Updates from Monday 25 June until Friday 29 June 2018
Jersey Evening Post
Jersey's honey bees are under increasing threat as its greatest predator – the aggressive Asian hornet – continues its rapid spread across the island, external.
BBC Radio Guernsey
Guernsey's reliance on "hundreds of hours" of voluntary work to keep local beaches clean is "inappropriate and unwise", according to a member of the island's conservation society.
Vanessa Crispini and other members of La Societe Guernesiaise filled a fountain in St Pierre Park with plastics and other ocean waste to remind politicians at the recent British-Irish Council summit of the environmental challenges Guernsey faces.
She said a recent survey found beaches around the island relatively ocean waste-free, but this was down to the efforts of volunteers and not because the problem was "going away".
Teacher Sharka Lee, from Elizabeth College, who joined Ms Crispini, has called for a ban on non-recyclable waste in the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
Image source, Barry BrehautEnvironment Committee President Barry Brehaut said the "statement" at the fountain was "very powerful".
He added that the says States did carry out beach cleans but crews could not reach "every nook and cranny" and the challenge was "immense".
BBC Channel Islands News
As the number of parking fines being handed out rises in Jersey, a politician has called for a more "customer-friendly system".
A Freedom of Information request, external revealed that, in the three months up to and including the 1 June 2018, 4,340 tickets were given to drivers - 764 more than the same period in 2017.
In 2016, more than £650,000 was raised from parking tickets.
St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft said he did not "rejoice" over the money his parish received from parking fines, which he said were a "disincentive" for people to come back into town.
He said "inconsiderate" and "dangerous" parking needed to be tackled, but it was not fair to penalise people for "honest mistakes", such as parking permits running out.
Quote MessageAs someone who’s had to pay parking fines myself, some of which I felt completely unjustified, you then waste a lot of time trying to appeal the fine. I would like to find a system which is more user-friendly, where people are not being penalised for mistakes that we all make."
The States of Jersey said fewer tickets were issued in 2017 because of the introduction and training of three new staff members, who did not become "fully operational" until this year.
Rob England
BBC News Online
Police looking to speak to anyone who may have seen a car hit a wall in St Andrew, Guernsey.
It happened on Sunday at about 00:30 on Rue Des Landes.
Officers said the green Honda Civic crashed opposite the Happy Landings pub.
Rob England
BBC News Online
It seems Corbie, the "psychic" tortoise from Jersey - whose full name is Corbiere, as you probably know - made the right call by backing Belgium in Thursday night's World Cup 2018 clash against England.
With a final result of England 0-1 Belgium, Corbie's streak of fairly successful predictions continues.
England go on to play Colombia at 19:00 on Tuesday, so we'll have to wait and see what his prediction will be.
Corbie the 'psychic' tortoise backs Belgium in World Cup match
BBC Radio Jersey
Traces of E. coli bacteria have been found in a Jersey water fountain during a routine test, the island's Environment Department has said.
But officials said the levels found in the water feature at Jardins De La Mer were not high enough to be harmful or to cause sickness.
The results of a test on the bacteria have not come back yet, but it has since had a deep clean.
The fountain is now up and running again, and Stewart Petrie, from the department said he was confident the issue had been resolved.
Quote MessageIf it was the sea, we would still say the water quality was excellent but because we have control over it and we can chlorinated it we want zero [E. coli] in there. So we asked the operator to close, which they did immediately; they've undertaken complete cleaning, maintenance and chlorinating. We are confident that when it reopens the water will be fine."
Stewart Petrie, Director of Environmental Health
A fine morning with lots of sunshine but it will be a little breezy.
This afternoon, it will remain largely sunny and feel pleasantly warm but there will be a fresh easterly wind.
Maximum Temperature: 20 to 23C (68 to 73F).
Jersey:
Guernsey:
Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online
Calls for a review of the investigation into child abuse claims made against a former prime minister "will not go away", according to his former private secretary.
Wiltshire Police launched Operation Conifer in 2015 after Sir Edward was accused of historical child sex abuse - although he died in 2005.
One of those claims related to the alleged indecent assault of a 15-year-old boy in a public building in Guernsey.
Image source, AFP/GettyHis supporters say there is no evidence Sir Edward Heath was in Guernsey at the time of an alleged sexual assault in 1967, and want an independent inquiry into how the case was handled by Wiltshire Police.
His former private secretary Lord Armstrong has been pressing Wiltshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Angus Macpherson, to hold an independent review into the case.
"Is he thinking that Sir Edward Heath has been dead for 13 years, left no close relatives, and that if he does nothing the whole thing will go away?" he told the House of Lords.
"If so, I am afraid I have to disappoint him. It will not."
A 'psychic' tortoise from Jersey predicts Belgium will beat England in their final group match.
Read MoreBBC Radio Jersey
Officers believe a woman driving a 4x4 vehicle may seen the collision at about 08:20 near Springfield Crescent on Trinity Road.
They're asking the driver, as well as anyone with any information, to contact States of Jersey Police on 612612 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online
A fire broke out in a garden in St Peter Port at about 14:30.
A shed and its contents were burnt out at the property in Rue Thomas, between La Vrangue and La Coutanchez.
Guernsey Police and Guernsey Fire and Rescue remain on the scene, where a small amount of smoke is still drifting into the car park of the College of Further Education.
Police are diverting traffic away from Rue Thomas, meaning there are long queues building up on La Coutanchez.
BBC Radio Jersey
Details of waiting times at Jersey hospital will be published to make the process more transparent, the island's new health minister has said.
Deputy Richard Renouf says more needs to be done to reduce waiting times and although there is no "simple solution" recruiting more staff would help.
In particular he said orthodontics, dermatology and some areas of mental health had "challenging" waiting times.
However, he says recruitment, especially from off-island, is the main difficulty for the hospital at the moment.
Image source, Vote.jeQuote MessageI think there was a time in the past where waiting lists on the Health website. Why can’t they go back there, for information sake?"
Deputy Richard Renouf
Jersey Evening Post
Propositions can no longer be lodged in the last two months of a States term except in emergencies after the States backed proposals from Deputy Jeremy Macon, external.
BBC Radio Jersey
Shortages of carbon dioxide gas in the UK are likely to affect the Channel Islands, according to a supermarket chain.
Heineken and Coca Cola are among the big companies currently facing production problems due to the shortage which has been cause by the temporary closure of some factories involved in producing the gas - which puts the fizz in drinks.
Mark Cox, from the Channel Islands Co-Op, says issues in the UK usually impact on their supply lines.
Image source, Getty ImagesQuote MessageCurrently we have seen good stock availability and we haven’t seen any issues locally but if this situation continues for much longer there is potential that supplies of things like fizzy drinks and beer will become a problem."
Mark Cox
Beer drinkers need not worry too much, however, as according to Liberation Brewery the shortage has not affected local beer production yet.
Tim Hubert, the managing director of Liberation Brewery, says they are "well stocked" and islanders should not notice any problems.
Rob England
BBC News Online
Fire crews are tackling a fire near Rue Thomas in St Peter Port.
An emergency services spokesman said: "The road will be partially blocked by service vehicles, so could the public please find an alternative route."
BBC Radio Jersey
Slither aside Paul the Octopus, a "psychic" tortoise from Jersey has been having a fairly successful run of predicting World Cup results.
Corbiere the Tortoise - known as Corbie - has been filmed choosing between two flags representing World Cup teams before games, and generally picks the winner.
His owner Russell Soudain says Corbie predicted six out of six matches correctly, before having "a bit of a wobble" by choosing the losing side for the Germany v South Korea game on Wednesday - but then again, so did most of the bookies.
He also backed Spain to win against Morocco on Monday, but to be fair to the little chap, he wasn't given the option to choose a draw.
Mr Soudain says they were not aware of the reptile's psychic abilities until now.
Corbie hasn't made any predictions yet for today's games.
Image source, Russell SoudainQuote MessageWe want to get the feel good factor going to get people motivated about the World Cup and see just how well little Corbie to do getting the results right."
Russell Soudain
Rob England
BBC News Online
A ceremony to remember the bombing of Guernsey's St Peter Port Harbour during World War Two will take place this evening in St Peter Port, on the event's 78th anniversary.
Thirty-four people were killed and 33 were injured when three German planes bombed the area around the White Rock on 28 June 1940.
Image source, Guernsey MuseumsForty nine vehicles were also damaged or destroyed, the majority of which were lorries of tomatoes waiting to be exported.
The bombs damaged to the Cambridge Sheds, the Information Bureau and the Weighbridge with the clock stopping at just before 19:00.
The "all clear" was sounded at 20:00, but many town residents spent the night out of the town where they felt they would be safer.
The bombing occurred just two days before the start of the occupation of the Channel Islands by German forces, which lasted until 9 May 1945.
Wreaths will be laid by the memorial plaque at White Rock in St Peter Port at 19:00.
Rob England
BBC News Online
There has been a "huge rise" in "unwanted and stray" reptiles in Guernsey in recent years, the GSPCA has said.
Teams from the animal charity have recently joined forces with the police to look for what is thought to be a python or boa in the L'Ancresse Common area in the Vale.
Image source, GSPCAJohn Knight, President of the GSPCA said: "We will carry out searches at various times of the day during the next two weeks, when we believe it is most likely to emerge from the gorse.
“Should that prove unsuccessful, we will look at alternative options."
The charity said in the last month there have been sightings of other wayward reptiles around Guernsey, a stray bearded dragon was found in Cobo and another stray snake found in St Peter Port.
GSPCA manager Steve Byrne said: "Where as a few years ago we would normally see two or three lizards or snakes we have seen over 30 a year in the last two years."
He says owners need to think "long and hard" before they take on a reptile, as they need "specialised care", and in the case of tortoises may even outlive their owners.
