News reports.

[Sparky]

The potato crop has been reduced by frost so Clinkham you might struggle to get them in your neck of the woods and if you do i think they may be quite expensive . This from the UH El inicio de la cosecha de la patata, marcado por la caída del 50% de la producción » Part Forana » Noticias » Ultima Hora Mallorca.

The start of the potato crop, marked by the fall of 50% of production.


Frost and wind affect the maturation of potato plant reducing production and tuber size and this year the farmers cope with the weather to minimize their effects. Monday officially started the export season, falling production fifty percent.

The season usually starts the last week of February or early March until Monday but the ground was too wet after recent rains to harvesters could go to work.

Potato producers talk about a drop in production of fifty percent on farms most affected by frost and wind representing ten percent of total production. The harvest has begun precisely because these farms and calculated within approximately ten days is extended to other areas of land, when they could normalize the situation.

 

[sws97sdg]

I have been keeping an eye out in Tesco, where I got them last year, but no sign of them yet, hopefully next week!

 

[clinkham]

Thanks for the heads up, Sparky. Mrs Clinkham advised.

 

[Tangoman]

Does this mean we have all had our chips???

 

[Sparky]

According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin the Guardia Civil have launched a FB page in English.

Guardia Civil launch English language website.

Members of the Guardia Civil’s traffic department have launched an English-language website to keep the country’s expats informed of what is happening on the roads.
Police officers publish traffic related articles on the site each day, alongside road laws explained and other information.
With articles ranging from road offences to tips on how to save at the pumps, more than 7,000 people have already liked the site’s Facebook page.
“The idea was to provide accurate information to foreign drivers as to both the rules of the road here in Spain, as well as changes to the law that they may not be aware of,” Guardia Civil traffic officer Francisco Morales explained yesterday.

 

[mike_dublin]

According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin the Guardia Civil have launched a FB page in English.

Here's the link to the English version -
Inglés
(more like Spanglish ... )

Edit: sorry, that's the link to the Guardia Civil page proper, not the English version of their Facebook page.

 

[Sparky]

Yes i have been searching for it but can find nothing in English , i have sent a message to the MDB asking for a link .

 

[mike_dublin]

Yes i have been searching for it but can find nothing in English , i have sent a message to the MDB asking for a link .

Think it's this one -
https://www.facebook.com/TorreviejaTrafficDepartment?fref=ts

(courtesy of New facebook link to the Guardia Civil Trafico in Spain )


PS might be a good place to look for the 'VAP' info ...

 

[Sparky]

Yes Andrew Ede has now posted this on the MDB FB page, looks quite useful .

 

[Sparky]

Yes Andrew Ede has now posted this on the MDB FB page, looks quite useful .

Here is the link to the main website Driving In Spain | Advice and information about driving in Spain., this one has loads of info on it.

 

[Sparky]

AlertCops App.

This has been posted on FB by N332 and i thought many of you might be interested .

AlertCops App
If you live in Spain or you are thinking of coming here on vacation you should have this app. (Please, share it among your friends).
What is AlertCops?
AlertCops is a citizen security alert system of the State Law Enforcement Authorities (FFCCSE in Spanish)
The goal is to create a universal access to every public citizen security service, so any person, regardless their language, origin or auditory or vocal disability, can send to the State Law Enforcement Authorities (Police and Civil Guard) an alert about a crime or security incident whether they are victims or witnesses of such.
Once the registration process is completed and the access validated by a code that will be sent via SMS to the mobile phone number provided, the application will show a home screen with the following options, which may be selected by clicking the corresponding icon:
This service allows a citizen to send an alert from a mobile device 'smartphone' straight to the police bodies in a simple an intuitive manner, so they can be assisted quickly and efficiently.
AlertCops' benefits are:
To offer a new communication channel between citizens and the FFCCSE, in addition to the already existing
To provide foreigners, visiting or living in our country, with a channel in their own language to access to the security emergency services
To improve the citizen response times and the information process
To speed up the information and response demand protocol, obtaining the support seeker's information from the very beginning, such as: location, type of incident or any other relevant information
To guarantee the accessibility to these services to people with communication disabilities.
How do I install it?
https://alertcops.ses.mir.es/miale…/…/infor/info_2_en.xhtml…
How does it work?
https://alertcops.ses.mir.es/miale…/…/infor/info_3_en.xhtml…

 

[Belladonna]

Unfortunately at the moment it is only available on the mainland, and only in Madrid, Malaga, and Alicante. Isn't there something similar already set up Puerto Pollensa?

 

[Sparky]

Unfortunately at the moment it is only available on the mainland, and only in Madrid, Malaga, and Alicante. Isn't there something similar already set up Puerto Pollensa?

This seems to have been very successful so quite possible that they will roll it out in other areas of the country.

As far as i know there is nothing run by the GC here but maybe you are thinking of the "Linea Verde" app launched by the ajuntament, here is the link to a thread about it http://www.forum.puertopollensa.com...a-verde-easy-way-send-complaints-council.html .

 

[Belladonna]

Ah yes, you're right, not quite the same closing the door after the horse as bolted so to speak! Hopefully the cops ap will prove a winner!

 

[Sparky]

I love trees so it was good to read this :- Unos 150 alumnos de Pollença siembran árboles para celebrar el día forestal y «embellecer el Port» » Part Forana » Noticias » Ultima Hora Mallorca

About 150 students from Pollença plant trees to celebrate the forest day and "beautify the Port".

About 150 students from schools in Pollença and Port de Pollença have celebrated World Forestry Day planting trees in the ring road of Port de Pollença.

The Mayor of Pollença, Bartomeu Encrypt , has indicated that this activity aims to raise awareness among schoolchildren of the need to preserve forests and the environment and also "help us beautify the Moll . " The City Council said in a statement that " for greater interaction with students from different schools, have mixed groups of schools of Joan Mas, Costa and Llobera and Montision ". The first part of the activity has been more theoretical and the second, more practical, with a planting.


Each group has planted 25 trees , pines, oaks and bushes, among other species, which have been provided by the Department of Agriculture, the Environment. On Monday another planned planting at the request of students from Escola Viva Port. This group will make planting area Llenaire. The tree planting began Friday.

 

[mike_dublin]

Majorca Daily Bulletin
(27/03/15)

Easter crackdown on drinking and driving

By Humphrey Carter

The Guardia Civil will today be mounting the first major crackdown of 2015 on people driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs while also increasing the number of speed traps.

This Easter, Guardia Civil traffic patrols are going to significantly more evident than usual as the force mounts its annual operation to increase road safety over the Easter holidays.

The crackdown will begin today and will be carried out in two phases.

The first will start today and the second will begin on Wednesday and continue until 6 April.

Areas of particular attention with the entrance and access roads to Palma, roads leading to the most popular coastal resorts and second home developments.

Spot check points are going to be thrown up across the region to test drivers for alcohol and drugs while extra speed traps are going to be used.

For the first time ever, Guardia Civil helicopters are going to be using new Pegasus radar which can detect traffic infractions from an altitude of 300 metres, so drivers beware, the Guardia Civil will be watching from the sky as well.

With this in mind...

Spain

Speed limits:

Standard legal limits, which may be varied by signs, for private vehicles without trailers are;
50 km/h in built-up areas:
90 km/h outside built-up areas on 2nd category roads,
100 km/h on 1st category roads and
120 km/h on motorways.
(On the March 7th 2011 a temporary reduction in the motorway speed limit of 110km/ph was introduced in a bid to reduce fuel consumption following a period of elevated fuel prices).

80km/h on motorways and dual carriage ways applies in built up areas.

The minimum speed on motorways and dual carriageways is 60 km/h.
20kph is applied in some residential zones.

 

[Sparky]

Thanks for that Mike and i would add that the police/GC usually set up camp on the roundabouts when having these crackdowns....you have been warned .

 

[sws97sdg]

I have been keeping an eye out in Tesco, where I got them last year, but no sign of them yet, hopefully next week!

Tesco now have the new season crop in, bought some but haven't had chance to try them yet, they sell them loose and they also sell bags of Mallorcian new potatoes, but I think these are just new potatoes from Mallorca and not the new Mallorcian potatoes, if that makes sense!!

 

[fil6699]

Tesco now have the new season crop in, bought some but haven't had chance to try them yet, they sell them loose and they also sell bags of Mallorcian new potatoes, but I think these are just new potatoes from Mallorca and not the new Mallorcian potatoes, if that makes sense!!

Would that be the New delivery of potatoes from Mallorca then?

 

[clinkham]

Tesco now have the new season crop in, bought some but haven't had chance to try them yet, they sell them loose and they also sell bags of Mallorcian new potatoes, but I think these are just new potatoes from Mallorca and not the new Mallorcian potatoes, if that makes sense!!

Door bangs closed as Clinkham leaves room to nip down to Tesco to check out your news....