information on food and nutrition.

TWO SINGERS, DIFFERENT GONGS

Skiffle king of the 50's Lonnie Donegan, a long time resident on the Costa del Sol, was at Buckingham Palace last week to collect his MBE. 69 year old Lonnie, famo9us for such hits as Does your Chewing Gum loose its Flavour on the Bedpost Overnight? And My Old Man's a Dustman, was an inspiration for many start including the Beatles. He received his from Prince Charles. Donegan later revealed that the Prince quipped "Very well deserved and about time too".

CAMARON DE LA ISLA HONOURED

Also honoured this week was the late Jose Monge Cruz, better known as the flamenco singer "Camaron de la Isla". His widow, Dolores Montoya, received the coveted "Key of Gold" from the Diputacion de Cadiz and San Fernando Town Hall. It is only the forth time the prestigious key has been awarded and was made as part of the 50th anniversary of Camarons birth celebrated on December 5.

ELECTRIC FIESTA IN MALAGA

Over 200 people attended a party in the Altos Jaboneras area of Malaga to celebrate the connection of the electricity supply to the isolated district. The supply was turned on last July after a ten-year dispute with the authorities had come to a satisfactory ending. The Residents Association, which organised the fiesta, has said it will now start a campaign for connection to the mains water supply.

WE'RE ON THE TELLY

Last Saturday, Spanish TV station Telecinco broadcast the new film version of Don Quixote. Directed by Peter Yates, its start John Lithgow as Don Quixote, Bob Hoskins as Sancho Panza and ex Miss America, Vanessa Williams, as Dulcinea. The screenplay was written by John Mortimer.

Made for television by American Broadcaster TNT much of the film was shot last year in Jimena de la Frontera, the castle of Castellar and the convent at La Almoraima. Three hundred extras were used for the movie, many from local towns. Also taking part were many well-known faces from the Costa del Sol acting fraternity.

GERMAN TRAVEL AGENTS INVADE THE COAST

More German accents were heard on the Costa than usual for this time of the year, when 1,000 German travel agents held their annual conference in Marbella's Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones.

Delegates to the 50th DRV-Jahrestagung spent their three-day conference at various presentations and meetings. The Costa del Sol Tourist Board also ensured they got out and about to see for themselves the many different faces and attractions of the region. They were also addressed by regional President, Manuel Chaves

Britain sends more tourists each year to the Costa del Sol than any other nation. Germany is the fastest growing and second most important market for tourism.

NEW HOTEL IN MOCLINEJO

President of Malaga Provincial government, Juan Fraile, officially opened the new rural hotel in the village of Moclinejo last Saturday. It is hoped that the new Hotel Axarquia will encourage tourism in the village.

UP AND AWAY

Over the last six months, 200,000 people have travelled on Benalmadena's telecabina cable car. The "telecabina" runs from its base at the Tivoli World Attractions Park to the top of the Sierra del Calamorro, Olimpo, the company which owns the cable car, has invested 170 million pesetas and claims to be very satisfied with the initial figures.

BUILDING UP THE COSTA

Construction figures for 1999 puts Benalmadena in fourth place in the ANDALUCIA charts. During last year, 4,5000 housing units were built in the municipality. These figures were only bettered by Marbella, the provincial capital Malaga and Mijas.

HOTELS GO TO PLAN

Mijas Municipality has modified its town plan to encourage the construction and reformation of more hotels. A company will build a 205 room, four star hotels at Benalmadena Costa to open in 2002 or 20003. And the new hotel Yaramar, in Los Boliches has re-opened its doors after finally being granted its licence by Fuengirola Town Hall.

OH! MARBELLA

Jesus Gil, the Mayor of Marbella has announced a theme park will be built at the entrance to the town near Funny Beach. It includes a hotel, an events hall with a capacity for 2,000 people, salt-water swimming pools and a discotheque named "Oh! MARBELLA".

THE CULTURE ZONE

The El Ingenio Theatre in San Pedro de Alcantara will re-open on November 10 with a Stradivarius violin concert entitled the "The Magic and Charm of Waltzes". This is just one of 70 events planned for El Ingenio or La Sala Marbella this autumn. In Estepona the Town Hall building will form part of a cultural zone and will include a music school and large library.

NATURE WATCH

SEPRONA the nature protection service of the Guardia Civil has formed a new unit to operate in the Estepona area. Their patrols will be keeping a special watch for dumping of waste in rural areas, poaching and motorbikes, which plough up natural spaces. The four agents will patrol Estepona, Casares, Manilva and Benhavis.

PROTECTING OTTERS

The ecologist group, AGADEN, have denounced the death of five otters in the Loa Barrios area in the past two years. All the deaths have been caused by cars. The otters live in the nearby Los Alcornocales National Park and AGADEN have asked that the C-440 and A-381 be remodelled so that otters can pass safely.