AND HERE IS THE NEWS…
….a quick glance at the latest local news with Caroline Manson
Covid figures rising in the P-O
The Head of Infectious Diseases at Perpignan Hospital is convinced that we are at the beginning of the ninth wave of Covid. There are currently sixty covid patients in the hospital, twenty said to be in a ‘severe’ condition and four are in intensive care. He blames this new outbreak on the fact that everyone is becoming too lax about taking the necessary precautions and that it is vital to keep up to date with the vaccine programme to protect against the new variants. He anticipates a peak in infections over the festive period.
Water supply problems in Villefranche-de-Conflent
For over two weeks, the inhabitants of Villefranche have been living without water. The town hall has installed two large drinking water tanks from which people can serve themselves without limit. A pumping system installed in the river should shortly provide enough water for residents to take showers, do dishes or ‘flush’ but the drinking water situation looks to remain problematic for several more weeks. A pipe leak is to blame.
Search for missing pensioner
A 72 year old lady has not been seen since last Wednesday when she left the Domytis 5 Retirement Residence in the Saint-Assiscle area of Perpignan. Authorities are particularly concerned as she is said to be suffering from memory problems. Simone Delenne has gray hair, green eyes, and was dressed in dark blue trousers, and a long black coat.
Lorry falls onto police van
Yet another accident occurred on the roundabout near Grand Saint-Charles last Thursday, but this one was slightly more ‘impressive’ than usual. An HGV loaded with fruit overturned and landed on a police van. Luckily nobody was injured during the accident and the reason that the lorry overturned is as yet unknown, but (apart from the police van) the exact same accident occurred in July, and later on 2 HGVs were stuck on the new low-lying concrete parapet near the petrol station.
Police injured during car chase
When the occupants of an Audi A4 spotted a police patrol car they suddenly changed direction, which very much aroused the suspicions of the police in the car, and they gave chase. Refusing all requests to stop and pull over, the Audi drove at high speed around the Llabanere area near the airport, and eventually headed down a dirt road which ended in a dead end, blocked by a ravine. The four occupants tried to escape on foot but were eventually arrested, not before two of the policemen were injured during the chase, one of whom suffered considerable bruising from falling into the ravine. The driver of the stolen car was found to be a minor, and therefore without a license or insurance.
Another drug-dealing point closed down in Perpignan
Following a large-scale police operation, including a mobile gendarmerie unit, dog brigade and local police, a drug-dealing point in the Clodion Cité building in the Vernet district of Perpignan has been closed down. Five young adults and one minor were arrested and taken into custody and will be held until facing court in January. No less than 133 control and security operations have been carried out in several targeted neighbourhoods of Perpignan, thanks to the help of the temporary additional mobile gendarme reinforcements brought in especially to fight the drug problem.
Motorbike embedded in police car during a chase
The driver of a T-Max scooter refused to comply when police wanted to carry out a check on him and drove off at high speed. He was described as being “determined, dangerous and ready for anything” to escape his arrest and set off at high speed, driving in bus lanes and on the wrong side of the road. The chase around Polygon Nord lasted several minutes and ended when the bike crashed into the side of the police car, slightly injuring the two officers. After trying to flee on foot the man was arrested by other officers, and was found to be a minor with no licence.
And finally…
On Christmas Eve many people will be scanning the skies trying to see those magical twinkling lights that indicate that someone special is on the way, and if you look up around 9pm you won’t be disappointed – and any resemblance to the ISS space station is purely coincidental….
