Rising Healthcare Costs, Military Base and Shop Closure

Healthcare costs in Kalmar municipality have doubled in just four years. The Swedish Armed Forces will get their own premises at Kalmar Öland Airport through a new agreement. In Borgholm, a tobacco shop that has operated at the same location for 82 years is closing.

Water bills rise in Kalmar Municipality

The water and sewerage bill for a detached house in Kalmar Municipality (the local authority responsible for services such as water, schools and elder care) has doubled in just four years. In 2022, the average annual bill for a typical detached house in the municipality was 8 677 kr.

Construction of the new Kalmarsundsverket treatment plant began that same autumn. Kalmar Vatten’s calculations showed that the bill would rise to 15 910 kr in 2027, and by 2030 the annual cost would reach over 17 000 kr. According to Barometern, the increase is worse than Kalmar Vatten had predicted, and prices will rise even further. Barometern

Proposal to shut down Ung omsorg

The Social Services Department wants to shut down the Ung omsorg project, where young people play games and talk with older people. It costs too much and too few people are taking part.

The young people have had part-time jobs playing board games, baking, doing quiz games and doing handicrafts with the elderly at Mariahemmet and Solgläntan. The agreement with the company Ung Omsorg costs the municipality approximately 300 000 kr per year. Barometern

Tobacco shop in Borgholm closes after 82 years

Sjöbergs tobacco shop in Borgholm has been in business at the same location for 82 years. Now the shelves are bare and the shop's second owner is preparing to lock the door for the last time.

– There were a lot of people here, we had good turnover for a long time. Then Ica opened its first shop…, he says. According to Barometern, few people in Borgholm remember a main street without a tobacco shop. Barometern

Ljungbyholm turned it around and won in floorball

Ljungbyholm turned the match around and won against Jämjö at home in Thursday’s match in division 4 Småland östra herr in floorball. The match ended 5-3 (1-2, 2-0, 2-1). Barometern

The armed forces are increasing their presence at Kalmar Öland Airport

There will be more military activity at Kalmar Öland Airport. The airport has signed a new agreement with the Swedish Armed Forces, but the details of the cooperation are classified.

The agreement was signed in the spring and means deeper cooperation with the Blekinge Air Wing. From now on, the armed forces have access to their own areas and facilities at the airport. At a press conference on Wednesday, conscripts were able to practise relocating weapons between F17 in Ronneby and Kalmar, including refuelling two JAS 39 Gripen aircraft and fitting new weapons. SVT Nyheter Småland

Sauna community in Bösebo in Hultsfred Municipality

Bösebo sauna association was started in 1937 in the village of Bösebo in Hultsfred Municipality. The women gather to sauna on Thursdays, while the men sauna on Fridays.

A member who is 26 years old says that they sauna to socialise instead of being alone. He has been saunaing since he was 6 years old. When SVT visits the sauna, the conversations cover everything from everyday matters to hunting and politics. SVT Nyheter Småland

In brief

• The sale of the house at Liljevägen 8 in Smedby, Kalmar is now complete. Barometern
• Following the hacker attack on the control systems of refrigerators and freezers overnight between Sunday and Monday, an IoT entrepreneur in Kalmar says that most systems are connected today. SVT Nyheter Småland