October 2008 News Headlines
Table of Contents

Accident Black Spots in Xàbia total thirty eight

October 31st
Thirty eight dangerous accident-prone locations have been identified by the residents of Jávea \ Xabia Click here to see a map of them. If you can think of any more, please send details to the Agenda21 coordinator at: gro.aibaxja|12lacola#gro.aibaxja|12lacola

A Career in Gardening

October 31st
Fifteen young people will obtain training for the workplace in gardening through a TFC (Taller de Formación para la Contratación) course organised by Xàbia's branch of CREAMA (Consorcio para la Recuperación Económica de la Marina Alta – Consortium for the economic revitalisation of the Marina Alta) The TDF courses are aimed at young people aged between 16 and 25 years of age who do not have a school leaving certificate or academic qualifications. This course of 900 hours is financed with a government grant. Those who pass the first stage will be hired initially by CREAMA to help them along their way (from press release)

October 2007 floods - Xàbia to receive over 700,000 Euros

October 31st 2008
The Ministry of Works has earmarked some 6 million Euros to co-finance 179 repair projects in the Marina Alta. This is to rectify damage incurred during the 2007 floods. Xàbia will receive just over 700,000 which will go towards repairing two bridges and improving drainage of the Tosalet Barranco (From Levante print edition)

Car Park constructors claim an extra 2.7 million Euros

October 30th
The company which built the car parks wants another 2.7 million Euros in respect of “unforeseen expenses” However the town hall is not willing to accept the justifications put forward for this claim. They did however suggest approval of some 120,000 for the controversial rehabilitation of the old town wall in the Principe de Asturias.
From La empresa de los parkings....

Spain is world's fifth biggest water user

October 30th
The average Spaniard uses 2.3 million litres or the equivalent of one Olympic-size swimming pool per year.
MADRID - Spaniards are the fifth-biggest consumers of fresh water on the planet despite the country’s limited resources, shows a new study released Wednesday More on Expatica

Spanish scientists make biofuel from olive stones

October 30th
Spanish scientists at the universities of Jaen and Granada have developed a method of making biofuel from the stones of olives, a scientific journal has reported. More on Expatica

The foreign invasion continues

October 30th
Alicante province has seventeen municipalities where more than 50% of its population is of foreign origin. Among them all, the Vega Baja is the area where there are the most immigrants.
The municipalities highlighted with these percentages are: Alcalalí, l'Alfàs del Pi, Algorfa, Benijófar, Benitatxell, Calpe, Daya Vieja, Hondón de los Frailes, Xàbia, Llíber, Orba, Rojales, San Fulgencio, San Miguel de Salinas, Teulada, Torrevieja and Els Poblets.

Foreigners already comprise 23%, of the overall population, according to a report from the Secretariado Diocesano de Migración de Orihuela-Alicante. 28% of these are are British, 8% German, 6.8% Romanians, 6.8% Moroccans, 5.2% Ecuadorians 4.5 % Colombians, as well as citizens of a hundred more nationalities.
From Las Provincias La población...

+ "Hablemos +" (“Let's Talk +”)

October 30th
This slogan launched an initiative which will create a lot to talk about. This is a project launched by Xàbia Town Hall in order to boost exchanges between mainly English and Castellano speakers. The aim is to promote integration while enabling participants to improve their standard of English or Spanish through conversation on a one to one basis. Those interested, should call the Town Hall at 96 579 0500, extension 1205
Click here for more.

A case of mistaken identity ?

29th October
An 8 metre long 1.5 metre wide Xàbia Fishing boat has been fined for allegedly blocking Alicante harbour during a demonstration about the cost of diesel in 2005. The boat owner insists that his small boat was tied up in Xàbia at the time and that it is too small to make it down to Alicante, let alone block a big harbour like that. Each boat which took part in the demo is supposed to pay 3000 Euros fine.The fishermen's association had verbally agreed settle valid fines, and will stand by this, even though the number of boats in 2005 was 32, and now only 21 remain. Outstanding fines for twelve boats total 36,000 Euros.
Las Provincias El Gobierno dice....

Housewives Association celebrates its National Day.

October 29th
The Housewives Association celebrated its National Day with a religious service in honour of those members who had passed away. They thanked the Town Hall for providing containers for the disposal of used cooking oil. They also remarked that from November they will resume cookery classes in La Casa de Mesquida de les Pedres where a suitable kitchen has been set up. The Mayor reiterated that the Town Hall was working intensely towards setting up an ecopark in Xàbia. (From press release)

Xàbia Town Hall to inject more money into the Rubbish Collection contract

October 28th
The new contract for rubbish collection was valued at some 40 million Euros over 10 years. However the annual cost is estimated to rise by some 600,000 Euros and money needs to be injected to pay the workers. The amount of money currently collected through the basura tax is some 2 million Euros per year. Last October the Finance department of the Town Hall asked for an increase of between 83% and 150% in the rubbish collection tax to pay for the shortfall, but this was voted down, so now additional payments will have to be made from general funds. It is possible that a motion to increase rubbish tax will again be tabled.
Las Provincias Xàbia aumenta la partida....

Xàbia Local Action Plan Priorites

October 27th
Tim ladd has prepared an English version of the Agenda21 questionnaire being used to prioritise Local Action Plan projects. Click here to download the questionnaire and participate in the process.

Accumulated rains reach 700 litres per square metre in the Marina Alta

October 26th
Rainfall over the past weekend has topped up the rain gauges with cumulative rainfall exceeding 700 litres in the Val de Laguart and Alcalalí. Apple and orange crops have been adversely affected. The situation in Xàbia is more moderate with a cumulative total of 348 litres, though on the 25th October it was the wettest place in the region with 85 litres. (From Las Provincias)

The Graüll, a school in ruins

October 23rd
This school is the oldest in Xàbia and was built almost 50 years ago. It is now overcrowded (requiring the use of prefab classrooms and meals in shifts). Since 2005, when the school was visited by an inspector from the Conselleria, they have been asking for new buildings which comply with the education law, I.e. with a gym, classrooms in good condition, a good library, IT room, a playground exclusively for the youngest, and an adequately sized dining room. Nothing has happened and the parents have decided to take action, requesting two appointments with municipal officials and the Conselleria.. From Xàbia al Día. El Colegio Graüll....

Free Internet courses

October 23rd
The town hall is running free courses on using the Internet. This is through the program Internauta de la Generalitat Valenciana. The basic course is 12 hours duration, the intermediate 30 hours. Classes are held at the Xàbia Adult Education facility next to the public college of Vicente Tena., Monday to Thursday from 10.00 to 12 noon. If they receive sufficient applicants for classes in the afternoon they will use the IT room in the Port college. Interested people should ring 012. From Press release.

Spain: A complex economic future awaits

From FT. October 15th "Global forces bring rewards and risks" - By Victor Mallet
"The reality," concedes banker Enrique Casanueva after listing Spain's advantages in the face of a deepening global financial crisis, "is that this economy has grown a lot because we have built lots of houses."

Hundreds of thousands of those houses - in what seemed a virtuous circle, their construction was both a cause and an effect of Spain's rapid growth - now lie empty and unsold along the coast and on the fringes of big cities. The residential property market has crashed, and the worst hit developers are bankrupt. Unemployment has surpassed 11 per cent of the workforce and is rising fast. For more see: FT.Com

Javea beaches cleaned by the Town Hall and Costas

October 21st
Jávea / Xàbia Town Hall and the department of Coasts of the Environment Ministry are working together to clean Xàbia bay. From a week ago a team of eleven operatives has been working to regenerate the beaches of Jávea after recent storms. Click here for more

Xàbia will say “No” to expansion of the Port in Brussels

October 19th
The Committee on Petitions of the European Union has declared admissible the two petitions on the one hand by the town of Xàbia and the other by the Plataforma Cívica en Defensa del Litoral (Civic Platform in Defense of the Coast) to warn of possible damage due to Xàbia Port expansion. The announcement was made this morning by the MEP of the Greens, David Hammerstein, who visited the port area of the town. The congressman was received by the Mayor of Xàbia, Eduardo Monfort, and the councilor of Urban Development and Civic Participation, Pepa Chorro. Also present at the port were members of the Platform that opposes the expansion of the port. Click here for more.

Catalans cast cars aside in financial crisis

16 October
The average number of car trips in Barcelona is down 8.7 percent as compared to 2007.
For more see Expatica

MEP David Hammerstein to visit Jávea about the Port

October 17th
Next Sunday, Oct. 19, the Green MEP, David Hammerstein will visit Jávea. The congressman will be received by the mayor, Eduardo Monfort, to get to understand the problem of a possible expansion of the port and announce actions to be carried out in Brussels. (from Press release)
Programme: 12.00, Leave from the entrance of the Club Nautico to accompany the parliamentarian on a walk through Port area
12:30, Press conference at the Casa del Cable

Summer Beach Surveillance a big success

October 17th
According to the Red Cross, the summer surveillance of Jávea's beaches closed on October 12th without anyone having drowned. Good weather, new marine police patrol and watchtower at Montañar contributed to the safety record. However more improvements are planned for next year: 1) Red warning pennants on buoys at the Arenal to mark places where there are dangerous undercurrents when the weather is poor 2) Notices about the use and safety of the Arenal bathing platform 3) bringing the buoys closer to the shore 3) A watchtower ar La Grava beach. 56 people were involved with the beach surveillance programme. (From press release)

Debate about situation of European residents held in Alicante

October 17th
Jávea participated in the first "“Diálogos de Europeos alicantinos” ," a day of debate on the situation of European residents in the province. The councilor of International Relations, Doris Courcelles, attended on behalf of the people of Jávea together with members of the local association of French-speaking Friends of Molière (Afram).
This meeting took place Wednesday, October 15, in the Provincial Archaeological Museum of Alicante. It was attended by consulates, experts, representatives of municipal associations and residents of some municipalities in the province. In addition to considering issues that concern them, such as obtaining NIE or legal and administrative proceedings, they addressed the situation of municipal European residents, and the need to integrate and learn Spanish. The Town hall has launched a free Spanish course of 20 lessons for 25 students. The number of foreign EU residents living in Jávea exceeds 13,000. (From Press release)

Jávea Department of Youth brings out a magazine for the young

October 17th
The first issue looks at initiatives made by the Department of Youth. The wide range of workshops, activities of the program "tretze-dèsset," where young people between 12 and 30 years, presenting their youth ID can get discounts of 15%. It also gives information on the counseling service to help deal with issues of emotional health, sexuality, drug abuse, eating habits and family affairs. Next Saturday, the department has organized 12 hours of technology and free internet connection for the young, beginning at 12 in the morning at the Casa de Cultura. Young people between 12 and 30 can download files at "super fast" speed, participate in workshops and Wii competitions and enjoy spectacular audio-visuals.

Photographic Exhibition of Jávea Schools in the last Century

October 17th
This will be on until November 19th . from 6.00pm to 9.00pm. Materials on show will be those from between 1900 and the 1950 and in addition to photos there will catechisms, school books, student diaries, rulers, maps pens and school bells. There will also be a complete reconstruction of a schoolroom in the 1930s thanks to the Escuela de Marnes in Lliber.
Place: Building ceded to Fundació Cirne, Calle Arquitecto Urteaga (The road where Ferreteria Ameca used to be. It runs from the Ronda Sur down towards Thiviers, parallel to Avda Alicante)
From Las Provincias

Agenda21 forum sets up small work groups once more

October 15th
After a passage of several years, Xàbia/Jávea's Local Agenda21 forum has once more set up small "round table" working groups to develop ideas for sustainable development in Jávea. One of the topics is: de “Getting people together” - how can we interact in a positive manner as a multicultural society?. Also, citizens can continue to provide feedback on accident black spots and votes on priorities on the Local Action Plan for another two weeks. Click here for more and a report on other issues covered at this meeting.

Don't be alone this Christmas

This Christmas, elderly people living alone are going to have company. At least, this is the objective of the "don't be alone at Christmas" program promoted by the Javea Department of Social Services via the Ministry for Social Welfare. This joint initiative is aimed at elderly people who are alone and have no chance to spend Christmas with family or friends. To participate in this programme, applicants should have a degree of independence, be older than 65 or be disabled, retired or widowed pensioners over 60.

From 23 to December 27, beneficiaries will be able to enjoy full board lodging at a hotel complex in Gandia with socio-cultural activities, medical services, transport and insurance. Interested parties may obtain information and submit their applications until November 3 in the Department of Social Services, located on the second floor of the Social Center, Javea There, they will be able to make an appointment (by phone 96 579 41 42) on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 10.00am to 1.00pm

From Press release

Bad weather ruins takings over the holiday

October 13th
The president of the Association of tourist businesses and restauranteurs in the Marina Alta ( Asociación de Empresarios de Hostelería y Turismo de la Marina Alta), Rafael Codina, said that the bad weather during the long weekend holiday had severely curtailed tourist businesses in the area who had variously described the situation as "fatal" or "very bad". The situation was made worse because Columbus Day (October 12th) fell on a Sunday. From Las Provincias - La lluvia....

Foreigner population in Comunidad Valenciana up 400 fold in eight years

From El Mundo print Edition- October 11th : The population of foreigners increased 436% over the last eight years. Although many nationalities are represented, the "colonia Británica" was the biggest group with over 300,000 registered residents.

Nueva Javea proposes energy saving measures

October 12th
These include replacement of existing traffic lights with LED technology which are more visible and have one seventh power consumption, moderating the temperatures of air conditioned public buildings to 25 degrees in the summer and 23 in the winter, and using low power light bulbs, even in street lamps. From Xabia al Dia NJ apuesta por un plan de eficiencia energética municipal

Seminar / Workshop on revitalising Old Town Businesses

October 12th
There will be an evening seminar on revitalisng the Old Town businesses on Tuesday October 14th starting at 7.00pm. At the Fundació CIRNE: There will be three guest speakers. This is in preparation for creating and promoting the Old Town as a shopping centre over the next three years. (From Press release and Las Provincias)

Symposium on Intelligent Consumption and Sustainable Development

October 9th
From 13th to 15th October the Casa de Cultura will host a three-day symposium on sustainable development through intelligent consumption. The meetings will be devoted to the dissemination of information on the supply of organic products, as well as the open discussion on the protection and security of consumers' interests. Click here for more details

Solar Energy Installation Course

October 8th
A course about the installation of solar energy systems carried out by the Local Development Agency of Jávea's CREAMA has received a total of 125 applicants. The 100 hour course is aimed at electricians who want to be trained in the area of photovoltaic solar energy. Students will be trained to understand the calculation, design and feasibility of solar energy for electricity generation and their practical application (from press release)

Step towards completion of a day centre for the elderly and Alzheimers sufferers

October 7th 2008
A formal agreement has been signed by Jávea's Mayor and Mother Domitila Jimenez, (representing the Apostolic congregation of Martha and Mary) whereby the Town Hall helps to finance the conversion of the Convent of the Agustinas into a day centre with a contribution of 315,000 Euros. The Centre should be open by the end of the year Click here for details and photos.

Spanish scientists find that fish are more at risk as ocean pollution grows.

1 October 2008
MADRID — Ocean “dead zones”, where there is not enough oxygen to support most marine life, are growing at five percent per year, faster than was previously thought, Spanish scientists said on Monday. More on Expatica: Ocean "dead zones" spread...

More than 10,000 visits to the three rooms housing the Art exhibition of Antoni Miró.

October 3rd
Between 24th July and September 21st the exhibition at the Casa de Cable received 5002 visitors; that in the Museum: 3504, and the Casa de Tena: 1764 (many people don't even know about this place and its exhibition). The controversy surrounding the Antoni Miró sculptures undoubtedly brought many people to come and look at them in the Port. Miró has exhibited all over the world and Xàbia can now bathe in reflected glory since his collection of sculptures is called: “Viatge a Xàbia” . Note, the Museum will soon be host to the permanent collection of Segarra Llamas. (from press release)

Murky Manoeuvres in the Port?

October 3rd
Fishermen based in Xàbia Port have revealed that they have been approached by an (un-named) company to move their operations to Denia in return for substantial sums of money. An implication is that moving the fishing fleet would clear the way for Port expansion and the development of a Marina. An EU representative, Luís Torros is reported to have spoken out about these goings on, saying that the development of marinas is a spent policy and would only benefit the developers.
Las Provincias October 1st Marineros de Xàbia dicen....
and Levante print edition October 3rd.

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