Local News
"Beautiful" and "gentle" gorilla at Jersey Zoo dies after cancer battle
DURRELL has announced the “incredibly sad” death of the eldest western lowland gorilla at Jersey Zoo following a battle with cancer. Kishka, who was 45-years-old, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2020. In a statement, Durrell said: “Since then our devoted keepers and vet team have kept a ...
Swimmers warned to stay away from polluted beach
AN investigation is under way and swimmers were urged to avoid Grève de Lecq after high levels of E.coli were found in the water. Routine testing – which began this week at the start of a five-month “monitoring season” – revealed concerning concentrations of the bacteria, which can cause se...
£80m ‘exciting’ but ‘functional’ Fort plans soon
PLANS for an £80 million transformation of Fort Regent – which the Infrastructure Minister hopes could be approved within two years – are set to be announced. Deputy Andy Jehan told the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel that he would be sharing “exciting” plans which in...
Drink-driver who used phone is given ban and community service
A 50-YEAR-OLD man was caught driving his van while over the legal alcohol limit and using his mobile phone. Marcelino Jardim was banned from the roads for 18 months and sentenced to 90 hours’ community service for driving while unfit, and fined £400 for using the phone. The Magistrate’s Court h...
Call for urgent action over provision of dementia care
THE government is failing to keep pace with the growing demand for dementia care, which is expected to double by 2043, charities have said. Patricia Winchester, of My Voice, and Claudine Snape, of Dementia Jersey, have warned that the challenges are already significant and will only worsen without u...
Runner’s 24-hour challenge to help a children’s charity
AN Islander is set to run back and forth along St Aubin’s Bay for 24 hours next month to raise money for a children’s charity that has had a “life-changing” impact on his son. Investment manager James Barrett wants to cover a minimum of 100 miles during his challenge — which will involve ...
Private-patient money to be used for new hospital
THE Health Department is aiming to double its income from private patients over the next five years to generate money that will be “reinvested to support capacity and upgraded facilities for patients” – including in the new hospital. The Private Patients Services Strategy 2024 to 2028, publish...
Scrutiny panel calls for more detail on assisted-dying plan
A SCRUTINY panel reviewing proposals for assisted dying have called for the Health Minister to provide further details about what is planned. Following a convincing vote by States Members in 2021 in favour of the principle of allowing Islanders the right to die in certain defined circumstances, poli...
Woman who stole grandmother’s jewellery and cash is bound over
A WOMAN who stole money and jewellery from her grandmother wept in court as she was ordered to repay hundreds of pounds. Deborah Paixão Gomes (35) admitted in a police interview that she had taken a box containing 1,300 euros, £600, a gold chain and a gold ring on Thursday 7 March. When she return...
‘Invest in Bergerac reboot to ensure it is filmed in Island’
THE Island’s government should invest in the Bergerac reboot to ensure it is filmed here, according to the chief executive of Visit Jersey, who revealed the organisation had not received confirmation that “any of it” would be shot locally. Speaking at a Chamber of Commerce lunch event yesterda...
FREEDA chief executive stepping down after "amazing year" in the role
THE chief executive of a domestic abuse charity is stepping down from the role having “paved the way for a strong future” for the organisation. In a statement, Freeda – formerly Jersey Women’s Refuge – said it was “extremely sad” to announce that Lisa Leventhal was stepping down after ...
Motorist admits causing the deaths of Dean and Charlie Lowe
A MOTORIST has admitted causing the deaths of a father-and-son in a road crash last summer. Dylan John Pounds pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by careless driving, after Dean Lowe (48) and his 11-year-old son Charlie were hit by a vehicle as they walked along Rue de Fauvic in Grouville ...
Islanders advised against swimming at Grève de Lecq after high levels of E.coli found
A POLLUTION control team is investigating the cause of high levels of E.coli found in sea water at Grève de Lecq. Islanders are being advised against swimming in the bay after a sample taken nearby recorded an E.coli count of 3300 cfu/100ml. The government has said this is “considerably higher”...
Rehabilitation services move to St Ewold’s
WORK on the project to build the Island’s new hospital has moved a step closer with the move of rehabilitation services and patients from Overdale to a new location. The relocation of Samarès Ward to the St Ewold’s care home in St Helier forms part of work that will enable demolition of the exi...
Doctor who helps terminally ill patients to die to address States Members and health professionals
A DOCTOR who has helped terminally ill patients in Australia to end their lives is due to speak to healthcare professionals and politicians ahead of next week’s assisted-dying debate in the States Assembly. Dr Anna Negus comes from Bristol and trained in the UK, but is now based in the southern he...
New legislation designed to make Jersey homes greener put on back burner
TWO law changes designed to make homes more environmentally friendly have been delayed. Deputy Steve Luce has confirmed he is pushing back the proposed ban on replacing boilers with fossil-fuel boilers and the requirement for homes to have energy performance certificates at the point of sale. Both i...
Hope for Jersey young people to get better access to health services
IMPROVING access to health services, food and housing have been revealed as headline priorities for action in the newly published Children, Young People and Families’ Plan. Children’s Minister Richard Vibert said he hoped the current government could implement at least half of the action points ...
New plans for Fort Regent to be announced, Scrutiny told
NEW plans for Fort Regent – including a skate park and leisure facilities – are to be announced soon, a Scrutiny panel heard on Tuesday 14 May. Following years of debate and proposals to transform the site – and the closure of most of the amenities – Infrastructure Minister Andy Jehan said t...
Suspended sentence for man who attacked neighbour with a bat in St Clement home
A 41-YEAR-OLD man who attacked a neighbour with a wooden bat in an “essentially vigilante” act of violence has been given a two-year suspended jail sentence. Ryan Porter was told that “the custodial threshold was plainly passed” given the severity of the grave and criminal assault, but that ...
Grave restorer to quit Island after dispute over chemicals
AN armed services veteran who has repeatedly visited the Island to restore historic military graves has vowed never to return after a row over the cleaning materials he uses. Steve Davies, a former member of the 3rd Battalion the Royal Green Jackets, has restored 73 of the historic military graves a...