The Tour of Spain passes through Xàbia on Sunday September 5th
Sept 1st
The 9th stage of the cycling Tour of Spain (Calpe to Alcoy) passes through Xàbia on Sunday 5th. The Peloton is expected to arrive between 12 noon and 1 pm, entering from Benitachell, past the Golf Course, onto the Avenida de Gata and Avda de Ondara, going up by Angèl Domenech (Los Jurados) by the Antoni Llido school and then up to Dénia via La Plana. Anyone wanting to see a bit more excitement might like to go to Ondara town centre where the intermediate sprint will take place between 1.30 and 1.45. Security will be tight at both localities. The race then hits the mountains and the cols of Rates, Guadalest, and Tudons.
For more details see theVuelta de España website which includes a map. http://www.lavuelta.com/10/en/recorrido/index.html?e=5

Volunteer divers clean up the sea floor
September 1st
Sixteen volunteers from the Club Nautico and the Pelican Dive Club met yesterday on a three hour campaign to to clean up the sea floor of Javea bay and raise awareness about the need to maintain a clean coastline. Before they had hardly started they had picked up bottles, cans, sunglasses, nets and a towel. This annual cleanup checks out popular mooring places such as Cala Sardinera and Cala Tango. From Las Provincias: 16 voluntarios.....

Granadella - a movie set
28 August
Access to Granadella cove will be closed on 7th and 8th of September so that the area can be used as a location for the movie "The Cold Light of Day", starring Henry Cavall, Bruce Willis and Sigorney Weaver. Local extras were auditioned on Friday. The film will be released in 2011.

Delays in repairs to San Bartolome Church acknowledged
August 28th
The Director General of Heritage has acknowledged that there are delays in the repair works to San Bartolome Church, announced some 4 years ago. The job was to have been financed by the Valencia Government and the Caja Madrid Foundation, which is having problems. It seems that plans for the repairs are still being drawn up in Alicante. From XAD: Patrimonio...

Local artists and lovers of culture draw up a Cultural Manifesto for Xàbia
August 28th
A group of local artists, businesses and culture aficionados have come together, calling themselves "Asociación XÀBIA CULTURAL". They are concerned by the poor state of cultural activities/events in Xàbia. They have prepared a manifesto to circulate all associations in Xàbia, in the hope that their concerns will strike a common chord and that they can count on the support of other associations in trying to improve the cultural scene in Xàbia. They are completely non-political and wish to work with the Culture Department in the Town Hall to improve things. A meeting is to be held at 9.00pm on 1st September evening in the Social Centre (Old Town) to which everyone interested is invited to come and sign the manifesto. See: Cultural Manifesto for full text of manifesto in English. http://agenda21-xabia.wikidot.com/cultural-manifesto

The two cheapest tenders for the Frechinal Works rejected by the Town Hall
August 27th
The Town Hall has rejected tenders for the Frechinal barranco works from Constructora San Jose and Corsan-Corviam Construction because they are too cheap. The cost estimated by the Town Hall technicians is €2,150,000 while the two companies put in bids at €1,050,000 and € 1,058,927 respectively. The Town Hall asked the tenderers to justify the low bids, which could be the prelude to asking for expensive works modifications after winning the contract. Alternatively the Town Hall's pricing could be too high. Normal practice elsewhere is to employ the services of a Consulting Engineer who would prepare a tight contract and "Bill of Quantities" , a document in which materials, parts, and labour (and their costs) are itemized. It also details the terms and conditions of the contract and itemises all work to enable a contractor to price the work for which he or she is bidding. Such a document would quickly identify pricing details (from XAD: Xàbia rechaza....)

Residents of Soberana and Puchol areas concerned about proposals to re-divide land.
August 25th
The Consultative document of the proposed new General Town Plan (PGOU) outlines a redivision of the land in the Soberana and Puchol areas to make way for a 14 metre wide northern bypass for the town. Soberana is an urban area, but has a rural flavour which has escaped the urban boom. Although the owners are in principle in agreement with the idea of a northern ring road (which appears in the 1990 PGOU as a 10m wide road) , they do not agree with the new proposal which will affect some 80 families, the forced sale of land and considerable financial outlay. Most political parties are in support of the Soberana residents and are seeking technical advice. From XAD: Los Vecinos se oponen.....

Xàbia companies invited to a conference on renewable energy for households
August 25th
On October 23rd, Xàbia will be holding a conference and exhibition on renewable energy options for the home. Local companies specialising in this area have been invited to participate. This initiative was put forward by the Environment Group pf the local Agenda21 programme. Exhibition spaces will be 4.5mx3.8m and 3.8m x 3m. Interested businesses should call: 661188876 (From Press release)

Socialists accuse ruling coalition of "B Movie Management"
August 24th
The PSPV of Xàbia has listed a series of management blunders in Xàbia this summer: a) Arenal congestion - made worse by the funnelling of traffic along the Avenida de la Libertad b) Inaction on remedial works for the Caleta landslide c) Blowing the youth budget on a summer fiesta, leaving the Arenal without the popular ( and cheaper) summer beach cinema d) Starting the Tosalet Barranco works in high summer (according to Socialist spokesman, Jose Chulvi, all external funding for this has been available since March) From XAD: El PSPV tacha....

Storm drains installed in the Thiviers area
August 24th
The Town Hall has installed 350m of storm drains in the Historiador Palau and Cronista Figueres Pachego street areas. The cost, €178,000 is covered by the State Fund for Employment and local Sustainability. Other works under this fund are repairs to the sewerage system in the Camí de Frechinal.

Swift action nips small fire in the bud
August 23rd
A small fire on the slope below Xàbia's emblematic windmills was quickly smothered by local fire services. A helicopter made a number of water-dousing passes and the fire was extinguished within 30 mins without endangering nearby houses or the adjoining Montgó Natural Park. Fire services are on high alert at present, especially because of high summer temperatures. From XAD:Un conato...

Residents of Toscal ask for speed restrictions
August 20th
The works to channel the Tosalet barranco have created traffic diversions to previously quiet suburban roads, with cars treating them as if they were highways. Residents of Calle Tomillo, which has been affected in this way met with the mayor to ask for a 20kmhr speed limit on their street, and to recommend that if motorists want to get to the Guardia area, they should go via the Portitxol road. From XAD: Los vecinos de Toscal piden...

British Consulate and Diputación de Alicante to set up directory of services
August 21st
British Ambassador to Spain, Giles Paxman, and President of the Diputación of Alicante, Joaquín Ripoll, today announced a new initiative, an online Partnership Directory, to help British nationals in the Alicante province. A growing demand for welfare assistance for British people in the Alicante region is being met by an innovative new partnership between the British consulate and local partners in the region. The launch of a new online directory of services and a joint work programme between the Diputación de Alicante, the British Consulate, and local organisations like as Age Concern, the Royal British Legion and HELP is set to make a real difference for British people experiencing difficulties. For more see: Leader - BritishConsulate and Diputación de Alicante Join Forces http://www.theleader.info/article/24439/spain/costa-blanca/british-consulate-and-diputacin-de-alicante-join-forces/