“Life in the park”

Concert In memory of  those no longer with us

Madeline Bell with David Lenker 

Casares Costa Souk Andaluzi

SUMMER SEASON GETS INTO FULL SWING WITH LIFEGUARD SERVICES ON THE BEACH AND OTHERS NEWS IN ENGLISH

SUMMER  SEASON GETS INTO FULL SWING WITH LIFEGUARD SERVICES ON THE BEACH
Summer is well and truly here and with many tourists expected on the beaches a full lifeguard service went into opera

tion from last Saturday until the end of August.SOS Mediterranea is providing the lifeguard service at a cost of over 58,000 Euro. They were awarded the tender following a competition. The company are providing nine lifeguards, an emergency technician, a nurse and a co-ordinator.  They also have the necessary equipment to ensure safety on the beach including two boats, an ambulance, a quad bike and recussitation equipment. The lifeguard service is provided by the ayuntamiento to help prevent accidents on the beach or in the water, to provide primary medical care in emergencies and to inform bathers of the sea conditions. The company will also provide 2000 identity bracelets for kids to stop them getting lost and will teach two first aid courses. The lifeguard service runs from 12 noon until eight o’ clock in the evening
230 CHILDREN TO TAKE PART IN SUMMER SCHOOLS IN CASARES AND SECADERO
Two hundred and thirty children started yesterday at summer schools in Casares and Secadero. The summer school initiative is provided by the ayuntamiento to help parents cope with the stresses of the summer holiday season.This year a free bus service for the kids is also being provided and a free play area in August. 120 kids are taking part in the summer school at Blas Infante College and 110 at Los Almendros in Secadero. Children who live in Casares Costa are being taken to Casares by the free bus service. All the children will be abale to avail of a wide range of activities this summer, including sports, recreational and cultural events and theme parties. Activities are held between 9 am and 2 pm, but parents can enrol their children for morning class which begins at 8 am. The kids attending Casares can also avail of the school canteen service. The Education Council has also organised a free play activity aimed at children aged between 3 and 13 years for the month of August.

CHILDREN FROM THE SAHARA ARRIVED IN CASARES THIS WEEK TO SPEND SIMMER WITH THEIR HOST FAMILIES
The annual arrival of children from the Sahara desert to spend their summer with families in Casares started this week. Eight Saharaui children will stay with families in Julky and August escaping the oppressive conditions and heat of life in the refugee camps. Andalucia is playing host to 1300 children from the Sahara this summer under the programme Holidays in Peace. The programme is a two way street with the host families learning about life in the Sahara while the children will have a carefree summer away from the refugee life. The programme has increased the age limit for children taking part to 15 year olds this year.

THE BLAS INFANTE AWARDS WILL BE PRESENTED AT A SPECIAL EVENT ON SUNDAY
This Sunday the Blas Infante Awards will be presented at a special ceremony that will also mark the 130th anniversary of the patriot’s birth. The ceremony will be held at 12 noon at the Blas Infante Cultural Centre and the projects which will benefit from the 50,000 Euro prizes will be announced. Various jury meetings were held this week to consider the 39 projects vying for the solidarity awards. The juries were made up of local residents and they were joined on the decision making process by the Andalucian ombudsman Jesus Maetzu and the late poet’s daughter Maria Angeles Infante. This is the thirteenth year of the awards.

A NEW VIEWING PLATFORM HAS BEEN OPENED AT PEPE LARGO 
A new plaza which will provide great views of the Sierra Crestellina, the Puerto de Ronda and la Molina. The platform was built at a cost of over 43,000 Euro and funded by the ayuntamiento.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
Greece is preparing for a referendum on Sunday over proposed bail out terms that will end the country’s economic crisis. Opinion polls show a slight lead for the Yes side to accept the ECB terms and keep Greece in the Euro. The Greek finance Minister has said that a deal has been done regardless of the referendum outcome.

IN SPORTS NEWS:
Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal became the highest profile casualty at this year’s Wimbledon after crashing out to a three sets to one defeat by German Dustin Brown this week. Nadal who won the championship in 2008 and 2010. Meanwhile the 2013 champion Andy Murray crushed through to the third round play offs with an easy victory over Robin Haase.

THE WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND:
Tomorrow will be another hot and humid day with temperatures reaching 30 degrees and falling to 19 at night. Sunday will be cloudier but very warm with a high of 31 and a low of 19.

Your weekly round up of all the local news in English

THE NEW MAYOR OF CASARES TAKES UP HIS POST

Pepe Carrasco was installed as the new mayor for Casares at a special plenary session of local councillors last Saturday. He was supported for the post by the seven Izquierda Unida councillors who were elected following the local elections on May 24th. After he was voted in outgoing mayor Antonia Morera presented him with the mayor’s baton. In his maiden speech Mayor Carrasco thanked the residents for their support and said he would be a mayor for all citizens. He praised his governing team and said they would carry out the electoral programme for the next four years. He also called on the opposition councillors to work with him to help tackle problems such as unemployment

THE GOVERNMENT TEAM IS UNVEILED AFTER THE RECENT ELECTIONS

The new local government team has been unveiled after Mayor Pepe Carrasco allocated positions this week. He will take over tourism, urban planning, health services and institutional relations. Juan Luis Villalon will be the Deputy Mayor with responsibility for Secadero, communications, human resources and security. The delegate for Casares Costa and foreign residents councillor is Katy Ahrends and Antonia Pineda will be second deputy mayor with responsibility for rural development, sports, fiestas and commerce. Rocio Ruiz will take over the areas of youth, welfare, education, culture and citizen participation. Guzman Ahumada will handle local development and employment and housing. Noelia Rodriguez will be responsible for the environment and beaches and will co-ordinate with the deputy mayor’s office in Secadero. 

CASARES IS ORDERED TO STOP ITS BEACH FOR DOGS AT PLAYA DE LA SAL

Casares has been ordered to end its special beach for dogs at Playa de la Sal. The ayuntamiento received an order from the Environment Office of the Junta de Andalusia which said that a special dogs area on the beach was incompatible with hygiene regulations for bathing in the area. The Environment Quality Office told the ayuntamiento that it is impossible to authorise special areas for dogs on the beaches. The ban refers to the summer season and covers the period June 1st to September 30th. It said that general zones for bathers on the beaches are incompatible with dog areas because of hygiene regulations. Casares first introduced its special dog beach in August 2012 at Playa de la Sal and the idea was picked up by other ayuntamientos along the coast.

THE SECOND FILM FESTIVAL WAS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.

The second Festival of New Andalusian Cinema was a resounding success. Along with the screenings there was a special screenwriting course which was given by award winning scriptwriter Rafael Cobos. Cassation Gala Victor Jerez won the public award while the jury gave prizes to Raices and Rabbit the mountain. In the corto express contest the winners were 321 days in Michigan and Seis y Medio. Following the ending of this year’s event, work has already begun on preparing for next year’s festival.

Casares is holding a twenty four hours sports even starting today. 

Various sporting events will be held in indoor soccer, seven a side soccer, volleyball and paddle tennis. Teams taking part will come from Casares, Guadiaro, San Roque and Estepona.

International news:

Six young Irish students died and seven were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed during a 21st birthday party at the Californian city of Berkeley on Tuesday. The young people were all on a special student work visa programme. Investigators are probing the possibility that the balcony was structurally defective, Flags were flown at half mast in Ireland as a mark of respect.

In sports news :

The US Open started at Chambers Bay in Washington State yesterday with players complaining about the hard conditions at the man made links course. World Number one Rory Mc Ilory and number two Jordan Spieth are expected to battle for the trophy but former champion Tiger Woods has been making strong preparations for the championship which ends on Sunday.

And the weather for the weekend:

Tomorrow should see plenty of sunshine with temperatures reaching a high of 27 dropping to 19 at night. Sunday should be another beautiful sunny day with a high of 27 and a low of 19.

News: http://www.ivoox.com/15-06-19-news-audios-mp3_rf_4661393_1.html

CASARES HOLDS PLENARY SESSION TO FORM NEXT LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Casares held the last plenary session of the outgoing local administration this week. The plenary session to form the next administration will be held tomorrow at the Casa de la Cultura and will be broadcast live by Radio Casares. Councillors will be seated from the oldest to the youngest and then outgoing Mayor Antonia Morera will hand over to the new Mayor Pepe Carrasco. Following the  recent local elections the Izquierda Unida will be the majorityb party with seven councillors, the Socialist Party will have four and the Partido Popular will have just two.

MORE RESIDENTS TAKE PLART IN THIS YEAR’S BLAS INFANTE AWARDS

More residents than ever before are taking part in this year’s Blas Infante awards. More than 15 residents will be the jury for the 39 projects in this year’s awards and will read summaries of the projects before deciding on the best one in the international co-operation category and the in the values education category. Before the gala event on July 5th the winners will travel to Seville to meet the ombudsman. The ayuntamiento in Casares has been donating money for the past 13years to help international co-operation. This year’s awards are worth 50,000 Euro.

CASARES TAKES PART IN TOURISM FAIR IN TORREMOLINOS

Casares took part in the 10th edition of the Euroal tourism fair in Torremolinos last week. At the event there were tourism companies, tour operators and local government leaders representing 36 different countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, America and the Far East. Casares was represented by Ecotourcasares and was part of the Costa del Sol delegation. The Ecotourcasares delegates reported that there had been a very good response at the fair to the tourist attractions of the area.

 

International news:

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras held more late night talks this week with Germany’s Angela Merkel and France’s Francois Hollande in a bid to stave off the looming default at the end of this month. Greece will be unable to pay 1.6 bill;ion Euro to the IMF at the end of June unless it gets more bailout funds from the Eurozone. But France and Germany have warned that Greece needs to take more steps to correct its finances before any more funds will be provided.

In sports news:

A crucial qualifying game for next year’s Euro 2016 championship takes place in Dublin at Lansdowne Road tomorrow when Ireland take on Scotland. Ireland needs to win the match to have any hope of going through next year while Scotland who beat Ireland in the opening clash between the two teams will be happy to leave the contest with just a point.

And the weather for the weekend:

Tomorrow will be partly sunny with the chance of a thuderstorm in the afternoon and a high of 22 dropping to 14. Sunday could again see the odd rain shower with temperatures reaching 21 and dropping to 15 at night.

UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS AGAIN IN CASARES LAST MONTH

Unemployment fell again in Casares in May, bringing the jobless figure to the lowest since 2011. The figures for last month show that there are currently 429 people out of work in the town, that’s 57 less than a year ago. Unemployment has now fallen by 5 per cent since April. The figures show that throughout the Costa del Sol the jobless figures are falling. In Manilva it has dropped by 7 per cent, followed by Casares, Estecona and Gaucin where the number out of work has fallen by 5 per cent. In  Malaga province the jobless figure has declined by 1.7 per cent, in Andalusia by 0.8 per cent and in Spain as a whole by 2.5 per cent. In Malaga province the decline in the jobless figures is attributed to increasing work in the services and tourism sectors as well as the growth of the construction sector again.  However unions have pointed out that while short term unemployment is falling, the longer term unemployed are still without benefits.

FESTIVAL OF NEW ANDALUCIAN CINEMA GETS UNDERWAY

Members of the ayuntamiento and the organisers of the Festival of New Andalusian Cinema met the provincial government this week to release details of the program to the press. The second festival runs from Monday, June 8th until June 13th. As a prelude two photographic exhibitions opened today - Almeria de Cine and Homejane a Jose Val de Omar. One is exhibition of landscapes in Algeria that were used in spaghetti westerns and the other is a homage to the director from Granada Jose Val de Omar. During the festival there will be two screenings per day, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Next Friday there will be a concert Pablo Carbonell at Casares disco from 11.30 pm. The festival closes on Saturday 13th with a gala perfomance and prizegivings.

SIX LIFEGUARD JOBS ON OFFER FOR THE SUMMER

Six lifeguard jobs are on offer this year for the summer season at the swimming pools at Casares and Secadero. The local government last week agreed to offer six contracts, three for the poll in Casares and three for the pool in Secadero. Successful  candidates must be aged 18 or over and have qualifications as a lifeguard. Candidates will work five hours a day from Monday to Sunday and will be paid 1,000 Euro a month. Applications can be handed in at town hall from June 1st to 10th.

CASARES REPRESENTED AT INTERNATIONAL TOURISM FAIR ON COSTA DEL SOL

Casares is represented at Euroal, the international tourism fair of the Costa del Sol which is taking place this month.Councillor Sonia Saborido and Ecotourcasares are representing the town at the annual tourism showcase. The display for Casares shows highlights of the tourism season including the festival of New Andalucian Cinema which takes place next week. The Casares stand is staffed by members of the Ecotourcasares co-operative which helps to boost tourism in the town. The Euroal fair is mainly aimed at tour operators from Europe and Latin America.

Work is being carried out to prevent the spread of insects, especially cockroaches, at Marina de Casares.

Local authority workers are fumigating all the gutters in the area and the work is being co-ordinated by the Deputy Mayor’s office.

International news:

Greece has delayed a debt payment due to the International Monetary Fund today as the crisis over the Greek economy continues to dominate the Eurozone. The Greek Economy Minister said the country cannot accept the latest proposals for reforms put on the table by international creditors but was prepared to negotiate a compromise. 

In sports news:

World soccer is still reeling from the corruption inquiries into FIFA by the American authorities. Sepp Blatter’s shock resignation statement on Tuesday just days after he was re-elected president of the sport’s governing body was followed by admissions by FIFA’s American boss Chuck Blazer that he had been involved in bribery and racketeering for twenty years. Many national football associations are now calling for root and branch reform of the sport’s world organisation.

And the weather for the weekend:

Tomorrow will be pleasant and sunny but with the possibility of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and a high of 27 dropping to 20. Sunday will be partly sunny with some cloud and a high of 26 dropping to 20 at night.

UNITED LEFT THE OVERALL WINNERS IN CASARES ELECTIONS

The United Left were the overall winners in the local elections in Casares last Sunday. The Izquierda Unida now has seven councillors, the Socialist Party has four, and the PP lost half their seats winning only two. 2,642 people cast their votes, or 62 per cent of the eligible voters, five per cent less than in 2011. In Secadero there was a much bigger turnout with over 85 per cent of the electorate coming out to vote, while in Casares itself almost 76 per cent turned out to vote. In Casares Costa apathy reigned with only 29 per cent casting their votes. The United Left won 1,292 votes or 49 per cent of the vote which gives them seven councillors. The Socialist Party got 820 or 32 per cent of the vote, doubling the number of councillors. The PP won 405 votes giving them two councillors but losing half their existing seats. The results showed that the Socialist Party were winners in Manilva where they have five councillors. Estepona remained a PP stronghold returning 17 councillors for the party, with the Socialist Party in second place with six councillors.

CASARES CELEBRATES THE VIRGEN DEL ROSARIO THIS WEEKEND

Casares is this weekend celebrating  the annual pilgrimage, or Romeria, to the Virgin of Rosario del Campo. Tonight for the first time is an event titled “Un Rosario de ilusiones” organised by the Hermandad and  local residents where poems will be read and the rosary recited. Tomorrow the Romeria begins with mass at 11 in the morning  and a religious act where people kiss the Virgin’s hands. Later tomorrow there will be other activities including fireworks and bell ringing and horse riders will receive the Virgin with flowers and offerings. The Romeria concludes  on Sunday with a celebration of the mass by local priest Jose Antonio Melgar who will receive the medal of the Casares Hermandad. The return of the Virgin to Casares will be at 7 o’ clock on Sunday evening.

SECOND FESTIVAL OF NEW ANDALUSIAN CINEMA NEXT MONTH

The second Festival of New Andalucian Cinema takes place in Casares from June 8th until 13th. The festival office will be located at the Blas Infante Cultural Centre where two photo exhibitions will also be held from the beginning of next month celebrating the work of Granada film maker Jose Val de Omar. The festival itself starts with screenings on Monday, June 8th. Each film will be introduced by a member of the film team and afterwards there will be a discussion. A script writing course will be held from June 8th to 10th hosted by Rafael Cobos, a well known scriptwriter on many films. There will be a free concert by actor and musician Pablo Carbonell on Friday, June 12th at Casares disco from 11.30 pm. The Festival concludes on Saturday, June 13th with a Gala performance introduced by scriptwriter Ester Lara and Santiago Ruiz. Prizes will be awarded for short films. The Festival is organised by the ayuntamiento and EcoTourCasares.

NEW STREETLIGHTS FOR MARINA DE CASARES

The northern area of Marina de Casares has new street lighting which is more reliable and cost effective. The 58 new streetlights have LED lights which the ayuntamiento has provided at a cost of 55,000 Euro. The councillor for the coast Antonia Pineda said that the new streetlights are energy saving and more secure. The installation of the new streetlights marks the completion of a project started several years ago to renovate all the public lighting in Marina de Casares.

The first meeting to decide on this year’s Blas Infante solidarity prizes will be held next Thursday.

This is the thirteenth year of the prizes which have a budget of 50,000 Euro. Residents will have a chance to get details of this year’s 39 projects on July 4th.

International news

The United States has called for the immediate rescue of thousands of migrants adrift in south east Asian seas after fleeing from Burma and Bangladesh. More than 3,000 migrants have already landed in Indonesia and Malaysia and it’s estimated that a further two and half thousand are still adrift in boats. The crisis erupted earlier this month after a crackdown by Thailand on people smuggling camps along its border with Malaysia.

In sports news:

World soccer has been rocked by the arrest of several FIFA officials this week as part of an international investigation into corruption in the sport’s governing body. Despite the arrests outgoing president Sepp Blatter has said he intends to stand for a fifth term. The vote will be held later today in Zurich where FIFA delegates are meeting. UEFA  and British Prime Minister David Cameron have already called for Blatter to stand down.

The weather for the weekend:

Tomorrow will be a very sunny day with temperatures reaching 28 and falling to 18 at night. Sunday will see lots more sunshine with a high of 27 and a low of 18.

MAYOR SIGNS INVESTMENT PLAN WORTH 230,000 EURO FOR CASARES

Mayor Antonia Morera yesterday signed an investment plan that will bring 230,000 Euro to Casares. She went to the Malaga Council to sign off on the plan. The budget will be divided between Casares, Secadero and Casares Costa. In Casares the money will finance new street sanitation. For Casares Costa the money will be used to repave the roadway at Bahia de Casares. And in Secadero the extra money will be used to modernise services on Calle Guadiaro.

CASARES POLICE CATCH MAN WITH STOLEN PROPERTY AT FINCA CORTESIN

Local police from Casares have apprehended a man with stolen property at Finca Cortesin.  The police officers were engaged in routine surveillance in the area when the suspect was seen throwing away objects into nearby bushes. The thief was arrested by police who then recovered a number of stolen items, including credit cards, mobile phones, and watches valued at over 15,000  Euro. The stolen items were later returned to their owners by hotel employees.

BIG TURNOUT FOR SECOND EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE AT BLAS INFANTE COLLEGE

More than 250 people took part in the second educational conference at Blas Infante college last Saturday. The conference was attended by students, family members, teachers and educational volunteers. There was an activity programme with a sports instructor for the children to keep them busy during the day, while parents and teachers took part in discussions  which covered topics such as intelligence and educational interaction. Workshops were also held to decide on the composition of working groups for the next academic year composed of teachers, parents and students to set the agenda. The day was organised by the ayuntamiento along with the Mothers and Fathers Association and the school. Councillor Pedro Gonzalez was honoured for his 16 years contribution as education councillor which he is leaving this year.

FOURTEEN STUDENTS FROM CASARES DANCE SCHOOL PASS THEIR EXAMS WITH GOOD RESULTS

Fourteen students from the Casares Dance School passed the Dancing Society exams with flying colours this week. Thirteen girls and one boy from Casares and Secadero passed the flamenco exams of the Spanish Dancing Society with no grade below a B. The Dance School director Juana Maria Gil praised the students and said their good marks complemented their general education. The Culture Council has awarded two scholarships to schools in Casares and Secadero in recognition of the students achievements.

The deadline for applications for the 20 per cent IBI reduction ends in Casares tomorrow.

The municipal offices will be open in the afternoon in  Casares, Casares Costa and Secadero to allow residents to submit their applications. Last year the IBI subsidy was worth over 155.000 Euro.

International news :

Nepal suffered a second major earthquake in less than three weeks. leaving a trail of death and destruction. 80 people died and over 2,000 were injured in the latest tremor which follows a similar earthquake earlier this month in which more than 8,000 people died and 20,000 were injured.

In sports news:

One Spanish team has made it though to the Champions League final when Barcelona won 5 - 3 on aggregate after Tuesday’s game against Bayern Munich. Real Madrid however crashed out of the championship with a one all draw against Juventus which left the Italian team 3 - 2 winners on aggregate. The final will be held in Berlin on June 6th.

The weather for the weekend:

Tomorrow will be a sunny and warm day with a high of 25 and a low of 17 at night, while Sunday will again be a pleasant sunny day with a high of 25 dropping to 18.

UNEMPLOYMENT DROPS AGAIN IN CASARES IN APRIL

Unemployment has dropped in Casares for another successive month. The figures for April show that 24 less people were signing on the dole in April, with a total of 453 unemployed. This is the best jobless figure for April since 2011 and the lowest jobless figure since September 2013. The number out of work in Estepona also fell in April by 218, with 6788 people on the dole. The good news continued in Manilva where there were 1322 people out of work, a drop of 39. The overall trend in unemployment throughout Malaga has been dropping with 3446 less people on the dole, but the total jobless figure for the province stands at over 188,000

DEADLINE FOR IBI GRANT APPLICATIONS IS APPROACHING

The deadline for applications for this year’s IBI subsidy is May 16th. This is the second year that the ayuntamiento has subsidised IBI payments for residents and businesses. Applicants must furnish a copy of their last IBI receipt and proof of identity. The Ayuntamiento  has scheduled special opening hours at local offices to allow applications to be made. These are from 8 o’ clock in the morning until 3 in the afternoon and from 4.30 to 7.30 pm on Monday to Friday and from 10 until 2 on Saturday. Applicants must ensure that they have no money owing to the ayuntamiento and provide proof of residency. Last year almost 155,000 Euro was given in IBI subsidies and 1,455 families benefited with an average saving of 106 Euro for every IBI bill.

CASARES HOSTS THE SECOND EDUCATION CONFERENCE TOMORROW

Casares is hosting the second education conference at the Blas Infante college tomorrow. The conference is being organised by the Association of Parents and Students in conjunction with the town’s education department and the school. The conference will allow discussion of issues relating to education and will also provide an opportunity for parents to meet with teachers. The specific issue for this conference will be emotional intelligence and the necessary educational tools for communicating with children. The conference will feature workshops, and discussion groups and will run from 10.30 in the morning until 7 in the evening with lunch included.

DAMP PROBLEMS IN HOUSES AROUND THE CASARES CASTLE TO BE ADDRESSED

A plumbing problem in one house in the area surrounding the Castle in Casares has caused major damp problems for residents there. Following a visit by councillor Pepe Carrasco and municipal staff to the damaged area this week, technicians from the Junta de Andalusia have examined the scene. They said that the damp in several houses was caused by a leak in one house which spread. They said that once the leak has been repaired the dampness will disappear. The Andalucian Housing Agency promised 165,000 Euro last December to repair homes but this money was suspended following a change in the agency’s leadership. Mayor Antonia Morera has requested a meeting with the new boss of the agency.

More than a thousand people took part in a May Day rally in Malaga which had a strong political theme.

Trade unionists and political activists from left wing parties joined the demonstration which marched to Constitution Square where they heard speeches from trade union leaders.

International news

Over six and a half thousand migrants were rescued off the coast of Italy this week as Europe prepares to deal with an unprecedented flow of thousands of illegal migrants from Libya this summer. The Italian coastguard and navy took part in the rescue operation in the Mediterranean and ten bodies were also recovered. The mass rescue came just two weeks after almost 900 people drowned while trying to reach Europe.

In sports news

In the first legs of the Champions League semi finals Barcelona secured dramatic three nil defeat over Bayern Munich with star player Lionel Messi scoring two goals in the final quarter of the match. The Spanish side appear unstoppable in their race for the final. Real Madrid was beaten 2 - 1 by Juventus in the other semi final game.

And the weather for the weekend

It’s going to be a very hot and sunny weekend with temperatures reaching a high of 28 tomorrow and dropping to 19 at night. Sunday will be another sunny day with a high of27 and a low of 19. Enjoy!

RADIO CASARES HOSTS FIRST OF THREE ALL PARTY DEBATES ON THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Radio Casares this week hosted the first of three planned debates on the forthcoming municipal elections. Representatives of all the political parties contesting the elections took part in the radio discussion. They included the Izquierda Unida, Partido Popular, the Socialist Party and Social Action. The first debate this week covered the economy and employment. The debate followed an agreed format with every party getting the same amount of airtime. Proposals included the Social Action plan to create a leisure park in the Utrera area, the Socialist Party plan to create more than 300 jobs tourism and agriculture, The Partido Popular concentrated on agriculture and tourism, while the Izquierda Unida highlighted developments brought about by their programme in Casares in recent years. The next debate will take place on May 7th when the parties will discuss education, health and social welfare.

FOREST FIRE ACTION PLAN ISSUED TO OWNERS OF RURAL PROPERTIES

The Ayuntamiento has issued its annual reminder to owners of isolated rural properties to put in place a self protection plan in the event of forest fires. This is a mandatory requirement according to regulations issued by the Department of the Environment. Owners must have plans for escape in the event of a fire. Any owners who have not yet done so can contact the Department of the Environment or the municipal website which contains  a blueprint for drawing up a plan with instructions in English and Spanish. Casares is considered a fire danger zone because of the difficult terrain, the regular strong winds and the surrounding scrubland and woods. Last year self protection plans were completed for Casares Costa and Secadero, but more than half the properties in the Casares area are still without a proper plan.

CASARES CELEBRATES ITS THIRTY FOURTH CULTURAL WEEK

Casares is celebrating its thirty fourth Cultural Week which will run until May 2nd. The events kicked off with World Book Day this week and continue this evening with theatrical performances at the Blas Infante cultural centre, including The Lion King at 6.30 and ending with karaoke in the square beginning at 10.30. There will be an associations meeting tomorrow morning and more children’s theatre on Sunday. The week’s activities continue on Monday with traditional games in the Plaza de la Carrera and on Tuesday the classic Hitchcock movie “Rebecca” will be shown in the house of culture. Dance Day is marked on Wednesday with a flashmob performance and a sport day will be held on Friday before the week closes on Saturday with the festival of Sotano Sur.

AWARD WINNING FILM MAKER TO ATTEND CASARES FILM FESTIVAL

An award winning film maker will attend this year’s Festival of New Andalusian Cinema in Casares. Rafael Cobos who won this year’s Goya for best original screenplay for “La Isla Perdida” will give a workshop at the festival where he will teach budding screenwriters on how to prepare a screenplay. Born In Seville in 1973 Rafael Cobos career has included working as a playwright, a television writer and then in cinema. His work includes films such as Seven Virgins, After and Group Seven. Rafael’s workshop titled Introduction to the Screenplay: From idea to argument. The Creative Porcess will be held from Wednesday June 10th to Friday June 12th. The fee for the course is 100 Euro and accommodation is available. The film festival runs from June 8th until 13th.

WORK HAS STARTED ON A 55,000 EURO PROJECT TO IMPROVE STREET LIGHTING AT MARINA DE CASARES.

58 new streetlights will be installed with energy saving LED lights. When the work is complete all public lighting in Marina de Casares will have been renovated.

IN SPORTS NEWS

Two Spanish teams made it through to the semi finals of the Champions League this week. Real Madrid secured their position with a one nil win over Atletico Madrid, while Barcelona clinched their slot with a two nil victory over Paris Saint Germain. The other teams through to the semi finals are Bayern Munich and Juventus who reach their first semi final in over a decade.

THE WEATHER FOR THE WEEKEND

Tomorrow will be partly sunny with the risk of rain and temperatures reaching 20 with a low of 15. Sunday will see thunderstorms with a high of 18 and a low of 13.