Tuesday this week sees the final stage of administrative procedure being completed, which will mean that the money obtained from the sale of plots of land on the Orihuela Costa is available to spend on the planned projects. Although the process has tak...

The Valencian Community Bowls Championship got underway on Friday evening with the Opening ceremony, held at the Emerald Isle Bowls Club, in front of bowlers from the competing clubs, spectators and guests. Almost 300 bowlers from the 20 or so Costa B...

Community Fundraiser coming soon on Saturday 20th September from 2 pm at San Miguel community center in Blue Lagoon/El Galan, Calle Pico Lobo

Ideally, a community center is exactly what it says in the name – the center of the community, a place where people in the area can come together for many different purposes.

A community center is an amazing concept where you can enjoy meeting a variation of people and make new friends, as well as learning about hidden passions and talents you may not have known you had.

At present the community center in El Galan is used only by three groups, Campoverde Theatre group, Tai chi, - a form of martial arts and a Parent and Toddler group.

The idea of the fundraiser was thought of by the mums from the parent and toddler group, which holds bi-weekly sessions run by Jenny and Zoe. The sessions are held every Wednesday and Friday at 10 am until 12 noon.

"We are hoping by holding this fundraising fete we can bring the community together and raise funds at the same time, plus we want to let other people know the center exist, as not many people know it does!

We want it to be an affordable fun afternoon for everyone!

The money raised on the day will be put towards, basic kitchen items, toddler group toys and art supplies, Storage units, and other items to make the center usable for all types of groups."

At the fete there are to be many craft stalls, Usborne children`s books, Belles Boutique Sandals, Ladies and Gent's clothing, Jewellery, a local painter displaying his works, Hair and beauty stations, a toy shop, Bric a brac stalls, Carnival games including splat the rat and panning for gold, Pantomime characters, courtesy of Campoverde theatre group, a raffle, White elephant stall, Bouncy castles, Tom bola, cake stall, BBQ and drinks. Sunshine FM are kindly hosting the event.

Since this fete has been advertised other people have shown an interest in using the hall – the starting of a weekly youth club, a beginners Boules club and Pilate's classes.

It is hoped that you will come along and join in the fun and help raise the funds needed to continue to provide a center that everyone in the community can benefit from, - it is sure to be a fun day out for all the family!

If you would like to donate a raffle prize or donate items to the tombola, or for more information please contact Jenny on 616762901

Sponsored by Autos Direct San Miguel & TV Choice After a number of weeks with little to report we finally had a flurry of activity with the Vistabella Open 3-2-1 Competition and to cap it all off Tony French, Les Barber and Mike Regan won the Gr...

A man, believed to be 93 years of age and of British nationality, died on Thursday in a private swimming pool at a house in the San Miguel de Salinas area, according to reports from the Guardia Civil. The incident occurred between 10:00 and 11:00 in t...

Despite promises that the Torrevieja council would look closely at road safety issues along the CV 95 in Los Balcones, according to Los Verdes, they have yet to publish any results of their investigation or to take any action. This might suggest that the nothing has yet been done.

As such the Green Party once more called for the mayor to take a close look at the main road which connects Torrevieja with San Miguel de Salinas.

Other than a few road calming measures, speed bumps, installed many years ago and worn to render them almost insignificant.

The CV95 road has become a real black spot in the area, accidents and near misses are witnessed on an almost daily basis with serious injuries cause to drivers and to pedestrians on a regular basis and the traffic worsens greatly in the summer."

All the residents want is improved road safety. They see this as a basic right. "We don't believe the solution is to cross one's arms and wait to see if within two or three years traffic flow is lower," as has been suggested by the town hall, referring to the completion of the Orihuela-Costa motorway, which will direct traffic away from the CV95. "A dangerous road is always dangerous, regardless of traffic flow. We want to see the placements of additional and better crossings in accordance with the demands of local residents.”

Los Verdes say that a huge investment will be absolutely necessary and the work could prove to be quite difficult from a technical point of view, "so the reluctance and ineffectiveness of the municipal government has no justification."

So once again the Green Party has repeated its request to the mayor to implement road safety measures along this busy stretch of road as a matter of some urgency

However a spokesman for Highways has said that any such request must be signed by the mayor before any road works can be carried out by municipal officers

So let's hope we don't have to witness yet another fatal accident or casualty before these necessary changes are made.

A Right Rave with Jennie and Dave - Friday August the 15th is the launch of their "Dog House Dream" with a fabulous Hog Roast to kick START their BAR "The Doghouse" in La Marina!

Jennie and Dave took over the Doghouse Bar in La Marina just a few weeks ago and already they are getting a name for their fabby breakfasts plus Jennie is a bit of a Whizz in the kitchen and her coffee cake is truly legendary! Especially in Quesada! in Calle San Miguel!!

Jennie said: " We are absolutely delighted that we have sold over 70 tickets already for Friday 15th of August we have one friend coming as far as Mazzaron and several dropping by from Benidorm! The wonderful Andy Jones will be here to entertain you and Dave and I feel he is the icing on the cake or should that be the crackling on the pig!"

The evening will be a little bit about fundraising and getting some funds for S.A.T. the animal rescue charity - some years ago - well perhaps more than she cares to remember (perhaps circa 2000) Jennie was given a jacket by Phill Collins - Phill had worn this jacket and had also had his signature embossed on the sleeve - Jennie now wants to auction this jacket to raise money for S.A.T.

She will take telephone bids prior to the 15th of August on 633 797 555 as well as bids on the actual night - there will be a reserve price on the jacket and if the bids do not reach the reserve Jennie will save the Jacket for "Just One More Night!"

Please send any bids for the jacket to 633 797 555 - or email your bid to dogandbone48@hotmail.com

Los Montesinos author Andrew Atkinson has penned a book – The Full ‘Monty' - written from experiences by him and his wife Helen in their three year search looking for a Casa in Spain.

Andrew is looking for a publisher or business to help him get the story into print: "Los Montesinos - The Full 'Monty' - tells of our 'eye-opening' visits to Montesinos when seeing workers sat drinking wine - some asleep - during our Casa build. "To that of needing permission to do almost anything to our property...even tiling the garden!," said Andrew.

Andrew and Helen searched for a property spanning Almoradi, Alicante , Benidorm, Benijofar, Cabo Roig, Cabo de Palos, Cartagena, Denia, Elche, Guardamar, Lo Pagan, Los Alcazares, La Mata, La Zenia. Murcia, Polop, San Miguel, Santiago de la Ribera, Torrevieja, Torremendo, Mojocar - leading to their arrival in Los Montesinos on the Costa Blanca south.

"It's been a great experience over the last decade and hopefully the book will give an insight to anyone contemplating living in Spain, either permanently, or as a non-resident," said Andrew.

Interested publishers and businesses can contact Andrew on 07702340744 or via email on: lancashiremedia@talktalk.net LOS MONTESINOS - The Full 'Monty' author Andrew Atkinson and wife

The Neighbours Association "San Miguel Archangel" qualifies the eviction of the C.C.O.O., Spain's largest Trade Union, from its official office in The Social Centre of San Miguel de Salinas last Friday 18th July as a despotic act.

The sudden eviction by the decree of Mayor Ángel Sáez Huertas was carried out without mediation or even the knowledge of the Municipal Council on the grounds that the 15 metre square office was required for the municipal library to meet Valencia Government requirements on the minimum space required to obtain important government grants.

Previous notice had been given but was subject to appeal and mediation by the union who rightly requested that alterative accommodation be found. The administration, it is alleged, made no moves to mediate and without warning sent Policía Local officers, municipal workers and a locksmith to execute the immediate eviction. The Association considers this to be a gross and pointless excuse given by the Mayor in a town where there is plenty of alternative public office space, even in the same building. Furthermore, the Association supports the rights of the C.C.O.O. Union in their court challenge for the reversal of the agreement it had with the town council to use the office and enjoy trade union assets for the benefit of union members.

The site currently occupied by the Social Centre, started as the House of the People's Republic. It was expropriated by the Franco regime and later delivered to the State Union of the Agrarian Chamber after the civil war ended. The Chamber of Agriculture subsequently returned the property to the City Council in 1990. At the formal Municipal Plenary council meeting on March 16, 1990 it was resolved to assign a local Social Centre office to the UGT and CCOO Unions in the newly opened Community Centre. The Mayor of the time, Don Manuel Lorente Sáez later said, “I am particularly proud of the textual-appointment letter of 1994 where I have announced the transfer of this local office to the unions and that I am somehow able to pay a historic debt to the workers of this country".

The Neighbours Association fears a return to the darkest periods in the history of Spain and condemns this rampant ‘warlordism' - in Spanish ‘caciquismo rampante' - that currently dominates the town. Privileges and rights are granted depending on political sympathy and not merit, nor capacity, nor service provided to citizens. Local observers, the Association adds, ask whether there is any significance in the day of this sudden eviction. It is 78 years to the day when on July 18, 1936, the unions were expelled from the House of the People of San Miguel de Salinas during some of those darkest times.

David A Hardy, Vice President, Asociación de Vecinos ‘San Miguel Arcángel'

on behalf of the Board of Directors.

ALL WEEK ALICANTE MARQ Archaeological museum – NEW Exhibition – “Deltebre I. History of a shipwreck” displaying artefacts rescued from a British navy ship which was sunk in the mouth of the Ebro in 1813 (until January 11, 2015). Exhibition – Art and archaeology from the Chinese Han Dynasty, 206 BC – 220 AD. Exhibition […]