HANG GLIDER RESCUEA 20-year-old Ronda youth was rescued on Sunday afternoon after his hang glider became caught in the roof of a four-storey apartment block. The Málaga fire brigade consortium came to his rescue as his canopy dangled from the building in Ronda’s central avenida de Málaga.
The alarm was raised at around 16.07 when the Andalucía 112 emergency service received an alarm call. It stated that there had been a hang gliding accident and two fire crews rushed to the scene just minutes from their HQ.
The youth had crashed in to the building after he lost control of his hang glider and attempted to make a forced landing on top of the apartment block. Fire crews were able to reach him using a rescue ladder and bring him down safely to earth. Miraculously he suffered only light injuries and did not require hospital treatment.
GET ON YOUR BIKE
The residents of Ronda and visitors to the town will have no excuse for not getting on their bikes – or those belonging to the council anyway. The Agencia Andaluz de Energía has signed an accord with the town hall that will see 70 bikes put on the roads for the enjoyment and use of all.
The provincial delegate for innovation of the regional government, Pilar Serrano, visited Ronda last week to sign the agreement with mayor Antonio Marín. As a result not only will Ronda have a fleet of bikes but there will be four points were they can be collected or left.
The mayor explained that the key four points had not yet been decided on. It was likely they would be located by sports centres or on the tourist route through the town.
The management of the bike service would be in the hands of the town hall who would appoint an official to oversee the project. Although the use of the bikes would be free some sort of deposit may be required or season ticket offered.
The investment from the Andalucía energy agency will be around 110,000 euros. It estimates that by using the bikes the energy saving will be the equivalent to removing 39 cars from the roads and will reduce carbon emissions by 103 tonnes.
It will take up to seven months for the system to be fully introduced and established. The energy agency will work with the town hall in setting up the project including the selection of the four bike points then monitor its progress.
YES MAYBE
Red faces at PSOE. On Monday the media was told that the current mayor Antonio Marín would be a socialist candidate at the next town hall elections. Later PSOE hurriedly withdrew that statement and explained that no candidates had yet been nominated. Marín was elected for the Partido Andalucista and then with his fellow PA councilors defected to PSOE although they sit as non-aligned. It would be no surprise that Marín now stands for the socialists – but will be he No.1?
BLACK SPOT
The driver of a cement mixer lorry was seriously injured on Thursday after his vehicle left the road and overturned at Encinas Borraches just outside Ronda on the Algeciras road. No other vehicle was involved. He was flown to hospital by helicopter air ambulance that attended the scene with the emergency services. In a similar accident several years ago a lorry driver died.
STOLEN TREASURE
Extra vigilance is being carried out by officials and the Guardia Civil at the Acinipo Roman site – the location of ancient Ronda. A new wave of robberies of historic items has been detected many of which are offered for sale on the internet. A watch will be kept on the site at night and the use of security cameras has not been ruled out.
AFGHAN BOUND
On Saturday around 600 members of the Tercio Alejandro Farnesio 4 of the Spanish Legion held a special ceremony at their barracks in Ronda before they left for Afghanistan to join the NATO operation there. They will join other Spanish units involved in humanitarian projects. The Legion has and is serving in other trouble spots such as Kosovo, the Lebanon and Bosnia.
NO PACT
The co-ordinator general of Izquierda Unida in Andalucía and the spokesperson of the parliamentary group, Diego Valderas, stated that the party will not form a coalition in Ronda with any party that is involved in the political turncoat fiasco. This has seen the mayor along with eight former Partido Andalucista councillors abandon the party for PSOE thus ruling out any post-election PSOE IU pact.
CHILDREN ARRESTED
The National Police in Ronda have arrested six children accused of damaging two vehicles belonging to one of their school teachers. It has been suggested that the motive was the expulsion of one of their friends from the same school. The vandalism by the 15 and 16 year olds took place at the teacher’s home where the cars were parked in the entrance.
ROAD BLOCK
Some 400 residents of Arriate blocked the Ronda road on Saturday cutting off traffic. The Izquierda Unida that controls the town hall organised the protest to put pressure on the Diputación de Málaga to improve the state of the road that is highly dangerous due to pot holes and subsidence. The IU dismissed urgent repair plans insisting the road must be totally refurbished.
FRAUD ARREST
National Police in Ronda have arrested a Málaga man who is accused of carrying out 86 frauds in the town of the Tajo, the provincial capital, Vélez-Málaga, Coín and Alozaima. He is said to have posed as a Vodafone employee and sold fake internet, Canal Satélite and telephone services to individuals for 19.90 euros; to businesses for 25 euros – well below official prices.
