Good morning from Pistoia. Here are eight important local and provincial updates for Tuesday, July 21, selected from the latest reporting and current public information.
New Provincial Council elected
Pistoia’s provincial assembly has been renewed through the second-level vote reserved for mayors and municipal councillors. Turnout reached 243 of the 303 eligible administrators, or 80.2%. Early reporting assigns seven of the ten seats to the centre-left and three to the centre-right, restoring the council that coordinates policies across the province’s twenty municipalities. Source: La Nazione – Pistoia, July 20.
€200,000 scholarship programme opens for local students
Fondazione Caript, working with the Caritas organisations of Pistoia and Pescia, has allocated €200,000 for the 2026–27 school year. The programme expects to award up to 250 grants: €600 for lower-secondary pupils and €800 for upper-secondary students. Applicants must live in Pistoia province, have an ISEE of no more than €15,000 and an average school mark of at least 7 out of 10. Source: Report Pistoia, July 20.
Pistoia Zoo adapts animal care to extreme heat
The Giardino Zoologico di Pistoia is using species-specific measures to protect more than 500 animals during the hot weather, including shaded habitats, pools and frozen fruit-and-vegetable enrichment for small primates. The seven-hectare park also participates in European conservation programmes for threatened species, from African penguins to rare insects and native freshwater turtles. Source: La Nazione – Pistoia, July 19.
Conad Nord Ovest receives approval for PiùMe acquisition
Italy’s competition authority has cleared Conad Nord Ovest’s acquisition of the companies behind the PiùMe home- and personal-care chain without conditions. The operation covers 260 stores, including locations in Tuscany, and a business with about 810,000 active loyalty cards and annual turnover of roughly €190 million. The PiùMe brand, organisation and workforce are expected to remain separate and unchanged. Source: Report Pistoia, July 20.
New Guardia di Finanza commander takes office in Montecatini
Lieutenant Giuseppe Marrocco has assumed command of the Guardia di Finanza company in Montecatini Terme. The 30-year-old officer arrives from Imola, where he coordinated economic and financial investigations, and brings experience in combating tax evasion, fraud and misuse of public funds. Source: Report Pistoia, July 20.
Concern grows over municipal-police staffing in Chiesina Uzzanese
The local opposition says only one officer is currently serving in Chiesina Uzzanese’s municipal-police office, although the staffing plan provides for four posts. The shortage has reportedly persisted since late 2025, prompting calls for a clearer recruitment plan and closer coordination with neighbouring municipalities in the shared service. Source: Report Pistoia, July 20.
Literary event brings a new novel to Sambuca Castello
Journalist and author Alberto Vivarelli will present La bambina di Montmalon at the Church of Saints James and Christopher in Sambuca Castello on Sunday, July 26, at 6 p.m. The novel follows a young woman’s journey from Venice to the Camargue, where a hidden diary opens an investigation rooted in the Second World War. Source: Report Pistoia, July 20.
Montale district tournament reaches the decisive stage
Fognano and defending champion Smilea are already through to the semi-finals of Montale’s Torneo dei Rioni, which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary. Dore and Tobbiana meet tonight in the second play-off to determine another semi-finalist, after a qualifying phase that attracted strong crowds to Stadio Barni. Source: La Nazione – Pistoia, July 20.
School-voucher deadline approaches
Families with children enrolled for 2026–27 at participating private nursery schools can apply for a municipal fee reduction of up to €500. Applications for Pistoia’s 2026 school vouchers must be submitted by July 31, making this one of the key practical deadlines at the end of the month. Source: Comune di Pistoia.
About this brief: This is an original English-language summary based on a review of Report Pistoia, Il Tirreno – Pistoia, La Nazione – Pistoia/Montecatini and official updates from the Comune di Pistoia. Follow the linked sources for continuing coverage and practical changes.