AND HERE IS THE NEWS…. 

a weekly update of the local news


WITH CAROLINE HILL

 

Sibling rivalry goes too far – A 22 year old man attempted to murder his 19 year old sister last week, in the Moulin-à-Vent district of Perpignan.  After setting fire to his apartment, he then went to his mother’s house where he proceeded to beat his sister around the head with an axe.  She was very seriously injured but her life is no longer in danger.  Her brother has been arrested and has so far offered no explanation for the violent act.
 
 
Menacing graffiti in Sorède – Two residents have had menacing remarks painted on their front gates, one even threatening that the house will be blown up.  This is not the first time that comments such as these have been daubed on properties in the village.  Police are investigating.
 
 
High winds cause damage – Strong gusts of wind last Tuesday caused major headaches for the Pompiers as they were called out to deal with dozens of ‘minor’ problems.  The more problematic incidents involved a tree which fell across the road near the Vet’s clinic in Moulin-à-Vent, a large palm tree which fell and crushed a parked car in the centre of Perpignan, and finally at Rasigueres Town Hall where yet another tree fell, crushing a car and bringing down main electric cables.
 
 
TGV or not TGV – that is the question – and the answer is still unclear.  The Barcelona TGV link is now listed on the online timetable as running from 15th December (but no bookings can be made).  It should be noted that when the Paris TGV line opened in 2010, ticket sales only opened one month before, so there is still hope.
 
 
Free Parking for Perpignan shoppers – Customers of participating shops will soon be offered tickets with their purchases, giving them 1, 2 or even 3 hours free parking in 9 of the underground car parks in the town.  This is the result of year-long negotiations between the CCI, Car-Park operators and shop-owners, and 100,000 car park tickets are available for the shop-owners to buy at a reduced rate and offer to their clients.
 
 
Primary School Teacher fined – a teacher at a school in the Roussillon Plain was in court yesterday accused of pulling the hair of a 5 year old boy in her class.  She admitted that she had momentarily lost her temper and was fined 1000€.  She also lost her job.
 
 
Dutch drug trafficker caught – Customs officials carrying out checks on vehicles in the Village Catalane rest stop were alerted by the actions of a sniffer dog.  They discovered a concealed compartment running the length of the vehicle, concealing 158kg of cannabis resin.
 
 
French au pair girl raped – A young local girl, working for an English family in the UK, confided to her friend on Facebook that she had been sexually abused by the father of the children she had been employed to look after.  Greatly concerned, the friend contacted the police at Cabestany, who alerted the authorities in the UK.  The father has been arrested and the young lady has since returned home to the P-O.
 
 
France’s answer to ‘Banksy’ arrested – The French street artist Invader (so-named because his works are in the style of the 70s Space Invader creatures) was arrested in New York when he was reported by the owner of a building he had just attached one of his mosaic art-works to.  Why is this local news?  Well, last June ‘Invader’ was a guest at the Festival of Books, Art and Music here in Perpignan and 8 of his works, especially created in yellow and red mosaic tiles, can be seen on buildings around the town.
 
 
Ceret Post Office renovation – La Poste will be closed for major renovation works from 8 – 26th November.  A temporary office situated in Rue Jean-Amade will be opened for the collection of letters and parcels but for any other business customers will have to visit the neighbouring towns.
 
 
 
Another sighting of Shakira – having been ‘spotted’ in several places around the P-O this summer, she has just ‘tweeted’ a picture of herself in Place Arago, Perpignan.  (It seems to be a slow news week…)
 
 
And finally…..
 
 
Addicted to Surveys? – The National Institute for Prevention and Health Education have published the results of a survey into addiction in France, and while normally being ‘top of the list’ is considered a good thing, sadly not on this occasion.  Residents of the Languedoc-Roussillon smoke and drink more than average, the use of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis and cocaine by the young is higher than any other region, and we also binge drink (defined as more than 6 glasses).  Cheers!

Follow Caroline on www.perpignan-post.blogspot.fr

 


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