Tourist suffers spinal injuries on dolphin watch trip

hospitalA Latvian tourist has been seriously injured on a ‘dolphin watching’ tourist boat operating from Lagos.

The 30-year-old woman suffered spinal injuries as the boat sped through the waves. She complained of pain and, after returning to port, was assessed by medical emergency staff from the INEM.

Summer boost to Algarve emergency medical services

inemIf you are going to have an accident, wait until June 1st when the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) is to boost staff numbers in preparation for summer’s influx of tourists.
 
There anyway are 38 teams in the region but to these will be added an Emergency Medical and Resuscitation Vehicle (VMER) in Tavira; two Medical Emergency Motorcycles in Portimão and Albufeira; nine INEM ambulances at the Portuguese Red Cross in Armação de Pera, Lagos, Almancil, Albufeira, Altura (Castro Marim), Portimão, Boliqueime and Ferreiras, and two INEM ambulances at the Bombeiros in Albufeira and Portimão.

Happy 244th Birthday, Vila Real de Santo António

vrsaVRSA is turning into quite the party venue, as the council is organising a series of events marking the city’s 244th anniversary on Sunday, 13th - and its patron saint, Santa Maria.
 
The celebrations will start on Saturday, 12th, when from 10:00 am, in the Municipal Archive, there will be a conference, a guided tour of the Pombaline area and the opening of an exhibition, ‘VRSA and the work of José Sande de Vasconcelos,’ the noted military engineer and cartographer.

Quarteira arrest ends spate of burgaries

gnrpatrolA Criminal Investigation team from Loulé's GNR has nabbed a 29-year-old man suspected of at least nine burglaries.

The arrest on Wednesday in Quarteira should end a spate of thefts from shops in the area.

Faro Council awards €270,000 to build Conceição sports centre

footballFaro Council is relaxing its purse strings to turn a car parking area into an up-to-date sports centre – at a cost of €270,000.

The municipality announced the contract for a sports facility that will be built in Conceição near Estoi.

Chaos at Faro airport

FaroAirportFrontJust what returning holidaymakers do now want on a hot, stuffy Sunday night at Faro airport, two hour queues at a passport control area manned by one, 'work to rule' SEF officer.
 
Airport operator, the French-owned ANA, failed to inform passengers what was going on as increasing panic took hold as passengers realised they were going to miss their flight.

Property rates rise 300% for unoccupied properties

gasThe misuse of personal data relating to property services, such as electricity, gas and water, continues to be practiced by municipalities to identify empty properties.
 
Property owners’ right to leave a property occupied is costing them dear as property rates (IMI) are being charged at three times those applicable if the house was occupied. 

Land clearance drive - 430 people warned by police to comply

FireDevilSince April 6th this year, the GNR and Public Security Police have issued 430 misconduct orders against property owners who have failed to clear their grounds of potentially combustible material.
 
The Minister of Internal Affairs said that, so far, "no fines have been issued," since "the objective is that the cleaning be carried out.”