Janet Anscombe

Overview of News

I posted recently HERE that Parque de la Reina was suffering a crime wave, and now police say that Abades is suffering the same, with 12 houses burgled even in the same street in the last 10 days. The fact is, though, that Abades is just being used as an example, with the headline HERE reading “La isla de Tenerife sufre una oleada de robos” (Tenerife suffering wave of robberies).

Local Police chiefs throughout the island say they are overwhelmed by the numbers of denuncias for thefts that they have to deal with, not just of empty premises, but now very often of premises where the owners were at home and asleep. The capital is the area most affected by the crimewaves, but this is no longer a phenomenon that can be said to be restricted to any particular area of Tenerife.

Update 25 August: I posted HERE about four men, two aged 18, one 22, and the last 26, all Arona residents, who had been arrested for aggravated robbery in Costa del Silencio. It seems that they will now also be charged with the robbery and attack on this victim, who appears from posts on The Tenerife Forum to be Tony from the Gateway bar.

It seems that as part of police investigations, a ring in the possession of the thieves has been identified by the victim as a stolen item belonging to him. The paperwork processing the four has been put through the courts, specifically Arona court 5, and all four were ordered by the judge to be remanded in prison. C24H

There is no further update on the victim’s condition, but this is almost certainly to be taken as good news, especially since it seems that it was he himself who was in a fit enough condition to be able to help police by identifying the ring.

Four people have been injured in what is the second street fight in Santa Cruz in 24 hours.  Two of them, a 20-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman, have been transferred to Candelaria Hospital, though their injuries are said not to be serious. The other two, women of 40 and 65,  were treated locally at Ofra Health Centre. The incident appears to have been a massive public brawl, and moreover the second within 24 hours in the same area. In the former outbreak, a 22-year-old man received non-serious knife wounds. C7

Two science researchers, Cristina González and Nuria Teigell, say that after a year’s study into air samples from calimas, they have found the weather phenomena to contain a great diversity of allergenic fungi and bacteria. The research was carried out by the Tropical Diseases and Public Health Institute of the Canaries, which is part of the Universidad de La Laguna (ULL),  and demonstrates clearly that calimas bring allergens, and explains the respiratory problems calimas can produce.

The calimas also bring bacteria and fungi that attack vegetable life, which would help explain the sometimes ravaging effects of calimas on crops. Ultimately, however, the studies are focused on human public health, and their research continues in the hope of finding clinical uses for the classifications and analysis of the spores, including whether the bacteria transported through the air during calimas can carry viruses.  The research could lead to vaccines to help prevent allergic reactions in those who are particularly susceptible or vulnerable. El Dia

Update 24 August: The contest ended just a few hours ago, and the winner was Miss Mexico, Jimena Navarrete. The hot favourite had been Miss Philippines, who eventually came fifth, but once again, as in the last couple of years, the winner is a Latin American girl. Adriana Reverón, Miss Spain, came 22nd out of a field of more than 80.

Update 22 August: Adriana Reverón says that “the support I’m getting from Tenerife is an incentive to bring out the best in me”. The 24-year-old student and beauty queen will be competing in just a few hours now for the Miss Universe title, though events have been going on for the past week or so since competitors arrived in Las Vegas.  The Spanish press says that she is one of the favourites, though some less directly involved sources suggest she is not a hot favourite. Miss Philippines is widely expected to win. El Dia

On the grounds that it’s best to be informed, and that we should be realistic about what’s happening here, Parque de la Reina seems to have developed a crime problem over the past several months.

Today’s papers report that a bar in the urbanization has just been robbed for the third time in only a few months, and for the fifth time over the course of the past year. On this occasion, the thieves got away with two slot machines and other goods, valued in total at more than €15,000, as well as €2,000 in cash. The slot machines have now been found, totally destroyed, in a nearby banana plantation.

Nine thieves have been arrested over the last few hours in Tenerife.

Two men and a woman, all Polish and aged 28, 30 and 35, were arrested after being caught red handed by security staff in a commercial centre in La Orotava where they were trying to steal clothes and accessories worth €1,691. After being detained, officers found further stolen clothes to the value of some €6,000 in their car.

Meanwhile, in Guía de Isora, the Guardia Civil arrested a 21-year-old Santiago del Teide man for breaking and entering a restaurant in the town. Agents were able to identify him thanks to a security camera in the premises.

Also, in Playa de las Américas, the Guardia Civil arrested four men, two aged 18, one 22, and the last 26, all Arona residents, for aggravated robbery in Costa del Silencio. The youths had broken into a dwelling while its owners were at home and in bed. They stole electronic goods and around €800 in cash.

A 21-year-old man died last night in a traffic accident in the San Miguel area. The tragedy took place on the TF647 (Charo del Pino to Las Socas) shortly before midnight when his car collided with a van. Bomberos were required to cut the poor victim out of his vehicle, and medical personnel in attendance could sadly do no more than confirm his death at the scene. A 27-year-old woman was also injured in the accident. She was taken by ambulance to Hospitén Sur, where thankfully her condition is said not to be serious.  El Dia, C24H

2009 was an excellent harvest for Ycoden Daute Isora wine. The Regulatory Council of the Denominación de Origen for wine from the west and north west of Tenerife ratified the official wine-tasting verdict in its last full council meeting. It is now officially an “excellent” year. The best wines will be the whites, it seems, which are produced from the marmajuelo, gual, malvasía blanca and verdell grape varieties. The reds, though, from the negramoll, tintilla and baboso negro grapes will also be worth stocking up on! Time perhaps to visit a bodgea in the area, like THIS one. C24H

Adeje is to be host to the first Festival de Yoga de Canarias. Some 4,000 are expected to attend the event, which will take place on Sunday 22 August, and is organized by the Ayuntamiento together with the Asociación Hindú Tenerife Sur and the Centro Cultural Hindú, in collaboration with the Consulado General de la India en Tenerife and Yogosastra. Events start at the sports pavilion in El Galeón at 9pm, and will run until 6.30, when the action will switch to the playa de La Enramada from 7.30pm.

The principal object of the Festival is to familiarise people with yoga, and to inform them about the benefits the discipline can bring in terms of preventative health, as well as physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Yoga sessions, with classes for all ages, will be co-ordinated by the masters of various yoga schools in Tenerife, and supervised by the guest of honour, Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, the spiritual leader of Rishikesh, India. The organizers say that the various yoga schools will also have stands in the El Galeón sports pavilion with information available on the courses they run.  El Dia

Guía de Isora Ayuntamiento has said that it has had to take drastic measures with dog owners in order to avoid fouling in public spaces. The new Ordenanza de Convivencia en Lugares Públicos now requires all who walk their dogs on any public land to carry a bag to clean up after them. Anyone found not doing so will receive a €500 fine.

Note that this fine is just for not carrying a bag. Dogs do not even have to foul a pavement for the fine to be imposed. Mayor Pedro Martín Domínguez said that “despite the fact that there are many responsible dog owners who clean up after their dogs, there are many others who use public gardens and play areas as dog toilets, creating situations which carry unacceptable health risks”.

On Friday and Saturday, 20 and 21 August, Los Cristianos will again be playing host to its traditional Noches de bolero fiesta. Events will start on Friday in the harbour and promenade area from around 9.30pm, with performances from José Manuel Ramos, Chago Melián, Sergio Núñez, Nauzet, Alba, Pepe Barrios, Beatriz Alonso, Alexis Miranda, María José Cámara and Alma de Bolero. On Saturday, they will continue from 3.30pm with popular Cuban music from ’Clave de Son’, and at 9pm Olga Cerpa and Mestisay will perform their ‘Pequeño Fado y otras canciones de Amor’. As usual, entry is free, and this is simply unmissable!  El Dia

Las Galletas has just started its fiesta in honour of San Casiano. Events started at 7.30 last evening with a public paella and music, though the first press release I’ve seen was posted just an hour in advance!

The fiesta will continue today with a Junior Queen Gala at 9pm, and on Friday there will be bouncy castles and games in the morning from 10am, and a dance accompanied by the band ‘Revelación’ from 11pm in the night.

On Saturday, from 6pm, there will be dance music from various groups, with a full open air dance starting at 11pm. The fiesta will conclude on Sunday with a Mass at 8pm, followed by a procession with the images of San Casiano and San Claudio. The End of Fiesta Dance, with the group ‘Diamante’ will start at 11pm. El Dia

Update 19 August: Los Realejos Ayuntamiento will partially reopen El Socorro beach tomorrow.  As posted below back in June, the council forecast that it might be able to make the beach available in part during August. The first phase of works has been ongoing since June to install reinforcement netting over the upper slope to prevent rockfalls.

The public is asked to use public transport to get to the beach, rather than private vehicles, given that access to the whole area is still restricted. Bathers will, however, be able to use the now fenced-in part of the area nearer the cafetería, which can be reached on foot.

In view of the vehicular restrictions, from tomorrow the Titsa bus number 330 will add the beach onto its route from the Avenida de Canarias to San Vicente. It will run every half hour between 3pm and 9.20pm Monday to Friday, and 10.40am to 9.30pm at weekends. The Ayuntamiento is negotiating with Titsa to extend the timetable into the mornings. DA

Playa de las Américas will host its first Carnaval de Verano this Friday, 20 August. Musical groups will be performing along the Golden Mile in a spectacle for residents and tourists, with the two hour show starting around 7.30pm with a parade leaving the roundabout at the Villa Cortés hotel and finishing at the Pirámide de Arona.

The Summer Carnaval is a private initiative promoted by businessman Ismael Abbassi Rojas in collaboration with Arona Ayuntamiento, and is designed to bring the street to life and revitalize the area’s commerce. Groups performing include Cariocas, Joroperos, Danzarines Canarios, Bahía Bahitiare, Tabajaras, and Los Playeritos, as well as traditional carnaval characters.

The street will be closed to traffic for the duration of the Carnaval.  DA