News Archive from Andalucia & Costa del Sol

....News from Andalucia

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Week August 2th to 8rd July 2001

OBITUARY: MARK LITTLE

A valuable contributor to andalucia.com, as well as one of the Coast's best known journalists and travel writers, Mark Little tragically died on Saturday, August 4th 2001 after a short illness.

Mark will be remembered by his friends and colleagues for his good nature, as well as his excellent journalistic skills. Although American by birth, he moved to the Costa del Sol at the age of ten and continued his education at Málaga University where he majored in Spanish Language and Literature.

Mark was probably best known for his work with Lookout Magazine, where he worked as editor until 1997 and was the guiding force in ensuring its premier position as the leading English language magazine in Spain. Since 1997, Mark worked as a freelance journalist for newspapers, magazines, books and andalucia.com. He also wrote, edited and conducted research on such prestigious international travel guides as Fodor's (Spain), APA Guides (Insight Guides to Spain and Southern Spain) and Dorling Kindersley (Eyewitness Guide to Madrid).

Mark leaves a wife and three teenage children.

ROUNDABOUT NERJA

Six new roundabouts will ease the traffic around Nerja and Frigiliana

Plans for up to six new roundabouts to be built in the next few months have been announced for the old N-340 through Nerja Town Center, and for the link road to the auto via junction and Frigiliana.

In Nerja town center, roundabouts will replace the existing traffic lights at Plaza Cantarero, at the junction with Rodriguez Acosta, and at the top of the access road to Burriana beach.

The work will take eight months to complete, and plans are open for inspection at the Town Hall. The intention is to speed up the flow of traffic along the main road, now considerably reduced with through traffic bypassing Nerja on the auto via.

And Frigiliana won't be left out

The access road to the Frigiliana auto via junction is to have two roundabouts built, which will alleviate the problem experienced by local residents coming from Nerja and wishing to turn left into the industrial Castillo Alto or the urbanizations La Noria and Pueblo Rocío. At present, a lengthy and unwelcome detour is necessary- up to the auto via roundabout, and back towards Nerja- after which it's possible to turn right into the side roads. Construction will begin at the end of the year.

The stretch was speedily upgraded last year when it was decided to open the Nerja to Maro stretch of the auto via early, despite the Torrox to Nerja section begin incomplete, and this new work will complete the job.

Western sixth roundabout

A sixth new roundabout is also likely at the western extreme of Nerja; at the entrance to the Tropicana, Punta Lara and Ladera del Mar areas. This present junction with the old N-340 is an accident blacks pot, and a decision is expected this month.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST "LEGIONNAIRES"

Málaga issues warnings on air-conditioning maintenance

Experts in Málaga have been warning hotels and other buildings with air conditioning to take the necessary steps avoid an outbreak of legionnaires disease in the province.

The Director of the Andalucia Institute of Pathology and Microbiology, Fernando Fariñas, has pointed out that the standard of maintenance of air conditioning systems is lower than it should be. The bacteria can also be found in cisterns, sprinklers, saunas, showers, and fountains and in any system where water is sprayed in tiny drops, and can be inhaled.
Last year in Málaga, it was found in 30 per cent of water tanks inspected, although there was no outbreak of the disease, because drinking infected water cannot contract it.

Experts recommend that systems should be professionally disinfected every sixth months, that an analysis should be carried out every three months, and water should be treated daily.

However, Adolfo Rivera from the microbiology service at the Hospital Clínico de Málaga has stated that the bacteria can only live in temperatures between 20 and 40 degrees, and anything higher will kill it.

Keep healthy recommendation

A recent outbreak of Legionnaires´ Disease in Murcia infected 800 people and causes one death, while in the Netherlands, 300 were infected with 45 deaths. Experts agree that good health is the best prevention, citing that three-quarters of victims of the bacteria are older men who smoke and drink.

SANITARY CHECK EXPOSES BARS

Thirty-four per cent of the bars of Fuengirola and Mijas, inspected by health authority technicians, had sanitary defects. Regional government´s department of health has issued the damning figures. Of the 481 inspections carried out last year, 163 establishments infringed the sanitary requirements.

The good news is that last year's inspections showed a slight improvement in sanitary standards over those for 1999. The biggest sinners were in the west zone of Mijas and Fuengirola, where more than half of 363 establishments visited had irregularities. Best marks went to Los Boliches where 86.3 per cent of the bars passed with flying colors.

AVE FLIES IN TO MÁLAGA

The first high-speed AVE trains should be arrive in Málaga in 2007,
According to the Spanish President, José María Aznar, Assisted by Manuel Chaves, the President of the Junta de Andalucia, Sr. Aznar described the development, which represents an investment of 220.000 million pesetas, as an "emblematic project".
When completed, the new 155 kilometers tracks will cut the journey time to Madrid from four hours, to less than two and a half.

TERRORIST ALERT AT MÁLAGA AIRPORT

Tourism sector feared to suffer from ETA threats

A major disaster at Málaga airport was avoided last week, when 53-kilogram car bomb failed to detonate.

The drama began just after 7.00a.m last Thursday when authorities in San Sebastian received a phone call, purporting to be from ETA, identifying a white Peugeot 406, and stating that the bomb hidden in it would be explode at 8.00a.m.
The vehicle, which had been stolen in Guipúzcoa the previous week, was found at 7.45 close the main arrivals hall.
Using a remotely controlled robot, bomb experts took over four hours to open the vehicle and find device, and a further two and a half hours to deactivate it.
Traffic chaos grew in the surrounding area, with tailbacks of 10 kilometers reported. Incoming flights continued to land through the morning, but arriving passengers were taken to auxiliary terminals. 198 departures were delayed, and 50.000 passengers affected. The comment of one elderly man, delayed for seven hours, summarized what was in everybody's mind: "The most important thing", he said, "is that ETA killed no one".

Planned reprisal

It was subsequently established that the attempted assault on Málaga airport was planned and executed by the terrorists in just two days, in response to the death of a 22-year-old Eta activist in Torrevieja, near Alicante, who was killed when a bomb she was preparing went off prematurely.

Tourist areas targeted

The Basque separatist group have recently stated that they planned to target more tourist areas, and last week, the British Foreign Office updated its advice to Britons planning to visit Spain: "The threat to British citizens in Spain remains low, but British nationals, residents and visitors through Spain should be aware that there is a risk".
Many fear that such an incident will deter tourist from visiting the Costa del Sol, but the head of Andalusia's tourist department, Jose Hurtado, put on a brave face. "We are going to remain firm in terms of security. Nothing and no one of the criminal gang ETA is going to defeat our community or the tourism sector", he said.

SEA SPORTS IN TORROX

Sunday August 12 has been designated a day of sea sports activities in Torrox Costa. From 11.00, Peñoncillo beach will be the focus for various events, including speedboat racing, in an effort to stimulate interest and prompt participation. To ensure the day goes smoothly, the Asociación Naútica de Torrox is asking those interested to contact them in advance.

CURTAIN´S UP ON MARBELLA´S NEW THEATRE

The curtain has finally gone up on Marbella´s new municipal theatre. Mayor Jesus Gil recently opened the "Teatro Ciudad de Marbella". Many stars and personalities attended the ceremony and a gala night of entertainment. Mayor Gil said that the Town Hall had invested more than 600 million pesetas in the splendid new 500-setter theatre. Seven years have passed since the project was first announced but the town now has a fine theatre to be proud of.

WIND GENERATING PLANTS DOUBLE PROFITS

The Sociedad Eólica de Andalucia, which has two wind generating plants in Tarifa, has recorded profits of 111 million pesetas for the year 2000. The company confirms this is a doubling of profits over the previous year. The two Tarifa plants supply electricity to Sevillana, which also has a share in the company.

Málaga and Cádiz are the provinces with the most potential in Andalucia being able to produce 1.000 megawatts each. Next come Granada (400), Almería (200), Sevilla (100), Jaén (70) and Huelva (50).
However, Andalucia only ranks sixth in Spain in term of wind powered output after Galicia, Navarra, Aragón and Castilla La Mancha.

RETIRE IN LUXURY

The Mayor of Estepona, Antonio Barrientos, has signed an agreement with the company, Senior Citizens, to allow them to construct 115 high quality dwellings. The homes will have the services of a doctor, 24-hour medical attention, security, private parking, a restaurant and all the comforts of a five-star hotel. Senior Citizens will invest 3.000 million pesetas on the project.

TORREMOLINOS TAKES THIRD PLACE

… But it's Andalucia's top resort

Figures issued by the National Institute of Static's show that Torremolinos was Spain's third busiest tourist resort in the month of June. Benidorm (Alicante) topped the occupation list with a figure of 92.8 per cent, followed by Salou (Tarragona) with 88.9 per cent and Torremolinos with 87.4 per cent.

Torremolinos registered 99.760 visitors in June, with 542.550-recorded nights stay in the municipality's hotels. Those figures accounted for 35.22 per cent of all visitors to the Costa del Sol and 10 per cent for all of Andalucia.

Over a million visitors

More than a million visitors stayed in hotels in Andalucia in June. On average they stayed 3.21 days and occupied 60 per cent of the places on offer. Andalucia was the preferred destination of Spanish holidaymakers but came fourth after the Balearic Islands, Cataluña and the Canaries for foreigners.

Andalucia attracted 1.084.616 tourists, 673.624 were Spanish and 510.991 foreigners. Málaga was the top venue with 338.212 visitors followed by Sevilla (187.029) and Granada (161.3969).

......Costa del Sol News Archive

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