DATELINE RONDA MONDAY 2, 2012

BLUE JÚZCAR BIDS TO WIN BASKETBALL COURT


By David Eade – Costa del Sol News

The small Serranía de Ronda village of Júzcar has already achieved international renown by being painted blue and becoming the Smurfs’ village for last year’s launch of the latest Sony movie. In the six months it has been the ‘Pueblo Pitufo’ some 90,000 people have visited the village, an average of 4,000 a week. Those people could now be vital in helping Júzcar win a basketball court.

With the support of Málaga province Júzcar is participating in the Endesa – Liga ACB competition. It has now passed the first hurdle judged by representatives of the power company and basketball league. Now it is in the second round and here it needs the votes of its new found visitors.

The voting is via the Facebook page link www.actitudazul.com/ligaendesa. Júzcar is currently in fourth place behind Gordeloxa, Vilagarcia de Arousa and San Miguel de las Dueñas. Log on and give Júzcar your vote as it could see the village of 219 residents acquire a state of the art basketball court.

That is the prize in the ‘Actitud Azul’ competition. A regulation sized basketball court, fully equipped and with flood lighting. It would be placed in an accessible site in the village for the use of everybody. The isolated community does not enjoy all the facilities of more central villages or towns hence the basketball court would a major asset for the young people.

ALL CHANGE FOR RONDA BUS STATION

Ronda’s bus station in the centre of the town is antiquated and not easily accessible for the coach traffic. The plan was it would be relocated as part of the proposed Eroski commercial centre scheduled for the former soccer stadium and fair ground off the San Pedro – Sevilla by pass. However the new administration seems to have its own plans.

The Eroski project and the former socialist mayor Marín Lara are all caught up in the Acinipo town planning corruption case so it could be the new PP – PA administration has decided to move on. Mayor Mari Paz Fernández is seeking submissions of ideas from architects for a bus station to be located not far from the existing one on El Fuerte industrial estate.

The idea seems to be to site the bus and tourist coach hub opposite the sports complex. Not only would it be a bus station but also a commercial development with the management company having a contract to exploit both. It would also be opposite a busy Mercadona supermarket and it is yet to be revealed whether this would be relocated in to the hypermarket – bus station site.

PAYMENT CHECK

An unhappy new year is looming for municipal workers employed by Ronda’s Soliarsa cleaning company. The administration is determined to cut its costs and the two extra payments made in the summer and at Christmas are due for the chop. In addition an investigation is going to be carried out in to the legality of productivity payments awarded to managers of the company.

BODEGA AID

The regional government has given a grant to the Morosanto bodega which is located on a Roman site at La Cimada between Ronda and Setenil. A million euros has already been invested in the vineyard with four million euros scheduled. Owner Ángel Céspedes said the grant was a lifeline adding that the wines produced in the Serranía were amongst the best in Spain.

WINE CHOCOLATE

Cortijo Los Aguilares is a famous Ronda wine maker whilst the Confitería Daver is celebrated for its cakes so it is logical both should come together to create a special chocolate sweet to celebrate New Year. The delicacy has been widely tasted and received much acclaim but David Verdú says commercial viability will be difficult because of the high cost of the wine.

BRIDGE WORK

Ronda’s councillor for the outlying districts, Manuel López, took mayor María de la Paz Fernández to Llano de la Cruz and Los Frontones to discuss bridge work. Both have bridges on busy roads that have deteriorated from the storms of recent years and lack of maintenance. Now 10,000 euros is to be spent meeting residents’ demands they should be repaired before they collapse.

LAST PHASE

Whilst the regional government’s projects to construct major new road connections in to Ronda stand abandoned waiting funding the town hall is entering the last phase of its own scheme to create access off the San Pedro to Sevilla road in to the San Jorge area. It is being constructed with 1.8 million euros of ICO funding and will be operational before Easter.

ACINIPO RAIDS

The Roman archaeological site of Acinipo just outside Ronda has again been the target of thieves seeking valuable historic remains. The security guards are only on duty in the morning but they have detected signs of people searching inside the complex for metallic Roman artefacts. Acinipo is one of the most important historic sites in Andalucía but suffers continually from poor security measures.

DATELINE RONDA THURSDAY DECEMBER 22, 2011

JÚZCAR STAYS BLUE AND HITS WORLD HEADLINES


By David Eade – Costa del Sol News

Júzcar is a small municipality in the Serranía de Ronda. On Sunday its residents voted for it to stay blue. The news was flashed around the world and appeared on many TV news programmes as the village of the Smurfs lives on.

This remarkable story started earlier this year in June with the Sony film company. They wanted a village, somewhere in the world, to be painted blue and to be the home of the Smurfs for the promotion of the new movie – The Smurfs 3D. They decided on Júzcar, just one of the many famous white villages of Andalucía, and in so doing changed the life and wealth of the entire valley.

Júzcar and the other surrounding villages of the Genal Valley are not on the main road but off the beaten track. So the fact the mayor of Júzcar had to hire three additional local police officers to control the increase in traffic shows just what an impact the promotion of the movie had. People came to see the village with its nameplate ‘Primer Pueblo Pitufo’, eat in its bars and restaurants, stay in its hotels and guest houses, buy its local produce and take part in Smurf themed events.

The PSOE mayor, David Fernández, decreed that once the Spanish general election was out of the way villagers would vote on whether to stay blue or revert to white. Sony had made it clear it would pick up the 60,000 euros bill for the repaint. The debate was should Júzcar stay as the village of the Smurfs or revert back to being a sleepy backwater.

On Sunday 141 people voted to stay blue with just 33 saying they wanted to be white. Six people sent in blank votes. A total of 250 people were allowed to vote; those who are on the town hall census along with people who own businesses in the village. Voting was from 10.00 to 18.00 and 73.6 per cent of those eligible to vote turned out.

Speaking after the vote David Fernández pointed out that his village had been transformed into an example of sustainable tourism in the Ronda region. “We have been visited by around 80,000 people. We are in times of crisis and these initiatives are very necessary, the village can remain blue during this time.”

So if the children are bored over the holiday season or you just fancy a drive, why not head up to the village of Júzcar for a unique blue day out.

CHARITY SLASHED

The Catholic charity Cáritas which helps the homeless and those in need in the parishes throughout Spain has seen a dramatic collapse in its income in Ronda. Up to the end of November 48,600 euros had been received compared with 131,000 euros last year. Seventy per cent of the funds are used to purchase food stuffs and necessary household items for needy families.

JOBS STIMULUS

The regional government is investing seven million euros in developing projects to create employment in the Serranía de Ronda. This will see the formation of at least a dozen employment schools and workshops next year. Funding will go to the municipalities of the Genal – Guadiaro – Serranía consortium which excludes Ronda. It is hoped that over 220 unemployed people will benefit from the schemes.

PROVINCIAL CASH

Málaga province is handing over 510,000 euros to eight municipalities for projects that have up to now been put on hold. Those to receive the cash are Algatocín, Benarrabá, Gaucín, Jimera de Líbar, Jubrique, Montejaque, Parauta and Ronda. In Ronda funding will be made available to finish the roundabout and road resurfacing on the industrial estate. Elsewhere schools, tourism and infrastructure will benefit.

DATELINE RONDA THURSDAY 20 OCTOBER 2011

JÚZCAR COULD STAY BLUE


By David Eade – Costa del Sol News

Júzcar is one of the famous small white villages of the Serranía de Ronda. However all that changed earlier this year when Sony Pictures selected the hamlet as the Smurfs home. In Spanish Júzcar became the “Pueblo Pitufo” and was transformed with 9,000 litres of blue paint as part of a worldwide publicity campaign for the latest Smurfs movie.

The painting of the homes was meant to be a temporary measure but it has been such a success for the village that the residents are going to vote after the general election whether to stay blue or revert to white. The odds are on staying blue because whilst the hamlet has just 221 residents over 3,000 people now visit each weekend.

The world media descended on the Smurfs blue village and they were followed by thousands of people, of course including many children, who wanted to see where the Smurfs lived. This has resulted in an economic boom for Júzcar; the town hall has even had to recruit three local police officers to control the traffic.

A Merca Pitufo now opens at weekends and sells the products that Júzcar and the wider Valle del Genal have always been famous for. In addition there are souvenirs produced by Sony Pictures for the Smurfs movies and enterprising people have even organised Smurf tours of the locality.

Iván Sastre, owner of the Hotel El Bandolero, has welcomed the increase in trade both in staying guests but also to his restaurant. He said the large majority of juzcareños want the village to stay blue – after all he says all the Andalucía villages are white, so there is no problem if one is blue.

HAPPY ENDING TO SEARCH FOR 82-YEAR-OLD MAN

A search was held over the weekend in the area around Cortes de la Frontera after an 82-year-old man, Isidoro Vázquez Vega, went missing on Friday.

The alarm was raised at 15.45 when a family member called the 112 emergency number. The search over 100 strong was led by the Guardia Civil, Protección Civil plus Infoca fire teams and centred on the zones of La Perdiguera and La Retamar.

Isidoro was finally found at 17.30 on Sunday at Llanos de Líbar. He was disorientated, very thirsty and showed signs of dehydration but otherwise was in good health after his ordeal. He was taken to the local health centre for a check up and later discharged in a wheelchair to the care of a relieved family.

They described his discovery safe and well as a “miracle”. He had been found on a mountain side by a goat herder. Isidoro story is on Friday he had bought a small bottle of water and then set off on his walk but couldn’t find his way off the mountain and got lost.

TOURIST WELCOME
Last week two consortia presented plans for visitor reception centres to Ronda town hall. The first would see an investment of 17 million euros in the castle area involving an escalator to take tourists up into the historic town. The second of 37 million euros would be by the San Francisco quarter petrol station. Both would involve parking for cars and tourist coaches.
INSTALMENT PAYMENTS
Ronda’s former mayor, Antonio Marín, has now paid the 150,000 court bail fee in instalments including a charge on his own house. His two co-accused PSOE councillors Rafael Lara and María José Martín de Haro have also lodged their 50,000 and 80,000 bail monies. Marín and three councillors have resigned their seats and also from PSOE in the Acinipo town planning corruption case.
FEW LOANS
Ronda’s new PP – PA administration has been criticized for only seeking 2.4 million euros in loans since it took office. The coalition has complained the coffers are bare and the money borrowed will be used to pay off suppliers. However the regional government has made it clear it will only offer large scale finance if the town hall has an economic rescue plan.
I’M INNOCENT
The former police chief of the National Police in Ronda has protested his innocent in the corruption trial involving him, three fellow officers and a Guardia Civil. Between 2003 and 2007 they are alleged to have offered protection, indulged in sexual activity and taken drugs at three local brothels. The police chief says he was manipulated and the protected witnesses have framed him.

DEFENCE DEAL
Marípaz Fernández, Ronda’s new mayor, has opened contacts with the Ministry of Defence in an effort to acquire the lands of the now demolished La Concepción barracks which are being used as a car park. The ministry wants 3.6 million euros which Ronda says it cannot afford. The plans drawn up by the previous administration include underground parking, a plaza and cultural centre.
MILL HOSTEL
There are plans to convert the old mills of Ronda’s Tajo gorge into a tourism complex with a hostel for visitors which would be the second in the town as the youth hostel near El Fuerte will be finished next year. The mill buildings are being restored by various workshop schools. It’s hoped also to create a visitor’s centre, hotel plus country restaurant.

DATELINE RONDA THURSDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2011

SPAIN UNBLOCKS GADAFI’S SERRANIA ASSETS


By David Eade – Costa del Sol News

Last Thursday the Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, announced that his government is putting at the disposal of Libya’s interim government, the National Transitional Council, 16 million euros for humanitarian aid and also 18 tonnes of medications.

Government sources said the 16 million euros was an advance on the Libyan States assets held in Spain which would be returned when the UN authorises it.

One of the prize assets that the Libyan dictator holds in Spain is an estate in Benahavís valued at around 45 million euros. One of Gadafi’s sons also has an account in Spain with half a million euros. In addition Aresbank is owned by Gadafi’s regime and has assets of 300 million euros including deposits owned by private individuals. The activities of the Spanish oil company Repsol in Libya remain blocked for the time being.

Back on March 2 the Spanish government blocked the town planning projects Gadafi has had in this country since 1969. There exists an estate of 7,200 hectares in Málaga province that is owned in the name of the Libyan Foreign Bank and Banco Exterior Libio but which are in effect State owned. The land covers five municipalities: Benahavís, Estepona, Igualeja, Júzcar and Pujerra.

The largest part is in Benahavís with 3,500 hectares where the Spanish representative of the Libyan bank requested planning permission in 2007 but has never followed up the development project. The plans were for a hotel, golf course and 1,915 homes spread over 1,915 hectares.

The initial request for planning permission was denied by Benahavís town hall as according to the 1993 local development plan part of the land is zoned for urban use but the proposals put forward would have amounted to over building on the area designated.

Since then the Libyan bank has authorised 60 kms of fencing to be placed around the entire estate of 7,200 hectares. The main entrance to La Resiner as the estate is known has two notices one saying it is private property and the other a hunting zone.

WOMAN RESCUED

At 8.45 on Friday a 29-year-old woman skidded in her Peugeot 206 60 metres at km 21 on the A-374 Ronda to Sevilla road. The vehicle went off the road and down a rocky slope towards a dry river bed. The Ronda fire brigade had to free her from the car then carry her to safety on a stretcher to receive medical attention.

MERINOS ROW

Merinos golf development currently on hold is controversial enough but now Ronda has been arguing over what to do with the latest 700,000 euros payment. The previous PSOE administration had allocated the funds to development projects, now the PP and PA governing team, backed by the IU, say it will be used to pay salaries and social security instead to the socialist’s ire.
HORROR CRASH

Three people were killed at 4.45 last Wednesday when their BMW crashed against roadside works with the impact splitting the vehicle in two with one woman being decapitated. The tragedy happened on the normally safe A-371 between Villamartín and Las Cabezas de San Juan. The man was from Las Cabezas and two women were Moroccan: one of the women was resident in Ronda.
DEPUTY FIRED
Cortes de la Frontera PA mayor Antonio Granero, has fired his PA deputy Antonio Guerrero Márquez plus an IU councillor Manuel Carasco Ríos. Granero says his deputy signed two contracts one favouring his son in the mayor’s name without authority. The councillor is accused of being implicated in the signing although he says he was assured it was authorised. Guardia Civil are investigating.
CHESTNUT DAYS

The Serranía de Ronda village of Júzcar depends in a large part for its financial viability on the annual chestnut harvest which provides many families with their incomes. On September 9 – 11 Júzcar’s holding a conference on the development of the chestnut industry in a biosphere reserve. Many national and international experts are taking part and full information is on the website http://www.castanardelgenal.com/

DATELINE RONDA THURSDAY JULY 28, 2011

GUILTY OF MURDER


By David Eade – Costa del Sol News

A jury has found a gypsy youth guilty of the murder of José Muñoz Soto in a shooting by the Spanish Legion barracks in Ronda on September 8 2009.

Soto was a respected businessman in the town and also the senior brother of the Gitanos brotherhood that carried one of the thrones during Ronda’s Semana Santa parades.

The nine-member jury were unanimous in their guilty verdict after a week long trial. The prosecution alleged the youth, who was 18-years-old at the time, was sitting in the passenger seat of Soto’s car parked by the barracks when the murder took place. It was claimed he drew out a Glock semi-automatic pistol and fired in to his victim’s side killing him instantly.

For his part the assailant would not admit he was in the car when the murder took place and denied there were any differences between them. However he did arrive at the nearby Hotel Don Benito shortly after the shooting then took a taxi to Algodonales but it was intercepted by police.

The court has yet to hand down a jail term. Both the prosecutor and the lawyer acting for the Soto family are seeking 18 years for the murder and two years for the illegal possession of the weapon. Now the guilty verdict has been returned the defence is pleading for 15 years. There are also demands for indemnity payments to his widow and children.

The youth is a member of a well-known Gypsy family in Almeria that has a string of previous convictions. It is thought the argument may have been over a debt involving horses. Soto had a furniture business in Ronda and was highly regarded in the community.

He had been elected as the senior brother of Los Gitanos at the beginning of 2008. The famous fraternity traditionally takes its throne out on Palm Sunday. Such was the impact of the shooting on the members that they withdrew from the 2010 procession. There was widespread mourning in Ronda after his death and a huge turn-out at the funeral including representatives of all the fraternities in the town.

SMURF WEEKENDS IN JÚZCAR

The small Serranía de Ronda village of Júzcar has been propelled to international stardom after it was painted blue and presented to the world as the village of the Smurfs.

It is all part of Sony Pictures promotion of its film The Smurfs in 3D – the Smurfs are Los Pitufos in Spanish – which saw Júzcar chosen as the typical Smurfs’ home.

This has led to Smurf weekends being held over the summer at Júzcar. The “Aventura Pitufa” has seen dozens of children take part as they travel to the village from all over Andalucía.

The adventure has been organised by a local company and is open to all children aged over two years. They follow a route around the village looking for the Smurfs’ mushrooms, treasure, take part nature orientation, in the search for water and spiders and they meet personalities and encounter magic.

The adventures start on Saturdays at 11.00 and 20.00 and at 21.00 on Sundays. Mayor David Fernández said the aim was to maintain the expectations of the young visitors to when they arrived in the Smurfs’ blue village there were related activities for them to do. Adults haven’t been forgotten because in addition to the adventure there is a craft market.

YOUR DEBT

The new Partido Popular – Partido Andalucista administration says Ronda town hall is bust and has ordered an audit to ascertain where the money has gone. The PSOE opposition led by former mayor Antonio Marín has demanded the audit goes back to 1999. The socialists insist the debt is historic, was run up by previous PP administrations and should be compared with compatible municipalities.

HALF FAIR

With the economic crisis and a new cost cutting administration Ronda’s famous Feria de Pedro Romero is having its budget cut by 50 per cent. It runs from August 30 to September 4; includes the Goyesca bullfights, international folk festival, parades plus day and night fairs. The town hall hopes much of the cash shortfall will be made up by clubs and businesses.

PROTECT TAJO

Recently Ronda council voted to allow the building of a five-star luxury hotel and 22 homes in the protected Cornisas del Tajo after a lengthy legal battle with the family that own the site since 1980. Now it’s back to court as Ecologistas en Acción, backed by IU, want the scheme halted saying residents shouldn’t be penalized because past administrations have made mistakes.

UNESCO BOOST

Ronda’s PP mayor and her PA deputy have met with the Plataforma Pro Ronda Patrimonio Mundial which is promoting the bid to have the town of the Tajo recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO. They voiced their backing for the project being launched by the regional government and have promised to allocate a heritage expert, David Becerra, to the action group.

WINE TRAINING

The wine industry in the Serranía de Ronda is growing fast hence the need to train young people to handle the vines and to work in the bodegas. Ronda town hall has signed an accord with Lecharry which will see nine students given work experience at the company’s Cortijo de San Juan and its wine making centre – they will receive certificates on completion.

VIVA COLMENAR

Residents of El Colmenar – Estación de Gaucín live in the municipality of Cortes de la Frontera. The zone is now demanding to be an ELA giving it local autonomy, then take the next step and become an independent municipality. The administration in Cortes is a PA - IU coalition and residents of El Colmenar believe they will back and promote their separation interests.

DIGITAL JIMERA

Málaga province through its technology development department has installed its MOAD digital town hall system in Jimera de Líbar. MOAD allows local residents to carry out a lot of business with the town hall on-line so saving the need to visit the offices. With a digital certificate or electronic DNI residents can access on a 24-hour basis all the municipal services and departments.

GENAL DESTRUCTION

The Genal Valley working group reported the Andalucía ministry of the environment to the environment prosecutor and the EU over the cleaning of the river in the Puente de Gaucín area. It claims the flora and fauna have been destroyed by heavy excavation machinery moving earth. The Genal river has LIC status making it a place of environmental importance giving it European protection.

EAST WEST

On July 30 at 21.30 in Ronda’s bullring the internationally celebrated conductor and musician Daniel Barenboim brings his West Eastern Divan Orchestra to perform. The orchestra brings together young people from Israel and various Arab states to prove they can be united through music. They will play Beethoven’s 4 th and 7 th symphonies then play Mozart with the Al Andalus orchestra.

SHEIK ACADEMIES

Sheik Adbullah Al-Thani has taken Málaga football club by storm investing in numerous big name players ahead of the new season. However he is also supporting the game at the grass roots level with the opening of five academies. There is much excitement in Ronda at the establishment of one of the academies there as well as in Marbella, Benalmádena/Mijas, Vélez-Málaga and Antequera.

DATELINE RONDA THURSDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2010

PSOE LEADERSHIP BACKS MARÍN FOR MAYOR

By David Eade – Costa del Sol News

The secretary general of PSOE in Ronda, Francisco Cañestro has told a news conference that the directorate of the local party backs the current mayor, Antonio Marín, as its candidate for the post at next year’s municipal elections.

Marín was elected mayor for the Partido Andalucista at the last election but has caused controversy by abandoning the party with his fellow PA councillors and joining PSOE instead. This led to the Comisión de Expertos Independientes del Pacto Antitransfuguismo accusing all eight of being political turncoats in a ruling last December.

There is no doubt that the merger of Marín and his seven fellow former PA councillors has caused disquiet in the ranks of Ronda’s PSOE. The big test will come this Saturday when the 330 party members will vote to endorse or reject the directorate’s decision. Many socialists feel they have been pushed aside by the incomers.

Marín stated on Monday: “Now is the time for political stability in Ronda with an absolute PSOE majority. The town cannot make experiments, it would be catastrophic.

The Partido Andalucista had been in coalition with the Partido Popular after the last local elections. Then Marín surprised everybody by breaking the pact then forming a coalition with PSOE before he and his fellow PA councillors left the party, sit as unattached members of the council but they are all now PSOE members. This left the PA which had been the majority party with no representation at the town hall hence the condemnation of the political turncoat commission.

A few weeks ago an opinion poll showed PSOE destined to form the next administration in Ronda with mayor Antonio Marín the most popular politician. Now a rival poll says the Partido Popular will take eight seats with the Partido Andalucista on four with both forming a coalition. The most popular leader is the PP’s Maripaz Fernández and Antonio Marín trails fourth. If this poll holds true for the 2011 elections then the PA might yet exact political revenge on Marín and leave PSOE with a bloody nose.

DEATH CRASH
A lorry driver died on Monday morning after his vehicle was involved in a head on collision with another lorry on the A-367 as it passes through Cañete la Real. The tragedy happened at 7.25 at km 20 on the busy but narrow road that connects Ronda with Ardales. Traffic was diverted as the road had to be closed till the wreckage was removed.

IN OUT
Ronda has honoured Rafael Díaz with the title of honoured son. The Efe news agency photographer has recorded the town over many years and the images have been seen all over the world. In the same week the honoured son 81-year-old Francisco Garrido passed away. He had also been a journalist and had produced a series of histories of Ronda and the Serranía.

PLANNING EXPLAINED
The Diputación de Málaga is undertaking the drawing up of the new local development plans (PGOUs) for many of the smaller municipalities in the province. Recently the deputy for planning, Cristóbal Guerrero, visited Jubrique, Genalguacil, Algatocín and Júzcar to explain the plans for their municipalities. There will be 70 social housing units in Jubrique, 40 in Genalguacil and 18 in Algatocín and Júzcar.

BACK MOTORWAY
PSOE secretary general in Ronda, Francisco Cañestro, has called on all political parties in the town to back the toll motorway project with the coast. The PP had blasted the announcement as an election ploy but Cañestro insists it will happen, cut travel times from 50 to 22 minutes and create over 5,200 jobs. The 350 million euros project will be privately funded.

PLAIN CLOTHES
Local police in Ronda are to form a plain clothes unit. The six officers will patrol town centre streets with the main objectives being to catch pick pockets and bag snatchers as well as looking out for drugs traffickers. This follows on from the recent announcement of the forming of a dog unit and the town hall says others will also be formed.

TREE ZONE
An arboretum has been created in El Colmenar in Cortes de la Frontera. Almost 143,000 euros has been spent on the zone that will have recreational, educative and sporting uses. The parkland has 71 eucalyptus trees first planted in the middle of the last century with six walking routes. Visitors will be able to consult a series of informative posters on the species.

NATURE GUIDES
A new brochure on the flora and fauna of the Serranía de Ronda has been produced by the town hall showing the biodiversity of the area and including 24 photographs. Also the Andalucía ministry of the environment has produced a guide to the Sierra de Grazalema. This is the third guide in the series which includes Estrecho (Cádiz) and Cabo de Gata (Málaga).

AFRICAN VIEW
Benarrabá in the Serranía de Ronda now has a bird viewing station. It is so high that on a clear day visitors can see the coast of Africa and Gibraltar. Over 40,000 euros has been spent on the centre with view to developing tourism in the area. There are large charts to show visitors what birds can be seen and in what zones.

GOAT WOE
Protests by goat milk producers in Serranía de Ronda and Antequera were halted after talks with Forlactaria and García Baquero – the largest cheese producers were announced. However the angry producers say they’re restarting protests as no progress has been made. They say the cost of producing the milk has risen by 12 per cent whilst their income has dropped by 18 per cent.

DATELINE RONDA THURSDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2010

SIX DOWN

In October Ronda had a reduction in its jobless total of six. There are now 4,328 unemployed in the area, the majority of them women. In a recent opinion poll 53.2 per cent of the people questioned said the high dole level was their major concern. Worries over the general economy, drug abuse and the state of the roads were of secondary concern.

DRUGS SNIFFERS

Ronda’s councillor for security, Rafael Lara, announced the local police are to have a canine unit specifically to sniff out drugs. Last week a dog team from Estepona visited schools in Ronda and searched the areas around the buildings resulting in the discovery of heroin, cocaine and hashish. The town hall is setting aside 1,200 euros to acquiring and training its own dogs.

MUSHROOM TIME

This is the time of year when the rural municipalities with a tradition of gathering wild fungi hold special events to celebrate the edible mushrooms. Benarrabá will be holding its first over November 12 – 14 with visits to find the fungi, exhibitions, workshops and tastings. Cortes was the first to pioneer these events in the Guadiaro Valley and Júzcar in the Genal Valley.

UNIQUE CEMETERY

The recent festival to honour the dead highlighted the cemetery in Benadalid which is one of the more oddly located in Spain. Its Roman castle was acquired by the town hall in 1821 and since then has been the final resting place of the residents. However every summer the castle comes alive when it is the venue for the Moors and Christians celebrations.

SERRANÍA WORKSHOP

The Poblado Nazari in Estación de Cortes de la Frontera is hosting an employment workshop to train 36 people between 16 and 25 years from nine municipalities in the area. The scheme will last for two years, will employ nine people in admin and teaching and is backed with over a million euros. Amongst skills taught are carpentry and installation of solar panels.

GOING NUTS

The Genal Valley has finished this year’s chestnut harvest. Over four million kilos of the fruit have been gathered and the quality is the best since 2007. One reason for this is the high rainfall last winter. The downside has been the low price paid, around a euro per kilo. The Serranía have been celebrating the harvest with the traditional ‘tostón’ chestnut roasting.

SOUR MILK

Around 200 goat farmers from the Ronda and Antequera area gathered outside the Arias cheese production plant on Ronda’s industrial estate last Thursday and poured churns of milk into the gutter. They were demanding a just price for their milk. The dispute may now be at an end after the two major users Forlactaria and García Vaquero agreed to negotiate with the producers.

DATELINE RONDA THURSDAY JUNE 17, 2010

NO PAY FOR GAUCÍN WORKERS

By David Eade – Costa del Sol News

The workers employed by Gaucín town hall are starting a series of protests as they have not been paid for April or May. The municipality is ruled by a Partido Andalucista – Partido Popular coalition and the 20 staff say they have no idea when the situation will be regularised.

As a first step they have written a letter to the mayor, the PP’s Francisco Ruiz who has indicated that he is about to step down. They informed the mayor they have families that need to be housed and fed and without being paid they can’t fulfil their obligations. They have not ruled out further protests unless they receive a prompt reply to their letter.

A spokesperson for the workers say the situation at the town hall is dire with a mayor who says he is going to resign but hasn’t and a deputy mayor waiting in the wings who has no authority to take action.

The spokesperson for PSOE and former mayor, Teodoro de Molina, said Gaucín has no government. He added the situation was chaotic and the workers lament that the good name of Gaucín has been dragged through the mud after the media highlighted the political scandal surrounding the barred PA mayor Francisco Corbacho and Ruiz’s previous pronouncements that the municipality was bankrupt.

The mayor says the financial plight of the town hall has been largely caused by the loss of income from town planning licences. He is also hopeful that the municipality will receive a good income from the pending sale of this year’s court harvest although it should be noted that the market is very difficult at the present.

Ruiz wants the workers to know that he has not taken any salary for the past three months – although that does little to ease their plight. He insists he intends to step down this month once the cork has been sold and there is money in the town hall account.

RONDA’S FUTURE FLAG COULD BE RED OF CASTILLA

The project is underway to create a new official flag for Ronda based on the historic records held in archives throughout the country.

At a recent meeting of the commission designated to come up with the design it was suggested that the background colour could be the red of ancient Castilla.

The commission is presided over by the mayor, Antonio Marín, but includes the official chronicler, the delegate for culture, the director of the historical archive plus four historians.

Advice is also being taken from the religious brotherhoods that take part in the Semana Santa processions, the Real Maestranza de Caballería – whose own library has documents dating back to the years of the Reyes Católicas, and the Arunda historic association.

At the first meeting the commission looked through old documents to determine what the ancient flag of the town would have been. Apart from national documents they include the Chancillería de Granada and Archivo de Indias but nothing helpful was found.

The members also laid out what the legal requirements were for designing the flag and having it approved by the regional government and the council. The official chronicler, Manuel Garrido, said there was agreement that the elements on the flag should be based on the historical records and documentation.

MATADORS HONOURED
Ronda is to have “un paseo de los Toreros” a walkway similar to that in Hollywood dedicated to film stars. The hand prints of famous bullfighters will be placed into the pavement of the Blas Infante gardens by the town’s celebrated bull ring. A commission will be set up to determine which matadors should be honoured each year at the traditional Goyesca bullfight.

ABANDONED DOGS
Local police in Ronda have reported a rise in the number of abandoned dogs on the streets due to the economic crisis. Many of the animals are large or potentially dangerous breeds. In less than a month officers have recovered around 40 of these dogs who when abandoned often attack livestock. Officers have asked people to approach them rather than dump their dogs.

ROUNDABOUT WORK
Fifty unemployed people in Ronda will have work for the coming weeks as they are given temporary jobs constructing three roundabouts in the town. The first will be on the busy avenida de Málaga which has long been a demand of residents. The second will be in a traffic black spot on El Fuerte industrial estate with the third on the avenida Andalucía.

ROBBER CAUGHT
Guardia Civil in Benaoján arrested a knife wielding 20-year-old who on June 4 broke in to the home of an 85-year-old woman, put a plastic bag over her head whilst he stole her jewellery. The woman had to be treated at the health centre for cuts and shock. Officers were given a description and they soon detained the youth and recovered two bracelets.

EROSKI DOUBT
The Partido Popular in Ronda is questioning whether Eroski intends to proceed with its major commercial centre in the town because of the economic crisis. The company has acquired the former football ground a year ago but the PP says Eroski has not paid over the 2.8 million euros for the land or started any work and demands the situation should be clarified.

DANGEROUS DRIVING
The road that links Ronda with Setenil was badly damaged by the rains in January and there are still 50 landslides on the three roads in the area. This means tourists cannot visit the ancient Roman ruins at Acinipo and the local residents have to take their lives in to their hands by driving on closed roads in order to go to and fro.

PGOU AID
The Diputación de Málaga has drawn up new local development plans for Benamargosa, El Borge, Genalguacil, Alpandeire, Cañete la Real, Faraján, Iznate and Júzcar – all municipalities of under 5,000 residents who do not have the resources to produce the documents themselves. Diputación president, Salvador Pendón, says the PGOUs allow for sensible development with 1643 new homes of which 727 are social housing units.

HOSPITAL WASTE
Seprona and Ronda’s Green Patrol are investigating sewage contamination in the arroyo de la Toma by the hospital and fair ground. Ecologists have accused the hospital of the leaks but this allegation has been denied by the management. The hospital has its own water treatment plant - officials say it’s working normally but environmentalists say it’s obsolete and water pours into the stream.

DATELINE RONDA TUESDAY JANUARY 12, 2010

BUCKING THE TREND

In December the number of unemployed in Ronda dropped shaprly which bucked the trend for municipalities of over 20,000 people in Málaga province that all showed an increase.

According to date provided by the Andalucía ministry of employment the total number of jobless in Ronda was 3,999. That is a decline of 102 over the November figure of 4,101. Mayor Antonio Marín said in presenting the statistics this represented a fall of 2.5 per cent.

There is a heavy imbalance in Ronda between male and females in the jobless tables with women bearing the brunt. Hence Marín expressed his satisfaction that 95 per cent of those who found work in December were women.

Marín credited the job creation schemes under the government’s plan Zapatero and the regional government’s Proteja for helping peg back unemployment in the municipality. The town hall has also cut its spending including the cancellation of last year’s May fair and used the money on creating work for 300 residents.

Of the other major municipalities in Málaga province Málaga city, Fuengirola, Torremolinos, Antequera, Marbella, Veléz-Málaga, Alhaurin de la Torre, Estepona, Mijas, Rincón de la Victoria and Coín all showed increases. Whilst in Rincón de la Victoria the leap was just 7 per cent in Estepona it was a massive 291, in Marbella 238 and in Mijas 234 per cent.

FIRST DEATH CRASH IN SERRANÍA

It was the first fatal accident in the Serranía de Ronda of 2010. On Monday morning at 7.50 a car left the MA-9300 road in Gaucín and fell down in to a gulley. The 45-year-old driver from Bormujos in Sevilla was killed but his two passengers aged 31 and 36 years only received light injuries.

According to the Guardia Civil the accident was at km 2.5 on the road that links Gaucín with El Colmenar. The tragedy happened on a bend and the car’s fall was slowed by the bushes and undergrowth.

One of the injured was taken to Ronda hospital but the other declined further treatment. The victim was travelling in the back of the car and all three worked for Copersa. They were a security team engaged in the improvement work on the Ronda to Algeciras railway line.

Ronda fire brigade, the 061 ambulance service, the Guardia Civil from Gaucín and Marbella along with the local police all attended the scene. They all reported on the difficulty in carrying out the rescue and recovery because of the heavy rain and lie of the land.

FRAY LEOPOLDO TO BE BEATIFIED AT AIR BASE

Fray Leopoldo, the friar who is on the path to being declared a saint by the Catholic Church, will be beatified on September 12 at an air force base in Armilla in Granada province. The site was chosen because of the large number of people who want to attend the event which will be presided over by the Archbishop of Granada, Francisco Javier Martínez.

Fray Leopoldo was born in the white village of Alpandeire in the Serranía de Ronda. Visitors can drive along the Fray Leopoldo route that runs through the village of his birth and around the area in which he grew up. However it was whilst he was a friar based in Granada that his work amongst the poor of that city earned him the respect and devotion that led to the calls for him to be declared a saint.

It was 49 years ago that the process of having Fray Leopoldo declared a saint were started and on September 12 his name will be inscribed in the book of the beatified by the prefect of the Congregation for the Cause of the Saints, Angelo Amato. Services will also be held in Málaga and Alpandeire to mark the event.

Fray Leopoldo is held in great veneration in the Serranía village and the local people have been at the forefront of the movement to have their famous son declared a saint. Hence there will be major celebrations there when he is declared blessed by the Catholic Church.

PASOS LARGOS
A wine from the Pasos Largos vineyard has been listed in the Best Wines of Spain Guide produced by Repsol. Pasos Largos is a red wine created in the Serranía de Ronda and is the only one from Málaga province to make it in to the prestigious guide. It is judged as the best red wine in Andalucía and is rated one of the top wines in Spain.

TAKING ACTION
Ronda mayor, Antonio Marín, has taken action against the opposition Partido Popular councillor José Herrera for “disobedience” at a recent council meeting. Marín ordered him to sit down and stop speaking on five occasions but Herrera refused to give way. The row is over the new magazine that the mayor is editing in which he is said to ridicule the opposition and hostile media.

SNOWY RONDA
No sooner had Ronda taken a breather from the torrential rain than the snow fell. On Friday residents and those in surrounding areas woke up to a white scene with several inches of snow on roofs, cars and on the ground in rural zones. There were numerous accidents on the San Pedro road - drivers were urged to use chains on their vehicles’ wheels.

HOW MUCH
The true extent of the recent rainfall in Ronda has become apparent with the release of the figures for the period from December 16 to January 7 when 578 litres of rain fell which is more than half of the 973 litres recorded over the year. The worst day was December 24 with 113 litres with 61 and 57 litres on previous days.

MUSHROOM MUSEUM
The village of Júzcar in the Serranía de Ronda is this year to open a cultural centre that will also host a tourist office and a museum dedicated to the wild fungi found in the area where a mushroom fest is celebrated every November. It is one of a number of projects that will be realised with 252,000 euros funding from Málaga province.

YEAR ON
The highly dangerous 2010 Dakar Rally is underway and January 13 marks one year since the Ronda biker Cristóbal Guerrero was seriously injured. His progress over the last 12 months has been slow but sure. He has spent a lot of time at a specialist clinic in Barcelona but was well enough to spend the festive season with his family in Ronda.

TOURISM PROJECTS
Ronda issued this week the tenders for three tourism projects. Together they will see an investment of 2,663,000 euros. Two will involve the enlargement of the Paseo de los Ingleses and the Cuenca gardens both of which are located above the edge of the Tajo gorge. The main road into Ronda – the avenida de Málaga – will also be upgraded over its first stretch.

DATELINE RONDA TUESDAY DECEMBER 15, 2009

SWITCH OFF OF ANALOGUE TV HAS STARTED


Since today (Tuesday) the process of turning off the analogue TV transmissions has started. The switch to digital is now underway and 20 municipalities in Málaga province are abandoning the traditional form of receiving their television programmes for the new TDT service.


The process has started in the Serranía de Ronda and the western Costa del Sol with Algotocín, Atajate. Benadalid, Benahavís, Benalauría, Casares, Cortes de la Frontera, Estepona, Faraján, Gaucín, Genalgaucil, Igualeja, Jimera de Libar, Jubrique, Júzcar, Montejaque and Parauta leading the way.


According to information issued by the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce around 80,000 people will be affected by the switch. As the transmission and relay stations carrying the old signal are switched off the TV screens in those homes will go blank and owners will have to purchase new sets or the adapters required by the digital system.


However it would appear that some residents of these zones will be without TV whilst the engineers catch up on the installation programme. A number of people in the Serranía villages are complaining that whilst they have acquired the digital decoders nobody has yet turned up to install them.


RONDA’S PA MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS DECLARED TURNCOATS


The mayor of Ronda, Antonio Marín, and his eight fellow Partido Andalucista councillors have been declared political turncoats by the Comisión de Expertos Independientes del Pacto Antitransfuguismo.


In June they abandoned the party and joined PSOE although they now sit as non-aligned councillors. Previously Marín had entered in to a coalition with PSOE so that party now rules the town.


After studying the situation in detail the commission was unanimous in its verdict that PSOE had won control of the town hall without the councillors resigning and seeking re-election. Indeed although many people voted for Partido Andalucista councillors at the last election their voices and views are now totally unrepresented at the town hall.


On December 17 the Mesa Antitransfuguismo will decide whether to ratify the commission’s decision or to reject it. Mayor Marín says he is not over worried by the decision as it has to be ratified and declared that anyway he had Ronda’s interests at heart.


Such sentiments cut little ice with the opposition groups. The secretary general of the Partido Andalucista, Pilar González, called for the resignation of Marín and his fellow former PA councillors adding that Ronda should not have a mayor who is a turncoat.


The two opposition parties on the council, the Partido Popular and Izquierda Unida, claimed that the mayor and his councillors had cheated the people of the town and had assaulted democracy.

The local secretary of PSOE, Francisco Cañestro, remained silent on the commission’s findings and its verdict that its party had benefitted by the actions of the mayor and his PA team. Depending how the Mesa rules it could have a significant effect on the future of government in the town of the Tajo.

PEACE KEEPERS
The Tercio Alejandro Farnesio 4 of the Spanish Legion based in Ronda are preparing to go to Afghanistan in March. The force will consist of 600 Legionnaires backed by armoured units. It is not the first time that these crack troops have been to Afghanistan and they have also been sent to the Lebanon, Kosovo and Bosnia under the banner of the UN.

SERRANÍA BOOST
The Director General of rural development, a department of the Andalucía ministry of agriculture, visited Ronda to announce that 47 million euros will be assigned between now and 2014 for projects in the Serranía. This amount marks a seven fold increase over the previous budget. Some 192 projects will benefit creating 290 jobs, 88 will be for women and 40 for young people.

PUBLIC PARKING
The former military installations by Ronda’s sports complex close to the Renfe station will be demolished and resurfaced. The land covers some14,000 square metres and has been used for the parking of lorries. Now it will be converted into a parking area for cars with 60 spaces. The funding for the project will come from the Plan Zapatero and cost four million euros.

FULL HOUSE
The effects of the economic crisis seem to have passed Ronda by during the recent long holiday weekend. The tourist office reports that hotels were 90 per cent full and that 43.6 per cent of the visitors stayed two nights in the town. The tourist office received 2,410 enquiries, 2.5 per cent more than last year, 78.4 per cent of visitors being Spanish.

WOMEN SUFFER
Jobless figures for Ronda showed a 20 person increase in November over October but it is women who are the worst hit in the town of the Tajo. Not only were 18 of that increase female but of the 4,101 rondeños out of work 2,158 are women. The town hall is enacting various short-term work creation programmes but they only offer 166 jobs.

DATELINE RONDA TUESDAY OCTOBER 27, 2009

RONDA’S MAYOR SAYS PA ACTIVISTS TRIED TO RUN HIM DOWN

Ronda’s mayor, Antonio Marín, says he has had neo-fascist slogans painted on his walls, his cars scratched and now claims that activists from the Partido Andalucista have tried to run him down.

Marín was the Partido Andalucista mayor of Ronda but then along with his fellow PA councillors abandoned the party and although they sit on the council as non-aligned they have all joined PSOE.

Curiously the mayor seemed to blame the Partido Popular who were his one time coalition partners for inspiring past attacks. PP councillor José Herrera at a recent council meeting had criticised the fact that Marín had needed a bodyguard at the Pedro Romero Feria in September – adding that never before had a mayor of Ronda needed an escort. Marín asked the PP to tone down their verbal attacks in case it encouraged more ultra right-wing attacks against him and his family.

His present claim that there was an attempt to run him down was made at a PSOE meeting. He would give no more details to the media but added that the driver of a van had raced at him when he crossed a street in the town with the councillor for security, Rafael Lara.

EIGHT HUNDRED MILLION EURO INVESTMENT IN AVE

The secretary of State of infrastructure planning at the ministry of public works, Victor Morlán, the secretary general of transport, José Luis Cachafeiro and the president of the rail infrastructure company Adif, Antonio González, last week held a meeting to lay out the Ministry of Public Works’ plans for improving communications with the Campo de Gibraltar.

The ministry stated that it is setting aside over 800 million euros on the AVE high speed train connection between Antequera-Santa Ana and Ronda. In addition Adif is spending 176 million euros improving the line between Ronda and San Pablo de Buceite that will involve the service between Algeciras and Antequera being suspended for up to six months from October 26.

Although the 176 million euros is currently being invested the 800 million euros is more long term. PSOE says that 241,000 euros will be spent on the AVE connection in 2010 on carrying out the studies ahead of laying the infrastructure between Antequera and Ronda. The Partido Popular disputes this saying the amount is only 85,000 euros.

None-the-less sooner or later Ronda will be connected to the AVE network. Once the service is underway Madrid will be just two and a half hours away from the town of the Tajo and Antequera will be reached in 30 minutes. This link will have a major impact on tourism and investment in Ronda and the Serranía.

Bus link whilst line closed

That is all in the future but for now there are no trains at all. In their place Renfe is running a bus service. Buses will leave Algeciras at 8.05 and 16.50 arriving in Ronda at 9.35 and 18.15 then travel on to Antequera. Buses will leave Antequera at 11.49 and 20.14 and arrive in Algeciras at 14.45 and 23.15 stopping at Ronda on the way. There will also be buses calling at the various stations on the Algeciras to Ronda route. Phone 902 24 05 05 for details and also the times of connections between Antequera and Madrid.

RONDA POLICE IN DOCK NEXT MARCH IN CORRUPTION TRIAL

The date for the trial of the former chief inspector of the National Police in Ronda, a sub-inspector and two officers has been set for March at the Málaga provincial court. Also in the dock facing the same charges will be a member of the Guardia Civil, the three owners of a brothel and another person.

The offences date back to 2007 when the accused and others were rounded up in a series of police raids which alleged corrupt practices at the Ronda National Police HQ.

The Málaga prosecutor in April of this year at the close of the investigation sought a total of 39 years in jail for the policemen and six years for the club owners and the ex-boyfriend of a magistrate who is said to have helped the police in their illicit activities by passing on privileged information.

The murky tale involves the police having identified women who were illegally employed at the club offering them protection in return for payments and sexual favours. The brothel owners were also involved in payments to the officers and there are additional allegations involving the use of drugs.

RONDA HOMAGE
A week of homage in Ronda first to Juan de la Rosa who died 25 years ago. He founded the Caja de Ahorros de Ronda that became a main component in Unicaja. Also a sad farewell to Ramón Corrales after whom the town’s Music Conservatory is named. A teacher he had a passionate interest in music and was an honoured son of Ronda.

PGOU SUSPENDED
In a move supported by all parties on Arriate council the IU administration has decided to drop its draft PGOU local development plan and adapt to the Andalucía development plan (POTA) instead. Explaining the move deputy mayor Salvador Cabrera said over the four year in drawing up the PGOU many things had changed. One proposal is to build a water treatment plant.

NOT DEMOCRATIC
The Andalucía High Court (TSJA) has rejected an appeal brought by the PSOE administration in Pujerra against annulling the accords reached on November 9 2008. A motion was passed on that Sunday approving projects that had to be submitted to the Diputación de Málaga. The opposition Partido Popular brought the case saying there was no justification for holding the emergency meeting which the PP did not attend. The TSJA ruled that in a democratic state it was important for the opposition to be given the information and for their to be a debate.

PSOE OUT
As expected the PSOE mayor of Benaoján, Soraya García, has been ousted after a motion of no confidence was tabled by the IU supported by the independents. New mayor is Francisco Gómez who held the post in the 1980s as a communist. He is supported by the council’s largest party the IU and the AIB which had previously been in coalition with PSOE and the PP.

BEAUTIFUL GENAL
A study of the waters of the Genal shows they are amongst the highest quality of all the rivers in Spain. However there are dangers – the lack of water treatment plants, the creation of bathing zones and the draining of water for irrigation. The latter has seen a drying up of the stretch joining with the Guadiaro preventing fish from travelling up stream.

MUSHROOM MEET
On November 20 – 22 Júzcar is holding its III Jornadas Micológicas Valle de Genal dedicated to the wild fungi that grow in the area. Hundreds of enthusiasts of these mushrooms will take part in conferences, trips out to the countryside to collect the fungi, exhibitions, cooking demonstrations plus special activities for children. For information log on to http://www.juzcar.es/ or call 607 243 048.

WOMEN BOMBERAS
The Diputación de Málaga has a policy to increase the number of women in the fire fighting service and a new course is underway with 70 ‘bomberas’ under training. Last week they visited Ronda fire station to undertake on the job training. Ronda already has the highest ratio of women fire fighters in Andalucía and the trainees tackled fires and crashed vehicle rescues.

HANDICAPPED PROTEST
Thirty parents of handicapped children held a protest outside the Gonzalo Huesa and Juan Carrillo secondary and infant school in Ronda. They were calling for the appointment of more teachers who have the specialist training to meet the needs of these children. Currently three teachers are assigned to the 39 pupils in the schools but the parents say this is “not sufficient”.