News in brief: Costa Calida

Cartagena: Cultural Hotspot

CARTAGENA’S museums are buzzing with activity this year! So far, they’ve welcomed 394,865 visitors, a cool 9.14 per cent jump from last year. Summer was particularly busy, with a stunning 11 per cent boost in visitor numbers during July and August. July saw 52,973 guests, up 12.42 per cent from last year, while August followed suit with 76,939 visitors, a 10.34 per cent increase.

Mayor Noelia Arroyo is thrilled, noting that this increase in visitors not only supports the local tourism industry and creates jobs but also helps preserve the city’s rich cultural heritage. Financially, things are looking great too, with ticket sales climbing to nearly €2 million, a 13.82 per cent rise from 2023.

The star of the show is the Teatro Romano, attracting 175,422 visitors. The Panoramic Elevator and the Castle of Concepción also drew large crowds. Cartagena’s cultural scene is definitely thriving!

Mar Menor: Cleaner Waters

RESEARCHERS from the Polytechnic University of Valencia have found that stricter fertilizer rules are helping protect Spain’s Mar Menor lagoon. Introduced four years ago, these measures include precision farming, planting hedges as barriers, and replanting and rewilding areas, which have reduced nitrate runoff by over a third. By tailoring fertilizer use to plant growth and using drip irrigation, nitrogen runoff has dropped significantly, making a big difference in water quality.

Precision agriculture, though sometimes debated, has cut nitrogen levels in the groundwater by 43 per cent. Re-forested areas could prevent about 23 per cent of runoff, but they come with cost and practicality challenges. A simpler solution, like dedicating just 5 per cent of each farm to hedges, could still cut sediment production significantly.

The results are promising, but ongoing collaboration among farmers, policymakers, and the community is key. Using these combined measures could drastically reduce both sediment and nitrogen entering the lagoon, helping to restore the Mar Menor’s fragile ecosystem.

Royal British Legion Murcia Branch: Funds Raised

THE Royal British Legion (RBL) is making an impact in the Murcia region of Spain, providing crucial financial, social, and emotional support to veterans, active service members, and their families. Recently, the RBL Murcia Branch hosted a fundraising event at Cat’s Bar and Tel’s Bar, featuring entertainment from the talented singer Vanessa. The community came together in a big way, raising €490.84 through raffle tickets, and with an additional generous donation from Sean the DJ, the total hit €500.

But the giving didn’t stop there—more donations poured in throughout the night, and with some light-hearted encouragement from those who made the rounds with a collection bucket, attendees dug deep to support the cause. The grand total raised was an impressive €552.

The funds raised will go directly to helping veterans in Murcia. For those interested in learning more, the RBL Murcia Branch committee will be at ‘Boochies’ in Los Alcázares on September 19 for a coffee and chat.

Virgen de la Arrixaca Hospital: European Excellence

VIRGEN de la Arrixaca Hospital in Murcia has just been recognised as a top European centre for theranostics, a modern cancer treatment that combines diagnosis and therapy. It’s one of only three hospitals in Spain to earn the ‘EARL Theranostics Centres of Excellence’ certification, joining the University Hospital of Salamanca and the University Clinic of Navarra.

Theranostics uses special molecules to target cancer cells and is used for treating thyroid, liver, neuroendocrine, and prostate cancers. These molecules are combined with radioactive substances to both detect and destroy tumours with precision.

Health Minister Juan José Pedreño highlighted the hospital’s dedication to high-quality care and advanced technology, making it a key player in personalised cancer treatment.

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