News in Brief – Costa Blanca North

Be prepared MUNICIPAL employees are currently clearing Oliva’s irrigation channels, ready for the heavy late summer and early autumn rains. As well as cutting down reeds and vegetation they are also removing all litter that could obstruct the channels and cause the flooding that has affected Oliva in the past.
Dirty air THE heatwave turned Alicante into Spain’s most contaminated province during August.  Harmful tropospheric ozone, combined with pollution from road and maritime traffic, were further complicated both on the coast and inland by dust plumes from the Sahara Spain that tripled the daily safety levels for suspended air particles.
Fair shares PERSONNEL opposed Ribera Salud’s purchase of DKV’s 65 per cent holding in outsourced Denia hospital.  As Ribera Salud entirely controls Torrevieja and Elche hospitals, this would contravene a 2018 regional law that prevents a private body from possessing over 40 per cent of more than one Health district.
Some missing THE Valencian Community’s Anti-fraud Agency (AVAF) is investigating claims that some Benidorm hotels lack an opening licence. A June 2016 list revealed that 103 hotels possessed licences but 24 did not, although the town hall has failed in the interim to confirm whether these are now in order.
Outlook sunny AS electricity bills soar, the region’s sustainable energy sector revealed that demand from companies and families has risen in proportion.  The Administration is also making it easy for private properties, with non-returnable grants of up to 40 per cent and four years in which to pay the remainder.  
Blocked out THREE people were arrested after 50 blocks of local “piedra tosca” sandstone stolen from land in Javea were traced to a Denia scrap metal yard.  Quarrying the stone was banned in 1972 and the accused persuaded the scrap dealer that the blocks were theirs, receiving €1,000 in exchange.