NEWS FROM THE AZORES

Kitty Bale

2009-11-30 20:06:51

30 Nov 09 - Antena 1 Açores 6:00PM NEWS ROUNDUP for Monday 30th November

IRS: The Portuguese Government owes over 5 million euros to Azorean local authorities. Other issues are electricity rates and street lighting payment. Local authorities in the Azores want to adopt the same model as on mainland Portugal and Madeira whereby a tax is applied on the installation of electric cables with the proceeds thus generated paying for street lighting.

Fuel removal from the S.Gabriel is still under way. Half of it has already been removed but there are still 170 tons of fuel aboard the vessel which got stuck on a sandbar over a week ago off the south coast of São Miguel.

On Faial, a project for youth at risk ended today due to lack of funding. Financing for project "Veredas" ("Footpaths") runs out today and leaves 20 young people at risk without any clue about what the future may hold for them, a future which could turn considerably worse from tomorrow onwards.

Dairy cooperative Lacto Pico hasn't paid dairy farmers since September. Farmers last received payment in August. Some farmers have stopped delivering milk to the cooperative and others are considering a change of life if the cooperative does not fulfill its commitments.

The union of Police officers is demanding an insularity allowance for its officers in the Azores. In January, officers will take their claim to the Regional Parliament. If it receives positive feedback, they are then planning to lobby National Parliament.

The Association "Os Montanheiros" celebrates its 46th birthday today. Tonight several papers on caving in the Azores will be unveiled at an official ceremony. Currently dedicated to the environment, the association has been exploring and studying the various caves of the Azorean archipelago for years.

In Pico, the initiative Banco Solidário will start distributing food to families in need on Thursday. This initiative is a partnership between the local Committee for the Protection of Children and the local authorities. The collection of goods has already been completed and many families are now waiting expectantly for the distribution. por: Kitty Bale

EN
Kitty Bale is European with Belgian and Polish roots, a British heart and a French passport. Born in France, Bale left the hexagon at 17 and moved to the UK where she graduated in German. Her passion for journalism dates back to her first ever job at the BBC. She instantly fell in love with Portuguese and the Azores in October 2007 and then spent a year splitting her time between the UK and São Miguel. In December 2008, she finally settled down in Ponta Delgada. Currently, Bale works as a freelance journalist within the RTP Azores multimedia team adapting regional news into English. Besides appearing on the portal in Portuguese and in English, her pieces will also be published in English on this blog, News From The Azores.
Welcome to the blog, please feel free to leave us a comment!

PT
Kitty Bale é europeia com raizes belgas e polacas, um coração britânico e um passaporte francês. Nasceu em França e viveu lá até aos 17 anos quando foi estudar no Reino Unido, onde se licenciou em Alemão. Trabalhou na BBC e apaixonou-se pelo jornalismo. E depois enamorou-se pela lingua portuguesa e pelos Açores, onde escolheu radicar-se. Viajou pelo arquipélago desde Outubro de 2007, fixou-se em Ponta Delgada desde Dezembro de 2008. Actualmente é colaboradora do Multimédia da RTP Açores no âmbito de um projecto que visa traduzir para inglês a actualidade da região, publicando-a na Internet, em texto e em vídeo. Os seus artigos surgirão no portal, em português e em inglês, e serão agregados, em inglês, neste blogue, News From The Azores.
Seja bem-vindo ao blogue, agradecemos os seus comentários em breve!