In association with
OCTOBER 12th - OCTOBER 18th
AXARQUIA AGRICULTURAL FAIR OPENS THIS WEEK
Exhibitors from across the province of Málaga are converging on Algarobbo this week for the Agroaxarquia agricultural fair, which runs from October 12 to 15. It is the first time the village has played host to such a fair for a decade.
Twenty-five million pesetas have been invested in the event, which will have 105 stands and be opened by regional councillor for agriculture Paulino Plata. Among the planned events are a food fair on October 15, organised in conjunction with the Nerja Caves Hostelry school which will show 21 typical dishes from the Axarquia region.
RURAL ROADS IMPROVED IN VELEZ MALAGA
Work has started on 21 kilometres of rural roads in Velez Malaga. 184 day workers will be employed on fortnightly contracts until the end of March on the improvements, which have a budget of 40 million pesetas.
MODEL SHOPPING CENTRE ON SHOW
Residents of Rincón de la Victoria can now inspect the scale model of "a Victoria" Commercial Centre which is on display in the patio of the town hall. The new shopping centre will be erected next to the motorway at La Cal del Moral, and has a completion date set for next year. It will house 18 cinema screens, a hypermarket, an arcade of small shops and offer free parking.
THOUSANDS HONOUR FUENGIROLA'S PATRON
More than 15,000 people took part in the procession to honour the Virgen del Rosario, the patron of Fuengirola. The annual religious event marked the opening day of Fuengirola's annual feria, which ends on Thursday.
The town also held a special flamenco mass, a very vibrant and colourful service, which took place in Plaza de la Constitución.
The mass was celebrated by all the parish priests of Fuengirola with the town's officials in attendance.
ROUNDABOUT TORREMOLINOS
Five roundabouts are to be installed on six kilometres of the old Torremolinos main road. They will be 20 metres in diameter and will be situated at Cerro del Toril, Saltilo Bajo, Palacio de Congressos, Cañada de los Cardos and Los Alamos.
POST UPDATE
The Torremolinos Post Office is to be updated next year to reflect the new Corporate image of "Correos". It will be remodelled to include the latest technologies and to offer a better service to clients. The work will start around the middle of 2001 and last eight months.
BUSY PORT
Benalmádena's port expects to welcome seven million visitors by the end of the year - that will be half a million up on 1999. Income from rents will total 233 million pesetas. Meanwhile, the government has informed Mayor Enrique Bolin that modifications are needed to reduce the size of the planned expansion to the port. Down the road, Estepona hopes to emulate the success of Benalmádena by expanding its own port facilities to attract larger luxury yachts.
DOWN UNDER
Benalmádena has approved plans for 600 additional parking places in Arroyo de la Miel. They will be situated underground in Pueblo Sol and avenida Federico Garcia Lorca. In Fuengirola, Mayoress Esperanza Oña has authorised the seeking of funds for the town's underground parking network. One possible source of funding is Europe.
ARE WE ALONE IN AXARQUIA?
The origin of mystery footprints named by locals as "Footsteps of God" continue to baffle scientists who have seen them close to the town of Alcaucin, although they thinks the strange marks were mote likely to have been left by a person than an animal.
The prints have sparked a debate on the Internet with a conclusion that the prints, show size 39, were left by a being no more than 1.6 metres tall. Local anthropologist Eduardo Arboleda has gone as far as to say the prints: "Could be the first footprints left by an extraterrestrial on Planet Earth".
ROUGH JUSTICE
The regional government has announced it does not intend to increase the number of judges in Fuengirola-Mijas until 2003. The justice delegate in Malaga has said that seven judges on the Fuengirola-Mijas bench are sufficient to meet the population's needs.
BACK TO SCHOOL
A hotel school is to be incorporated in a planned tourism training centre in Mijas. The project will be unveiled in Málaga by the president of the regional government, Manuel Chaves, on October 18. The new institution will cater for 200 students annually.
GOLF CELEBRATION
Marbella is to host an international professional golf fair at the Palacio de Ferias y Congressos between November 14 and 17. The fair is being organised by a British firm, Reed Exhibition, which is also responsible for the World Travel Market in London and EIBTM in Geneva. More than 2,500 visitors are expected to attend the major equipment and accessory manufacturers as well as sport professionals' and buyers.
GETTING IN ON THE ACT
Estepona has been ceded land in Avenida Juan Carlos 1 on which they hope to build Costa del Sol's Grand Theatre. Work will start once funding for the project has been secured. This month Estepona Cine Club has a season of foreign films including one by British director Alan Parker. Details of titles and dates can be obtained from the Tourist Office.
LIGHT WORK
The province of Málaga is being asked to fund a 20 million pesetas extension of the electricity network in Manilva. The money is for next year and the Mayoress, Antonia Muñoz, says it will principally benefit those people living in isolated homes currently without electricity supply.
I'LL DRINK TO THAT
Quality wines from the Ronda area are to be given their own sub-denomination under Málaga wines. The President of the Málaga wine board, José Maria Rodriguez, has agreed to modify the rules and create a sub-group of wines under the name "Ronda" which will include red and white wines.
