Vallarta Tribune Digital 006 by Vallarta Tribune

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

Oct 19 - 25, 2020 Year 01 Online Issue 006

FR EE

GU ID E

ALL-INCLUSIVE NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE FOR PUERTO VALLARTA AND RIVIERA NAYARIT

WWW.VALLARTATRIBUNE.COM | FB/VTATRIBUNE | TWITTER @VALLARTATRIBUNE | INSTAGRAM @VALLARTATRIBUNE

Welcome

Welcome to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit

t the Vallarta Tribune we want you to have the best experience possible while you explore Puerto Vallarta, the Bay of Banderas and Riviera Nayarit. Here are some helpful tips for traveling. TIME ZONE: The entire state of Jalisco and the southern part Nayarit are on Central time – if you’re heading further north than Lo de Marcos, Nayarit, remember the time change so you don’t miss your flight. BUSES: A system of urban buses can bring you from El Tuito in the south to San Pancho in the north and all the spots in between. Fares vary according to distances travelled, but the base fare is 10 pesos. If you’re going further than San Pancho, head to the main bus terminal to catch a ‘Pacifico’ bus. TAXIS: There are set fares within defined zones of town. Do not enter a taxi without agreeing on the price with the driver. Make a note of the taxi number in case you leave something behind. Drivers typically do not carry change. UBER: New in 2017 to Puerto Vallarta, Uber is still experiencing some growing pains particularly in the state of Nayarit. Uber is cheaper than a taxi usually. GETTING AROUND: In many places such as Centro Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta there are paths for bikes and pedestrians. Please be respectful of these designations. MONEY EXCHANGE: The most hassle-free way to exchange money is to use your debit card in the ATM to withdraw pesos. Exchange houses offer higher rates and banks are remiss to change dollars to pesos if you don’t hold an account with them. Best to use ATM’s that are affiliated with a reputable bank located in well lit secure areas. TIPPING: In general you should tip 10-20% in restaurants and bars. Taxi or Uber drivers – 10-20 pesos. The person who bags your groceries or helps load your car – 10-20 pesos. Don’t forget to tip

CALLING IN MEXICO

your maid, bell boy, masseuse, the band, the entertainment on your tour. And by all means, tip more if you want, wages are extremely low in Mexico. DRINKING WATER: While Puerto Vallarta’s water has been awarded a certification of purity for the past two decades, the quality of the water tested at the source varies greatly from what comes out of the tap at the other end. Don’t wreck your holiday – buy bottle water. EXPORTING PETS: Falling in love with the street dog outside your hotel is easy to do and it’s also easy to bring them home with you. The process is inexpensive and only takes a day or two. You only need a certificate of health from a local vet and check with your airline for additional requirements. COMMON SENSE: Just as you wouldn’t walk around your hometown drunk and belligerent, it is not acceptable to do that here. While Mexico is a tolerant culture, politeness is paramount. Don’t pee in the streets. Don’t flash your money or expensive gadgets. Pay attention to your surroundings. Know where you are going. Pay your bills (and don’t forget to tip). And have fun! DRINKING AND DRIVING: First off – just don’t. The consequences are not worth it. Taxis or Ubers are cheap and plentiful. Fines are very expensive. You can go to jail and your vehicle impounded. There are many checkstops on the weekends, and you will be asked to take a breathalizer test if they suspect you have been drinking. LEGAL SYSTEM: Not knowing the law is not a valid excuse in Mexico, or anywhere. If you find yourself caught in a legal situation, be aware that often guilt is presumed until your innocence can be proven. This is a very difficult lesson to learn if you are visiting from the United States or Canada. Immediately contact your consulate for assistance.

Sept. 21 - 27, 2020 Year 01 Online Issue 002

FR EE

GU ID E

ALL-INCLUSIVE NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE FOR PUERTO VALLARTA AND RIVIERA NAYARIT

WWW.VALLARTATRIBUNE.COM | FB/VTATRIBUNE | TWITTER @VALLARTATRIBUNE | INSTAGRAM @VALLARTATRIBUNE

Teléfono: (322) 226 3870 Proa #111, Marina Vallarta, C.P. 48335. Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, México.

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

LOCAL CALLS WITHIN MEXICO All calls within Mexico can now be dialed using the 10-digit telephone number (usually a two- or three-digit area code plus an eight- or seven-digit number) from a landline or cell phone, eliminating the need for prefixes, such as 01, 044 or 045. In Mexico, most cities use a three-digit area code, notable exceptions being CDMX, Guadalajara and Monterrey. LONG DISTANCE CALLS WITHIN MEXICO Same procedure as above applies. LONG DISTANCE CALLS TO MEXICO FROM ABROAD If you are making a long-distance call to Mexico from abroad, simply add the country code (52) to the 10-digit number as described above.

CALLING TOLL-FREE NUMBERS (The following procedure predates the August 2019 update. We are waiting for specific information regarding toll-free calls within Mexico and to numbers elsewhere.) Some toll-free numbers work from Mexico to the US and Canada, but many do not. Those that do work are often not toll-free. You need to dial a different prefix. To call the following toll free prefixes, dial as follows: 800 numbers Dial 001-880-then the number 866 numbers Dial 001-883-then the number 877 numbers Dial 001-882-then the number 888 numbers Dial 001-881-then the number

INTERNATIONAL LONG-DISTANCE CALLS FROM MEXICO US & Canada: Dial 001 + Area Code + Number Elsewhere: Dial 00 + Country Code + Area Code + Number

FIRE DEPARTMENT: 322.223.9476 AMBULANCE: 322.222.1533 IMMIGRATION: 322.224.7719 CONSUMER PROTECTION: 01.800.468.8722

Emergencies: 911 Red Cross: 065

The Vallarta Tribune is an activity and entertainment guide and publishes information as it is provided by the advertiser or event host. We do not assume responsibility in errors or omissions other than to correct them as they are made known to us regarding event schedules, locations and/or prices. In addition, we do not assume any responsibility for erroneous inclusion or exclusion of information except to

TOURISM OFFICES Jalisco: 322.221.2676 Nayarit: 322.297.1006 CONSULATES American Consulate 24 hrs 01-332-268-2100 Canadian Consulate 322.293.0098 322.293.0099 24 hrs: 1.800.706.2900

Photo by Nomad Family Photo Group

take reasonable care to ensure accuracy, that permission has been obtained to use it, and to remove it as soon as is practical upon receiving your notification of error. We recommend you always confirm prior to attending or visiting an event or establishment. Weekly publication. * www.vallartatribune.com * www.facebook.com/VtaTribune/

News

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

Photo by Nomad Family Photo Group

Puerto Vallarta Calls On Public Not To Relax Measures And Health Protocols

iven the increase in the number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 in Puerto Vallarta and the region, Mayor Arturo Dávalos Peña, made a new call to the general population not to relax preventive measures and strengthen health protocols to avoid more infections. During the virtual meeting of the Executive Council of Public Safety IX of the North Coast, the mayor of Vallarta pointed out that if the cases continue to increase, there is a risk of returning to confinement and the closure of activities, which would mean a serious setback for this destination, since everything would be lost by advancing in the economic and tourist reactivation, with very serious consequences. Dávalos Peña said that in a recent meeting of the health board with the mayors of the region, it was agreed that there is a social relaxation in the face of this disease, especially among young people where infections have increased by going to parties and clubs without health protocols, bringing the virus to their homes, with their parents and grandparents, the most vulnerable and at-risk sectors.

“Unfortunately, infections are on the rise, deaths are increasing and according to the diagnosis of the health board, we have a problem, everyone has already relaxed, they believe that we are no longer going to get sick from Covid-19,” he said, reminding that there is not yet a vaccine and that it is necessary to continue with the use of the masks, keep a healthy distance, wash your hands and use antibacterial gel constantly to avoid more infections. In addition, he added that if this trend continues, there is a risk that the “emergency button” will be pressed and that activities and businesses will be closed again, which would be a serious setback for the economy of the city. “Governor Enrique Alfaro is concerned about the increase in infections, and we do not want to go back, what little we have recovered is going to collapse and we are going to do very badly; the cruise ships that leave a great economic spill are about to arrive; flights have increased, tourism is arriving, it is the high season, and if we do not continue to take care of ourselves and do not respect the protocols, practically all the

effort that has been made would collapse ”, warned the municipality of Vallarta. He said that for this reason, “we have to tighten all our actions, reinforce health protocols again, we must not relax, first there is the health of all our people, of all of us; because if there is health, there is economic reactivation; If there is no health, we will go backward again. It is a shared responsibility, we already have seven months with the preventive campaign, not to go out if it is not necessary, to use a mask, that we all know, the problem is that we have relaxed,” emphasized Dávalos Peña. At this meeting, the director of the

VIII Sanitary Region, Armando Pérez Oliva, presented the updated panorama of COVID-19 in the municipalities of the jurisdiction and confirmed that with the exception of San Sebastián del Oeste, in the rest of the municipalities the trend in cases has been on the rise, as in other regions of the state. Given this, he asked the mayors to continue working hard on this issue to reinforce prevention measures through dissemination campaigns on health measures among the population, such as the use of face masks, and greater supervision so that businesses comply with the established protocols.

Local Voices Photography in the Paradise of Vallarta

Ashley Werter

www.nomadfamilyphotogroup.com

Ashley Werter and her husband Matt teach workshops and private photography lessons in Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit, and abroad through their business, Nomad Family Photo Group. Resident and visiting photographers looking to improve their skills, try new techniques, and engage with other like-minded shutterbugs are encouraged to reach out to them at www.nomadfamilyphotogroup.com.

Through The Lens; Vallarta Mariposario Garden Magico

ew to Vallarta this year is an amazing opportunity for individual and family exploration. Located on the northeastern outskirts, about 5 miles from the Marina, is a hidden jewel called Mariposario Jardin Magico. A beautiful oasis devoid of the trappings of civilization, you will find yourself in a truly special place that exudes tranquility and natural harmony. Mariposario Jardin Magico is a butterfly sanctuary surrounded by untapped natural beauty. With a body of water, tons of wildlife, and all kinds of beautiful flora and diverse fauna, it sets the stage for what is truly a magical experience. Before you even enter the garden, you are surrounded by many different species of lush trees and plants. There are several ponds in the area that are teaming with wildlife, including exotic birds, turtles, and fish. The owner and man who created the butterfly garden, Chris, is a man of true character and clearly has a passion for his work. He has taken the time and care to acquire the knowledge of the butterflies and convey it in a manner that is sure to keep your interest. The garden is decorated with colorful and whimsical up-cycled materials. The vibrant colors of the diverse plants and flowers sets a sense of wonder. Everywhere you look you will find an abundance of life; the

different types of caterpillars and chrysalises for the butterfly species that exist here, for which there are well over 100. From the Reina, which is very similar in appearance to the Monarch Butterfly, to the Zebra, which has stripes reminiscent of those of their namesake, it is a festival of colors sure to please visitors of all ages. Biologists are strategically growing flowers and plants within this sanctuary to feed the butterflies and provide them a place to reproduce. They also offer complimentary tours to share their expertise with you. If you are lucky, you may have the opportunity to have a butterfly or two land on you. If you are even luckier with your timing, you may have the opportunity to release the butterflies that have newly emerged from their chrysalises that day, which is an incredible experience. There is even a small outdoor restaurant next door if you want to stop and have some drinks and food before or after your visit with the butterflies, as well as settings for Tamazcal, DiscGolf and Camping at the Ranch. The Mariposario is also home to our new Macro Photography workshops! Join us to learn how to create stunning floral images and learn tricks to catching shots of the amazing butterflies. This is a magical experience that will leave you feeling more informed about the various butterfly species that live in Puerto Vallarta and the surrounding area and more in touch with nature. The work that Chris and Mariposario Jardin Magico does is extremely important and I was excited to have the opportunity to visit this natural haven.

Photos by Nomad Family Photo Group

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

News

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

Complying with the required preventive measures, turtle camps in the destination are more than ready to welcome you.

very year, turtle release is a natural spectacle in Puerto Vallarta that visitors are looking forward to enjoying. Starting in the month of August all the way through December, you can experience releasing recently hatched baby turtles and see them take their first steps and prepare for the adventure that awaits in the Pacific Ocean. Turtle camps in the destination are ready to welcome you in small groups, complying with the health and hygiene preventive measures. One of them is Boca de Tomates Turtle Camp, located in the north of Puerto Vallarta, where a hatchery with more than 170 nests from Olive Ridley turtles, the main species that arrives at Bahia de Banderas, is found. Turtle release is an ideal activity for the whole family, where kids and adults can be a part of this heartwarming experience and watch how baby turtles follow their instinct and head towards the sea and their life in the ocean. Preventive Measures For Turtle Release In Puerto Vallarta In order to be able to release turtles in Puerto Vallarta, turtle camps are allowing groups of maximum 40 people, with safe distance measures, and mandatory use of facemasks. First, an expert gives visitors a small environmental chat. Then, they are given a coconut shell and a hatchling is placed in the shell since you should not touch or hold a baby turtle with bare hands. Turtle release is carried out in this camp and the beaches of other hotels in the destination. This experience has turned into a very special moment for visitors and locals alike, since it also includes enjoying amazing sunsets, to prevent natural predators from attacking the hatchlings, such as birds and fish.

Turtle release in Puerto Vallarta, an experience from the sand into the sea You can release sea turtles for free, but, if you wish, you can give a donation to preserve this fascinating species and encourage the work done by the nonprofits in the area. Adopt A Turtle’s Nest! You can adopt your very own turtle’s nest. According to José Antonio Ramirez, leader of the Boca de Tomates camp, those interested can adopt a nest, and it will bear your name. And, when the hatchlings are born, you will be cordially invited to attend its release. Sandy Feet Turtles

The Olive Ridley turtles, as well as the Humpback whales that arrive in the winter, have created a very intense and special bond with the region, thanks to their yearly visits. This turtle species arrive at various beaches in Puerto Vallarta and the Pacific to lay their eggs. When this happens, the eggs are moved to safe nurseries guarded by the Municipal Department of Ecology and volunteers from various associations and nonprofits. During the last year, various camps and volunteers identified 2,800 nests, and around 200,000 babies were released. These are

encouraging numbers according to the statistics, since 1 out of 1,000 baby turtles reach adulthood. So remember, if during your stay in Puerto Vallarta you find a turtle by the beach, it’s safe to keep a distance of 7 meters approximately, not take pictures with a flash since you can scare them away, and above all, not bother them because it can interrupt the spawning process. Be part of this wonderful experience, framed by the most amazing sunsets in Puerto Vallarta, and witness how baby turtles place their flippers on the sand for the first time to start their journey into the sea.

News

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

Sonora dog trainer is teaching dogs to detect Covid-19

Dog trainer has five animals in their final stage of training

he owner of a canine training center in Hermosillo, Sonora, is undertaking a new project born out of the current times: he’s training dogs to detect the coronavirus. While his business was closed for four months by the coronavirus pandemic, Sergio Castilla became interested in efforts in other parts of the world to train dogs to detect Covid-19 and decided he would attempt to do the same in the Sonora capital. The first person he told about his idea was Juan Manuel Mancilla Tapia, an epilepsy sufferer with whom he had worked to train Leia, a golden retriever, as a seizure alert dog. Castilla also recruited his friend Victoria Lozano and together the three dog lovers began OBI Caninos Contra el Covid (OBI Dogs Against Covid), the first project in Mexico to train dogs to sniff out the coronavirus. The name of the project comes from Mancilla’s former seizure alert dog, Obi, who died at the start of the year. Five dogs are currently in their third and final stage of training: Leia, the golden retriever already trained as a seizure alert dog; Sam, a Belgian shepherd; and Mike, Ringa and Harry, three German shepherds. Castilla told the newspaper Milenio that the dogs are learning to detect people with the coronavirus by learning to recognize the smell of the virus’s volatile organic compounds, which can be found in an infected person’s sweat, saliva and urine even before they develop symptoms. He explained that the first stage of training involves introducing a toy to a dog and allowing the animal to play with it so that over time he develops a fondness for and attachment to it. Once that is achieved, a part of the toy is cut off and placed in a receptacle along with a sample of sweat collected from a person who has tested positive for Covid-19 at a state-run laboratory in Sonora, Castilla said. The dog is allowed to smell the sample along with the toy part and as a result associates the latter with the former. Then the formal training process begins. “It’s a matter of saying to the dog, ‘Do you want your toy? Look for the smell,’” Castilla said, adding that the dog subsequently becomes addicted to the odor “because he wants to play.” Once a dog has learned to differentiate between the smell of the toy part and the smell of the sweat sample, the former is removed from the receptacle, he said. When a dog subsequently locates the sweat sample on its own, he is rewarded with his toy, Castilla said. He stressed that the dogs are not directly exposed to the sweat samples and are

Trainer Sergio Castilla and one of the dogs learning to detect Covid-19. not placed at any risk, even though there is no evidence that they can contract the coronavirus. The final part of the training process involves setting up several receptacles that contain human sweat samples. However, only one of them has a sample from a Covid-positive person. Once a dog can immediately locate the Covid-positive sample among the various sweat samples, he or she is considered to be successfully trained. Castilla said that in the real world, a trained dog will alert its master to a case of Covid-19 through his behavior. “If you have a virus, … the dog will change his behavior, he’ll feel a little bit worried and tense because he doesn’t know how to explain to you that there is something inside you that’s giving you a different smell,” he said. Castilla said that during the three-month-long training process, he and his colleagues have received guidance and assistance from researchers at Durham University in England and Dr. Anna Hielm-Björkman, a professor of equine and

small animal medicine at the University of Helsinki who is monitoring a canine Covid-detection trial at the airport in the Finnish capital. “All these experts … have been studying how dogs can detect Covid-19 and other diseases such as cancer,” he said. “Some of them are already operating [Covid-19 detection] programs in airports.” Castilla said that his first group of canine Covid sleuths could be deployed to the international airport in Hermosillo in as soon as two weeks. That would make them the first Covid-19 detection dogs to work at an airport in Latin America, he said. Castilla added that he plans to train a new group of six furry recruits that could be put to work at hospitals and entry points to Sonora, where they could do their bit to help prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state. Mancilla, the epilepsy sufferer and owner of budding Covid detection dog Leia, told Milenio that he and his colleagues would one day like to open a canine institute where perceptive pups will undertake training to sniff out a range of different diseases. Source: Milenio (sp) Mexico News Daily

A dog in training in Hermosillo.

7 Canine Aesthetics a story of overcoming and recognition News

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

am originally from Brazil, but I live in this heavenly Puerto de Vallarta, Jalisco Mexico. I am Fer Cavalcanti and this story begins when I got a job at a vet to bathe dogs. About a month later, a co-worker asked me to help her cut her hair on a dog. I grabbed the machine and did well to be my first experience. From there I spoke with the owner of the canine aesthetic and asked him for the opportunity to learn how to do this job. Back then there was no internet and I took a copy of a manual and started studying at home at night; the next day I would arrive at work and ask permission to cut the Schnauzer breed which is what I had been studying and it suited me well. From there I began to bathe them and give them haircuts. I worked in several different places practicing

and learning the art of haircutting and thanked each of the people I learned with for sharing their wisdom with me. As time went by, I began to meet the people who later became my clients outside of my working hours. So, I started handing out my personal cards and now with the internet I have shown the world my work especially on social networks. Also my clients were recommending my work since each animal is different and each one is a different experience since it is with home delivery and then I do what I love to interact with them when doing their haircut. In addition to this, I am dedicated to helping animals, be it cats or street dogs, I joined an association that is dedicated to helping these beings with

food and the rescuers of Puerto Vallarta due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It should be noted that I have complied with all the rules of health and healthy distance in relation to COVID-19 with the use of mask and antibacterial gel as well as not entering the clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; home with shoes. I love my clients who are already my friends, it makes me sad to see some animal leave when it dies but I do my best to help them and when it is not possible at least I know that I did

everything possible to help. I like to be present in the lives of animals, at the time of the most crucial pandemic I supported by cutting the hair of animals even when they did not have money to pay for the service due to donations made by friends for the cause. Thanks to my experience throughout my life, today I am a Canine Stylist, Masseuse and Animalist thanks to God and the support of my family and my clients. Today we are a big family.

News

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

Champion of tournaments: the Bisbee’s soldiers on despite the virus With protocols in place, organizers expect another successful year for Cabo San Lucas fishing events

The boats are off in the shotgun start of the Bisbee’s Black & Blue. CLICERIO MERCADO

licerio Mercado sits at a restaurant at the Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, marina on a latesummer morning, sipping a smoothie and greeting locals who stroll by his table with his typical good cheer. Everyone is happy to see him, not just because he’s overcome a nasty, six-week bout with the coronavirus, but because he helps run the legendary Bisbee’s fishing tournaments, which bring an estimated US $12-million injection into the Cabo San Lucas economy, a boost sorely needed in 2020.

For 30 years Mercado, now 73, grandfather to seven and great-grandfather to six, has organized the Bisbee’s in Los Cabos, a series of three tournaments culminating in the Bisbee’s Black & Blue, named for the two species of marlin it centers around, which draws anglers from all over the world to compete for millions in prize money. In 2006, anglers aboard Bad Company took home a record US $3,902,997.50. In the tournament’s 40-year history, 16 teams have received checks of upwards of US $1 million.

And while other tournaments in Costa Rica, Florida and the Bahamas have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Bisbee’s soldiers on by adopting a new set of protocols. It’s just another example of how Mercado has learned to roll with the punches and his determination to continue with a tournament that he, those who fish it, and residents of Los Cabos dearly love. Fishing is, after all, what brought the first tourists to Los Cabos, and the October tournaments mark the beginning of high season for the resort destination.

Mercado is confident that the Los Cabos Offshore — October 15 through 18 — and the “Superbowl of fishing tournaments” as Sports Illustrated has called the Black & Blue — October 20 through 24 — will go off without a hitch. The tournament was founded in 1981 when a group of six teams of fishing buddies decided to create a competition for a US $10,000 purse in what was then a relatively remote location with a reputation for excellent fishing. As Los Cabos grew exponentially, so did the Bisbee’s. Mercado was the food and beverage manager at a marina hotel when tournament founder Bob Bisbee, who died in 2018, first hired him to help with logistics in 1990. “Throughout the tournament, we always needed help on things from our host facility and were unable to get the help needed by the different people there. So we found ourselves going to Clicerio for things that the general manager should have been doing. Also, for things that the maintenance department should have been doing,” said Bob’s son Wayne Bisbee, who is now tournament president. “Basically, Clicerio became our primary go-to guy for getting things done even if they weren’t in his department, and that was great for us.” Mercado says he found that the skills he had learned in a 20-year career in the hospitality industry, where he began as a dishwasher, transferred well.

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

For him, coordinating a tournament means not only establishing a system and sticking to it, it’s also about diplomacy, cultivating friendships and making sure to know the right people in the right places to help pull off the event without a hitch. “A main strength that Clicerio has which I don’t is that he likes meetings. I hate meetings unless they’re taking place on a boat while fishing or in a bar, so he is great for seeing that the needed meetings for organizational things are happening,” Bisbee said. “He is much more organized than me and always has a checklist of what needs to be done versus trying to keep it all in his mind which I try to do. He also has a great capability of working with all the different organizations as needed in a very friendly manner.” By 1993 Mercado began working for the Bisbee’s full-time, and since then he has become the Mexican face of the tournaments that he, Wayne Bisbee and

News

his sister Tricia Bisbee run like clockwork, handling the logistics of holding such major events in Mexico with characteristic aplomb. In recent years more than 150 teams from around the globe have participated in what has become the world’s richest fishing tournament. As of October 13, 69 teams have registered for the Black & Blue, with entry fees starting at US $5,000 per team, or US $71,500 for across-the-board entry into daily jackpots. Seventy-six teams have registered for the Los Cabos Offshore. More teams are expected to sign up for both tournaments in the coming days. “Our expectation is to have over 100

teams per tournament, and that will be phenomenal for this very weird 2020,” Mercado says. For an experienced coordinator like Mercado, putting on fishing tournaments in a pandemic is just a matter of changing up the rules a little for safety reasons. After all, the fish are still biting. “We are holding normal Bisbee’s tournaments, and the restrictions do not have to scare people away. We have very good circumstances for the tournaments.” Mercado says. Working with state and local governments, Mercado and the Bisbees developed a blueprint for how a fishing tournament could be safely held during the pandemic and put it to the test earlier this year in their annual August East Cape Offshore tournament. The event was a rousing success, breaking records as 72 teams competed in the three-day event on the Sea of Cortés with a jackpot of over US $1,100,000, marking the first year that prize money had topped US $1 million. Local fishermen also landed a massive 704-pound blue marlin, the largest in that tournament’s history. But the circumstances were a bit different, as they will be in the upcoming two tournaments. This year the normal in-person captains’ meeting to go over rules will be held virtually, with every captain, angler and crew member receiving a link to feeds in both English and Spanish. Face masks are mandatory at all times and only the angler who caught the fish will be allowed to approach the weigh station, which has been moved from in front of the Puerto Paraíso mall to the cruise ship pier

to prevent massive crowds from gathering, as they have in years past. The annual fundraiser for the Bisbee’s Fish & Wildlife Conservation Fund, which provides scholarships for local college students, supports a billfish tag and release program and funds anti-poaching efforts in South Africa, will be held virtually as a silent auction. But the main difference most anglers will note is the absence of the tournament’s epic parties. “Due to Covid-19, we’re not allowed to bring people together in any way which I am personally very sad about,” Wayne Bisbee says. “A huge part of our tournaments is the camaraderie of all the teams from literally around the world.” Gary Graham, a photojournalist, writer and fishing guru who first visited Baja in 1973, predicts that anglers weary of lockdown will still come out despite these uncertain times. Graham covered the August Bisbee’s tournament whose success he describes as remarkable. “When that tournament took place, two weeks out there was no guarantee that it was going to happen, what the protocols would be, how it would be managed,” he said. The turnout showed that “teams that were interested in fishing tournaments, come hell or high water, would be there. That’s what I’m expecting in Los Cabos.” For Mercado, the event’s success is a given. He’s got coordinating fishing tournaments down to a science that not even the coronavirus can derail. Source: Mexico News Daily

PITILLAL

Oct 19 - 25, 2020 FLUVIAL

3 2

4 5

RIO AMECA

HOTEL ZONE

OV AL LA R

ES PA AR &S S M INA RT TRE B REG RESO CLU ESTIN CE W LA O TA THE AN PA ALAD LLAR S A Y MA A EL TO V IOTT R Y R PLA PUE MAR LIA NA D ME N RA G MA

S ATE

VIE

GRAND MAYAN PARADISE VILLAGE MEZCALES OCCIDENTAL NUEVO VALLARTA 5 HARD ROCK HOTEL GRAND VELAS RIVIERA NAYARIT DREAMS VILLAMAGNA HOTEL MARIVAL 6 RIU JALISCO 4 ACQUA FLAMINGOS RUI PALACE PACIFICO FLAMINGOS VILLA DEL PALMAR FLAMINGOS 4 VILLA LA ESTANCIA 25 4 ROYAL DECAMERON 24 BUCERIAS 23 PUNTA ESMERALDA B NAYAR 29 VILLA AMORE DEL MAR 1 5

BAY

TOM DE CA BO

VIDANTA

RTA

ALLA INA V

MAR

STATE OF NAYARIT

R LOS T LY VALLA D FRIEN CAPE AR SUNS DEL PALM NA VILLA AMERICA A FIEST HOLI AL RA A PLAY N KRYSTNAVENTU RESORT HILTO NDA BUE E GOLDEN HACIE PARADIS CLUB N E CROW PARADIS N CROW

az Ord Díaz tavo port Gus l Air Lic. nationa r Inte

VERSALLES

TO SAYULITA

PUERTO VALLAR 22

PLAYA LA MANZANILLA W PUNTA MITA Agustin Flores Contreras Municipal Stadium

GRAND PALLADIUM VALLARTA HOTEL LA QUINTA DEL SOL

123 2

MESON DE MITA PUNTA MITA FOUR SEASONS

FRANCISC

O VILLA

ST. REGIS PUNTA MITA

UAY PARAG

SHERATON BUGAMBILLIAS

5 DE5 DE DECIMBRE DICIEMBRE

ISLAS MARIETAS

BY SEA TOWNS & COLONIAS BEACHES

RESORTS MALECON SHOPPING/ARTWALK

1. MARINA RIVIERA NAYARIT 2. NUEVO RIVIERA NAYARIT 3. MARINA VALLARTA MARINA 4. CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL 5. LOS MUERTOS PIER/ WATER TAXIS

LAND & AIR

SHOPPING

GOLF

1. CENTRAL BUS STATION 2. VERSALLES BUS STATION 3. OLD TOWN BUS STATION 4. BUCERIAS BUS STATION 5. INT’L AIRPORT - PVR

1. GALERIAS VALLARTA 2. WALMART/SAMS CLUB 3. COSTCO 4. LA ISLA 5. PLAZA CARACOL 6. MEGA/ LA COMER BUCERIAS 7. WALMART NUEVO VALLARTA

1. PACI 2. BAHI 3. LITIB 4. FLAM 5. EL TI 6. & 7 V 8. MAR 9. VISTA

Oct 19 - 25, 2020 9

STATE OF JALISCO

BUENOS AIRES BUENAS ARIES

PUERTO VALLARTA 5 DeDECIMBRE Diciembre 5 DE

12 13

AMAPAS

CASA CUPOLA RESORTS BY PINNACLE

EL NOGALITO

CONCHAS CHINAS

PLA YA L O SAN S ARC VIL LA PLA EM MA OS MER YA L PER RIN CED OS ADO O E MU R TRO S PETI ERTO A ALM PICA T HOT S V EL A A N PLA YA C LLART R RES HOTEL HYA TT Z ONC LI A SH ORT IVA HA NDO OR GRA CO PUERT CASA S CHIN MAR ES ND STA O V KAR AS F S A P GAR LAY IESTA UR RE LLARTMA ZA A PU AME SOR A BLA NTA RIC T HOT NCA R NEGR AN EL M ESO A OUS RT AII

NES MARO GRAND A CA PLAY VENTURA E A S BUEN PREMIER AMBILLIA VILLA ATON BUG SHER S ET SECR AMBER NOW L SOL O DE CANT LAZA S ET P SUNS ICANO A PEL PLAZ ULES RTA T

CENTRO

HOT EL R OSIT A

GRINGO GULTCH CASA KIMBERLY HACIENDA SAN ANGEL

MISMALOYA

TO EL TUITO

BARCELO

LOS ARCOS

COLOMITOS LA TROVA CASITAS MARAIKA HOTELITO MIO

RTA 20

LAS ANIMAS 17

XINALANI RETREAT

QUIMIXTO

MAJAHUITAS MAJAHUITAS RESORT

BOCA DE TOMATLAN

HOTEL LAGUNITA

16 11

PALAPA MARACUYA 19 15 18

CENTRO

FING

POINTS OF INTEREST

IFICO GOLF COURSE IA GOLF COURSE BU GOLF COURSE MINGOS GOLF COURSE IGRE GOLF COURSE VIDANTA RINA VALLARTA TA VALLARTA

1. TURTLE RESCUE CAMP 2. WHALE OF A TALE HOLE 3. PLAYA ESCONDIDO 4. KISSING BRIDGE 5. EL CORA CROCODILE SANCTUARY 6. PUERTO VALLARTA SIGN 7. ESTERO EL SALADO 8. PITILLAL PLAZA

‘OLD TOWN’

9. 5 DE DEC. CEMETARY 10. MIRADOR CERRO DE LA CRUZ 11. MALECON 12. VIRGIN DE LA GUADALUPE CHURCH 13. LOS ARCOS AMPITHEATRE 14. ISLA CUALE 15. LAZARO CARDENAS PARK 15. OLAS ALTAS FARMERS MARKET

16. HIDALGO PARK 17. THREE HENS MARKET 18. MARSOL MARKET 19. MUNICIPAL MARKET 20. EMILIANO ZAPATA MARKET 21. CUALE CULTRAL CENTER 22. 5 DE DEC MARKET 23. HUANACAXLE MERCADO

24. FOREVER SPRING MARKET 25. BUCERIAS ARTWALK 26. RIVIERA FARMERS MARKET 27. MARINA ARTISAN MARKET 28. MOVIE + PICNIC 29. RED CROSS 30. LOS ARCOS NATIONAL PARK

12 News Oct 19 - 25, 2020 COVID-19 masks FAQs: How can cloth stop a tiny virus? What’s the best fabric? Do they protect the wearer? Catherine Clase Physician, epidemiologist, associate professor, McMaster University Edouard Fu MD/PhD Candidate in Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Juan Jesus Carrero Professor of Epidemiology, Karolinska Institute

ace masks reduce the spread of viruses passed on from respiratory secretions. While cloth masks are imperfect, widespread use of an imperfect mask has the potential to make a big difference in transmission of the virus. We started reading the research on cloth masks and face coverings at the start of the pandemic, looking for ways to protect our vulnerable dialysis patients and our dialysis staff. We found a total of 25 studies, advocated for mask use and summarized our findings in a peer-reviewed publication. We also created an evidence-based, plain-language website (www.clothmasks.ca) to help people navigate this area. Although mask use has been widely adopted, many people still have questions about them. I see spaces in the cloth. How can it stop particles? The virus that causes COVID-19 is about 0.1 micrometer in diameter. (A micrometer (µm) is one one-thousandth of a millimeter.) The holes in woven cloth are visible to the naked eye and may be five to 200 micrometers in diameter. It is counter-intuitive that cloth can be useful in this setting — it’s been compared to putting up a chain-link fence to stop mosquitoes. However, that analogy is wrong in many ways. According to aerosol science, whenever liquid hangs in air it is technically an aerosol, but other disciplines use the word “droplet” to mean a coarse particle five micrometers or larger, and reserve “aerosol” for fine particles smaller than five micrometers in effective diameter. When we breathe, talk, eat, cough, sneeze or sing, we emit particles across a range of sizes, both coarse and fine, and the virus is in those particles. Even though there are gaps between the threads in cloth, the threads are usually wider than the gaps. Also, at this microscopic level, the thread has thickness, or depth, so the gap is more a tunnel than a window. Microfilaments from broken or irregular threads project into the gap. The particle is not like a mosquito, which can redirect itself to avoid obstacles. A particle with momentum will run into a fibre, even though the air stream is diverted

Although cloth masks have been widely adopted, many people still have questions about them. (Usplash/Vera Davidova)

around it, like a ball hitting a wall — this is called impaction. But at the microscopic level, there are two additional processes in play. Particles also fall out of the air — called sedimentation. Some particles are moving randomly and this random motion brings them into contact with fibres — called diffusion. Finally, cloth can be used in multiple layers, adding a second and third gauntlet for the particle to run before it reaches the other side. The point is not that some particles may penetrate the cloth, but that some are blocked. What are the best materials for cloth face masks? Based on our summary of 25 different studies, woven cotton, at least 100 threads per inch; flannel, either cotton or poly-cotton blend, at least 90 threads per inch; tea towel

material; and heavy, good quality, cotton T-shirt material all performed well. This recommendation is based on the published data available, which doesn’t cover all possible mask materials: we didn’t find a lot of information on synthetic materials, for example, so we don’t know how they compare. Every study that looked at layering found that it made a difference, so we recommend that masks be made of at least two layers; three or four may be even better. We found evidence for multiple layers of the same fabrics and for sandwiches of different materials. We did not find good evidence of useful levels of filtration for disposable filters, like coffee filters, so we suggest not using them. For example, a two-layer T-shirt mask with a sewn edge — which prevents stretching

— prevented 79 per cent of mouth bacteria reaching the environment during coughing. In the same experiment, a modern disposable medical mask performed in the same range at 85 per cent. Two studies of surgical masks from the 1960s and 1970s distinguished between coarse particles (sometimes called droplets) and fine particles (sometimes called aerosols). A four-layer cotton mask and a mask made of a sandwich of cotton and flannel both reduced mouth bacteria in particles of all sizes reaching the environment during talking by 99 per cent and mouth bacteria in fine particles by 89 per cent. This is all good evidence that cloth face coverings can prevent respiratory secretions from reaching the environment. Every coarse or fine particle trapped in a mask is not

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

available to hang in the air or fall to a surface and contaminate it. “My mask protects you, your mask protects me”: if many people wear face coverings we expect the probability of transmission to fall. Can a cloth mask protect the person wearing it? We found four studies of inward filtration, all of which showed useful levels of filtration, all using the same widely-accepted technology that measures salt particles in the fine particle (0.02 to 1.0 micrometer) range. A study of one-layer tea-towel masks and a study of two-layer masks made of T-shirt material both showed at least 50 per cent protection for fine particles. Two cloth masks of unknown materials randomly purchased from street vendors performed just as well. For comparison, two of these studies — using exactly the same methods — examined

News

how well modern disposable medical masks worked when tested on volunteers: they filtered around 80 per cent of fine particles. Three researchers from the University of Pittsburgh made complex masks with eight layers of pre-shrunk high-quality cotton T-shirts fitted to their own faces: each filtered more than 90 per cent of inward aerosol-sized fine particles, offering proof-of-concept for the idea of designing better cloth masks. An animal experiment with tuberculosis bacteria provides further insight. Tuberculosis is usually considered an “airborne” disease, that is, one with an important transmission route through aerosols or fine particles. When caring for tuberculosis patients, health-care workers wear N95 masks, a high level of respiratory protection, to protect themselves and prevent onward transmission to others. When rabbits were exposed to aerosols

of tuberculosis in controlled conditions, tuberculomas (infected abscesses) were reduced by 95 per cent in rabbits that wore close-fitting three- to six-layer gauze masks compared with those that did not. Many of the cloth masks in current use, therefore, are likely producing useful levels of filtration to the person wearing them, and we have proof-of-concept for improved cloth mask materials and design. At what rate of use do masks become beneficial? Two modelling studies predict that 50 per cent adoption of a 50 per cent effective mask will have an important effect on transmission, and that if either percentage is increased, transmission is further reduced. We need to work on making cloth masks more effective, but the masks that we have on hand have the potential to change the course of the

13 pandemic, particularly if we almost all wear them. Mask mandates were imposed at different times in different states in the United States, creating a natural experiment. The COVID-19 daily growth rate fell by one per cent in the first five days and by two per cent at 21 days after a mask mandate was imposed. These effects are not small: they represent 16 to 19 per cent of the effects of other much more invasive measures (school closures, bans on large gatherings, shelter-in-place orders and closures of restaurants, bars and entertainment venues). Taken together, this suggests that cloth face coverings of the type currently available have the potential to reduce transmission, and that when cloth face coverings are mandated, the growth rate decreases. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle projected on Sept. 3 that an increase in mask usage from the current 60 per cent to 95 per cent, combined with enhanced local social distancing as needed, would reduce global deaths by three-quarters of a million people before the end of 2020. Are there any other benefits to wearing a mask? A new hypothesis advanced by researchers at the University of California San Francisco suggests that cloth masks don’t just reduce the probability of infectious organisms reaching a person, but also the number of infectious organisms — and that a lower number of infecting organisms leads to less severe disease. Accumulating epidemiologic evidence from this pandemic suggests that when masks are worn, the overall severity of illness is lower. The proportion of those infected who remain asymptomatic is higher, and the probability of dying is lower. In animal experiments it is well known that the inoculum (the infecting dose) is related to disease severity. The threshold at which 50 per cent of animals in a group receiving the same dose die of infection is called the lethal-dose 50 (LD50). Experiments on mice using the coronaviruses MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome) and SARS-CoV-1, which caused the 2003 SARS outbreak, showed dose-response and in MERS-CoV established LD50. In hamsters separated by surgical masks between cages from hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2, the severity of infection was reduced compared with hamsters unprotected by masks. Further research on better cloth masks will be helpful. At the Centre of Excellence for Protective Equipment and Materials at McMaster, we hope to play a role in that work. However, even imperfect uptake and imperfect use of imperfect masks has the potential to have a surprisingly large impact during this pandemic. We should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Source This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

News

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

New food warning labels begin to appear on store shelves

Labels advise consumers about products high in fats, sugar, sodium and calories

ew warning labels informing consumers about products that could be unhealthy are starting to arrive in supermarkets across Mexico. The black octagons are placed on products that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, sodium or calories and are appearing on cans of soup, evaporated milk, jam and cookies, among other items.

Products containing caffeine and sweeteners will also bear warning labels indicating that they should not be consumed by children, and those that have one or more warnings cannot include children’s characters, animations, cartoons, celebrities, athletes or pets on their packaging. The warnings are in addition to a labeling system that breaks down the percentages of total sugars, saturated fat, other fats, sodium and calories. The labels are similar to programs already underway in Chile, Peru and Uruguay. The government discussed the measure with health organizations and food manufacturers before it was approved by Congress last year. By law, any products that exceed the government’s health standards must carry the warning labels by October although companies will have a grace period until March 31, 2021, in order to transition to becoming fully compliant.

These Campbell's soup cans sport up to three warning labels.

The warnings are meant to combat obesity and overweight, maladies that affect three out of four Mexicans, as well as diabetes, which was declared an epidemic in the country in 2016 and affects 8.7 million people. Mexico also has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity in the world, a public health problem estimated to represent 3.2% of the country’s gross domestic product. According to Deputy Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell, 67% of those who have died from the coronavirus in Mexico had chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity or cardiovascular disease, comorbidities associated with the consumption of junk food. But not everyone is on-side with the new labels, which have met with strong opposition from some sectors of the food industry. Bosco de la Vega Valladolid, head of Mexico’s National Agricultural Council (CNA), said the warnings would only serve to “demonize” food products and negatively affect the economy.

Mexico’s Business Coordination Council (CCE), which includes the CNA and the food and beverage association, issued a statement criticizing the new system after the new regulations were announced. “The ministries of economy and health agreed to impose a labeling standard that will not solve the health problem that Mexico suffers but, on the contrary, will result in less information being available to consumers,” it said, claiming that authorities “dismissed the opinion and scientific evidence presented by hundreds of organizations and the private sector that participated in the public consultation.” The European Union, the United States, Costa Rica and Guatemala expressed concern to the World Trade Organization when the measure was introduced last year, stating that “the proposal restricts trade more than necessary,” the WTO reported. Source: El Universal (sp), Sin Embargo (sp), Entrepreneur (sp) Mexico News Daily

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

News

Buggies go horseless in Yucatán, gasoline engines take over Motul replaces horse-drawn buggies with a motorized version

otul, Yucatán, has become the second city in the state to replace horse-drawn carriages with motorized ones following pressure by animal rights activists to abandon the practice, citing animal cruelty.

In that city, buggy drivers have taken to pulling the carriages with ATVs provided by the state government. Carriage drivers also received 10,000 pesos (US$ 469) from the government and a year’s worth of free maintenance on the four-wheelers.

Mérida was the first city in the state to begin using gas-powered buggies, which it did in November 2019.

They were instructed to find a dignified retirement home for the now prohibited horses.

Horse-drawn carriages have been banned in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, since May as the practice violates the state’s animal welfare laws. They were also banned in Acapulco, Guerrero, this spring after the state decided to begin enforcing animal welfare laws on the books since 2014.

One such sanctuary is Cuacolandia in Puebla, where owner Elena Larrea cares for more than 100 abandoned or abused horses, including 42 former carriage horses from Acapulco that arrived after the ban was put into place, many with open sores and suffering severe malnutrition. In Guadalajara, horse-drawn carriages were

banned in 2017 and replaced with electric buggies equipped with a 10-horsepower motor that can drive the carriage at speeds of up to 25 kilometers per hour. “We cannot continue to mistake the idea of tradition with animal abuse. That no

longer has a place in Guadalajara; we’ve put a stop to it today,” then-mayor Enrique Alfaro Ramírez said at the time. Source: El Universal (sp), México News Daily

Ship that sank off Yucatán was carrying Mayan slaves to Cuba

esearchers have identified the vessel that went down in 1861. Experts with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have identified a steamship that sank off the Yucatán Peninsula in the middle of the 19th century as a vessel that transported Mayan slaves to Cuba to work on sugar cane plantations. The shipwreck of La Unión, a paddle-wheel steamship owned by a Spanish company that operated out of Havana, was discovered less than four kilometers off the coast of the Gulf of Mexico port town of Sisal, Yucatán, in 2017 by underwater archaeologists who were assisted by local residents. The ship sank in September 1861 after it caught fire shortly after leaving Mexico for Cuba. The underwater archaeologists initially named the ship Adalio after the grandfather of a local fisherman who guided them to the wreck site, INAH said in a statement on Tuesday. The experts soon identified it as a steamship that was built in the mid 1800s. The base of its wooden hull was well preserved by sand that covered it and several other parts of the vessel were still in relatively good condition despite spending more than 150 years underwater. Archaeologists also discovered everyday items that had been onboard the ship including brass cutlery and fragments

of glass and ceramic bottles. After a series of dives in 2017, experts with the INAH Underwater Archaeology Department (SAS) began searching through archives in Mexico, Cuba and Spain for records that might contain information about the sunken vessel. After three years, they gathered enough information to confirm that the wreck they had found was of La Unión, INAH said. It is the first ship that transported Mayan slaves to have been located and identified. Helena Barba Meinecke, head of the Yucatán office of the SAS, explained that the archaeologists were able to conclude that the ship was La Unión because newspaper articles and reports said the vessel had sunk in the area where it was found after its boilers exploded and it caught fire.

The archaeologists had discovered parts of exploded boilers and had noted that the ship’s wooden hull showed signs of fire damage. During their research, the INAH experts learned that La Unión had been authorized to carry out trade voyages between Cuba and Mexico and that it docked in Sisal, formerly an important port, as well as Campeche, Veracruz and Tampico. It carried products such as henequen fiber, tanned leather, timber and deer skins to Cuba as well as passengers who traveled in the ship’s first, second and third classes. In addition, the INAH experts found that La Unión transported Mayan people who had been either captured or tricked into believing that they were traveling to

Cuba as free settlers and that land awaited them there. The ship’s commanders worked with slave traders in Mexico even though slavery had already been outlawed. Between 1855 and 1861, a period during which the Caste War of Yucatán between Mayans and the European-descended population was taking place, an average of 25 to 30 slaves were sent to Cuba per month on La Unión, INAH said. “Each slave was sold for up to 25 pesos to intermediaries and they could resell them in Havana for up to 160 pesos for men and 120 pesos for women,” Barba said. A year before it sank, La Unión had been found transporting 29 Mayan people believed to be slaves including children aged as young as 7. Just months before the tragedy, then president Benito Juárez had issued a decree against the forced removal of Mayan people from their land. But the Mayan slave trade continued. It wasn’t until after La Unión sank in 1861 that the Mexican government increased its search efforts at ports to prevent the trafficking of people to Cuba, INAH said. Half of the 80 crew members and 60 passengers on board perished after the ship caught fire and sank, the institute said, adding that the number of Mayan slaves who died are not included in those figures because they were considered goods rather than people. Mexico News Daily

Charities

Oct 19 - 25, 2020

Non-Profit and Charitable Organizations For visitors to Puerto Vallarta who wish to support the less privileged in our paradise, this is a list of some of the many organizations that could benefit from such kind gestures. If you would like your organization recognized here, please email details to cpsmedia.pv@gmail.com You can find all of our local charities online at vallartatribune.com Amigos de La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, A.C. – contributing to the quality of life in La Cruz through cultural, educational, environmental and charitable assistance programs. Tax Deductible. www. amigosdelacruz.org Contact Amy Welch amywelchpdx@comcast.net Alcoholics Anonymous: In English Puerto Vallarta Alanon Club – Basilio Badillo 329 recoverpv.com Amazing Grace Missions Assisting families in Magisterio & Progreso with necessities and job training and English. slw2014nv@gmail.com American Legion Post 14: raises resources and manpower to improve facilities needing building maintenance americanlegion14.org Amigos del Magisterio – Food delivered directly to workers at the PV dump, their families and schools in Magisterio and Volcanes. Also, food to New Beginnings, Pasitos de Luz, and Caritas. 100% of donations to the people, no overhead. amigosdelmagisterio.com lysephilrioux@ hotmail.com Asilo San Juan Diego Home for the Elderly – Contact: Lupita Sanchez Covarrubias 222-1257 or malupita88@ hotmail.com or mexonline.com\ asilosanjuandiego.htm Asociación Down – Assistance to persons with Down’s Syndrome – Contact: Ana Eisenring at 224-9577. Banderas Bay Women’s Shelter – Safe shelter for women & children victims of domestic violence. compassionforthefamily.org Becas Vallarta, A.C. – Provides scholarships to high school and university students. Tax-deductible in Mexico and USA. Polly Vicars at (322) 223-1371 or Buri Gray at (322) 221-5285. CANICA – Centre for Children with Cancer. Provides aid for treatment and services including transportation to GDL. Contact Director, Evelia Basañes 322-123-5688. Casa Hogar – A shelter for orphaned, abandoned, disadvantaged or vulnerable children. Luz Aurora Arredondo at 221 1908, casahogar_maximocornejo@hotmail. com Centro Comunitario SETAC-GLBT – Services the GLBT community, including treatment and referrals, education, English classes, HIV testing and counseling. Paco Arjona 224-1974

Photo by Nomad Family Photo Group

Clinica de Rehabilitación Santa Barbara – Rehabilitation of the handicapped. Contact: Laura Lopez Portillo Rodriguez at 224-2754. COLINA Spay and Neuter Clinic – Free and by-donation sterilization clinic in Old Town. Only open Saturdays, Contact: cez@rogers.com or 322-104-6609 CompassionNet Impact – Transforming the lives of people living in chronic poverty. Job creation, education, emergency & more. Tax-deductible. Cell: (322) 133-7263 or ric@4compassion.org Corazon de Nina A safe, loving, home-environment for 40+ children and youth rescued from high-risk situations. Donations & volunteers always welcome! Totally self-funded. www. fundacioncorazon.mx Cruz Roja (Red Cross) – Handles hospital and emergency service in Vallarta. It is the only facility that is authorized to offer assistance to injured people on the street. Contact: 222-1533, 222-4973 Desayunos para los Niños de Vallarta A.C. Feeding programs, education programs, day care centers for single mothers. 2234311 or 22225 72 Discapacitados de Vallarta, A.C. (DIVAC) association of handicapped individuals dedicated to helping one another. Ivan Applegate at 221-5153. Ecology and Conservation of Whales, AC. National Coordination Network for the Assistance of Entangled Whales. Biol. Astrid Frisch Jordán, Arce #541. Col. La Primavera Puerto Vallarta, Jal. 48325, Mexico, Tel/Fax: (322) 29 37 851

fibbcatalogo@yahoo.com Families At The Dump: Supporting families living in the landfill or garbage dump thru education and sustainable opportunities. familiesatthedump.org Fundacion Punta de Mita LDG. Ana Lilia Medina Varas de Valdés. ana@ fundacionpuntademita.org Tel. (329) 291 5053 Friends of PV Animals Volunteers working to enhance the lives of shelter animals. For info and donations visit friendsofpvanimals.com Grupo Ecológico de Puerto Vallarta: Arq. Luz del Carmen Pérez A cayro_13@ hotmail.com grupoecologico.com Horizonte de Paz: Welcoming shelter for men of all ages who are troubled w/alcohol & drug addiction.In great need of cash or material resources Contact MAYNOR Tel 281 0644 horizontedepaz@live.com International Friendship Club – Provides medical, educational and social services to those in need in Puerto Vallarta. www. ifcvallarta.com La Brigada de la Basura: A weekly meeting of neighborhood children to clean Vallarta Streets. Contact Que?Pasa 223-4006 Mexico Ministries & Mission, Inc. raises funds to the poor in Vallarta. Contact Fr. Jack+ 044 322 229-1129 christchurchbythesea.org Navy League – assists in the transportation of donated medical supplies from the U.S., organizes work groups to paint and repair facilities New Life Mexico – Challenging Child Poverty with health and education

programs. Philippa Vernon pvp@ newlifemexico.com Paraíso Felino AC Refuge and Adoption Centre for cats and kittens in the Bay of Banderas. Luis Donaldo Cel. (322) 120-4092 Pasitos de Luz – substitute home for low income children with any type of handicap, offers rehabilitation services and more. 299-4146. pasitosdeluz.org Purr Project – no-kill feline rescue located near Puerto Vallarta providing homeless cats and kittens a recuperative stay with the ultimate goal of adopting them out to loving homes, sterilized, vaccinated and disease free. www.purrproject.com PEACEAnimals – Free mobile spay/ neuter clinic operating 48 weeks a year, primarily in Puerto Vallarta. Tax-deductible. peaceanimals.org Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza Orphanage for children aged 0-14. www.ccshf.ca SETAC - Effectively reduce the incidence of HIV / AIDS in Puerto Vallarta and promoting respect for human rights of people living with HIV / AIDS www.setac. com.mx SPCA PV – Provides long term no-kill shelter and vet services as well as rehabilitation and adoption to rescued animals. www.spcapv.com Vallarta Botanical Gardens - An award winning botanical garden that offers research & education of native plant life, city beautification programs, bird and butterfly watching, orchid garden and more etc. www.vbgardens.org

By Sheryl Bartol / Ed. Rich Norris

Games

Oct 19 - 25, 2020 2

36 39

42 44

50 54

46 Biblical prophet 47 "Time in a Bottle" singer

32 National Mustard Day mo.

49 Temperature control syst.

51 ﬔey're oen rivals

42 Boardwalk activity

53 Ginger __

44 Online show oﬀering Hollywood info

55 Ring decision, brieﬂy

S P L O S H E S

A C E L A S

W A L K B A C K 57

E M O T I C O N

H E N

E V E N E R

S I R I

P U S H A L E R T S d scorn anal" mule date ges, say show VIPs pper for one can I help h?" speaker ut includes a

T I N E

L O G S

C O U L D

T O R E

O G D E N 29

P A I R

N O O R

D O E

R A T E D P G

T O Y

D I R T Y

P O E T

C L O S E C A L L S

S I D E

C R E P E S

E M S

U B E R E A T S 16

U S S E A L 17

O P E N A R E A 14

C A R T E L 15

J A N I 1

S A L

M C S

S N O R T E D 28

41 Angle symbols

V A C A T E 2

T O R S 5

P A S T A 9

39 "__ Kapital"

35 Adheres ... or separates

48 Some islands have them

59 12

28 29

31 Charley, in Steinbeck's "Travels With Charley"

45 Update aer a new survey, maybe

25 27

45 Update aer a new survey, maybe

46 Biblical prophet

15 20 23 24

30 Criticized publicly

C E D E S

speedsters t from, as a s statement p (through), ddle

MGM motto word Safe room barrier Baseball or soccer Start of a Shakespeare title Its lines have lines Hazards Sting Ingredient in the Indian dish dal Discourages Like a cloudy London day Goes (for) Gentle parting sentiment

47 "Time in a Bottle" singer

10 11 12 13

48 Some islands have them

30 Criticized publicly

31 Charley, in Steinbeck's "Travels With Charley"

32 National Mustard Day mo.

38 39

49 Temperature control syst.

35 36 37

35 Adheres ... or separates

39 "__ Kapital"

ﬔey're oen rivals

23 25

Ginger __

18 19 21 22 23 25 26 28

Ring decision, brieﬂy

41 Angle symbols 51 42 Boardwalk activity 53 44 Online show oﬀering Hollywood 55 info

14 15 16

10 MGM motto word sance faire 11 Safe room barrier t 12 Baseball or soccer ging H.S. 13 Start of a e class Shakespeare title say 15 Its lines have lines intro 20 Hazards Park, N.J., 23 Sting 24 Ingredient in the of the Indian dish dal of Apollo, 25 Discourages 27 Like a cloudy London day losures 28 Goes (for) agen sedan 29 Gentle parting sentiment

1 9

40 Showed scorn 42 "Erie Canal" mule ﬔey clean up 43 App update Menu category messages, say including shells 46 Award show VIPs Park, for one 49 Egg dropper Monopoly player? 50 Plane, for one Sign in many 51 "What can I help restaurant you with?" speaker windows Emblem on a dollar 52 Clear out 54 It oen includes a bill colon For or against Parisian street food 56 Amtrak speedsters 57 Retreat from, as a CPR group previous statement "__ Story" 58 Gives up Reasons for sighs 59 Clomps (through), Female rabbit as a puddle Like "Home Alone" City NNW of Park 1 Renaissance faire City contest Many glasses are 2 Challenging H.S. sold as one science class Queen dowager of 3 Clingy, say Jordan 4 Memo intro Browning but not cooking 5 Menlo Park, N.J., notable Have the ability to 6 Pythia of the Ripped Temple of Apollo, Barbecue tool for one feature 7 Vintage Fireside sight 8 MS enclosures Like some tricks 9 Volkswagen sedan

Photo by Nomad Family Photo Group

Oct 19 - 25, 2020