News in Brief – Costa de Almeria

Road safety ROQUETAS’ Road Safety Unit won an award in the eighth edition of Spain’s National Prizes for Good Practice in Teaching Road Safety.  Roquetas mayor Gabriel Amat congratulated Ricardo and Rafael, two Policia Local officers who visit local schools, for their innovative way of explaining road safety to pupils.

Safe swimming NINETY-SEVEN seawater samples taken in 13 Almeria municipalities were pronounced safe for bathing, as all were within the required safety levels.  The samples were obtained from 91 different points at 77 bathing areas along the Almeria coast as well as the thermal springs at Balsa Cela in Lucar. 

Cruel scam THE Guardia Civil arrested a person in Nijar who charged up to €300 to obtain non-existent Padron certificates for irregular migrants and others at risk of social exclusion.  The majority of the victims failed to file complaints owing to their irregular situation and scanty knowledge of Spanish.

Lady luck SPAIN’S national Lottery drawn on Thursday last week smiled on Almeria province with a second prize sold in Berja and Almeria City.  Each entire ticket of 10 decimos bearing the number 21694 will scoop €60,000, although most punters tend to buy just one or two of the fractions.

Fewer people DURING Almeria City’s last plenary meeting, councillors unanimously approved the official Padron figure of 201,780, a reduction of 510 residents compared with 2020.  The drop in the registered population, the first in 10 years, was attributed to fewer births and a tendency to move inland owing to the pandemic. 

Amazon centre A DELIVERY firm that distributes “last-mile” parcels on the final leg of their journey to clients and habitually collaborates with Amazon, has opened an ultra-modern logistics centre in Benahadux.    The firm has engaged approximately 50 new employees, with collaboration from the town hall which has forwarded applicants’ details. 

Party line ADRA councillors voted to ask the central government to take steps to prevent higher electricity bills created by the “peak, valley and flat” rates introduced on June 1.   PSOE socialists opposed the motion, prompting Mayor’s Office councillor Jose Crespo to accuse them of toeing the party line instead of putting Adra residents first.  

Bus ride ALMERIA CITY’S Metropolitan Transport Consortium is running hourly buses to Cabo de Gata-Nijar national park’s San Jose, Genoveses, Monsul, Barronal and Cala Carbon beaches between 10.30am and 8pm.  With vehicle access restricted until September 5, the buses offer an alternative to traditional transport while respecting the environment, said Sustainable Development delegate, Raquel Espin.