NEWS FROM AROUND THE REGION
with Madeleine McMullin
Parcels thrown into prison
Some parcels were thrown over the walls of Perpignan prison on the morning of 18th November and landed on the sports ground. Prison officers searched prisoners returning to their cells after exercise and found 3 mobile phones on 3 of them. The prison officers’ union, Force Ouvrière Pénitenaire said that the authorities haven’t yet provided nets for the whole of the grounds and the zones that don’t have them provide a point of weakness. In addition the nets that were fitted 2 years ago are deteriorating and in need of repair.
Buy a calendar to help sick kids
Flodama, a local video production company, has teamed up with Joa Joie, an association to help hospitalised children, to produce a calendar to raise funds for the cause. Published under the banner of Flodama i Amics (Flodama and Friends), it features black and white pictures of local personalities all with a red baratina hat on their head. The calendar costs €5 and is available from the following stores: Canet en Roussillon (Atout fleurs), Caudiès de Fenouillèdes (Boucherie Mazeroles), Céret (Boulangerie Polenzani), Elne (Jardinerie Puig/Jokerclope), Estagel (Croissanterie de la place), Ille-sur-Têt (Maison de la presse), Millas (Boucherie Laffitte), Néfiach (Catalan du fruit), Perpignan (Péché gourmand / bureau tabac place république/ mister Minit Leclerc sud), Pézilla-la-Rivière (La fournée d’antan), Pia (Au jardin d’Elise), Prades (Boulangerie Demichei), Saint-Estève (Étamine), Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salanque (Danoy fleurs), Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet (Mas Peyre), Saleilles (Une envie de fleurs), Théza (Bureau Tabac presse), Thuir (La Frianderie Catalane), Toulouges (l’ensemble des commerçants), Canohès (pressing), Villelongue-de-la-Salanque (Boulangerie vaquette), Vinça (L’épi Vinçanais), Mas guérido (Génis sport), Bourg-Madame (maison POUGET charcutier traiteur), Saillagouse (supermarché SPAR), Saillagouse (journal el bourricot et moulin à pizzas).
Perpignan shopkeepers trying to attract Christmas shoppers
A new association with 170 members has been formed by the shopkeepers in Perpignan with a view to trying to attract more shoppers to the town centre during the run up to Christmas. Among the initiatives are two creches: one in the Place République and one in the Place du Pont d’en Vestit where parents can leave their kids while they go shopping. They have taken on the ice rink in the Place République after the town decided not to run it this year. They have also reached an agreement with the Clemenceau, Arago, République, Wilson, Catalogne and Central carparks to offer parking tickets to customers in the 170 participating stores. This was made possible by a town hall grant. Pedestrians will be given free turns on the ice rink or carousel. The campaign will kick off on 1st December. The creches will initially only be available at the weekends, but daily from the 19th – 24th December.
Found guilty 31 times by the age of 30
A young man was found guilty of supplying drugs after being found with cannabis and cocaine, but pleaded innocent despite the fact that he has already been found guilty 30 times previously of various charges, including drugs trafficking. He was given 18 months without parole and will also serve a 6 month sentence that had been suspended.
Cats being injured
An inhabitant of St Estève has complained to police after her cat was shot. According to her, a number of cats have been poisoned over several years and the culprit is now shooting them. A man in Eus also found a cat caught in a trap on agricultural land and other traps were also found nearby which could have hurt children as well as pets.
Young woman stops car
A 19 year old woman realised that a fellow driver was ill and drove her car in front of his Porsche Cayenne to stop the car and protect other motorists. She realised something was wrong when she saw his car swaying and hitting the safety barrier. She overtook and saw that he had his eyes shut and was slumped in his seat. He had had a cardiac arrest and lost consciousness. The impact damaged her VW Polo but she was not hurt and she and an off-duty paramedic and an ambulance driver all stopped to help the driver. He was taken to Perpignan hospital but died later in the day.
Pizza vending machine in Perpignan
A local pizza maker, Thierry Rubio, spends the day making pizzas by hand before putting them into his vending machine where they are kept at warm to be consumed at whatever hour of day or night you wish. Thierry claims to clean his oven between every batch of pizzas so that the flavours are not mixed and there is no cross-contamination. The machine is at 5, place de la Sardane, Moulin à Vent.
Father Christmas coming to Le Barcarès
The Christmas village in Le Barcarès is even bigger this year and will feature a restaurant built on a 600m² platform with 3 cable cars installed near to the skating rink of natural ice. 2 will be made into bars and 1 will be a play place for the kids. The scene is completed by 3000 Christmas trees, 60 shops, mostly in wooden chalets, an animal enclosure with calves, cows and other farm animals, and a 40m toboggan run. There will also be parades and music during the holidays. The opening date is 3rd December, pushed back from 26th November.
Deferlantes pushed back by 2 days
The festival will now run from 8 – 11 July and not 6 – 9 July 2017 as initially announced.
