We continue our weekly round up of the local news from Fethiye, Muğla and surrounding area.

Freezing Weather

It was a cold start to the week with temperatures, even at sea level, dropping below zero. The cold weather caught us out when a pipe linking to the solar hot water system burst due to freezing.

The cold spell was brief though and warmer, damper weather returning.

Big Top Treat for Students

At the end of the week the circus came to town, as it does every year at least once.

The big top rose on the Tuesday Market Place and kids all over town longed to go to the show.

Well, Friday was also the day when schools broke up for the annual mid-year two-week holiday, and to celebrate the best pupils were given free tickets to the circus.

Apparently Fethiye has almost 35,000 students aged 6 – 17, from which 1,500 won free tickets. We hoped they enjoyed themselves.

School Bus Crash

On the final day of school, two service minibuses carrying students and teachers to school in the morning collided leaving 17 injured, 14 of them primary school pupils.

One bus pulled out into a main road without looking, and was hit in the side by the other bus driving along the main road.

Fortunately no-one was seriously injured and if any of the kids in the bus were circus ticket winners, we're pretty sure they got to the evening performance.

Arrested Development

And a first for news snippets as we report from Şövalye Island.

Yes the island that guards the entrance to the Bay hit the news this week.

young Turkish man who stabbed his father to death in a small town near Zonguldak on 6th January, was found working on a building site on the island and taken into custody.

Apparently police approached the island at 05.00 in a private boat to arrest the man, although you have to wonder why all the secrecy as where could he run to?

Restoration Due?

In the past few weeks we have commented on the flow of annual statistics that always appear when a new year starts.

This week another annual event took place, which always brings a smile to faces at Fethiye Times.

It was announced that the Fethiye ampitheatre will be restored during 2012.

Apparently the Ministry of Culture & Tourism has allocated a budget for the work, and plans have been approved, which will see the road rerouted alongside the harbour and the small park, currently on the other side of the road from the theatre, being incorporated into the theatre's surroundings.

So if this does go ahead expect chaos on the road to Karagözler all summer but, if we end up with a usable ampitheatre, it will all be worth it.